Reviewer: Difflugia
✓ 170 teas reviewed
✓ 57 of Black Tea
✓ 89 of Pure Tea (Camellia sinensis)
✓ 4 of Lipton Tea
✓ 62 from ?????
Review of Black Tea
February 19th, 2019
| Aroma | Flavor | Value | Total |
| 5 of 10 | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 | 48 of 100 |
| Fair | Fair | Reasonable |
When I do drink regular Lipton tea, it's usually from a catering tray where it may have sat for a day or a month. On a whim, I got a small, sealed package (fifteen teas bags for a dollar) so I could try it fresh.
When dry, it smells oaky and leafy, but muted. After steeping, it develops a bit more character and there's a warm, vegetal sweetness in the aroma, but it's still not much. The flavor's slightly bitter and the astringency is medium. It's really thin-bodied, with a very slight toasted bread flavor. It's not very satisfying.
It's been years since I drank Lipton with any regularity and it tastes far more similar to other mass market black teas like Tetley or Red Rose than I remember. Since I've started paying attention to the flavors of various teas, it's become obvious just how similar the vast majority of U.S. grocery store teas are, being mild to the point of being flavorless. I'm starting to realize why flavored teas are so popular. In fact, I think the Lipton even has more flavor than Bigelow's main unflavored offering, English Teatime.
This tea's pretty cheap. A box of 100 tea bags is usually less than $4. It's not overpriced, but you get what you pay for.
