The RateTea page for Trader Joe's states, "Many of Trader Joe's teas are experimental and are only available for short runs before being discontinued." Such appears to be the case for this interesting blend, which is specifically advertised on the website as "Limited time only!" as of Dec. 2024. Maybe that's because the flavor itself lasts a "Limited time only!"

Here's a tea that peaks way too early. It smells wonderful, both in dry bag and in-cup, and the first couple sips taste like a really rich, smooth, almost savory chocolaty black tea with a background hint of fruitiness. I would expect this with a roster of ingredients that includes rooibos, roasted carob, cocoa shells, licorice root, cranberry seeds, and cocoa powder. If one stopped there, with just that first sip or two, it would get a very high rating. But as I kept drinking, especially the less time that elapsed between sips, it got flatter and flatter, to where a series of four or five rapid-fire sips renders the beverage nearly tasteless. Then, if I took a few minutes off, more of the flavor returned. This is a strange effect! The aftertaste also was richer than the in-mouth flavor at the end of those quick-succession sips.

In essence, how much you enjoy this tea likely depends on how fast you drink it. I recommend the gradual, "sip every now and then" approach, to the extent you can tolerate the tea's getting colder. It also comes in boxes of 10, instead of 20, but also for less than $2/box...still a good price, especially after a few years of high inflation.

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