Hazelnut Vanilla

I should mention first that I think "Hazelnut Vanilla" is a slight misnomer and might set up your expectations to believe this is a flavored tea, which it is not. Rather, this is blend with a nutty and slightly malty tea base with very natural notes of what you might associate with hazelnut. I can't say I really have any idea where the "vanilla" part comes from either. That said - if you go into drinking this with the understanding that this is a pure black tea with nutty notes and some floral ingredients rather than its artificially flavored counterparts from other companies, this tea is a very nice, bold black tea that could make an excellent alternative to your morning coffee, especially with a splash of milk or as a latte. The emphasis seems to be on using intact, quality ingredients that somewhat naturally flavor the tea, which I have a deep appreciation for.

Upon opening the pouch, there is a lovely nutty aroma and a visual delight with the flowers. I brewed this hot and then hot with milk. This is a bolder nutty black tea. I get a kiss of hazelnut with each sip that is super delightful. I would say this isn’t overpoweringly nutty, but just the right amount. The black tea used in this blend is quite strong, so I would stick to the package directions to avoid any astringency or bitterness. When I added milk (soy here), I got more of the hazelnut note. The black tea is tamer in this iteration, and I’d have to say this was my favorite way to drink this tea. This would make a great latte—hot or iced.