Safeway Orange Spice Flavored Black Tea Review

A Decent Tea That Does Have a Slight Taste of Oranges

Summary : This was kind of a happy surprise. While not destined to become a favorite tea, this orange spice tea sort of hits the spot...enough orange flavor to be enjoyable, some spice to add some kick to it, and no overwhelming flavor of black tea.

Review : I've had some pretty bad tea tasting experiences with many, actually most, orange spice teas. The reason for this is because most of the teas have a very, very strong and overpowering black tea flavor...with the "orange spice" flavor mysteriously absent. Or...if it is there...the tea will simply have a "odd taste" with some bitterness...not something that makes you really excited to drink the tea!

And thus it was with those sad thoughts that I approached this orange spice flavored black tea from Safeway Select, which is a true supermarket generic brand tea!

Yet, I got a decent surprise. The fragrance of the tea was surprisingly strong, all the more so considering it comes from a bag. The tea definitely had some "kick" in its aroma...and you could even get a whiff of orange too.

The flavor of the tea was also a decent surprise. While this tea will not be making my favorites list anytime soon...this tea still exceeded the admittedly low expectations I had for it.

Unlike many flavored black teas...particularly those loose-leaf flavored black teas...the flavor of black tea was on the weak side. And for a orange spice tea, this is a GOOD thing otherwise you'll never taste the more subtle taste of the orange in the tea. And due to this weak black tea flavor, you have no worries about having a "lip puckering" experience nor worries about bitterness (unless you overbrew it, obviously).

The tea also has a moderate spice to it, too. While in no way comparable to a chai tea, the spice level of this particular orange spice tea was surprisngly high in comparison to other orange spice teas I've tried. And on a cold, winter night...spice is a very good thing!

As for the orange flavor, well...let us just say it is weak. Very weak. But you do get a bit of the flavor of orange...it is just quite subtle.

Overall, this tea was surprising...and in a good way. If you like other orange spice teas, definitely give this tea a try if you happen to be in a Safeway grocery store and see it in the tea aisle.

Recommendation : Yes. If you like other orange spice flavored black teas, you should like this one to one degree or another. It isn't the worlds greatest tea, but for a supermarket generic brand...it is better than I thought it would be.

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