52Teas Loose Leaf Black Tea 'Buttered Cinnamon Raisin Toast'

Tea Information:
Tea: Buttered Cinnamon Raisin Toast
Type: Black Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: 52Teas
Purchase: Here
Description: Our premium Indian black teas, including a hint of smoked Assam, blended with real golden raisins, cinnamon stick bits and a touch of natural butter flavoring.
Ingredients: Premium black teas, raisins, cinnamon stick pieces, natural flavors

Steep Information:
Amount: 3 tsp
Additives: none
Water: 3 cups filtered boiling water (1 cast iron teapot full)
Tool: Cast Iron Teapot with Mesh basket strainer
Steep Time: a little over 7 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: Raisin bran cereal, sweet raisins
Steeped Tea Smell: cinnamon and tea
Flavor: black tea, smoky, astringent
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: tea
Liquor: translucent light reddish-brown

I started with 3 minutes, it was too weak, went and kept sipping, the tea was not yet bitter at 7 and I think it could have steeped longer.

The tea smells very much like cinnamon and tea. I was not getting toast (or was the smoky flavor supposed to represent crispy toast?) or butter.

The raisins was only present in the dry leaf smell.

To test the quality of a steeped golden raisin I took some of my golden raisins from the cupboard and steeped them a few minutes, very grape. So apparently the tea doesn't have enough raisins for my liking.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this tea, it's smooth and not bitter and really just fine. But I have done something wrong or it's too subtle for me.

Next steep I will try adding sugar, cream separately and together while tossing in extra raisins. It may end up getting a higher rating once I fiddle with the preparation, it has potential.

I am interested to get MilitaJim's thoughts on it - he's out celebrating St. Patty's Day. Bobbie agrees with my tea that smells like cinnamon assessment.

Post-Steep Additives: none

Rating: 2/4 leaves


Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing