Name: Organic Monk’s Blend

Brand: English Tea Store

Type: Black tea, flavored

Form: Loose leaf

Review: Now I know what monks get up to in their spare time. They add grenadine to black tea to make everyone’s life a little sweeter.

OK, well, maybe I am being corny, but this is a really nice tea. Grenadine is a fruit syrup best known as a cocktail ingredient and as the liquid in jars of  maraschino cherries. It was originally made from pomegranate, but can now be made from other fruits, flavorings, and sweeteners.

(Because of the grenadine, I was reminded of those “Kiddie Cocktails”, also known as Shirley Temples, that I used to have when I was a kid. If you are into culinary nostalgia, this tea will definitely bring back memories.)

The grenadine is added to black tea that has been certified organic by two certifying agencies (the USDA and QMI). The tea is also sourced by a participant in the Ethical Tea Partnership, an organization dedicated to promoting ethical standards in tea production as well as the fair treatment of tea industry workers.

(I am sure that monks would approve of this tea’s high standards.)

The dark brown leaf has a dry nose that combines vanilla and maraschino, and it brews up to a light amber with a hot-cherry-pie nose. The tea tastes of light black tea and sweet cherry, with a slightly tart, and very refreshing, finish. If you are a cherry lover, it is a great option either hot, or iced. (The tart finish makes it particularly good as an iced tea.)

Incidentally, it is a good idea to pay attention to the temperature of this tea. It is at its best at very hot, or very cold temperatures. At lukewarm temperatures, the sweetness can be a bit “sticky” in character and diminishes the quality of the tea.

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