Name: White Vanilla Grapefruit

Brand: Harney & Sons

Type: White tea, flavored

Form: Pyramid tea bags

Review: If there was ever a tea that qualified as a “dessert tea”, White Vanilla Grapefruit by Harney & Sons certainly is it. While it certainly is not for those who like subtly flavored teas, vanilla lovers will rejoice over this vanilla-infused white tea with a hint of citrus. Plus, everyone else who craves a very low-calorie, sweet drink will be happy with this blend. On the other hand, if you are considering this tea strictly because you are a grapefruit lover, you may want to look elsewhere: While the blend is vanilla and grapefruit, the vanilla definitely dominates. A sniff of the dry leaf leaves a very strong impression of vanilla, with only a hint of grapefruit. The tea infuses to a light-bodied gold and green liquor, with a distinct vanilla nose.

As I expected, the taste of this tea is primarily that of vanilla: White tea is notoriously delicate in flavor, and it seems to mainly exist in this blend to give the liquor some body and texture (despite its light body, the tea has a slightly creamy quality). The vanilla is strong, sweet and spicy, while the grapefruit remains in the background, only really making itself obvious in the finish. Still, that nice bit of tang at the end keeps the tea from being cloying in its sweetness.

Preparation Tips: This is a white tea, so don’t scorch it by pouring boiling water over the teabag, as this will result in a bitter and disagreeable brew. Try bringing the water temperature down to about 170F or so, and letting the tea steep for about two minutes. It also makes a very nice iced tea. Incidentally, this tea is sweet enough on its own, don’t even think about adding sugar.

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