| Product: |
Lipton Iced Tea |
| Date: |
31.08.06 (200 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: Cool, Refreshing, non-carbonated
Disadvantages: Doesn't come in individual sachets!!!
I know! I know! The very thought of ICE TEA sends shivers down the British spine. It is SACRALIGIST! How dare you defile tea with ice and lemon!
However, one must remember that I am the heathen American. I just LOVE a nice tall glass of ice tea! There is nothing like the tinkle of ice in a glass and refreshing taste of ice tea. So, 4 years ago when I moved to this country it was one of the major things I missed. Sure, I tried making my own ice tea- It is the way I prefer. But, I quickly realised that not even the tea is the same and there in lies the problem. Ice tea is usually made with Orange Pekoe tea. Most British tea is made with Black tea which does have a different flavour and does not make good ice tea.
So, when I first came across Lipton Ice Tea, I was very excited! I quickly grabbed a bottle. I could hardly wait to try it. However, I wanted to make sure it was nice and cold and placed it in the refrigerator to cool off before drinking.
~How is Lipton Ice Tea made?~
While we are waiting for the tea to cool. I thought I tell you a little about Lipton Ice Tea. This tea is blended with water and a small amount of fruit juice depending on the flavour. It comes in three flavours: Lemon, Peach and Mango. There are light options with no added sugars. However, I have only seen the light options in Peach and Mango so far.
~ What Is the History? ~
Lipton is now the 15th biggest selling soft drink in the world. I have bought this drink in most countries I have travelled to- including Thailand! However, the company was started by a man named Thomas Johnstone Lipton who was born in 1850. By the 1880’s, he had opened stores all over the UK. He wanted to make tea cheap and easily got by all people and by the 1890’s he was selling Lipton in the UK and US. Lipton Ice Tea was launched in the UK in 2002 with great success.
~Ok, the tea has cooled!~
Once the tea cooled enough, I got out a TALL glass (It has to be a tall glass for proper effect!) and put in loads of ice. I took a sniff and found that it definitely had a lemon scent that was clean. I then filled my glass to the brim, took it outside in the warm sunshine (yes, there was some on that day!) and took a long drink.
My first reaction was one of peace and well being! I just love ice tea and the familiar taste went down well. However, about half way through the glass, I realised that it just was too sweet. My favourite ice tea is unsweetened with lemon. The taste is nice, clean and refreshing. But, a bit sweet for my taste. I decided to try it on my English husband’s taste buds. He has only had American ice tea a few times and I wondered what he would think of it. He took a long swing and made the MMMMMMM sound. Before I knew it, he had drank the rest of the glass!!!! When I asked for his opinion, he said that he found it to be very flavourful, easy to drink and a different type of drink. He didn’t feel it was too sweet. Thus, we concluded that this ice tea was definitely made with the English taste buds in mind. We continued to sit outside and had the remainder of the ice tea while enjoying the sunshine.
~ Did I buy it again? ~
Yes, I have on occasion bought it again. We have tried all the flavours. Both my husband and I agree that the Mango is HORRIBLE tasting! It reminds me of sugar water! My favourite is the Lemon and my husband’s favourite is the Peach. We have also tried it in the light versions- Peach and Mango. I still don’t like the Mango or the Peach. However, husband still liked the Peach. I have not been able to find the Lemon yet. I keep looking.
~ Where can I buy it? ~
I have bought mine in Asda and Sainsbury as well as smaller bottles in the local corner shop at various times. I assume it is readily available at most large grocery stores.
~ How much? ~
The cost is much the same as a bottle of fizzy drink. A individual bottle goes for about 75p-99p and a 2 litres for about £1.50.
~ What Else Is Out There For The Future?~
Lipton is a very popular ice tea in the states. On my last trip back to the states, I came across individual sachets of sugar free lemon ice tea by Lipton. These are great! You can make your own tea on the go! So, say you stop at the petrol station and buy a bottle of water, all you have to do is empty one of these little sachets into the water and VOILE ICE TEA! I contacted Lipton about these and they said they don't have them in the UK yet! COME ON!!! I want some more!!
~Conclusion~
No, it is not the exact same as American Ice Tea. However, it will do in a pinch. I believe that it suites the English taste buds much more as I know formulas for products are changed to meet the needs of each country it is produced in. I think that it is worth a try if you are looking for a new drink that doesn’t have the fizzy side effects.
Go on! Have a try!
Summary: A light, refreshing drink for any time of the year!
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