Life Is Peachy (Lipton Iced Tea)

Member Name: rleigh

Product:	Lipton Iced Tea
Date:	11/11/07 (122 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A greatly refreshing soft drink

Disadvantages: Will not be for everyone

Lipton Ice Tea is a drink that I have one particular strong past memory of. I remember many years ago being abroad in France and enjoying a nice glass of Peach Ice Tea whilst out in a café with the parents. When the drink came out to me I had no real idea of what was contained within the glass, but I do remember enjoying the delicious Peach flavouring which graced my taste buds. When I discovered the drink to be Peach Ice Tea I found this fact rather odd as tea had never been a drink I'd taken to at this age (it was not until some years later that my addiction to standard tea became apparent), yet the Lipton Peach Ice Tea had quickly become my new favourite cold beverage.

Lipton Ice Tea can vary in price from around 85p up to upwards of a pound. Where I bought mine, the drink was available at a price of 99p, and the small shop stocked all four varieties of the drink; Peach, Lemon, Mango, and Green Tea and Orange. I was quite tempted to try out the Mango flavour as this was not one I had come across before, however ultimately in the end I opted for the tried and tested Peach flavour I love so well.


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Ice Tea
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Ice Tea is believed to have been created by Richard Blechynden at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Ice Tea is a form of cold Tea and is often served in a glass over ice. All that needs to be done in order to make the drink is to brew the tea and then chill it (or of course buy it pre-bottled or canned). It is generally helpful to allow the tea to cool to room temperature before refrigerating as this prevents the formation of condensates which can sometimes give a cloudy appearance and a chalky taste. Ice tea is commonly available sweetened or unsweetened.


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The Lipton Company
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The company Lipton was created at the end of the nineteenth century by one Sir Thomas Lipton. With a slogan of 'direct from the tea gardens to the tea pot', he wanted to make tea a more popular and approachable drink for everyone. Lipton is now a popular brand in many countries across the world such as the USA, France, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Sweden. Forming in 1890, Lipton Yellow Label is Lipton's brand of hot tea which is sold in over 150 countries. Since 1972, Lipton have also been marketing their 'Ice Tea' and this is now available in more than 60 countries through a global joint-venture with Pepsico. Lipton is one of the world's best known and also best selling brands of Tea; both in hot leaf and ready to drink Tea. Lipton currently represents around 10% of the world market for tea in terms of retail value through its Lipton Yellow Label and Lipton Ice Tea brands. Lipton as a business was acquired by Unilever in a number of separate transactions. In 1938, Unilever started by purchasing the US and Canadian Lipton business, and completed the transaction in 1972 when they bought out the remainder of the global Lipton business.


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The Bottle
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The bottle itself is made of clear plastic and is a rather pretty shape to look at. Around two thirds of the way up the bottle is an indentation and up towards the red lid, the name 'Lipton' has been embossed four times around the outer edge of the bottle. The bottle is a bit different and is eye catching due to its quirky non-conventional shaping. The label of the bottle is yellow and orange in appearance, a slice of peach pictured under the 'Lipton' branding. The peach looks juicy and appealing, a definite attraction for all peach fans out there. The 'Lipton' logo has green leaves on either side of it, a small round 'AOX' label below stating that the drink is a 'Source of Tea Antioxidants'. The 'Ice Tea' lettering on the label has a fuzzy blue outer edge, symbolising the icy element of the drink. The label also satisfies us with the knowledge that the drink has 'No Artificial Colouring', 'No Preservatives', 'No Sweeteners', and also contains '35% less sugar than most regular soft drinks'. These are all good things to know and leave us satisfied that the drink can surely do us no harm, and hopefully we would imagine some good. At 500ml, the bottle is a decent size and with its use by date in my case of April 2008; this gives you plenty of time to consume it. Be aware however that once opened the drink should be kept refrigerated and it is advised to drink within 5 days.


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The Look
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To look at, Lipton Ice Tea is nothing special. The liquid is a murky brown colouring and really doesn't look at all exciting. On the basis of colour alone I feel the drink is doing itself no favours, it could potentially sell a lot better I feel if the liquid was a more inviting shading. In a sense though, the fact the drink is this colouring is a plus point as it emphasises the point that Lipton Ice Tea contains no artificial colouring at all. It is the colour of tea before the milk is added, and natural colouring can never be looked upon in too negative a light.


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The Smell
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The scent of the drink is a strong smell of peach; granted it's a fairly artificial odour, but a pleasant one nonetheless. I believe the scent of tea here to be minimal, however the fact the smell of the peach is so dominant and overpowering of the tea is not in my opinion a bad thing as I am a massive lover of peach and therefore this fact pleases me greatly truth be told. The peachier, the better!


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The Taste
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I have long since discovered that the taste of this drink can not be properly commented on unless the drink is served chilled. When warm, the flavour just isn't the same, so the bottle is actually entirely correct in it's statement of 'Tastes best when chilled'. The taste of this drink is an interesting one, and although will not be for everyone; I for one love it. The taste of Peach is strong here, and the tea element of the drink also comes through far richer than it does upon taking in the drinks scent. I would say that the initial taste when you drink the Peach Ice Tea is that of the peach, but the taste of the Tea soon comes through also, and the taste stays with you for long after you have finished your mouthful. The taste is amazing, leaving you fully refreshed having finished the bottle (which I tend to do fairly quickly).


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My Final Thoughts
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As I have said before; the drink will certainly not be for everyone, however as far as I am concerned it is a great drink. I love the taste of the Lipton Peach Ice Tea, and for that reason I will probably never try any of the other flavours as I just love the Peach too much to risk spending my money on a potentially inferior Ice Tea. The drink for me can be a real thirst quencher, and I always grab a bottle of Lipton Peach Ice Tea when I am out on the move. If I had not tried the Peach Ice Tea at a young age and loved it so much, I feel that Lipton Ice Tea is probably not a drink that I would ever have started drinking as the idea of an 'Iced' Tea doesn't exactly fill me with excitement, in fact it just really makes me think 'Who ever would have come up with that ridiculous idea to market a chilled hot beverage'. Nonetheless, the drink works and I love the taste of the Peach Ice Tea and will no doubt continue purchasing it for years to come. Lipton Ice Tea will never be a popular drink, and will always have its lovers and its haters. I believe it to be somewhat of a Marmite drink; you either love it, or you hate it.


Liptons IceTea is made by Unilever.

http://www.unilever.com/
http://www.lipton.co.uk/
Lipton Ice Tea,
Freepost ADM3940,
London SW1A 1YR

Customer Careline Freephone
0800 389 4371
Monday - Friday
8am - 6pm

Summary: Lipton Ice Tea is a refreshingly thirst quenching drink which I myself thoroughly enjoy.