Nice Enough, But a Slightly Confused Combination (Twinings Cranberry, Raspberry and Elderflower Tea)

Member Name: Mask_and_Mirror

Product:	Twinings Cranberry, Raspberry and Elderflower Tea
Date:	12/08/09 (51 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Healthy, Tastes Good

Disadvantages: Odd Combination, the flavours advertised don't mix well

Anyone who has read my other reviews will know that I'm generally a loyal proponent of Twinings and try every new flavour that I see. This one doesn't quite do it for me, but I'll boil up a cup and run through it as usual by way of explanation.

The first thing I'm noticing about this teabag is the smell. It's a candied, slighty spicy, almost christmassy smell. Ok, I've just checked the ingredients list, and it contains hibiscus and liquorice root; that's probably where I'm getting that from. I drink a lot of cranberry juice, so I recognise the sharp dryness of that fruit in the smell straight away, with the raspberry and elderflower being more subtle but still definitely present.

*waits for it to cool*

It tastes good, it's sweet and fruity, but I'm not sure this is a great combination. The flavours mix in such a way that the individual parts are muffled. The liquorice is pleasant but confusing, and the hibiscus trumps the elderflower. The dryness of cranberry is an interesting addition I'd like to see in another tea sometime, and it masks the inevitible paperiness well... perhaps with one fewer ingredient, this would be a hit, but as it is, I won't be buying this one again. My tea shelf is too full as it is!

As usual, this is caffeine free and contains only natural ingredients. They're not citing any particular health benefits on this one, but it's certainly not bad for you in the slightest.

Summary: Disappointing among Twinings' range, but still a pleasant drink of fruit tea.