Others say...

"Not for everyone, especially me. "
The product description says that this tea is 'slightly sweet' as well as a bunch of other descriptors, but I didn't get any sweetness at all. I was very optimistic because I normally love everything Tazo offers, but this time I had my hopes dashed.

I brewed up a mug of this tea and was immediately alarmed at the bouquet. The teabag smelled different, but once the hot water hit it the smell seemed to really magnify. But I scooped in a few teaspoons of sugar and hoped for the best. I managed to choke down about a third of the cup before I called it a day. Life is too short to drink something you don't like.

However, I had read a review that mentioned how good and palatable this tea was when combined with the Tazo Lotus. I figured it was worth a shot, otherwise I'd have to throw out this tea altogether.

The Lotus smelled great, so I was excited. I blended the two bags (one Lotus and one Wild Sweet Orange) in a large mug, then removed the Wild Sweet Orange after a minute. I left the Lotus in for another minute or two (yeah, definitely two).

The result was a very unusual, but not unappealing, beverage. Would I drink this more than once a day? No. Was it very interesting and something that I'll try again? Yes.

Live and learn, I guess.

"Basic Orange Herb Tea"
****
Tazo's Wild Sweet Orange Herbal Infusion is a nice orange herbal tea. It contains lemongrass, blackberry leaves, citric acid, rose hips, spearmint leaves, natural flavors, orange peel, safflowers, hibiscus flowers, rose petals, natural orange essence, ginger root and licorice root. It is not sweet, very fruity, and not subtle at all, a wonderful tea if you enjoy orangey teas.

Tazo is an interesting company that makes only super premium teas. They are socially responsible, based in Portland, and have the motto, "The Reincarnation of Tea". Tazo is owned by Starbucks. Their web site is fun and quirky, with a Zen-type focus, definitely worth checking out. It is unclear, though, from their web site, how many of their ingredients are organic or kosher, and they do use some "natural flavors" in their teas--this wording seems a little vague for a super premium tea.

On the paper tea packet, Tazo writes, "a lively blend of sweet citrus herbs and orange essences. Sweet, yet tart, this is a cup of liquid sunshine, radiating multi-layered orange flavors with exotic hints of spice and a distinctive floral finish. Wild, indeed." On their web site, Tazo describes the flavor profile of Wild Sweet Orange as "tart, sweet, smooth, licorice". Tazo describes the aroma as "oranges, roses, lime". This is pretty accurate, although the words give hope that the taste of the tea never quite approaches.

I would rate this tea, and Tazo in general, as good---better than premium teas like Stash or Celestial Seasonings---but not as good as Numi. I'm soooooo spoiled by Numi teas, which is why Tazo Wild Sweet Orange gets only four stars.
****

"Orange and Lotus Tea"
This is the story of two Tazo teas. I found that they almost need one another to produce a tea of exceptional quality.

I tried each tea separately and finally blended them together. Tazo Lotus and Tazo Wild Sweet Orange make a wonderful lemony hot tea in the winter or enjoy being tossed about with ice cubes in the summer.

The way I make this tea is by steeping two Lotus and two Wild Sweet Orange filterbags with 16 ounces of water. I make this in my coffee maker so there is plenty of time for the flavors to seep out into the steaming water. Then, you can add 2 tablespoons of orange blossom honey for hot tea and a bit more for ice tea.

Drinking this blend is an aromatic experience. Lotus Decaffeinated Green tea is a blend of naturally decaffeinated green tea, natural lotus flower flavor and other natural flavors. Wild Sweet Orange is a blend of lemongrass, blackberry leaves, citric acid, rose hips, spearmint leaves, natural flavors, orange peel, safflowers, hibiscus flowers, rose petals, natural orange essence, ginger root and licorice root.

I love the crinkly sound of the paper bags protecting the precious contents. The boxes are also quite intriguing and the stories on the tea packets are always mysterious and playful.

A romantic tea with a golden-orange color. I can never decide if I like this best hot or cold, so I end up drinking it hot and cold. Half on ice and half in a mug. When this tea is hot, it is much more romantic and aromatic. When chilled it takes on a more bitter component.

For something even more exotic, try the Tazo Green Ginger tea. That was the first Tazo tea I tasted and so far I can't think of a Tazo tea I don't love.

~The Rebecca Review