After Dark

As the name suggests After Dark is the perfect drink when you want a warm, soothing cup of tea during the early to late evening hours. A purely herbal tea, evidenced in the picture I utilized from the Tavalon Tea website, that contains no caffeine and promises to not to keep you awake through the wee hours of the night. Last night, with these things in mind, I brewed and tasted After Dark…

Composition: A blend of Chamomile, Blood Orange, Cranberry, Apple, Cherry and Hibiscus flowers.

Dry Visual: A cornucopia of colors, After Dark, contains a beautiful palette of colors from red to green to yellow to off-white. The dried fruit pieces are very large, comparable to what you would find in a trail-mix.

Dry Aroma: Fantastic! Both fruity with a hint of citrus - After Dark reminds me of the smell of “Sweet Tarts” candy. I couldn’t help opening the lid and inhaling over and over again.

Flavor: If you really enjoy fruit teas you will enjoy After Dark. The chamomile was almost non-existant - it was overpowered by the more dominant fruits.  Cranberry being the first followed closely by Blood Orange. I added sweetener in an attempt to round out the tanginess without much success.

Liquor: A beautiful bright red. I don’t believe I have seen another tea comparable in color.

Brewing Time: Recommended brewing time is 5 minutes. During my first taste I brewed for 5 minutes. For my second brewing, I brewed for 3 minutes - I was curious to see if the brewing time would enable the lighter flavors - apple and chamomile to surface.

Manufacturer: Tavalon Tea

Caffeine: No.

 I plan to brew After Dark again utilizing two different approaches. First, I would like to brew and taste as a sweet iced tea to compare the difference. Additionally, I would like to blend with a couple different types of tea like white and/or black to discover if any additional characteristics of the tea emerge. Until then… Happy Tea Drinking!