Mango Ceylon Sample from Teas, Etc.

Scent in the package: Light & fruity
Brewed in: ingenuiTEA pot at work
Steeping: 5 minutes @ 212 degrees
Cup: Porcelain mug at work

I didn’t expect to like this tea, as I’m not fond of Ceylon tea in general, and I’ve never been a huge fan of Mango Ceylon (though I love mango flavor in other things). But it was a free sample, and who can turn that down? It was very pleasant smelling when I opened the package, and I had hope for the taste at that point. The other tea I ordered from them (Apricot, I believe), is very good, so I boiled the water in my electric kettle, poured it over the leaves and shut the lid, watching the leaves unfurl.

I grew apprehensive as I watched and the brew stayed at a light golden brown. I tend to like darker brews, but not bitter tea, so I was careful not to let it steep too long. When I finally decanted it into the cup, it had a very light, subtle scent, but nothing to get excited about. The taste was mediocre – probably good in the grand scheme of ceylon tea, but it didn’t strike me as memorable.

In all fairness, I can normally tell how well I like a tea by how long it takes to drink. I’m a sipper, so even a perfect cuppa (about 12 oz) takes me around 1.5 hours to finish. The ones I don’t like stretch out to 4 hours sometimes, and I end up tossing the remainder before I head home for the day. But I did finish this one within a normal time frame for me, so it certainly wasn’t “offensive”, just not something I’d order again. It was very tannic, judging by the dryness at the back of my throat now.