Hibiscus Madness (The Tea Company)

Fruity teas are certainly some of the most popular. They’re easy to drink for many average tea drinkers. While not my personal favorite, I always try and bring a balanced and impartial process to my reviews.

This Hibiscus Madness tisane (herbal) tea is built on an energizing by smooth Guayusa base. Guayusa is a holly leaf plant which, along with its cousin Yerba Mate, is one of only two herbal ingredients loaded with caffeine.

I have taken a liking to Guayusa over the past couple years. Some in the industry have clearly begun using Guayusa as a base for new blends which I find to be wonderful. I was excited to try this blend as soon as I saw it in my sample box from The Tea Company.

The leaves appear fairly normal for a guayusa, but with some lemongrass and hibiscus thrown in. I didn’t notice the stevia leaves at first glance. Once brewed, the leaves become more of a mushy mess but that’s typical for guayusa. The liquor turns an almost cranberry red, so deep it looks more black than red when there’s still plenty in the cup.

The aroma is light, not particularly effusive and a foreshadow for the tartness to come. When sipping, the flavor was easy. Tart, but a bit sweet and with the hibiscus omnipresent. The palate experience was similar, pucker and dry, the flavor stuck around quite a while.

While I did not have enough on-hand to try this tea iced, I would expect this tisane to be brilliant cold brewed or poured over ice.

If you enjoy fruity flavors, the tart/sweet combo and/or need a kick of caffeine, this blend is for you.