Rhubarb is entwined with many childhood memories of mine. My mum tried to make it into ice-cream on several occasions, but eating it was always more of a chore than a treat. Rhubarb is a bit of an acquired taste.
A decade or so later, and I can now appreciate rhubarb (although it’s still not a good ice-cream flavour) and I decided to give this fruit tea from Taylors of Harrogate a go. I was expecting it to be sweet and summery, but actually it was quite autumnal and warming!
Taylors Sweet Rhubarb Tea at a Glance
- Blend: Tart fruits with natural rhubarb flavouring
- Flavour: Tart, tangy, sour and juicy rhubarb with a soothing sweet aftertaste
A very vibrant, tangy and pleasurable drink. It’s very true to natural rhubarb flavours, so if you love the fruit, you’re going to love this tea.
Full Review - Taylors of Harrogate Rhubarb Tea
- Type: Tagged paper tea bag
- Ingredients: Rhubarb flavouring, hibiscus, rosehip, apple, sweet blackberry leaves, natural flavourings
- Health Benefits: Boost immune system and fight free radicals
- Flavour Notes: Strong, tart, tangy rhubarb with vibrant fruit notes and a gentle sweet aftertaste
- Aroma: Sweet and sour fruit jam, tangy rhubarb, stewed rhubarb crumble
- Milk or Lemon: Neither
- Where to Buy: Amazon
Everything about this tea was delightful. Opening the tea wrapper there’s a very sharp and tart rhubarb aroma, just like the real fruit but bolder. It’s very strong and not overly sweet. The sourness of the rhubarb reminds me very much of sticky sweet and sour Chinese dishes. It’s a very good aroma and currently the highest aroma rating for a dried tea blend.
Brewing the tea is really a treat for the eyes. As soon as it hits the water, little wisps of rose red and pink twirl into the cup. First there’s a gentle rose gold colour, which starts to transform into a peach pink colour at around 1 minute. Then it deepens into a winey rosé colour before darkening to a rich orange/pink that reminds me of the rhubarb juices at the bottom of the crumble dish.
The aroma of the brewed rhubarb tea is far sweeter. It’s transformed from fresh rhubarb to a stewed rhubarb flavour with a warm, biscuit edge. I’m imagining rhubarb jam on toast or a rhubarb crumble with custard.
Rhubarb Tea Tasting Notes
I take a sip and I’m not disappointed. It’s strong but not overpowering (I haven’t over-brewed it). The vibrant, tangy aroma is present in the flavour, with more juiciness from the fruit. It’s tarter than some lemon teas I’ve tried, which should result in that drying sensation that sucks your cheeks in… but it doesn’t. As soon as you’ve swallowed your sip of tangy tea there’s a rush of sweetness that balances your palate and soothes the sourness.
There’s only one flavour to this tea, the rhubarb, yet it doesn’t taste flat or one dimensional. The rhubarb is marvellously rich and complex like the real fruit.
A rich, warm and autumnal feeling orange/gold/pink tea.
How to Brew Rhubarb Tea Bags
I brewed this tea for 4 minutes (recommended time is 4 to 5 minutes) using freshly boiled water. For once a tea brand seems to have their recommended brew times spot on!
Taylors of Harrogate don’t market this tea as a health drink, it’s made simply for the flavour (which is certainly impressive) but the natural ingredients used will have some health benefits regardless. Rosehip is a very good source of vitamin C, while hibiscus is known to be full of antioxidants. Although only a very small amount of these ingredients are included, it’s good to know that the extra little bit of vitamin C will be boosting your immune system and those antioxidants will be fighting free radical damage.
I’d drink this Sweet Rhubarb tea after a meal as the sweet fruity flavour would be a great way to finish off your food. After a heavy roast dinner, the tang of this rhubarb will really brighten your palate.
Why Taylors of Harrogate Fruit Tea?
I’d seen Taylors of Harrogate around, but my impression was always that they’re just a copy of Twinings. But based on my experience with this tea, I’d say they’re in a league above Twinings fruit teas. Compare this rhubarb tea review to my Twinings Raspberry & Dragon Fruit Tea review, for example. You’ll see what I mean.
Opening the tea bag, I can see a real mix of ingredients which surprised me, as the tea has just one dominant flavour. This would explain the complex levels I tasted! Unfortunately, the rhubarb tang is an additive flavour and there’s no real rhubarb pieces in the tea blend. I only read the ingredients list after tasting this tea (it’s more unbiased that way) so I was very surprised at this. It tastes very natural to me. Considering that the vast majority of ingredients are real, rather than artificial, and the natural taste of this tea, I’ve not marked it down too much.
I wish this was available as loose leaf, I can only imagine how spectacular that would taste.
Summary
Overall, I would highly recommend this tea. The whole experience, from smelling the tart rhubarb tang to the colour, mouthfeel and sweet aftertaste, is spectacular. If you love the boldness of rhubarb, you should definitely try this tea.
About Me
More often that not, I’ll skip the heavy chocolate dessert in a restaurant in favour of a fruity crumble or pie. The naturally sweet flavour of fruit is so juicy and satisfying – if you feel the same, you’re going to love my fruit and dessert tea reviews! Keep reading my blog for more new teas you can try…