Tea Review: Strawberry Velvet Cake by Ahmad

I decided to try one last Ahmad brand tea this year, and since I loved the strawberry sensation so much, when I saw the Strawberry Velvet Cake dessert tea, I thought I’d give it a whirl.

Per usual, Ahmad meets the standards of pretty darn good tea. At first, I couldn’t tell much difference between it and Strawberry Sensation, so the price tag felt a little steep in comparison ($5 for the Strawberry Sensation, $12 for Strawberry Velvet Cake).

Drinking it several times over the month, however, I started to notice the subtle nuances of the flavor and started to appreciate the unique notes a bit more.

Despite being gluten-free, the tea does have a little bit of a “velvet cake” flavor to it. The list of ingredients simply says “black tea, natural flavoring, and rose petals” in most cases, so figuring out exactly what creates the hint of cake flavor is challenging. The main concern is the gluten status, which happens to be “free,” so I can still drink it.

Ultimately, despite my initial impressions, I would say this tea is worth the extra price. I wouldn’t recommend drinking it in tandem with other fruit teas on the regular, however, as some of the subtle notes won’t rise to the surface as well. Instead, enjoy this as the tea type suggests: as a dessert tea.

I’ve enjoyed it on a cooling October evening or mid-day at seminary while I’m trying to piece together scenes for a screenplay I’m writing for class. 

Additionally, it pairs exceptionally well with homemade gluten-free butter cookies and oat flour bread with creamed honey. But mostly, I’d recommend enjoying it solo, without accompanying foods, so you can pick up on all the fine details of the natural flavoring. Sip sparingly for a true savor, and enjoy!

Interested in other teas? Check out these reviews for more dessert and everyday teas.

• • Cuppa Cake Tea review
  • Purple Rain Tea review
  • Pecan Praline Tea review
  • Mint Cranberry Tea review