The Tao of Tea, Black Mango Review
Image from Amazon
A good, solid, naturally sweet black tea with fruit is one of my favorite moments of the day. So, giving the Tao of Tea Black Mango a try seemed natural, especially since I particularly love mangoes. Now, after about a year of enjoying the tea as a special treat a few times a month, I’m ready to give my review.
Aroma of Tao of Tea Black Mango Tea
Popping off the lid of the tea tin versus smelling a freshly brewed cup of Tao of Tea Black Mango offers two varied aromas. The tea leaves offer a rich, dark, almost indescribable aroma tinged with something fruity. The brewed tea, however, instantly transports you to the tropics where you might pluck a mango for enjoyment right off the tree.
The heavy but rich black tea fragrance plays with the mango essence, competing for top billing of the aroma, making this an absolutely delightful treat for fruit lovers.
Flavor Profile for Tao of Tea Black Mango Tea
If you check the ingredients for the delectable tea, you’ll see dark roasted organic black tea, organic calendula flower petals, and natural mango essence. The tea itself is described not as a technical fruit tea but rather as a “hand-blended black mango scented black tea.” This means there are no actual fruit pieces in the tea.
When I first started reviewing teas, this bothered me — I was concerned with artificial tea flavors and ingredients that could be unhealthy. However, if you choose a high-quality tea like Tao of Tea Black Mango Tea, the ingredients are natural and healthy, and you shouldn’t have any issues.
Often, companies use the natural essence of the fruit to flavor a tea for a number of reasons, including allowing the tea to be more affordable, providing a more impactful flavor, or creating flavors that can’t easily be replicated through actual fruit pieces. (That is, some dry fruit doesn’t flavor tea as well as the essence would.)
The more I’ve played with my own tea-blending hobby and drunk-flavored teas such as this one, the more I’ve come to appreciate the use of fruit essences when creating a black tea blend.
Thanks to this technique, the Tao of Tea has succeeded in creating a beautifully symmetrical black tea with mango flavoring that punctuates the palate with sweet mango fruit, rich black tea, and a touch of natural “other” through the calendula flowers. (You’ll notice these petals may be found in a variety of other fruit-essence teas as well.)
Overall Impressions of Tao of Tea Black Mango Tea
I love this tea! It’s a special treat to enjoy on a cool morning, or a summer afternoon when you need a fruity pick-me-up. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves mangoes and doesn’t mind a good kick of caffeine (it ranks a little above “half portion” caffeine on their meter).
I also thoroughly enjoy it after it’s cooled off and I just want a sweet, natural indulgence without richness or sugar (or calories). It’s not a dessert tea, but it’s a “delight” tea, as I like to call them. I make a cup when I need a moment of happiness in my day.
Service Recommendations
While the Tao of Tea Black Mango Tea is absolutely at its best when served hot, it also makes a brilliant iced tea, cold brew tea, or sun tea. You’ll want to use natural cloth bags for the perfect touch or brew the tea as a pour over, before chilling it.
I love serving this tea as a straight beverage or with mild cookies (like sugar cookies) or with cinnamon oatmeal cookies. The tea also pairs perfectly with a light salad topped with fruit, nuts, and a creamy dressing. Skip it with overpowering foods, though, as the flavors may conflict and you’ll lose the joy of the sweet mango punch.
Need more great tea recommendations? Check out these other suggestions from Rita.
- Casting Whimsy Vito Tea
- Stash Southern Peach Tea
- Apothecary Teas Cherry Blossom Tea
- Sip and Be Merry Tea
- Taylors of Harrogate Blackberry & Raspberry Tea
Editor-in-Chief of The MockingOwl Roost, Rita Mock-Pike is the granddaughter of aviatrix, Jerrie Mock, first woman to pilot an airplane solo around the world. Rita has found inspiration from her grandmother’s life and flight and pursued many of her own dreams in theatre, podcasting, novel writing, and cooking up delicious food from around the world. She now writes on food, travel, pets, faith, and the arts. She’s happily married to Matt, and faithfully serves the very fluffy kitten queen, Lady Stardust.
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