after dinner sneeze

t says:  I happened across this bottle of Harney & Sons iced tea today: “Organic Coffee Tea”.

coffee + tea = ???

The back label describes: “While most tea and coffee drinks are made with extractions, Harney & Sons fresh brew our black tea blend with a delicous full bodied medium roast bean to make this very unique brew.  Heavy on the tea, light on the coffee, it is a brew that is popular all over Asia and one we decided was delicious enough to bottle.” While full of useless propaganda (and contradiction – is it “unique”, or is it “popular”? Make up your mind!) g had had it once before and admitted to a both-good-and-bad experience.

g says:  At first sip, it was kind of gross.  But, I figured: “I’m thirsty, and I paid for this.”  So I drank more [t interjects: g does NOT throw away food, especially if she paid for it], and by halfway, I kind of liked it.  But the guy at work loved it at first sip …

t says:  So, I’m not a coffee drinker.  It doesn’t taste good to me.  Consequently, the extent of my coffee-drinking is Starbucks Double-Shots (the one with the espresso, not the coffee) the last day or two before an exam to give me those extra couple hours of study time (instead of sleeping).  As often espoused by Dr. David Dinges, I use caffeine “like a drug”.  Hmm – that sounds wrong.  What he/I means/mean: I use it for the desired effect only when necessary, not every day because that would diminish the effect when I especially want/need it.

But this time, Dinges be damned – this is supposed to actually taste good, brain stimulating properties aside.  After all – would Harney & Sons really want to be associated with an inferior product?  (As if they care just so long as people buy it.)

Result:  it was actually quite good.  I liken it to a mild black tea that somehow tastes “creamier” and sweeter to me than their normal iced tea (i.e. more caramel or dulce de leche flavors), whereas their normal tea gives me more bitter bite/bark.  The coffee for me was very subtle (i.e. I didn’t gag), coming in mostly in the aftertaste, balanced with the tea (I’d say it’s 3:1 tea to coffee).  While I don’t think I have full-on coffee breath afterwards, it’s still probably not benign enough to go without a mint.  I don’t know if I’d have one of these every day, I’d venture to say that this is my favorite of the Harney & Sons cold drinks.  So if you see it, I’d recommend giving it a try just so you can say you have!