Blended for slow sipping, this black tea has notes of vanilla, malt, and a hint of smoke from the bourbon barrel.
Customers use these reviews to describe their experience with Kentucky Bourbon, including flavor, aroma, preparation preferences, strength, and how the tea fits into daily routines. Browse the full review history page by page to compare tasting notes, steeping tips, and favorite ways to enjoy this tea.
When I opened this tea I hoped to smell the aromas similar to being in the warehouse at the bourbon distilleries. However, the aroma actually reminds me more of a cigar bar. The aroma and flavor are very reminiscent of tobacco. This is not a tea I will purchase again.
This was my favorite tea that I’ve purchased from Adagio (so far). Not overly sweet, not exactly a bourbon flavor, but close enough for 8am
This tea is delicious. I usually drink it black and do not sweeten it. It's extremely smooth and is sure to leave you wanting more.
I like to add some bourbon to this and enjoy as an American hot toddy.
I was pretty sure I would like this tea since I love Bourbon. I think what turned me off was the smoky flavor. My wife really doesn't like heavy smoke flavors so I drank Hers. I added some maple syrup and orange bitters (ingredients for an Old Fashioned mixed drink) and that improved the flavor a little.
This a smoky and boozy blend, withouth the alcohol. The aroma is smoky and sweet, with a hint of apple and vanilla. The flavor is smooth and complex, with robust and malty taste, with smoky and woody notes; enhanced with strong and rich cocoa flavor and with a smoky sweetness and a whiskey kick.
This tea has vary strong flavor the first try was way to much. I used less next time and its just ok. Definitely start with a little and work your way up to how strong you like it. Not sure what I was expecting but its not my cup of tea. To bad its was only sold in big bags, I well probable give it to a friend when I find one that likes it.
Wonderful! so strong on the bourbon flavor that I had to make sure coworkers weren't worried I was drinking on the job.
It was okay. Nothing bad, but nothing that good. It is more of a novelty item, like a Kit-Kat with a weird flavour. It's not something I drink regularly, but it's a nice conversation piece.
Oh my the aroma upon opening wonderful! The flavor was at odds with each other with the first sip but as the tee steeped a few minutes and cooled it’s wonderful. I may try with a splash of almond milk
This is an okay blend when mixed with others, the aroma is good but I can't bring myself to drink it on its own due to the smokey Lapsang.
This is another tea that is way better than expected
I wasn't sure what to expect of this tea but it has become a year-round favorite with the smokey and subtle spice notes. If you like Christmas flavor tea but find spices too assertive, this is a great alternative. It also doesn't feel out of place in the middle of July. :)
A very interesting experience! I got this for my partner, who likes it quite a lot, but I had to try it myself for the review. The aroma in the packet is very strong, and surprisingly bourbon-y! Already I was impressed by what Adagio had managed with their complex flavoring. Brewed up, it has definite smoky and bourbon-like caramel flavors, with a bit of sweetness from the candy apple. My tastebuds were mostly confused, though, until I added a bit of sweetener. Then it became a much more pleasant sip! Almost dessert-like by my standards, but I usually drink teas that do best without sweetener so this is a bit unusual for me. Overall I think this is a very good and very interesting tea, although I’m not sure it’s one I’ll be pulling out of the cabinet very often; it’s just not my type.
This is another of our go to black teas. We drink tea every morning and when I just can't decide which one to make, this is the one!
This has sort of a smoky taste to it. Very good with a little honey on a cold day.
I don't like alcohol so can't say whether or not this tastes like bourbon or not but I love the taste of this tea.
I really wanted to like this tea since I have liked it as part of blends, but on its own the flavoring just comes across as way too fake and medicinal
Unfortunately, I have to leave a low review for this. All I could smell or taste from this tea was BBQ sauce. Either that, or my taster's broke.
Don’t know if I would buy again but enjoying the sample pack
This was right up my boyfriends alley but not for me. I thought it was bitter. If anyone likes bourbon they may like this!
This is an interesting tea. You can taste the suggestion of bourbon. When I drink it, I can see this tea being aged in an old bourbon barrel. Love it.
So smokey and smooth and that vanilla flavor comes through making it the perfect tea to feel classy.
I bought this for my husband and he really liked it. Tasted like bourbon and had a lot of caffeine.
A lot sweeter than I expected, primarily caramel/vanilla flavor. Don't really know what I expected a bourbon flavored tea to taste like but I liked it regardless.
This one didn't cut it for me. Couldn't tell what flavor it was trying to achieve, but I didn't get smokey, malt, or sweet apple/vanilla. Just really bland for me. Won't order again.
This is a nice smoked tea with notes of caramel and vanilla, that I enjoy cold-brewed as an iced tea. If you like smoked teas, definitely give it a try! If it is too strong for you, try mixing it vanilla tea to soften it while still keeping all the flavors intact.
I was hoping to try an interesting tea, and if I did I would like it. This is not my cup of tea. It's too sour for me.
My husband is very much a whiskey drinker and thinks this tea is one of the closest approximations to the actual thing. We're thinking of experimenting by adding some ginger to the blend to give some of that back of the mouth burn that alcoholic bourbon has. I'm not a huge fan myself but I've never liked the flavor of whiskey but I wanted to give it a fair review because half of my household likes it.
I found this tea to have a very smokey, almost smoggy taste. I say 'smoggy' because every drink sticks to the back of your throat with this deep, heavy smokey note. There's the barest hint of vanilla, but any other flavours are covered by that smoke. It's like huffing smoke from a fire, or a tailpipe. Making it into a latte allowed it to be drinkable. Not a blend for me.
I normally despise any lapsang in tea and would have given 1-2 stars. I decided to use a 12 oz travel mug to steep my CommuniTEA portion without weighing it. I used 195 F water x 3 min. The key to making this taste reasonable was adding an overflowing tsp of maple syrup. It worked!! The maple syrup brought out the candy apple and vanilla flavoring to dominate the Lapsang and it actually tasted good. I won't ever order this, but at least I have found a way to dilute the lapsang and accentuate other more tasty ingredients.
Nice surprising bourbon flavor. I really enjoyed it.
This is a fun and unique tea that I enjoy sharing with friends! It’s always a hit.
Keep in mind that this review is based on the fact that I hate bourbon (don’t hurt me). I’d definitely have given it a 4 star rating excluding that fact.
The tea type really complimented the flavor. A touch of cream enhanced the experience.
Too much smoke and bourbon for my taste. But if you enjoy that flavor profile, this one won’t disappoint.
The smokiness was what I noticed when I first opened the packet, with a hint of candy apple as well.
And as I sit here drinking it, i'd describe it as a smokey candy apple tea. Not bad at all
Great possibilities. I was excited to try it but there was too much smokey flavor to taste anything else.
I had tried this tea hot before and didn't like it at all. Today I tried it cold. While still not a fan, I could drink it after adding oat creamer. It did taste like Kentucky bourbon!
I really the sweet tea flavor the beginning but not the end of the swallow. I don't like the smoky flavor. It's more smoky than actual bourbon.
I'm not a bourbon drinker so I can't give a comparison. I really like this tea. It's an interesting flavor combination and the lapsang isn't too strong. I had it with cream and sweetener.
Updated from 5/15/22: Enjoyed this one! It isn't overly smoky, very well-balanced with malty and caramelly flavours, and some fruity esters on the nose like any proper bourbon. With a touch of sweetener, this tea was just right. Would definitely use it for a hot toddy! Steeped 2.5 min @ 195º.
Before brewing, this tea smelled so good. After brewing, I was surprised at how smoky it tasted. It is definitely a different taste for me. I don’t hate the taste but I can’t say I love it either. After my first few sips I added 1/2 teaspoon of Adagio black honey to the cup. That improved the taste a bit but this is not a tea I would seek out.
What a great combination.I really liked how the caramel and vanilla muted the smokey flavor to just right. This will go on my next order.
I brewed this for 3 mins at 195. The smell was pleasant enough, but after two sips I had enough and dumped it. I'm glad I tried it, so I sorta know what to expect when blending with it for others, but I won't be drinking this for me.
Definitely now my cup of tea! If you like bourbon, give it a try!
I'm had this tea a few times and I just don't like it! The smokey flavor is too much for me. The aftertaste is reminiscent of a smoked ham. 😅
This tea has too much smoke flavor for my tastes.
Definitely taste the smoke. Smells artificial. Not my favorite.
Smells like tobacco, tastes like liquid bacon. I just don't care for lapsang souchong tea, and this is an overload of lapsang. I was able to taste a tiny bit of the cocoa nibs coming through, but not enough to finish the cup. However, it gets 3 stars because it is a good tea to blend with other black teas.
In the bag: 90% of my packet is the black leaves of tea. Three large and one tiny clipping of rose hips. A few strands of cornflowers. One tiny cocoa nib.
On the nose (pre-steep): Actually smells a little like bourbon, thought not an exact match. Scents of rose, mild smoke, and sugar. A complex smell.
On the nose (post-steep): Rose and a very mild smoke are the main aromas. The sugar is still here, but subdued. Hint of candied apple.
On the tongue (pre-sweetener): Tastes somewhat like a bourbon. The rose and smoke have dialed back to share the spotlight with unsweetened chocolate and a hint of wood. No astringency.
On the tongue (post-sweetener): No change in overall profile.
Opinion: An excellent tea. I happen to love both bourbon and flavored black tea, so this is a perfect match for me. The flavors contrast each other in a complimentary way.
Preparation: First steep 3 min, second steep 6 min. Both @ 195 ℉. ½ teaspoon monk fruit sweetener.
Unfortunately, Kentucky Bourbon is just not for me. I tried it when there was a free sample promo, I tried it again during a CommuniTEA promo, but I just cannot stomach how smokey and weird-tasting it is. My understanding is that this does taste like the alcohol, and I'm personally just not an alcohol drinker, so that may be why I don't like this tea. Unfortunately, given how I can't get past 1 sip of it, I cannot recommend this tea.