Reviews
★★★★★
I have been both apprehensive and anticipating this tea since I saw it on the communiTEA calendar. I’ve heard about it for months and I’ve been intrigued, but lapsang can be seriously hit or miss for me. I was very happy to discover the ratios were just right in this blend. The flavor is spot on bourbon with a lovely caramel after taste at the back of the sip. Even though I KNOW it’s not alcoholic, I was routinely surprised at the lack of the characteristic burn, because it was that good a mimic!
24 helpful votes
★★★★★
CommuniTEA packet tasting, this is superbly blended! The hint of smokiness from the lapsang souchong pairs perfectly with the maltiness of the black teas in this blend. The caramel, vanilla, and apple add a sweetness that rounds everything out. This is a smooth cup of tea. Happy sipping!
21 helpful votes
★★★★★
This is a fantastic tea! The flavors all come together and make a wonderful black tea that is nice and bold. The Keemun adds a nice sweetness and the Lapsang counters with a bit of smokiness. It all works together to make one of my favorite blends from Adagio.
27 helpful votes
★★★★☆
I like the base flavor and the smokiness, but I feel like the apple flavoring takes away from the whiskey I was expecting to taste.
16 helpful votes
★★☆☆☆
Not one I would order again. I added a bit of honey to this one.
2 helpful votes
★★★☆☆
This tea is ok, but this one was not for me, I don’t like smoky taste (195 3 @ 3 min).
10 helpful votes
★★★★☆
Mellow, smoky, and relaxing. Adding a touch of cream and sugar and it’s perfect! This is a sippin’ tea, aged to perfection!
12 helpful votes
★★★☆☆
I was very intrigue by the name of the tea. It was a little too smokey & or carmel for me but I'm glad I had a chance to try it.
2 helpful votes
★★☆☆☆
I wasn't a fan of this, I steeped it... and steeped it... and steeped it and it just didn't have a lot of flavour, certainly not as much as I'd expect a tea with lapsang souchong to have
4 helpful votes
★★★★★
A smoky and complex bourbon aroma wafted up out of today's packet. Tossing it in the basket for a quick 3 minute steep at 212°F produced a dark mahogany tea.
Caramel and vanilla are the first flavors to appear alongside smoky qualities. These are followed by a semi-sweet candy apple layer that blends well with the Lapsang Souchong smokiness. Malty aspects from the Keemun tea shine through the strong Lapsang and whiskey tastes. Dark cocoa makes an appearance amid all the other complex layers, followed by a bold astringency. A bit of cream added to this one smooths out any rough edges while making a strangely smoky and cocoa-flavored tea latte.
This one has many stratified layers all mixing together to form a medley of complex flavors. Strong and bold enough for multiple steeps, this one will definitely please anyone who loves Lapsang tea. If you don't like strong and smoky flavors, this may not be your cup of tea.
8 helpful votes
★★★★☆
This is such an interesting tea: smoky, full-flavored, a tiny bit sweet (just like bourbon). However, I think it's much better as a novelty, a tea to drink once in a great while, than something to drink daily or weekly. Would make a great gift, perhaps for a sober person who used to love the good stuff.
3 helpful votes
★★★★★
Great tea! The
2 helpful votes
★★★☆☆
So last year this CommuniTea sample was poured down the drain...but this time around...I kinda liked it! I added honey. It's slightly smokey and sweet. A solid 3 1/2 stars from me.
23 helpful votes
★★★★★
Wow! This tea was fantastic. I'm not a huge fan of Lapsang Souchong normally as it is easy to overpower other flavors. But it worked so well in this blend! Huge bourbon fan and now a huge Bourbon tea fan 😀
4 helpful votes
★★☆☆☆
I can't attest to it's likeness to bourbon, since I've never had real bourbon. I can say that the only flavor that stuck out for me was the 'barrel smoke' part. The smokiness of this was too strong & covered up all the other flavors. As someone who is not a fan of overly smoky teas, this one is a pass.
7 helpful votes
★★★★☆
This smells exactly like a sour whiskey, with notes of flavor that’s quite similar. This would probably be a great tea for a winter kick with something extra.
7 helpful votes
★★★☆☆
Smokey, buttery, robust vanilla aroma, strong notes of artificial bourbon. Reminiscent of a butter rum tea that I have sampled before (different brand). This tea would be a great addition to any tea lover who likes smokey and savory notes. Mom liked this tea and ranked it a four out of five. However, I am more of a floral/fruity tea drinker so I would not purchase a tin of this for myself.
3 helpful votes
★★★★☆
Not sure how I feel about this tea's flavor. I love bourbon as a drink, but the only flavor I'm really able to identify in this is the apple flavor.
11 helpful votes
★★★★☆
I saw lapsang in the ingredients and wasn’t expecting to like this. But all the fruitiness seems to cover up the worst of the lapsang and leave just a hint of smoke. An enjoyable cup.
8 helpful votes
★★★★★
Sipping along with the CommuniTEA:
Adagio has done a really great job with this blend. From the time I open the packet, I get the essence of a pretty decent Kentucky bourbon minus the alcohol burn. I first notice a subtle typical bourbon-alcohol scent that dissipates. I then notice sweet apple, vanilla, and very subtle smokiness from the dry ingredients and packet. Once steeped for 3 mins at 190°F, I notice a subtle vanilla woodiness and smokiness (reminiscent of mesquite BBQ chips) with occasional candied apple from my cup. This complex nose shifts among the various ingredients as the cup cools. When I take a sip, I experience a complex mouthfill of apple, vanilla wood, and just a touch of smoky lapsang souchong, with a subtle smoky finish that lightly lingers on the palate without leaving a 'cigar mouth' aftertaste. Great cup!
10 helpful votes
★★★★☆
Like other reviewers I am not a huge fan of smoky lapsang in general. However, the caramel and vanilla in this blend really serve to mellow it out. I wouldn't go to this as a daily drinker, but for the adventurous looking to try something unique this fit the bill!
3 helpful votes
★★★★★
As someone who has been particularly wary of anything containing lapsang, this blend absolutely blew me away. There was a smoky, intensely fruity scent coming from the package. When brewed, the backdrop of keemun shines through to carry the drink. There's an indeterminate fruity taste to the tea, replicating barrel-aging, with just a whisp of smoke from the lapsang in the back of your throat. As it cools, vanilla and caramel notes mellow out the flavors. This tea is so good, I almost wouldn't want to ruin it by adding a splash of whiskey!
7 helpful votes
★★☆☆☆
I’ll give credit for being a complex, thought out blend. However this not nothing I ever want to drink. I can’t tell if the lapsang or the whiskey flavor are the worst parts.
3 helpful votes
★★★★★
This is a fun blend. The impression of sipping a nip of bourbon without the hangover? I’m in. This tea masterfully blends the smoky, creamy and sweet in just the right amounts. There is a lot going on here, but you get all the right notes to replicate bourbon. The mimicry of the barrel aging process is dead on. Smoke and sweet is a favorite combo for me so I would definitely sip this one again. Happy Sipping!
23 helpful votes
★★★☆☆
2021 Update: When I brewed this tea a year later, I used 205F tap water and steeped 2.5 mins. This produced a sweet, vanilla-creamy, fruity-nuanced tea with a pleasant depth and only a hint of smoke. It was drastically different from the last time I tasted it, and I'm not sure if it was the gentler brewing or if my sample pack last year had something off - probably both. This still won't ever be my favorite tea, and the stronger it is, the more noxious it seems, but I found it palatable this time and it really brought forward a smoky bourbon experience. Overall, happy for the redemption of this tea in my book, but my friend mentioned before is now offended that we passed off sub-par tea to him last time...
***
12-2020
I'm sorry, this tea just wasn't for me. Or for my friend I tried it with. Or my husband who also sampled it. It was so smoky that it tasted like a cup of stale bacon to me (here my husband interjects and says 'Bacon? Bacon sounds good. That tea was not good...') None of the flavors of apple, vanilla, or caramel came through. None of us could take more than one sip. Granted, none of us are drinkers and so I'm guessing we wouldn't like actual bourbon, but I do love a bourbon vanilla rooibos tea from another vendor, and I love Autumn Mist tea from Adagio. I ended up giving the rest of the sample pack to another friend - I slipped it stealthily in as a gift along with some other teas that we had liked during our tastings. He likes different types of alcohol, and he's new to flavored teas, so maybe he won't know any better. Hoping it won't ruin our friendship...
15 helpful votes
★★★☆☆
If you enjoy smoky malt you will likely enjoy this better than I did. It’s not my cuppa tea but I can appreciate the blend for what it is, just not something I will drink again anytime soon.
12 helpful votes
★★★★☆
This is a very interesting tea! I do not like bourbon (or any kind of whiskey) and have never had Lapsang before, so I didn't really know what to expect. Like others have said, it reminds me of sitting around a campfire, with a rich, smoky aroma and taste that is softened by the apple and caramel. The rosehips give it a bit of a tang. I would not drink this every day, but it is a nice one for a cold winter's day sitting by the fireplace. I think it would be good with a touch of honey.
16 helpful votes
★★☆☆☆
This tea was steeped for 3 minutes at 212°F. I added 1 tsp of tea sugar in a 10 oz mug prior to steeping.
I detected a spicy scent prior to drinking. I wasn't quite sure, but I believed that the 'spicy' scent I noted was the mixture of whiskey, candy apple, and vanilla.
My first impression upon taking my first taste was one of revulsion. I seriously considered dumping the tea, which I never do. I don't like the taste of alcohol and what I believe was the whiskey taste came through strongly.
I chose to give the tea a chance and as the tea cooled, I found that the candy apple flavour began to come through. This candy apple flavour began to mitigate the whiskey flavour enough that I could continue to drink the tea. If I were ever to drink the tea again, I would steep at 190°F instead of at 212°F and see if I would like the tea any better.
So, I really don't care for this tea, but I think that this is a 'me thing'. I think that Adagio did quite a good job capturing and combining the whiskey and candy apple flavours. This just wasn't my cup of tea.
11 helpful votes
★★★★★
My tea taster gives this a big thumbs up. Spicy, sweet and with a kick. A great blend of flavors.
18 helpful votes
★★★★☆
I've not been drinkin'
Only a sip, officer
I'm just real clumbsy
I fall up the stairs
Bump into tables and chairs
And trip on just air
I can't drink this tea
Lasang teas are not for me
This tea's as described
I'm a peach schnapps girl
Or I'll drink melon liquor
All the girly drinks
(Haiku review)
39 helpful votes
★★★★★
Wonderful blend with lots of smoky flavor tempered by sweet caramel and a hint of apple and vanilla.
22 helpful votes
★★★★☆
If you like the flavor of bourbon or lapsang souchong, then this'll be a tea for you! The smokiness and the flavor wasn't too enjoyable for me, but I can definitely see someone else liking it.
3 helpful votes
★★★★★
I was feeling brave and ready to taste Kentucky Bourbon after trying teas with CT for the last year. Was pleasantly surprised that with a sweetener add, this smoke charred whisky and sweet apple tea with a tart rose hip finish and a vanilla/caramel smoothed earthy flavor was likeable enough to want to purchase more of it. A year ago, this tea would have stayed in its packet for a future brew. Today, I moved the goalposts a little more towards my end goal of enjoying very smoky flavored Lapsang Souchong.
My CT packet had 3 g/ 2 tsp of a very pretty tea. The red rose hips, blue cornflowers, light brown cocoa nibs and dark tea leaves brewed into a nice amber color when steeped at 195*F for 3 min. in a 12 oz. mug. The tea had a smoky apple aroma and the many flavors in the blend seemed to partner well with the whiskey taste. A sweetener add of dark agave brought out and elevated all flavors, especially the sweet apple one. When chilled for many hours, the tea became a tasty blend of apple, whiskey and vanilla mainly, with the smoke flavor more in the background. So glad I could finally cozy up to this tea that I once avoided. Sipping with CT made it easier and more fun.
34 helpful votes
★★★★☆
My partner tried this tea over a year ago and in 'NO' way he is a fan. So, now...it's my turn to taste the CommuniTEA 11-21-2021 sample. I smelled the packet and it had a sweet-mild smoke smell. I used (adagio) filtered water 212 Temp: 12 oz cup with 1tsp of sweetener & 1/2 tsp black tea honey. (adagio) My first sip was like 'WOW' lots of flavors going on in the Kentucky tea. I taste mild candied sweetness of whiskey, caramel, apple, vanilla and a bit of smoky Lapsang. With all the flavors dancing in my mouth, the tea had a wonderful semi sweet-savory aftertaste. Now, with no worries, I can buy more Kentucky Bourbon tea without my partner getting into my tea stash. Lol
29 helpful votes
★★★★★
Savory malty tea blend with distinct smoky caramel nose. Baked apple flavors with hints of caramel and vanilla as well. Smooth tea with a long light smoky mineral finish. Does not taste like a good bourbon, although it is a delicious sipping tea. If you like lapsang souchong this is a very nicely balanced blend.Steeped for 3mins@185°.
42 helpful votes
★★★★☆
This is a nice replacement for bourbon, esp if you participate in dry January.
9 helpful votes
★★★★★
16 Sep ‘20 communiTEA review: I’ve been partaking in this tea blend since early July ‘20. True to my Kentucky bluegrass roots, I’m also a Bourbon drinker. This blend may not taste exactly like a fine Bourbon, but my earlier review below describes what it does taste like ...
Sweet caramel aromas were noted in the bag. Noted smokey and caramel aromas from start to finish. There’s a lot going on when cooled to warm. Mostly noted were a mild bitterness from the cocoa nibs and light smokey flavors from Keemun and Lapsang Souchong black teas. I suspect that the pleasant caramel flavors were from the added whiskey flavoring. The vanilla and whiskey flavors produced a really nice creamy mouthfeel. Long lasting aftertastes of black pepper and strong charred Bourbon barrel smokiness was a nice touch at the end and much appreciated. This one’s a two-steeper! (1/4 tsp sugar added)
3 min steep · 212°F · 65 helpful votes
★★★★★
I’m a huge bourbon fan, so when I saw this blend, I had to try it. It didn’t disappoint. Definitely an interesting cup with a nice smokiness.
3 min steep · 212°F · 2 helpful votes
★★★★☆
Very good tea, has a definite kick
As a usual decaf drinker, this was definitely only a morning tea!
2 helpful votes
★★★★★
Now I can day drink and keep my job!
Absolutely had the bourbon taste I want, with out the proof! Now I want to with cream and see if I get bourbon whipped cream!
5 min steep · 190°F · 3 helpful votes
★★☆☆☆
Not a fan of this tea at all. I am a huge bourbon fan and could not stand this tea. I love almost all other Adagio teas I have tried, but I did not like this one at all.
5 min steep · 212°F · 1 helpful votes
★★★★★
Love that bourbon flavor and it's nice and strong, plus another choice among my regulars.
3 helpful votes
★★★☆☆
A little sharper flavor then my preference, but ive noticed brewing as a latte smooths the edges a little.
1 helpful votes
★★★★☆
While I am not a fan of whisky, I was intrigued by the flavor. This is a bold tea and you can definitely get a taste of oak barrels and bourbon, without the booziness. I used some sweetener and creamer to tone down the flavors. It is complex and for those who enjoy whisky, it would be pleasurable. I'm glad I had the opportunity to try this tea and I think it's very good.
2 helpful votes
★★★★★
Great hot or iced with a little honey. My hubby likes it with a little maple creme oolong, iced, for a mocktail old fashion!
3 min steep · 195°F · 2 helpful votes
★★★★★
This is an excellent tea after a long day at work!
5 min steep · 125°F · 2 helpful votes
★★★☆☆
Didn't like because I don't like bourbon. Taste just like Bourbon. It came as a sampler the first time, Gave to a relative who loved it. I order it for my son. He liked it after he teaked it by adding honey, and mint leaves and I think ginger. He wasn't a fan until then.
I followed directions in package.
5 min steep · 212°F · 1 helpful votes
★★★★★
As someone that loves a smokey tea, I really enjoyed this blend. I've never had bourbon so I can't really compare it in that way, but I would say it's similar to Adagio's bonfire tea but maltier and more sweet than spice.
2 helpful votes
★★★★☆
Tastes like tea pretending to be whiskey. It was good but not my thing. Coworkers seemed to really like it.
1 helpful votes
★★★★☆
I'm not sure what I was expecting but really enjoyed this
1 helpful votes