★★★★★
Sweet, yet savory. How on earth does sage work so well in this? It's so good!
Bold, earthy flavors of berries and herbs; a grounding tea with a complex character.
Customers use these reviews to describe their experience with Blackberry Sage Oolong, 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.
Sweet, yet savory. How on earth does sage work so well in this? It's so good!
I really like this tea. I think the sage and blackberry go very well together. The sage gives it a very strong herb flavor while the blackberry is there but more as a back up flavor. It doesn't come through with a juicy fruit taste. I didn't think I would like the sage but I really do.
Love this one! I found it to have a very strong sage scent, but the flavor was more balanced between the sage, blackberry, and oolong tea. Adagio recommends 3-5 min at 212; I’d recommend keeping it closer to 3 min and/or using a slightly lower temp.
Got this on a whim expecting it not to be great. LOVE it. Somehow it just all works together.
The first scent from my CommuniTea packet was a strong berry scent. I had a good mix of oolong, sage, & raspberry leaves, if just a lil light on the raspberries themselves.
Once steeped the sage took over and became the most prominent scent. A good scent in my opinion, strong and herbal. It's also all I could taste when the tea was still at it's hottest.
The more it cooled the more the berry flavors come to the front. The sage flavor didn't go away, but it mingled with the berry, a very pleasing blend.
On the second steep the berry flavors were the more prominent, even when hot.
For a third steep, the berry flavor drops out almost completely and I'm back with just a sage oolong. The sage is not as strong as the first steep of course, & it's still a nice enough cup if you're one for herbal flavors.
Steeped (1) 190F 4min, (2) 200F 4min, (3) 200F 4min
I am shocked at hoe much I loved this tea, both because I don't generally care for flavored black teas and I also oversteeped it. However, there was a really pleasant cool sage flavor with a nice berry hint. The more I drank, the more the berry came through. Based on other reviews, the oversteeping may have made the sage stronger, which was more than fine with me. 7 min (whoops) at 200 degrees with a small amount of sugar.
In the package this tea smells delicious, like sweet fresh blackberries and raspberries. While steeping more herbal earthy notes from the sage came through in the aroma, reminiscent of a forest or garden. I steeped for about 4 minutes with water just under boiling temp, and ended up with a light clear amber color. With nothing added, I can taste mainly a crispness from the sage and a roasted oolong base. In the finish there is a hint of fruity sweetness from the berries but it is subtle. I tried adding a little agave to enhance the blackberry flavor, but I feel like it just ended up making the sage even more prominent. This is one that grew on me as I sipped it and I enjoyed finishing my cup, but I’m not sure that I would purchase regularly for myself as I found the sage to overwhelm all the other flavors. It may be one to experiment with brewing at different temperatures/steep times.
I have to admit that when I opened the bag I didn't like the smell. I had the impression of smelling something medical! But I was curious and I infused it. At taste, sage is very present with a hint of blackberries. I find this blend really interesting and glad I tried it. (4 minutes @ 95°C; CommuniTEA Jan. 2021)
Great tea, one of my favourites. Nice and light and full of flavour
This Raspberry Sage Oolong tea is delicious! A wonderful tea for any occasion.
This blend of blackberry and sage is an interesting one. The sweet fruit aroma is somewhat overwhelmed by the sage. However, with a bit of sugar to bring out the fruit, it transforms into a really deliciously mild cup of tea. Brew at a lower temp to avoid the bite from the rasperry leaves, and give it a try over ice for a fruity refreshing change of pace.
I don't often leave communiTEA reviews, but I absolutely adored this tea. I accidentally left it steeping for 10 minutes, and although the sage was potent, it was still scrumptious with rock sugar. This is one where I drank it so fast that I was surprised the teapot was empty. It's resteeping now!
The sage and berries blended together nicely. While hot, the sage was the stronger flavor. The berries were able to smooth it out, so it was not overly savory. As the tea cooled a little, I added a splash of vanilla creamer. This transformed the flavor to put the spotlight on the sweet berries. I enjoyed it both ways.
The sage is overwhelming. The berry was there but so overwhelmed it may as well not have been.
I could tell this tea would be great right out of the packet. The fruity notes blend so well with the strength of the tea
This tea can bring calm to your life. It's super aromatic with a delightful sage and berry flavor. Mind how you steep and how many sage leaves are in your infuser when you do. The right savory / sweet balance for a very tasty tea is the great reward when you make personal adjustments.
The Oolong tea base is gentle and does not overwhelm the sage and berry flavors. Start with a typical Oolong steeping temp. of 195F . I pulled the tea at just under 4 minutes. In its plain state the dark brown brew had a definite sage aroma. Upon the first sip the sage flavor came forward first followed by notes of the tart berry mix of blackberry and raspberry.
I added milk and sweetener to temper the sage and bring forth more of the berry. With the flavor balance just right , I could relax with a very calming tea that was tasty and enjoyable. It's soothing effect stayed with me for quite a while. In these times this is the perfect tea to enjoy if your stuck in a rut, need some calm and willing to explore the savory side of the flavor spectrum.
I brewed this tea as directed (3 min @ 212 degrees F) and tasted nothing but an overwhelming sage flavor. It was like trying to drink Thanksgiving dinner. After two sips, it went down the drain.
I liked it today a bit more than when I tried it in the Advent Calendar, perhaps because I added a hefty dose of sweetener, but it’s still not a flavor combination that I enjoy. The sage is an unusual flavor for tea but it’s more understated in my cup today than it was previously; today I’m picking up on the blackberry more, which is enjoyable.
This is an interesting tea. I swear I have had this tea as a sauce over duck! In the packet, it smelled so much like cough syrup. Luckily I didn’t let that deter me from trying it. Steeped 4 minutes at probably about 200 degrees (boiled water, cooled a couple minutes). The first sips were full of sage, with the berry hard to find. Now that it’s cooled a bit, it has a much stronger berry flavor and I’m enjoying it a lot more. About halfway through I decided to try it with a bit of honey, but it didn’t add much for me. Then I added a bit of almond milk out of curiosity. I liked it better plain, and warm rather than hot. I’ll be sticking with that preparation for steep #2.
I learned while sampling this tea that sage is not something I enjoy in tea. The blackberry flavor was nice but the sage was overpowering for me.
I REALLY enjoyed this! In the packet it smelled overly blackberry and I was unsure. When steeped though, the flavor is delicious. The sage pairs nicely and adds an earthy flavor I really enjoy!
The tea has a true blackberry flavor. I couldn't taste the Raspberry. But if you are looking for a blackberry tea, this is the one. I would add this to a muffin.
I usually only steep my tea once but today’s tea was a real winner. Earthy but still tender with the taste of berries lingering. So I’m now on the third steep and it’s just add amazing as the first one. Perfect for a chilly day and to remind me that Spring is coming. 💗💗💗💗💗
Juicy with raspberries and black berries. The sage is mild but crisp. I wish the berries were a bit stronger. The aroma when you open the packets packs a punch and smells like the fruit flavors would be more pronounced then they are. Overall a great tea!
I had a full compliment of ingredients in my communiTEA packet this morning, even a few tiny raspberry pieces were noted. Moderate raspberry and sage aromas were present.
I steep all dark oolongs at 200ºF, this one being no exception. I couldn’t measure the tea in a spoon due to the tea leaves wouldn’t fit properly. So I weighed everybody in at 3 grams, just the proper amount I needed for my 12 ounce mug. I did a 4 minute steep to make sure the fruit flavors had a chance to bloom.
When hot, sweet and savory flavors were mild. I couldn’t detect any berry flavors. I added a bit of sugar in hopes of intensifying those and not overpowering the sage.
When warm, moderately smooth oolong flavors of roasted chestnuts were noted. Pleasant sage flavors were moderate and doing itheir savory thing. Sweet mixed berry flavors were mild in the background.
I loved the savory sage flavors in this blend, but wish the berry flavors would have been more pronounced. Overall, this was a very interesting combination of ingredients. (4 mins @ 200ºF, 1/4 tsp sugar)
Thank you Adagio for including a hearty herb and fruit flavored tea. This is different but so good. The smell of blackberries fill the room and upon first sip, I taste the blackberry followed by the hint of sage.
Loving this taste of the garden! The oolong tea is the perfect base for the blackberry and sage flavors. The aroma of the dry blend is very fruity, and the sage jumps out once it starts to steep. Sage is the predominant flavor along with the oolong and the tangy raspberry leaves, but the blackberry flavor lends a little fruity sweetness. The balance is spot-on for me making a delicious cup.
A light, golden brew; blackberry and herby sage; great with creamer, too!
Was excited to see this oolong blend in our communiTea box. As I opened and steeped my tea, an amazing aroma filled my kitchen. Reminded me of Thanksgiving morning smells with a fresh blueberry pie baking. With each sip, I enjoyed hints of blackberry and raspberry notes, as sage took both front and center stage, blending so perfectly with its oolong base. Don’t over steep, otherwise at the end of each sip, an unusual bite, might sneak in. I steeped at a lower temp 195F for
4 mins, then 2nd steep cut down to 2 mins and as suggested added a little bit of honey & lemon, wow even tastier. I never would have tried this tea, so Thankful it was part of today’s communiTea. What a soothing & delicious tea. I bet it would taste even better chilled.
I like this best iced-- cooler temperatures let the berry flavor come out, while the sage is more subdued. When it's hot, the sage drowns out all other flavors.
The sage notes are very forward in this tea. I love sage for cooking with, so this makes me jump to wondering how it would be if I were to use it for baking. I prefer it iced, the blackberry and sage seem to meld into a tangy fruity blend that’s an entirely different flavor versus drinking it hot. The second brew was almost as flavorful with both the sage and blackberry as the first. ***it blends surprisingly well with cream, giving an almost blackberry pie flavor and I think this method is a new favorite**
This is one of my favorite oolong blends. The sage and blackberries are well balanced. This tea is great on it's own or sweetened with a bit of honey. I enjoy it hot and iced.
This tea was my cup of tea! Pleasant aroma and the flavors compliment one another
The berry flavor in this tea is really strong and wonderful! Highly recommend!
A new favorite. Hints of blackberry give the tea a natural sweetness. Did great with a longer brewing time
This is one of my favorite teas...Very Pleasant! The aroma of sage brings you in finished off with beautiful blackberry on your taste buds. I enjoy with honey.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this. It’s earthy from the sage which is what hits me first then the undertones of blackberry give it a nice juicy mouthfeel and it was such a great cup. Just as good as a second steep.
This is a morning favorite. The taste is spot on and has quickly replaced my morning coffee.
I enjoyed the blackberry sage oolong tea in the 2020 Advent Calendar. I was so pleasantly surprised with the combination of summer blackberry and winter sage, I ordered the tea. Now I look forward to trying this flavor combination in my jelly making next Fall. Delicious!
My favorite tea. Very deep and subtle fruity and savory flavors
This tea was very well balanced. It was just the right amount of fruity. The sage wasn't very strong, but it did add a nice herbacious note to the tea and helped to mellow the fruit
So delicious. My guests love having this one in the afternoons.
This has a distinctively blackberry flavor. Not raspberry, blueberry, or indistinct berry. It is clearly blackberry. I don t notice the sage.
Good tea but having to write a review that is at least 50 characters is stupid.
Smells and tastes wonderful. Lightly fruity and naturally sweet.
The sage gives this blend an herby bite that really accentuates the blackberry flavor and keeps it from being too syrupy or overwhelming. If you want it sweeter, I recommend a teaspoon of honey!
Despite featuring blackberry, this tea isn't too fruity and smells amazing!
This is my favorite tea I've ever gotten from adagio! It's got the perfect blend of blackberry and sage, not to overwhelming with the sage. I love it, if it wasn't caffeinated I would be drinking it way more.
I think this might be my new favorite! Full of flavor and so refreshing. I like to make a whole pitcher and drink it cold.
Love this tea, much like a Lebanese tea I ve had but with blackberry notes.