This is one of my favorite tea blends that I did not blend myself!

I tried this unique blend as a sample on my first visit to Teavana.  I found the description of the blend to be very intriguing, so intriguing that I could not resist a sip.  It was a blend of Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearls (which I adore) and a flavored Rooibos blend called “Tropica.”  The flavor combination was so absolutely delicious that I purchased some Pearls and Tropica Rooibos on the spot.

Teavana describes their Tropical Dragon Tea Blend as…

This amazing blend is comprised of the finest green tea scented with fresh jasmine blossoms 8 to 10 times, and then rolled into a precious pearl complete with the silvery tea bud. Then we add our delicious Rooibos Tropica tea that is comprised of green and red rooibos, a South African herb that is caffeine free and very high in antioxidants, flavored with strawberry, peaches, orange peel, and rose, cornflower and sunflower petals. Soothing and refreshing – hot or iced – it will aide in preventing certain types of cancer, lowers cholesterol, great for hair, teeth, skin and bones and can be re-steeped several times.

The Tropica rooibos blend is delightful — beautifully fragrant from the moment you open the package, and the flavors of strawberry and peach excite the palate.  I especially like the addition of the sunflower petals, which add a bit of pungency to the blend, which contrasts nicely with the sweetness provided by the fruit.

And as I mentioned, I do adore the Pearls.  Rich with jasmine fragrance, the scent is intoxicating as you sip the tea, and the flavor envelops you.  If I had to choose just one tea to drink for the rest of my life, it would most likely be Pearls of Jasmine.

These two teas are quite delicious on their own, so the idea of combining the two sounded like a winner.  I did worry that perhaps my beloved jasmine flavor would be lost in the presence of the other flavors, but to my delight, you can detect the jasmine mingling amid the rest of the distinguished flavors.

While you can now purchase the blend of the Tropical Dragon Tea as one blend at Teavana, I choose to purchase the two teas separately.  I did this I guess because I am a purist at heart, and I wanted to allow proper brew time for both teas.  To do this, I placed the Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearls in my smart tea maker, and then I put the Tropica rooibos in a T-Sac, which I then placed in the smart tea maker with the jasmine pearls, and then added the hot water (heated to 165 degrees F) into the vessel, and allowed both teas to brew together for 2 minutes.  After the two minutes, I strained the liquid from the smart tea maker into my mug, and then moved the T-Sac into my mug and allowed the rooibos to continue to brew for an additional 4 minutes.

Follow up with a quick drizzle of agave nectar, and the resulting brew is nirvana on the palate!  Positively dreamy!  Oh… and it’s also amazing as an iced tea!

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