Finally, I got my sweet creamy tea tonight but what I did not lose out on was a deep, rich, and complex tea base! All too often flavored black teas are so froo froo that they lose the wonderful black tea flavor. Not this one! Angels Dream has everything that I was looking for in a flavored tea.

Now to be fair, there are many times I want nothing but the froo. Sometimes I do want that sticky sweet, sappy, sugary tea, but tonight I wanted something pure, with a hint of flavor to satisfy my slight sweet tooth.

Angles Dream tempted me from the moment I opened the bag. The first aromas that hit me were of sweet, creamy, and maple, and then I noticed the smoky aroma. I did not notice any fruit in the smell. The dry leaf is interesting. I see no real indication of the green tea that is mysteriously unnamed by English Tea Store, and I see no berries so I am left to assume that the flavoring is artificial, although I cannot be sure. What I do see however are these pretty little flower petals in colors of purple, yellow, and white. It is a very pretty tea to look at but I decided to brew it up anyway.
English Tea Store Says:

We have sought the heavens to try to find the flavor befitting all the virtues of this tea’s namesake. The natural flavours of Maple and Wild Blackberry enhance the excellent teas we have selected from the tea world?s finest regions -Sri Lanka, Formosa and Assam (India). This is a full flavor black tea.98% or more of this tea comes from estates that are part of the Ethical Tea Partnership. The ETP is an initiative started within the tea industry to monitor and regulate living and working conditions on estates around the world.

The steeped tea expands nicely and looks a little bit like garden mulch. The  aroma of the steeped tea brings out the berry essence quite nicely but is not over powering. Again I get the same aroma that I did in its dry form of sweet, and cream, and maple, but in the steeped tea I also get the aroma of a bakery, yes, cake is what I smell and it smells oh so good! This aroma made me want to take a big ol’  gulp but it was just too hot so I resisted only to notice my mouth began to water in anticipation!

Finally, the first sip: what is this unexpected flavor? Vanilla? Well I don’t recall that being mentioned about this tea but I’m fine with it! Second sip: Creamy yes, but the full mouthfeel I get is not coming from that – rather it is coming from the deep, rich, and wonderful tea base itself and I am really tasting the Assam in this one!

Third sip: A little astringency left over in the after taste. Fourth sip: this is a wonderfully layered tea that evokes not just flavors common in a dessert tea but also imparts a woodsy flavor as well. It’s like a forest berry cream tea. Fifth sip: Ah there is the maple – its lofting about in the back of my mouth now! The fruits are taking on a darker tone now, dark fruits? Humm I wonder what the angels would think of that?

Anyway the fruits have taken on a heavier note as the tea cools somewhat. Sixth sip: Wait … where did it go? I guess I was not so much sipping as I was gulping! Yikes, time for a refill, but I will let you try this one for yourself! Its worth getting.

Now I don’t assume to know what angels dream of but it has fulfilled my needs tonight for a decadent treat and hopefully will impart some sweet dreams for me later tonight, providing the caffeine does not keep me awake – although it luckily never does.  Not only is this a very good tea but I also love English Tea Store – their shipping is quick and their customer service is excellent!