On my last trip to Canada, I picked up two teas from the Seafoam Lavender Farm: one traditional lavender herbal, the other a lavender-cranberry tisane. (It's under the heading "Lavender Tea" on the website. Teas are in the "Culinary" section.)
Since I am in a tea-tasting mood today, I brewed up some of the lavender-cranberry. The aroma is primarily lavender, with the sharp tart bite of cranberry as an undertone. The cranberry comes out much more strongly in the flavor.
I made iced tea with half of what I brewed and left the other half for drinking hot. In iced tea form, it tastes primarily like a gentle cranberry brew, and then the lavender sneaks up on you in the after taste. Some cranberry teas have the same bitterness as cranberry juice (which I happen to love), but this is a kinder and gentler cranberry. It's almost mellow -- I think that's the influence of the lavender. Some people might need sweetener for it nonetheless. It's a refreshing, palate-cleaning iced tea.
In hot tea form, the cranberry element is noticeably tarter but still not bitter. The lavender is even more subdued. I think the hot brew would benefit from some light sweetener. Overall, I like the iced tea qualities better.
The only down side from this tea is that I now *really* want some lavender shortbread. :-)
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