About.com Rating



Steven Smith Teamaker's Big Hibiscus (Blend #24) is the ultimate herbal infusion for wine lovers. It has a big, bold flavor and immense food pairing capability that has gained it a loyal following amongst wine connoisseurs.

Ingredients

The ingredients of Big Hibiscus are bold, spicy and full, much like a robust red wine. They include:

• Red hibiscus
• Indian sarsaparilla
• Ginger root
• Pink rose petals
• Elderflowers

• Lemon myrtle
• Natural flavors

When brewed, this colorful melange turns deep carmine red, like a Cabernet or Claret red wine.
Tasting Notes

Aroma -- Bold, deep, a little spicy (ginger), slightly sour (hibiscus), a hint of root beer (sarsaparilla)
Flavor -- Tart, sweet, spicy, floral, complex, aggressive yet refined
Aftertaste -- Spiced and mildly tannic, with a lingering hibiscus-lemon note

Pairing Notes

This is a tea that doesn't ask you to pair it with food -- it demands that you pair it with food just as you would a bold red wine. It also has a flavor profile that would work well in sangrias or cocktails.

Overall Opinion

Along with Meadow, it is one of the defining blends of the Steven Smith Teamaker collection. However, unlike Meadow, it appeals to fans of dark, bold flavors and intense red wines.

What intrigued me the most about Big Hibiscus is that I usually loathe the overpowering, flatly sweet-tart flavor of hibiscus. Big Hibiscus is a wildly innovative herbal blend that defies expectations of what an herbal blend based around hibiscus should taste like.

I'd recommend Big Hibiscus to oenophiles even more highly than Wild Monkey Marsala. I'd also recommend it to anyone looking for a seriously big, bold tisane.



Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.