Florence

Appearance: standard dark, broken, black tea leaves, with minimal stems. Liquor: dark brown – more brown than the red I often associate with black teas. Smell: So nice! Loose and brewed, there is a strong hazelnut flavor and underlying cocoa. I keep searching for hazelnut chunks. The smell is amazing. Taste: This is surprisingly sweet without milk or sugar. The hazelnut is quite pleasant, and there’s just enough chocolaty flavor that it could stand in for a hot cocoa. Like many H&S teas, as it cools the flavor develops some citrus notes that don’t really work with the other flavors. I don’t think it needs sugar, but adding it does make it very decadent. Adding milk makes it a really good hot cocoa stand in. This may be my favorite milk and sugar tea so far. Very nice way to start a weekend morning. 8/10

I’ve had a rather stressful day today, so I was thrilled when I got a message in my inbox saying that I’d received a package to be picked up over at the dorm office. It was my sample for this tea!

I opened the packet and out came the delicious scent of hazelnut and chocolate. I could have sat there for an hour just enjoying the aroma from the dry leaves.

One hour (just kidding, more like three minutes) later:
I brewed a cup of this following the suggested temperature and steep time— 4 to 5 minutes with boiling water. I opted for 4 minutes, since I added an extra half-teaspoon to the suggested amount of one teaspoon per cup.

I took my first sip. For those who have seen the Pixar film “Ratatouille”, I’d like to point out the scene where Anton Ego, the food critic, has his first bite of the ratatouille he’s served. Time stops, and he’s transported back to memories of his childhood and his mother’s cooking. I basically had one of those moments. Minus the food memory. Time just stopped and there was nothing except for me and the cup of tea in front of me.

The chocolate and hazelnut complement each other wonderfully, and there’s never a moment where one flavour really overpowers the other. There’s a sort of creaminess to the tea, which is lovely, but I honestly don’t really know where it comes from— the chocolate or the hazelnut.

There was a lot of happy, incoherent babbling here that got edited out, as I was sipping away at the tea while writing this note. Bottom line: If you like Nutella or Ferrero Rocher chocolates, this tea is for you.

I’ve gotta get more of this tea. Excuse me as I go and place an order.

I’ve had this tea for about a year and a half or so. I’d say my particular batch is definetly starting to go stale. If you have any I’d recommend trying to drink it up within the first year.

Successful pottery class tonight – I threw a few little pieces that I hope will turn out to be teacups. Celebrating that success with some Florence . Florence always makes me happy. Mmmmmmm – just so good.

Delicious, rich, wonderful hazelnut chocolate flavor. Especially good with half and half and sugar. A great dessert tea; in fact, a dessert by itself.

Finally got around to this sample. I don’t remember actually ordering it… But whatever :) this tea is ok. It very nutty. I’m not really getting any chocolate notes. Just strong roasty hazelnut flavors.

I was never thrilled by the idea of chocolate flavored tea, and actually when it arrive with a couple of other teas in a Harney & Sons order, I couldn’t remember what made me order it. This was quite pleasant, though. I thought about adding milk and sugar, but it truly doesn’t need anything of the sort, and I enjoyed it plain.

I’m not going to score this one, because I knew going in that I was unlikely to enjoy it. I just hate chocolate teas. They all just taste really chalky to me, and I’m not sure why I keep trying them and expecting something else.

I figured I’d give Florence a try because if I ever liked a chocolate tea, it would be a Harney & Sons blend, especially one with hazelnut in it. Also, because I love the idea of teas that capture the essence of places, because I am a nerd.

And I really, really wanted to like Florence — especially once I smelled it, oh my gosh does it smell wonderful — but it’s just not happening, and after two days of trying to force it, I am throwing in the towel. I am done with chocolate teas. I give up.

That said, if you do like chocolate or hazelnut teas (and don’t actively loathe one ingredient), I could see this tea being really amazing. So I’m not going to spoil that for someone else by giving a low rating.

Excellent blend of Chocolate and Hazelnut. Favorite flavored Harney tea I’ve tried.

I don’t really have a lot to say about this tea other than that it is definitely not what I was expecting or what I wanted. I wanted something that was either even parts chocolate and hazelnut or leaned more towards the chocolate end of things. And when I opened up the tin I was sure this was what I’d got. Chocolate is definitely the overwhelming smell of this tea.

However, the taste swings drastically the other way. Every sip of this is largely hazelnut with just a light hint of chocolate in there. Which is obviously great if you’re a huge fan of hazelnut, but I’m really not. I just wanted a hint of hazelnut to keep it from being too sweet and chocolately and this was not that.

It’s a smooth tea though, so if you want a nice relaxing cup of something hazelnut flavored this might be something to try. If, like me, you don’t like much hazelnut flavor I’d advise you stay away from this tea.