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Licorice is probably most known for the candies that are based on it. But when you steep its pure root form in hot water you get to know a whole other side of this versatile herbal root. I want to focus on the flavor profile of licorice root tea and see if this incredible herbal root tea is something that you might like to add to your tea-drinking repertoire.
What Does Licorice Root Tea Taste Like? Licorice Tea is a smooth and slightly sweet herbal infusion. It has a rich flavor that is slightly tangy with a slightly sweet kick that lingers on your lips after a sip.
For a convenient Licorice Tea to try, I recommend Traditional Medicinals Organic Licorice Root Herbal Tea, available on Amazon. It is an excellent introduction to this fine herbal tea.
As always, the taste is subjective so your experience might differ wildly from mine. Use this flavor profile as a loose guide on what to expect from your first cup of licorice tea and then decide for yourself what flavors you taste when you drink this wonderful herbal infusion.
Table of Contents
The Flavor Profile Of Licorice Root Tea
Licorice tea has a pretty complex flavor profile and a fairly unique one. Other teas like fennel seed tea and aniseed tea have licorice notes to their flavor but they pale to the original licorice tea flavor.
Let’s break it down into the most recognizable flavors that I can detect and give ourselves a good overview of what to expect from this herbal infusion.
Licorice Root Tea is A Bit Tangy
I’m not sure that tangy is the best word to describe this flavor note in licorice tea. It’s more of a slightly spicy slightly Tangy mix that really lingers on the tongue and lips after you take a sip of this herbal tea. It’s not nearly as spicy as some other herbal teas. I think both Ginger and turmeric tea have a little bit more spice. But licorice tea has very little of the earthy flavor that is typical in root herbal teas, and even less bitterness.
And Slightly Sweet
Most herbal teas have at least some natural sweetness to them and licorice tea is no exception. It’s not a super sweet tea and I would say it’s a bit less sweet than something like green tea for example.
But there is a slight natural sweetness that helps to make the overall experience much more palatable. One thing I want to add is that when I’m talking about a natural sweetness it’s important to understand that it’s not sugary. There’s a big difference between sweet and sugary and once you have enough experience with tea drinking you’ll understand just how big a difference that distinction is.
It is Very Smooth
The slight sweetness that I talked about in the above paragraph really lends itself well to one of the most noticeable things about the flavor of licorice tea. It is incredibly smooth. It is almost a creamy sensation when you drink this tea. It feels a little bit thicker than a normal cup of herbal tea. The smoothness is similar to vanilla tea.
I think it’s probably one of the smoothest cups of Tea you’re going to have and that makes it a great candidate to blend with other teas that maybe are a little bit harsher or bitter or earthy in order to make them much more palatable for the general tea-drinking public.
Licorice Root Tea is Rich And Flavorful
Sometimes herbal teas can be a little bit underwhelming with their flavors. Chamomile tea, for example, is a very nice tea to drink but it is not the most flavorful I can feel a little bit Bland as a result. That is not the case with licorice tea. The flavor is front-and-center and it is a full flavor that you get from this herbal infusion. It has a richness about it that you don’t always find with herbal teas.
I think the texture of licorice tea is more akin to something like an Earl Grey tea than it is to chamomile tea or some other herbal tea. It’s rich and it’s full-flavored and it feels thicker than it is when you drink it. Perhaps that’s due to the lingering flavor that tends to stay on your lips and tongue after you take a sip. Whatever it is a wonderful sensation and a wonderful way to end a great sip of this fine tea.
The Aroma Of Licorice Root Tea
The aroma of licorice root tea is very similar to the actual taste. That is not always the case with some of these herbal teas the aroma can be very different than the actual flavor. The biggest difference between the taste and the aroma is that I think the aroma is a little bit more pungent than the flavor. This is pretty common among herbal teas. The aroma will often times Beach slightly more noticeable than the taste of the actual tea itself.
The Licorice Root Tea Finish
That brings us to the end of our look at the flavor of licorice root tea. I think that this is a great place to introduce anyone to herbal tea. It’s such a smooth and flavorful and ultimately familiar flavor that even new tea drinkers will be eased into the idea of drinking a variety of herbal teas.
That’s a good starting point but it’s important not to make it the ending point as well. Licorice tea can be a gateway to all types of other root herbal teas like ginger or turmeric and then on to other floral-herbal teas like lavender or hibiscus.
Ultimately you can introduce a new tea drinker to the wonderful world of black tea white tea or the incredibly popular green teas that are out there right now. And it all started with a little sip of licorice tea. Of course, there are other ways to find out the joys of tea drinking but this is just one little example of how such a smooth and flavorful tea can really open your eyes to the possibilities of herbal teas.
Looking For Your Next Favorite Tea? Check Out The Great Teas, Blends, and Herbal Infusions at the Art Of Tea. They have teas for every taste and occasion.
Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.