Thumbs up! "The fact that it also looked like a rose wine just made it scream, "PASSION!""
Geoff’s Teaview: 9.1/10
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An actual dialogue I had with my mother, paraphrased and abridged slightly:
Mom: "We picked up this tea for you in Cabo. It's a cactus tea!"
Me: "That's great!...Wait...it's not 'damiana', is it?"
Mom: "That's it."
Me: "Mom...that's an aphrodisiac."
I only know this because I'm no stranger to the stuff. Damiana is an unassuming shrub native to Texas, Mexico, Central and South America, and parts of the Caribbean. It's historical and medicinal use has primarily been in strengthening the libidos of both women and men. And - oh boy - does it work. I learned that by accident. No, I will not relate how I know that. Totally not PG.
Which brings us to Sacred Rose's Beloved blend, a "consummate alchemy aphrodisiac of damiana leaf, jasmine, hibiscus, hawthorn, pomegranate and wild cherry bark, blended under the Law of Resonance of the One Sacred Heart of the Creational Flame." Yes, that is verbatim from the tisane's profile.
Visually, this was a very striking blend. Bulbs/buds of some sort were the most prominent presence. Hibiscus strands and cherry pieces came in close second. Last were the various green herbs I couldn't identify on sight. Aromatically, the damiana was quite strong; it possessed a naturally woody/mint nose. Rounding out the scent were tart hibiscus and sharp jasmine. A very herbal-smelling blend.
Brewing instructions weren't present on the Sacred Rose site, but with herbal infusions that never mattered. A six-minute steep in boiling water did the trick. I did that with 1 tsp in an 8oz cup.
The liquor infused to a transparent but bold red, a clear mark of the hibiscus presence. The smell was like straight pomegranate juice - heated, of course. The flavor of this was shockingly pleasant. I was expecting a mouthful o' medicine but got a lovely berry taste. Sure, the hibiscus was quite tart, but the cherry and pomegranate added a bit of robust sweetness to the occasion. The fact that it also looked like a rose wine just made it scream, "PASSION!"
While I don't have much of a frame of reference, this was the best damn damiana-based blend I've ever tried. You hardly taste the woody leaf amidst the berrysplosion of taste. It also sweetens well, further adding to the juicy comparison. I'm not sure that's what the Sacred Rose folks were aiming for, but it's a good faux tea to have by candlelight...before breaking out the Barry White.
(Note: To add even further to the absurdity, I was taste-testing this on Valentine's Day.)
— To purchase Sacred Rose Beloved: The Twin Souls, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.
Teaviews Member: Geoff Geoff
Teaviews.com Reviewer
