This Fair Trade Certifiedorganic tea offers a delicious synergy between excellent North Indian tea and rich, creamy vanilla. Excellent with milk, it is great for dessert. We recommend adding a bit of sugar or honey to satisfy a sweet tooth. This Vanilla Black Tea, as with all of our flavored blends, uses only the highest quality teas, essential oils and botanical ingredients, insuring an excellent cup every time!
Ingredients: organic and Fair Trade Certified Indian black tea, organic calendula petals and organic vanilla flavor
What are Flavored Teas?
Our delicious flavored teas use the same top-quality organic tea that we offer in our unflavored varieties, but are blended with pieces of real fruit, spices, flowers, and 100% natural flavors. When blending our teas, our goal is to create a cup that balances the taste of the tea with the flavors of the additional ingredients so that neither one overpowers. All of the natural flavors we use are either extracts taken directly from the botanical ingredient, or extracted using 100% GMO-free grain alcohol as a solvent. You can rest assured that none of the flavors used in our blends are synthetically or artificially derived, and do not use artificial preservatives.
Steeping Instructions
At Arbor Teas, we believe tea should be brewed to suit your personal taste. We’re happy to make recommendations to get you started, but don’t hesitate to experiment! When brewing your tea, your main considerations are tea quantity, water temperature, and steeping time. We recommend black teas to be steeped for 3 to 5 minutes in water heated to a full, rolling boil. For the best flavor, use fresh water whenever possible, and avoid overboiling. Try not to steep your tea longer than necessary, as you’ll extract undesirable bitterness from the leaves. If you want a stronger brew, don’t steep longer, just use more tea. And don’t forget to re-steep your tea leaves to get the most out of your leaf!
"This has a certain warm comfort to it, the vanilla adds a richness similar to the way it does in baked goods."
Sarah
"I love this tea at lunch time. It tastes so good with whatever is on my plate and its flavor allows me to skip that cookie on the counter."
Aubrey
"Similar to our Coconut Black Tea blend, I like the lingering softness that the vanilla leaves on my palate."
Health Benefits
Like all true tea, black tea offers many potential health benefits. Research has found that tea (Camellia sinensis) can have many positive effects on human health, including improved cardiovascular function, cancer risk reduction, improved immune function, improved oral health, and help with weight management. Tea is also full of polyphenols, which are a class of antioxidant that help your body maintain homeostasis and balance your stress levels. Black tea specifically has been found to regulate blood sugar in diabetics better than other types of tea, according to a study done by the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
For more information about the health benefits of black tea and other types of tea, and for direct sources of the above information, check out our Tea Health Benefits page!
Please note: the information above is for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
I bought samples of all the black teas Arbor had available and have been doing tea tastings with my friend who is also a tea lover. Both of us were really excited for the vanilla bean black tea. Maybe we were too excited and that's why we were so disappointed. It just doesn't taste like vanilla. I've steeped it according to the directions and also doubled the amount of tea and no joy. I'm willing to concede that our expectations may have been colored by vanilla syrups and other artificially flavored vanilla products that come across really strong but regardless, it just doesn't taste like vanilla to either of us. I think if you're really curious about this tea, make sure you get a sample size first. There are some rave reviews here so you may be one of the people who loves it.
5
Pleasantly surprised
Posted by Janis on 12th May 2022
I was a bit hesitant to order the Vanilla Bean black tea, as oftentimes, things flavored with vanilla are either overpowering or taste artificial. I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious this tea is. The taste is pleasing and has become one of my favorite teas. I'll be ordering the larger amount next time.
5
Let it breathe like wine
Posted by Kylie on 4th Oct 2020
This aromatics of this tea can initially be very overwhelming. I found that if I let the tea breathe before brewing (basically while I heat the water) it is perfect.
2
Not So Good
Posted by Willie on 22nd Jan 2019
Vanilla tea always sounds appealing to me but then the results never live up to the expectations. This one is no different, unfortunately, and I'm actually a little grossed out by it. You'd think with actual vanilla bean in it instead of just flavoring it might be pretty good, but there's a taste and smell to it that is simply unappealing. I'm glad I got the sample size.
5
Best Vanilla Tea Ever!
Posted by Roxanna Whittington on 17th Oct 2018
This is the best Vanilla black tea I have ever found. I have been drinking this tea for years. Once when it was on backorder I ordered Vanilla tea from somewhere else and it was awful. Now I make sure I stock up so I'm never without it!
5
Perfect combination of black and vanilla :)
Posted by Bella Lou on 30th May 2018
The aroma of the tea is beautiful, with vanilla as the top note. If you prefer sweet tea this tea is good with both brown sugar and honey!
4
Give it a chance.
Posted by Kara on 29th Apr 2016
At first I didn't like this tea; it smelled and tasted almost medicinal. Then after I brewed a few more cups I started to notice a sweetness that wasn't there before. Then a richness and warmth that made the tea a joy to drink. Give this one a few tries if you don't like it right away
4
Delicious but potent
Posted by Nora B on 12th Mar 2016
There is a lot of warm, sweet vanilla flavor packed into this tea. For me it is too much on its own, but I love to mix it in with a good black tea. I put mine in an old spice jar and just throw a few dashes in. A little goes a long way!
4
Very good
Posted by Tiffany Kelly on 3rd Aug 2014
It smells and has a liquor taste. The black tea is subtle and add some half and half to bring out the rich flavor. It is an excellent dessert tea and I let mine brew for the full five minutes to get full flavor and aroma.
2
Ehh
Posted by Ashley Jean on 24th May 2014
This tea was not good to me. It tasted like I was drinking alcohol and it just left a bad taste in my mouth. Good thing I got the sample...
5
Amazing aroma and flavor
Posted by Ellie on 6th Dec 2013
I bought the sample size of this one because I wasn't sure what to expect. Now I wish I had purchased a larger size! The aroma when you open the bag is wonderful. I used a heaping teaspoon full in my infuser and steeped for about 5 minutes. I normally don't drink hot teas, I prefer iced, but this tea was amazing hot. I have now made it hot, cold, with and without milk. A little bit of honey or sugar really helps bring out the sweet vanilla flavor. It's a very mellow but clean flavor profile, definitely one of my favorites.
1
Bad smell and taste
Posted by mmg on 25th Nov 2013
Unfortunately, I ended up tossing this tea in the trash. The tea had an overwhelming liquor smell, and it had a chemically aftertaste.
5
Easily My All-Around Favorite Black Tea
Posted by Jeremy on 17th Aug 2013
In our tea drawer in the kitchen, I found some old vanilla black tea that was purchased years ago. I fell in love with my finding, and set out to find an organic vanilla black tea to enjoy once my found supply had run out. I came across Arbor Tea's Vanilla Black Tea and promptly ordered a sample.... the verdict? This is easily my favorite all-around black tea that I've ever had, and I've been drinking tea for a few years now! I echo that it makes a pleasant dessert tea, but it also provides a wonderfully flavorful start to the day as a breakfast tea as well.
5
Favorite year round tea.....
Posted by Susan on 6th Jul 2013
I love vanilla and this tea has a wonderful clean vanilla taste. I make it hot or cold and it's wonderful mixed with the coconut tea. I also mixed it with the vanilla almond rooibos tea which provided a more warm vanilla taste. This is a good base tea for mixing with other teas to make your own special flavors. Really enjoy this tea any time of the day.
5
Absolutely love
Posted by Unknown on 4th Jul 2013
This is quickly becoming one of my favorites. It is a warm, morning treat. The flavor is perfect. I add a little stevia or honey.
4
Rich Aroma
Posted by S. Nelson on 8th Jan 2013
This is not only my first taste of Arbor Tea leaves - this is my first taste of ANY "real" tea leaves. I'm one of those folks who gets their caffeine from soda, but in an attempt to lead a more healthy lifestyle, I'm in the process of switching from soda to tea. I only say that to provide a little background for the review. To me, the taste is somewhat faint (again, used to corn syrup and who knows what else,) but the aroma is incredibly rich, and the color is very pleasing to the eye. After adding a little bit of Stevia, the natural sweetness of the tea came out more, with a definite vanilla finish just as the tea hits the back of your tongue. All in all, I'm very pleased and hopeful for the rest of the samplers I got. Thank you, Arbor Teas, for providing a slew of flavored teas that are natural and organic to allow me to dip my toes into real tea flavor without spending an arm and a leg!
5
Great Tea
Posted by Tim on 15th Aug 2012
I am a big fan of vanilla tea so when I saw that Arbor Tea had some, I had to order a sample and see how it was. I had some this morning, and it was one of the best vanilla teas I've had. I had a taste of vanilla with every sip. I highly recommend it.
5
Amazing Vanilla Flavors
Posted by Tim on 15th Aug 2012
I really enjoy vanilla tea so when I saw Arbor Tea had some, I had to get a sample. Had some this morning and it's one of the best vanilla teas I've had. Great vanilla flavors. I definitely will order more. I highly recommend it.
4
Nice After Dinner
Posted by Georgina R on 12th Jan 2012
I mixed a teeny bit of stevia in this tea, and it tasted like a dessert. It is slightly sweet on its own, but I wanted more. I got one good cup out of a serving, and the second try was ok - not weak but not strong. A wonderful aroma both dry and steeped.
5
Very Nice!
Posted by John of Troy on 17th Nov 2011
This is a lovely tea, balancing the earthiness of the tea with the richness of vanilla. It's fragrant, robust, and needs nothing to enhance its flavor. It's delightful.
5
Obsessed
Posted by Tina Gregory on 16th Mar 2011
This is my new tea obsession of choice! I bought 3 oz and should have bought 30. The fragrance it leaves in the house is almost as delightful as drinking it :)
4
Relaxing
Posted by Unknown on 12th Aug 2008
I find this tea great for a late afternoon. It features a soft vanilla flavor to help take down the stresses of a long busy day.
4
vanilla black
Posted by Johanna Miller on 19th Mar 2008
Black tea with vanilla as advertised. I would have preferred the vanilla flavor to be just a bit stronger (there's no such thing as too much vanilla) but this blend is just fine. I'll buy it again.