The guys at Hectar beverages send in another lovely package of samples of their latest flavours under the Paperboat brand. (Read my review of the other beverages from Paperboat here). The package they send in contained two iced tea flavours – tulsi tea and ginger lemon tea.
It saddens me to write this, because I really want these guys to be hugely successful and wish them nothing but a bright future.
I am also a little upset with myself as I write this, because I realise how easy it is to sit back, nit-pick and review products, while launching a new product takes ambition, love and expectation.
That said, I don’t think India is anywhere near ready for watered down, “a notch down on sugar” iced tea. The iced tea drinking, cafe hopping people I know prefer theirs with a generous serving of flavored sugary syrup in it, and the health conscious people I know would dive right in if this was iced green tea – except it isn’t.
In my opinion, this line of iced tea just doesn’t meet the acceptable minimum punch of sweet/tulsi/ginger lemon or antioxidants that people are likely to embrace. Personally I did enjoy them, for these are exactly what they claim to be – tulsi tea and ginger lemon tea (a notch down on sugar), but it doesn’t quite get me to where I want to go. Also, while it is refreshing that there are tones of desi flavour, it’s just not enough.
When it comes to nostalgia I accept and embrace the Paperboat kokum, jaljeera etc flavours, but tea in India is traditionally a strong brew with bold flavours that is served piping hot. As much as I wish I could be satisfied with a mild cold brew, the junkie in me needs the asli desi chai fix, especially if you are selling me nostalgia.
It is also unfortunate that I received these products, after my travels to SE Asia, where I sampled almost every flavour of iced tea there is – with condensed milk, over the counter, gourmet .. hell, I even tried durian iced tea.
I do wish the Paperboat brand well, and hope that iced tea in toned down flavours catches on or better still, the guys at Hector beverages come together and tweak the recipe, branding and packaging for the same. Heck, I would be willing to help, if they want and ask. 🙂