Swiss Premium: Iced Tea with Lemon

I was hoping to be able to find a decent bottled iced tea, that didn't contain HFCS like my formerly beloved Arizona Sweet Tea, so I scored this bottle sitting all by itself in the drink isle, a sign I mistakenly took to be good. You'll see where I'm going with that.

I opened the bottle, full of expectations, and could right away smell the instant tea, with a disturbing undertone of plastic. Being here for your service and disregarding my own safety (the bottle is PETE plastic, it should be safe, right?), I took a few sips and put the bottle down. Not only did it have the most bizarre flavor of lemon-flavored tea I have ever experienced, I could taste the plastic too. A few more hesitant swigs and I was done. It has been a while since I haven't finished a drink, but I just couldn't bear this anymore. The phrase 'Epic Fail' comes to mind.

This was one of the biggest letdowns in my history of libations, ranking up there with diet sodas. Whether or not I got a bad batch or it had just gone over (hint: don't print your expiration dates on the side of a bottle with dark fluid in it), I don't think I could ever get over this experience enough to enjoy any of their tea again.

This one is caught up in a corporate web as well, the company is owned by Dean Foods, and distributed by Meadow Gold.
Ingredients: Water, sugar, instant tea, citric acid, sodium citrate, and natural flavors.
Sugar factor: 42 grams a 20 oz bottle.

Score: 0.5 out of 5; pending my death from plastic-leeched tea, they will lose another half point.

-- WiseGuise