I’ve tried a handful of teas (regular, peppermint, cherry) and to me they all just taste like… well, wet leaves to be frank. (How could that be? Haha.) One thing I remember from Girl Scouts was that we once boiled sassafrass roots to make a sort of tea that tasted like root beer. It was fairly tasty, if memory serves. Is there a tea like that? Is there a tea that tastes like COLA!!! That would be the best, as I’m trying to take up tea to quit drinking soda. (No, it’s not the caffiene or carbonation I’m addicted to, it’s merely the taste. At this point I’m drinking 1/4 glass soda to 3/4 glass water purely because I love the flavor so much.) I get a fancypants tea catalog every so often but have never ordered from it having no idea what any of them taste like. Ideas?
No need to go fancy. If you’re new to tea then try something that’s blended. I’d recommend Earl Grey. It’s got Bergamot oil in it. Bergamot is kinda like a bitter orange, just put a little sugar in it and skip the milk.
Chai. With cream. On a cold morning.
The tea I’m drinking right now - Republic of Tea Safari Sunset.
With honey.
I go back and forth on tea… I love this stuff.
With honey.
To me, Earl Grey seems like an acquired taste. I do drink it occasionally, but only because they stock it in the kitchen at work–I wouldn’t buy it for myself. The perfumy aroma reminds me of insecticide! My own favorite tea (of the stuff you can just pick up at the supermarket) is Twinings Irish Breakfast. It’s very strong, with a sweet, kind of raisin-like edge.
Better stay away from Lapsang Souchong then. Personally, I love it once in a while because it reminds me of the scent of tar on the railway ties that I used to walk along when I was a kid. Think of it as nice cuppa asphalt.
Sassafras (sp?) is really a root, not a tea. Also, it’s supposedly no longer for human consumption, Drug and Food Admin or some such decided (don’t remember when, but I remember going to buy it and the packages saying “not for human consumption”, if anyone knows more than I do and has a cite, pls feel free…)
But for the same naturally sweet taste, you might want to try Licorice tea.
Ethilrist* suggested chai with cream on a cold morning. During the hot months, I pour it over ice. Sometimes it needs a little bit of sweetner. The Green Tea chai is my favorite. You can buy this in quart boxes at Wild Oats or any health minded grocery store. I am addicted.
Oat Straw tea is another. If you’ve seen Harold and Maude, you know that it should be served with ginger pie. 
Constant Comment is also a very good tea.
Another iced tea that is refreshing is peach flavored Crystal Lite. It comes in a cannister and you can find it easily.
Sometimes I chop up ginger root and let it soak in hot water for a few minutes. Add sweetener. Ginger powder, bottled ginger mush, or other substitutes are not the same.
I have nothing to add or help, just that I am a tea lover, I love ordinary tea with milk and no sugar.
I like the Republic of Tea teas. They’re expensive, tho’. Cherry Spring Tea (Green Tea) is my current favorite. Also their Raspberry Quince tastes kinda like beer (to me) if you like that sort of thing. Their Ginger Peach is awesome. It sounds like you would like something on the sweet side, so something with cinnamon might be a good way to go. Chai is always YUMMY and sweet. If you usually drink pop, you might prefer your tea iced. Hope that helps! Why are you trying not to drink pop?
Well, if we’re talking good ol’ black tea, PG Tips with a little milk is the way to go. For something with a non-tea flavour, try Good Earth Tea maybe; it doesn’t taste of cola, but it’s slightly sweet & cinnamony, so should make the tastebuds happy. Orange or Berry Zinger might be good options if you like either flavour.
Rooibos. It’s from south africa, and is more delicate in flavour than many teas. It’s also very low in caffeine, and comes in a variety of blends.
I love my rooibos chai with soy milk and a little honey
Also, fruit infusions (which actually contain no tea… usually based on rosehips and hyacinth) might be good for you.
Lemongrass, Blackcurrant and anything with ginger usually do it for me.
Black tea with a slice of lemon and a pinch of sugar is my pick 
Rooibos has sort of a unique flavor and worth a try but might taste too much like wet folliage. I asked about it before and have found it a good non-caffine solution to hot drinks.
I second the Ginger Peach recommendation. Also, try Celestial Seasonings Vanilla Hazelnut with a tad of milk and some honey.
Rooibos is apparently very good for your hair, making it gleam.
Thanks for the ideas! The Vanilla Hazelnut sounds especially interesting. As for the fruit infusions, would I find those sold with the rest of the tea in a regular supermarket or would I have to go someplace special? And what exactly IS chai tea? I assumed it was just one kind of tea, but from this thread I’m gathering it’s a whole separate subset of teas.
Okay but before I do that, let me recommend the missionary position for any practicing celibates out there
Chai is a whole different kind of tea in the same way that cider is a whole different kind of fruit juice. Chai is a mix of ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and maybe a few others I can’t remember. I’ve seen it in the grocery stores. It’s fairly aromatic, you can squeeze the box and smell the strong spicy flavor. I use the tea to make latte, because it makes a wonderfully delightful foamy pacifier. Next time you visit your local coffee house, ask for a spiced chai latte (hopefully they make it from the tea and not from a powder mix). You may want to add a little sugar to sweeten it up.