There’s something supremely fun about unusual seasonal blends that only come out at the most festive times of year. When I heard about the blend, Candied Yams from Bluebird Tea, I had to get a taste.
So, Candied Yams? I’ve had my fair share of mashed sweet potatoes (yams) and squash with butter and brown sugar, and the sweet, earthy, orange mash is a delicious side to any holiday dinner. (We’ve even forgotten to put the sweet potatoes out during dinner one year, and ate it with spice cookies during dessert, and they were still a winner). No wonder I like the cinnamon and nutmeg alongside the yams in this tea blend.
This tea blend is going for an even sweeter version of sweet potatoes; the kind that were baked in a casserole and topped with marshmallows. Cooking with marshmallows seems like the most nostalgic, American ideal, like putting marshmallows in ambrosia salad. All you need to know is that this tea also has mini marshmallows, and plenty of them to make the tea leaves look festive and the blend taste sugary-sweet.
Beyond the carrot-like yam sweetness, this brew also has a fair bit of tartness, like red cranberry, which comes from the small dash of hibiscus in the blend. This red-berry flavor adds a touch of mulled wine flavor alongside the sweet earthiness and light spice. I figure that if my family can put orange flavored dried cranberries in their Thanksgiving stuffing then this flavor profile makes some sense in this tea.
Don’t worry if you’re more excited about the yams than the cranberries, the yams are the driving force of this blend, most noticeable in the scent and aftertaste. After each sip, I get the sweet and starchy potato flavors, reminding me a bit of carrot cake with walnuts. As the initial sweetness fades on my tongue, the brew has a great, mellow, nutty, taste.
If you’re a fan of weird holiday brews, I’d recommend you pick up a sample of Candied Yams before the sweet-potato-yam season passes. And if you get super inspired, you can even bake a marshmallow-yam casserole to accompany your cup of tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Bluebird Tea Co.
Description:
Always looking forward to those sweet candied yams at Thanksgiving? Wish you had an excuse to enjoy ’em all year round? We hear you! Now you can get into the festive spirit with this Limited Edition holiday tea – it’s Thanksgiving in a cup!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Sweet Potato Pie from Lupicia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Lupicia
Tea Description:
A black tea blend with a generous portion of creamy Japanese sweet potatoes. The buttery sweet aroma will remind you of a cozy holiday gathering.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I waited for Sweet Potato Pie from Lupicia Teas to come back out with much anticipation. They only release it around the holidays. I absolutely love sweet potatoes and eat them on a regular basis, not just around the holiday season.
I have to say I did not care for the aroma of this tea in dry form, not at all. There is an aroma of alcohol to it that was very off putting to me, and it smelled as though it would be intensely strong. However, upon brewing the tea the aroma of sweet potatoes came to life! I instantly though to myself “this is more like it!” I was excited for my first sip.
The flavor of this tea is amazing! It is spot on for a sweet potato casserole! Buttery, creamy, and even a little starchy. The black base is nicely robust but I get no astringency. The after taste lingers a while as well.
This tea is sweet in the way that a sweet potato is but not in a sugary way. I do get hints at a brown sugar note but its not too sweet either. The flavor that lingers on the palate is one of buttery sweet potato with just a slight touch of marshmallow and brown sugar. And then, out of nowhere, right before the aftertaste, right after the swallow, I get a dash of salty flavor! What a surprise! I love salt! It creates this sort of twang on the tongue and a tiny bit of tartness that quickly disappears.
I can also pick up a subtle maltiness, and a slight taste of caramel in the flavor as well.
I have only had one other Sweet Potato Pie tea previously, it was pretty good, but I was so desiring a sweet potato tea that I probably would have liked anything I could get my hands on. In comparison, this one outshines the other by far!
Hong Jing Luo from thepuriTea
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: thepuriTea
Product Description:
If you’re a fan of Golden Yunnan then you’ll be a fan of her little cousin Hong Jing Luo. The name loosely translates into the golden soft downy feathers, its young loosely rolled black tea with golden tips is reminiscent of the finest Chinese black teas. Great morning tea to get you started with your day, goes well with milk or try it with brown sugar.
Tasters Review:
When I first read the product description on this one – it ‘had me at’ “If You’re A Fan Of Golden Yunnan…”
It just so happens that I am so I was excited to try this tea! I did two infusions while trying Hong Jing Luo by thepuriTea and here are my findings…
For the 1st infusion it tasted a little like cocoa and a rich-semi sugary. It reminded me of a Raisin-taste…almost like the raisins in a sugar cookie and CRISP. It has a very nice scent!
For the 2nd Infusion…
I smell…sweet potatoes, YES, Sweet Potatoes! It’s an interesting taste, indeed! Maybe more like sweet potatoes with brown sugar. And it’s still crisp and sweet! After the 2nd infusion cools for a few minutes (at room temperature) I can taste a slight woodsy yet sweet taste at the end of the sip and into the after taste.
This is a very unique cup of tea! That gets points in my book! And it tastes good too! VERY Memorable!
