I have a confession to make. I don’t really get the pumpkin spice craze, other than the fact that is feels good to welcome autumn and cinnamon is just so nostalgic, evoking lots of warm cozy memories. But I think of these spices more in cake than in beverages.
Add in my love of good black tea to that, and you will see why I expected this decaf to fail. And it did. At least, it failed as a stand alone cup of black tea for me. It was a big old cup of disappointment. It tasted like hot water with cinnamon and spices. I couldn’t taste tea at all.
Realizing that most people add milk and sugar to their flavored tea, I decided to salvage this cup with a tiny splash of milk and just a wee bit of sugar – probably a half teaspoon. Now that’s more like it! This went from blah to ah! Nice! Is it a great black tea? No way. But as a hot, cozy beverage for a chilly night, I could enjoy it this way.
But I really think this is just crying out to be a latte. Next time around, this will be steeped in just hot milk or half water/half milk. It only takes a tiny bit of sugar to sweeten it with the cinnamon and nutmeg that is here, and the ginger is nice and not too hot and spicy.
Plain? No thanks! As a latte? Any chilly night!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Stash Tea
Description
Leggings, UGGs, foliage, and of course, pumpkin everything. It’s the season you’ve been waiting for and along with it comes our seasonal Pumpkin Spice tea.
You’ll notice forward notes of bold black tea and a smooth aftertaste of–you guessed it, pumpkin. Hints of cinnamon and spices will engage your senses as you sip. This blend is the perfect accompaniment to a slice of pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread. The possibili-teas are endless; you could even try combining it in your favorite pumpkin bread recipe.
This pumpkin spice tea has been scientifically proven (wink) to taste best when consumed on chilly autumn afternoons. But since it’s a decaf tea, really any time of day or night works.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Christmas Morning/Stash Tea -teaequalsbliss
I realize I might be a little late to the party here, but, us TEA LOVERS usually don’t mind sipping on seasonal teas just about any time of year. Enter…Christmas Morning from Stash Tea.
This is a blended base of Black Tea and Green Tea. And that’s it. No other ingredients. Nothing else added. Which was strange to me at first sip because it really tasted like there was something else there. Perhaps it’s just because it’s was technically a Jasmine Green Tea, I guess.
I agree with the company description and claims saying that this tea has multiple layers. To me, it proved to be a nice pick-me-up while offering that brisk, and bright taste I was looking for.
I really don’t see why we couldn’t or wouldn’t sip on this year-round. It’s decent for a bagged tea and I think it’s one of Stash’s more memorable offerings.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black/Green
Where to Buy: Stash Tea
Description
Remember the excitement on Christmas morning when you were a kid? The warm feeling, the energy that rushed through your body, and anticipation of what the day would bring? This blend captures all that special holiday cheer with flavors that grow in intensity with every sip. When you brew it, the full-bodied aroma of brisk black tea with a hint of floral jasmine are the first clues that a special day is on its way. But what is it that makes this a great choice for your holiday morning treat (or for any morning)? Let us share with you a well-known black tea benefit: caffeine. With this blend you will get a well-deserved and welcomed boost that will help you keep up with those who didn’t stay up late playing Santa Clause.
This is called a Christmas tea, but you don’t have to limit yourself to one day a year. As our reviewers say: this is not just a tea to drink during holidays. Stock up with a case of our seasonal tea bags and enjoy it all year round. It’s great as an iced latte, or hot with sweetener and a little creamer for a decadent warming treat.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Cherry Almond Black Tea/Stash Tea- Ashmanra-
Cherry and almond are almost inseparable flavors, and immediately bring sweet, decadent desserts to mind for me. I knew I would like this tea before I ever opened the pouch.
The smell of the leaves confirms it. This is going to be delicious! There is so much sweet cherry aroma here! And the almond is just as strong.
Steeped up and served with biscuits – the Southern US kind – made for a delightful tea time.
The black tea base is pretty brisk, and as usual I don’t notice this much while eating but the final cup sipped by itself has a building drying effect on the tongue.
It occurred to me that this would probably be fabulous as a refreshing sweet tea for summer! Off to the kitchen to fill the kettle again.
Iced tea tastes best after it has mellowed in the refrigerator for a bit. My mother insisted on overnight, but sometimes we can’t wait that long! I have done cold steeped tea (really great for unsweet tea) and I have done flash chill, and they work but it isn’t the same. I want to do this tea justice, so I am patient and put it in the fridge without tasting it yet.
One day later: the tea has had plenty of time for the flavors to meld. Time to try it!
This is delicious. I am loving the cherry. To be honest, I could do without the almond part as it lends a cozy warmth that throws me off in iced tea. But…I still love it. I will definitely ice this again.
And now that I have visited their website and seen PEACH black tea, guess what I am ordering to ice next?
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Stash Tea
Description
For our delicious Cherry Almond dessert tea, we combine the sweet flavor of plump red cherries and rich natural almond oil with select black teas. The result is a smooth, cordial-like tea that is rich in flavor and aroma. This tea may be enjoyed any time of the day, but it is especially pleasant in the evening with a touch of sugar.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Very Berry/Stash Tea
The product description for this herbal tisane begins, “If you like your teas tart, this zingy, triple berry combination is for you!”
I don’t like my teas tart. So why did I drink it? Because a lot of hibiscus blends taste pretty good as a sweet iced drink to me. The tartness comes mainly from the organic hibiscus and organic rosehips in the blend, though the berry flavors probably add plenty, too.
Also, hibiscus blends are usually so pretty. They look gorgeous in a clear glass on a hot day, bright red and promising refreshment. It looks like cherry Kool-Aid from childhood. Though I don’t like the tartness of hibiscus, it becomes quite palatable with sugar.
This was all overshadowed by the rooibos, though. Once in a while, a company makes a rooibos blend that successfully covers the rooibos taste. That’s a bad thing if you love rooibos, but I don’t. I rather strongly dislike it. Even with all the other ingredients, this like cherry cough syrup with cinnamon added to me, which is basically just how I describe red rooibos. Maybe someday it will grow on me.
If you like rooibos, you would probably like this blend, and it is all organic, which is awesome! It does look gorgeous in a pitcher or glass, and would really make a nice presentation with some fruit slices or berries floating in it.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Stash Tea
Description
If you like your teas tart, this zingy triple berry combination is for you! We’ve combined natural flavors of strawberry, cranberry and raspberry with hibiscus and rooibos to create a tangy burst of flavor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Power Breakfast/Stash Tea. . . .
I received this sample a few months ago and honestly I put off trying it. I just don’t use caffeine to wake up in the mornings. I had mate once or twice before and didn’t care for it much, and I am afraid that if I drink a lot of caffeine at any time besides breakfast I won’t sleep for days.
Today was the day. I had a sweet breakfast planned and an early work schedule. It seemed the perfect time to try it and I figured I could always sip it and toss it if I didn’t like it.
Then I smelled it while it was steeping and said, “Oh, baby!” It smelled like coffee at first and I don’t even drink coffee, nor I am particularly attracted to the smell of coffee. But this was calling my name. Another sniff or two and finally I pulled the bag out and gave it a sip.
Lapsang! That was what my first thought was on tasting it. And I love lapsang as long as the base is nice and strong, instead of smoke laid over weak and watery tea. And this had a solid breakfast tea base.
Maybe a real coffee drinker would not agree, but I get a hint of coffee, lots of lapsang-like smoke, a little toasted nut, and definite breakfast tea aroma.
This was really good, smooth, and very drinkable with no additions but able to take milk and sugar if you like it.
While this isn’t a highly nuanced cup with layers of different flavor notes to tease out, it is a really good, serviceable cup of tea that gets down to business and satisfies.
Because this seems to be unavailable at present on the Stash website, I am linking to a vendor who still has this available. You can still find it here and there online.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black/Mate
Where to Buy: Stash Tea
Description
Wake up with this tasty brew. The bold, rich flavor of premium black teas is complemented by the smooth taste of yerba mate. Delicious iced or hot, plain or sweetened.