New Year’s is right around the corner. Do you still make resolutions for the new year? I pretty much stopped because I never kept the resolutions so I didn’t see the point in going through the motions. Good intentions, yeah … maybe.
Maple Bacon Iced Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Learn more about Southern Boy Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
OK, I’ll be the first to admit it, as much as I do enjoy the bacon flavored teas from 52Teas, I wasn’t too sure about this one. I mean, it works on a certain level for the hot tea, but I’m not so sure how good this is going to be iced. It kind of sounds weird. When bacon gets cold, you get congealed fat. And even though this is vegan bacon flavor … the thought of cold bacon just sort of … evokes those thoughts for me.
And as I’m sipping this … yeah, it’s weird. It’s … alright. It’s not horrible, but it’s still really weird. And I can’t say that it’s my favorite iced tea flavor, because it isn’t.
That said, Frank (chief zoomdweebie at 52Teas and Southern Boy Teas) nailed the maple bacon flavor. This tastes like bacon. I taste notes of maple (although, I wouldn’t complain if there were a little more maple-y notes). I even taste the brisk black tea in the background.
To enhance the salty notes of the bacon, I added about 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt to the hot-brewed tea (yes, I hot-brewed this pouch this time. I don’t know why, but something inside just told me that the bacon flavors needed to be extracted via hot-brewing). And I think that the 1/4 teaspoon adds just the right touch of saltiness to this iced tea that’s needed to bacon-ize this tea.
Yeah … it’s still weird. I can’t see myself actually wanting this tea again … you know, craving it? That said, I’m not hating this. I just don’t think it will be a tea that I’d order again, because I find myself more refreshed with Southern Boy Teas’ fruit-flavored iced teas.
I didn’t love this tea but I didn’t hate it. However, there are so many other successful flavors of iced tea out there and this one is just sort of misses the mark for me. I like the original maple bacon tea from 52Teas served hot much better, and I guess it goes back to what I was saying at the beginning of this review: I don’t think that maple bacon flavor works for an iced tea flavor. Not for me, at least. And it pains me to say that, because I love bacon.
On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, Della Terra Teas Sent Me This Tea!
Merry Christmas! I hope that you had as much fun as I did counting down the days until Christmas day with me. I’m very excited about today’s tea!
Figgy Pudding
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tea Description:
Merry Christmas!!! You made it! Do you hear the 12 drummers drumming? Now open this up and sip away!
Whether you are having a festive get together like Ole Fezziwig, or spending the day at home with family … like the song says, O’ bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer!
Taster’s Review:
Few tea flavors out there get me as excited as when I find a fig flavored tea. I really love figs, and as I’ve reminisced at least once (probably more) here on this blog, they bring back some happy childhood memories for me. And while there are other fruits that I might enjoy more – like strawberries or peaches, for example – finding a good strawberry or peach flavored tea isn’t quite as challenging as finding a good fig flavored tea. They’re few and far between.
And this tea was well worth the wait as I counted down the teas of Christmas. This is delicious. The fig notes are prominent. From the moment I opened the pouch, I could smell the fig! And just now, as I walked into the kitchen to pour myself of the freshly brewed tea, the smell of warm figs filled my kitchen. YUM! My mouth started watering.
This Figgy Pudding Tea is really, really good. The fig flavor is strong and true to the fruit. It is sweet, just like biting into a fig … all that’s missing is the seedy texture of the inside of the fruit.
There is a slight creaminess to the background, not really a strong, pronounced “vanilla” or even “cream” flavor but more of just a slight creaminess to the cup that might be further enhanced with a drop or two of warm milk, but, I’d not want to risk losing some of this fig flavor!
The black tea is a even-toned base. I suspect it is most likely a Ceylon as it doesn’t have a strong or robust character. Instead, it’s brisk and slightly astringent. It’s not too strong-tasting a tea but I do pick up on slight notes of malt and the hints of fruity taste in the black tea play well to the sweetness of the fig.
Such a yummy Christmas gift from Della Terra Teas! Thank you!
On The Tenth Day of Christmas, Della Terra Teas Sent Me This Tea …
Two days to go. Time to go shopping! Ha!
Winter Nog
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tisane Description:
Why were the Lords a leaping on the tenth day of Christmas? Well, obviously they all had a cup of Winter Nog!
Enjoy your festive day with a cup of this amazing egg nog rooibos. With all the spices you love about a perfect cup of Nog! Dont get too excited but … only 2 days ’til Christmas!
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Well, I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed to find this in my bag marked Day 10 from Della Terra Teas. As I mentioned previously when I contacted Della Terra Teas before I ordered this box, I was told that there would be one repeat (which was the Eight Candles tea) but we also had this tisane last year on the eleventh day. I don’t think I would have been quite as disappointed if it had been a different tea, but, since rooibos blends aren’t my favorite to begin with, I feel just a little let down that this is a duplicate tea.
Not that this is a bad tisane, I liked it alright last year, and I’m sipping on it now and I’m enjoying it alright now. But, I think that I would have been more delighted to try a tea that I haven’t yet tried from Della Terra Teas.
But this is still a tasty tisane. I think I might be tasting a tad more cinnamon this time around than last year … and I’m definitely tasting rum again this year. Perhaps it wasn’t my imagination back then! It is creamy with an egg-y, vanilla-y, custard-y kind of taste as it’s prominent flavor, and just underneath that, I taste the cinnamon and spices, and then notes of rum.
A tasty treat for winter.
On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, Della Terra Teas Sent to Me …
Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope your day is happy and filled with all the things you love most: family, friends and of course TEA! (Actually, I don’t know if you love tea most, but, it’s one of the things I love most in the world, and since you’re sitting here, reading this with me, I have to think that maybe you at least ENJOY tea a little bit!)
Anyway, today’s shiny, bright green envie/box brought me this EXCLUSIVE tea from Della Terra Teas:
Sugar Plum Perfection
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where To Buy: Della Terra Teas
Note: this tea is one of three exclusive teas to this 12 Days of Christmas collection
Tea Description:
Merry Christmas!!! Today is the big day! Now, open up this amazing sugar plum tea and sip away. You’ve earned it!
This black tea will bring more magic to this already magical day with the taste of sweet sugar plums and spice. Enjoy and relax!
A Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Taster’s Review:
I was so excited when I opened today’s little package from Della Terra Teas! I love Sugar Plums! Well, actually, I’ve never tried the traditional type of Sugar Plum. But, when I lived in Ridgefield (Washington), the little antique store in town sold some old time candy and during this time of year, they’d sell the Jelly Belly version of the Sugar Plum, and I loved those. Well, to be honest, I love just about anything Jelly Belly … but I digress.
After tasting this, I suspect that this Sugar Plum Perfection is a bit more like the traditional Sugar Plum rather than the Jelly Belly version … but, that’s alright, because I’m enjoying this! It’s a bit more spiced than it is a fruity tasting tea, but I do taste the notes of plum in there too … and I especially smell the plum when I lift my cup up to my lips to take a sip. That smell is quite plum-y (and of course, spice)! YUM!
The black tea is a fairly mellow tea here as it is not particularly prominent in the cup. I mean, it’s obviously there, and I can taste it, but, it’s not a strong, distinct flavor. I find that the tea notes develop on the palate a little as I continue to sip … but the spice and the fruit notes are the strongest flavors of this cup. Normally, this would give me cause to take issue with the tea, but, this tastes so yummy that I find it difficult to complain about anything. I like this a lot.
The spices (the most noteable of which is cinnamon) are pleasant and warming. The plum flavor is sweet, and there is additional sweetness in this from little sparkly sugar crystals that have been added to the blend. I also taste a floral note to this, and I find this to be quite appealing if for no other reason than it adds an interesting dimension to the overall cup.
What a perfect way to end this wonderful countdown to Christmas – the Della Terra Teas way!
On the Seventh Day of Christmas, Della Terra Teas Sent to Me…
We’re past the halfway point in this countdown, and you know what that means, don’t you? The big day is just around the corner, almost here … are you finished with your holiday shopping? We’re not, but we are nearly done, and that’s more than I can say for our usual progress this time of year.
Today’s tea was sent in a beautiful blue, sparkly envelope/box. These little boxes are really cute, and of course, I’m keeping them … hopefully I’ll think of something to do with them that is alter-ish art-y.
Anyway, I’m sure you’re all just sitting there at the edges of your seats, waiting to learn what today’s tea from Della Terra Teas is …
Walnut Brittle
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tea Description:
On the seventh day of Christmas you’ll be swimming like the swans in delicious tantalizing walnut brittle tea.
A most amazing green tea is the base for this perfect walnut tea. With bits of real walnut brittle within we truly believe you have a cup of nutcrackers Heaven in your tea cup!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This IS a tantalizing treat!
The dry leaf offers a very appetizing sight with the big chunks of walnut, coconut and pineapple blended with the long spears of Chinese Sencha green tea. The aroma is nutty and fruity, and interestingly enough, reminds me very much of the holidays, although I don’t usually associate walnuts, coconut or pineapple with this time of year. Somehow, the way it all comes together reminds me very much of Christmastime – perhaps it is the sweetness of the scent … I don’t know. But it is certainly bringing a smile to my face.
The flavor also brings a smile to my face. The flavor of the green tea is prominent, it is sweet and slightly vegetative, although most of the sweetness I taste is coming from the coconut, I think, or it could be the fact that there is also brittle candy in this blend, and that may have melted during the brewing process. I do taste a bit of caramelized sugar in the cup, and that just may be my favorite part of this tea.
But I also like the walnut flavor. Walnut is not a “usual” nut flavor to find in a tea … almonds – yes … but not walnuts. But I think it is the fact that I don’t often get to experience walnut flavor in a tea that makes me enjoy this rare occasion so much.
Overall, a very enjoyable cuppa. It is nutty and sweet, with just the right amount of fruity essence to keep the cup interesting. A bit unexpected and very nice, indeed!