It’s become a bit of a tradition for me to have a 12 Days of Christmas box to help me count down the days until Christmas Day. This will be the third year that I’ve done this, and this year, I chose the 12 Days of Christmas tea box from Della Terra Teas … the same box, incidentally, that we featured a couple of weeks ago in our Season of Giveaways!
Here’s how this works: every day from now (December 14) through Christmas Day, I’ll be reviewing the tea of the day from the Della Terra Teas box … starting with today’s tea.
But before I get in to today’s tea, I want to talk a little bit about the presentation of this box … because it really is fabulous. It’s a gift in itself! The package arrived wrapped up in Kraft paper so that we couldn’t see the festive box inside (see the photo above!). So on the outside, it appeared kind of ordinary and maybe even a little boring (although, it’s never boring to receive tea in the mail!) but as soon as you open the box, you’re greeted with this very bright and cheery box warning you NOT to open the box until December 14. Ahhh … the anticipation!
Inside the box, there was this lovely sight! 12 little sparkly boxes, each with individual tags telling us which day to open the box. There was a note tacked on the inside of the lid of the box telling the recipient how to proceed with this 12 Days of Christmas Tea celebration. This is a really awesome presentation … I am really overjoyed. It really IS going to be like a little present each day leading up to Christmas!
Day 1, Day 6 and Day 12 are to feature teas that are available exclusively to the customers who purchased this box, which makes it even more special and exciting to me!
Which leads me to today’s tea …
Partridge in a Pear Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tea Description:
On the first day of Christmas a tea was given to me, and that was Partridge in a Pear Tea.
On this first day of your 12 Days of Christmas, please, sit back, and enjoy a cup of this delightful, fruity pear tea that is exclusive to this set of twelve! What a lovely way to start!
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf is beautiful! Lots of white cornflower petals amid the black tea leaves and pieces of dried pear, and little golden candy bits that add a nice bit of sparkle to the dry leaf … what fun! It smells very much like pear, and I do love a good pear tea. 
Although, I must admit, that it seems more often than not that I am disappointed by pear teas, because the pear flavor is just … off … somehow. I’ve found a few really good pear teas, but I have also had some disappointing pear teas. I’m hopeful that Della Terra Teas won’t let me down. I’ve been really impressed with their teas thus far, so I think I’ve every reason to be optimistic.
And I can say that my faith in Della Terra Teas is not misplaced! This is really quite good. The pear flavor is delicious and sweet … even juicy, reminiscent of a ripe pear. It tastes very authentic to me, this doesn’t taste like an artificial pear taste.
It is a bit sweet, and I am sure that has a bit to do with the candy bits in the blend that melt when coming in contact with the hot water while it brews. But I don’t mind the sweetness, and I’m not finding it to be too sweet or cloying.
And I like that even though the pear flavoring is strong here, it doesn’t overpower the black tea. It is a mellow, pleasant black tea with a moderate amount of astringency, not overly robust (I think a stronger or bolder black tea would have overpowered the more delicate notes of the pear, and I really like the way the pear flavor is represented here), and very satisfying to drink. Not something you’d want for that eye-opening, first cup of the day, but, more of a tea that you’d want for an afternoon pick-me-up … it would also make a great dessert tea!
Overall, a really good pear tea, and an excellent way to start off my 12 Days of Tea countdown! Be sure to stop back by tomorrow at about the same time to see what tea Della Terra sent to me for the Second day of Christmas!
Oh Christmas Tea from Tealish
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tealish
Tea Description:
A little bit spicy and a little bit sweet, this tea is the perfect treat to share with loved ones over the holidays. Rich black tea is blended with orange slices, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, cloves, apple pieces, and pink peppercorns.
Taster’s Review:
As I sit here, writing this review, it is July. The sun is shining brightly outside, and the thermometer reads 71°F outside, and I wonder what it will be like when this review actually publishes, as I schedule it for December 13 … a little closer to Christmas.
A Steepster friend sent me a bit of this tea so that I might enjoy a little Christmas in July, and yes, it is very Christmas-y indeed. It is warm with cheery spices and a hint of orange, and while a spiced orange tea is nothing new or out of the ordinary, what I’m liking here is how well-balanced it is. It has a nice, rounded flavor that enlivens the palate with spices that are gently warm – not hot or what I’d call spicy – a touch of delicious, juicy orange and a robust black tea base.
The black tea here is rich yet somewhat understated. It doesn’t attempt to overpower the blend, but it is substantial enough to hold its own and be tasted. It doesn’t taste like it’s just there, barely standing up to the spices somewhere off in the background. It tastes solid and strong without being bitter. It has a mild astringency that complements the orange notes quite well.
The only ingredient that I don’t really taste much of is the apple. I suppose it probably adds a hint of sweetness but a strong sense of apple doesn’t really come through – but then again, I don’t think it is supposed to. It may be there primarily for appearance sake, or as I mentioned, for a hint of sweetness to accent the spices.
A really enjoyable holiday tea – very nice during the holidays, or any time of year that you wish to bring a little bit of the holiday joy to your teacup.
Orange & Dark Chocolate from Spire Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Spire Tea
Tea Description:
The perfect blend of chocolate with the right amount of orange.
Learn more about Spire Tea on their website.
Taster’s Review:
Even though it’s just before Thanksgiving as I sip this tea, I am scheduling the review for about a week before Christmas eve, because this tea reminds me of the joy of Christmas and the Night Before! You know those chocolate oranges? Those have become one of my favorite Christmastime treats, and I like them so much that I’ve decided to add them as a “tradition” to my daughter’s stockings every year (other traditions are 2 pieces of fruit and a Lifesavers storybook). The chocolate orange tastes so much like Christmas to me … and this tea has captured that flavor perfectly!
The chocolate is a dark, rich tasting chocolate and the orange is sweet and juicy. The orange is slightly lighter than the chocolate, just enough to add a touch of brightness to the cup without overwhelming it.
The black tea base tastes like a high grown Ceylon to me, it is brisk and tastes very pleasant, but it isn’t an overly aggressive tea. It holds it’s own, and doesn’t allow itself to be overpowered by the flavors, but, it doesn’t attempt to intrude upon the flavors either. I’m really enjoying the balance of tea and flavor, although, you wouldn’t find me complaining if there was a bit more chocolate in it. (More chocolate is always better)
A very enjoyable cup of tea – one you WANT to have this time of year to serve to your guests. It is so delicious and one of those “welcoming” kind of teas – your friends will feel like family when they drink it, and your family will feel all the more special.
Candy Cane from Adagio Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Tea Description:
Premium black tea from Sri Lanka flavored with minty candy canes. This wonderfully smooth treat that will fill you with warm Christmas spirit and leave you jolly. Santa knows if you’ve been naughty or nice, so you’d better buy some for a friend, too! Give our Candy Cane Tea a try before Yuletide’s end.
Taster’s Review:
Many tea companies have a special holiday offering, and this tea is from Adagio’s Stocking Stuffer collection, as well as their Spice Jubilee collection.
This is a very tasty black tea blend with a strong minty presence and just a hint of sweet creaminess. I like the addition of the creamy taste because it seems to soften the sometimes harsh character of Adagio’s black tea base, making it not only palatable, but actually quite smooth and enjoyable.
I like that that the mint here is strong but it isn’t overpowering, and I can taste the sweet “candy-like” flavors as well as the flavor of the black tea. Overall, a very enjoyable holiday tea, one that would be very happily received in a tea lover’s stocking!
Spice Blend from Tiger Spring Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tiger Spring Tea
Tea Description:
Our Spice Blend is a blend of ceylon tea, orange peel, cloves, cinnamon bark, ginger and fennel seeds. It is a spicy, comforting brew with or without milk, and can be sweetened with sugar or honey if preferred.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Even though Tiger Spring Tea did not indicate this as a “chai” on their website, the ingredients are very chai-like, which is why I categorized it as a chai. As I taste it, though, I find it to be a little less like a chai and a bit more like a Christmas Spice tea. The spices are warm and soothing, but they maintain a nice balance with the black tea base – in this case, a strong Ceylon tea – and the orange notes from the orange peel. It’s very holiday-ish, and it has me looking forward to the upcoming holiday season.
The overall cup is pleasantly spiced. Not what I’d call hot or spicy, but, it is zesty and warm, like a good mulled cider. The orange brightens up the cup considerably, and the Ceylon here is a very good quality Ceylon that is on the stronger side (no wimpy Ceylon here!) and holds its own in the midst of the spices. Of the spices, I find my palate focusing primarily on the clove – with the cinnamon and ginger playing more of a background note and the fennel offering more of an accent note.
And even though it is a bit more holiday-ish than chai-ish, it does still strike a familiar “chai” chord too. It’s very warming, very comforting, just like a good, well-spiced chai, and it would make a nice latte if you happen to be in the mood for a chai latte!
As for me, I find this to be delicious without the milk … and while it doesn’t really NEED it, the spices really perked up when I added about a half a teaspoon of turbinado sugar to my cup. It tastes good straight up, but the spices really seem to SING with the little bit of sugar that I added to the cup, so I would recommend adding just a little bit of sweetener to this to enhance the flavor of the spices.
A really warm, pleasant Spice Blend from Tiger Spring Tea. It is a wonderful way to welcome autumn – my favorite time of year.