Every year since we’ve been doing this SororiTea Sisters thing, I’ve done a Holiday countdown/Advent calendar of tea. For the previous four years, I’ve done a 12 Teas of Christmas, but this year, I’ve decided to do things a little different. This year, I’m going to double down on the 12 Teas of Christmas and go for a full Advent Calender of 24 Days of Tea!
The company I’ll be featuring for the countdown this year is Teanzo 1856! I’m so excited! The teas arrived in a bright red gift box with a festive label on the top featuring Teanzo’s cute elephant logo. Inside the box were 12 coppery colored, small sample packets, each with a numbered label on the front. They are glued – rather securely, really, I think they need a glue less tacky for this job – to a strip of card-stock. On the back of each packet is the name of the tea and the list of ingredients. Inside is the good stuff: a sample portion of each tea – just enough for my Kati Tumbler! Also included is a package of DIY loose leaf tea bags so that you can brew these right in your favorite mug.
Because the packets are securely attached to the card-stock strip, it isn’t easily revealed which tea will be enjoyed the next day (so it’s a little bit of a surprise until you remove the sampler from the box), which helps keep those that are inclined to “cheat” at bay a little bit. A persistent “cheater” would be able to find out easily what future days have in store, of course, it’s not that difficult and it’s not like some of the other countdown boxes that I’ve had in the past where I either would need to open the pouch to find out what tea is inside, or scratch off a “scratcher” (like the lotto cards) to find out what tea is inside.
While the element of surprise is a fun thing, it isn’t the most important thing about these calendars. For me, I like the idea of having a different tea every day. I like counting down to the holiday with tea. Mostly because – and this may come as no big surprise to you – I like tea.
So without further ado, I will announce the first day of the countdown – there are 24 days until the big day – today’s tea is:
Winter Earl Grey
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
Our Winter Earl Grey Tea is sure to please with this creamy twist on a classic Earl Grey. The vanilla tones down the citrus flavors and is a perfect way to warm up this season.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
So my first thought is: Teanzo knows how to kick off a countdown right! Earl Grey baby! This Winter Earl Grey Tea is – essentially – an Earl Grey Creme tea. I’ve had some really good Earl Grey Creme teas and I’ve had some less than memorable ones … and I’ve had some that aren’t even worth mentioning. This Winter Earl Grey Tea is a really good Earl Grey Creme!
My first indication that this is a good Earl Grey Creme? When I opened the pouch I could smell a strong bergamot aroma. STRONG! I like that. I like that while I could smell the creamy vanilla tones, the bergamot stood out – loud and clear! This is an Earl Grey first, a creamy Earl Grey second.
And what can I say? I’m a happy tea drinker at this moment. There are few teas out there that elicit as much joy from me as a good Earl Grey tea and/or a variation of the classic Earl Grey (like an Earl Grey Creme).
To brew this: well, as I said above, these little sampler pouches holds just the PERFECT amount for my Kati Tumbler. This Advent Calender does include 24 unbleached loose leaf tea bags (and the amount in the sampler pouch is also just the right amount for these tea bags, should you decide to use them instead of the Kati Tumbler), but I prefer my tumbler.
I poured the contents of the sampler pouch into the basket of my tumbler and then added boiling water to the tumbler and let it steep for 3 minutes. Earl Grey Creme (or Winter Earl Grey!) perfection!
I’m overjoyed that this tastes as good as it smells. The bergamot has a clear and well-defined profile in this cup. The creme does not overpower the Earl Grey. The sharper notes of the bergamot are softened by the notes of vanilla. The creamy vanilla adds a sweetness to contrast with the tangy bergamot. It’s a nice contrast: sweet, creamy (almost fluffy!) vanilla together with the sharp, vibrant notes of bergamot.
And let’s not forget about the black tea base because without it … we wouldn’t be drinking tea, now would we? The black tea is not overwhelmed by the presence of the bergamot and vanilla. Conversely, the black tea is not an overly assertive flavor in the cup. Instead, it offers a smooth and rich backdrop of flavor and allows the sweet vanilla and citrus-y bergamot do their thing in the foreground. It’s not a bitter tea nor is it what I’d call astringent.
Overall, a really LOVELY tea, this Winter Earl Grey. It’s a fantastic way to kick off this countdown to Christmas Day!
Mindful Morning Blend from Plum Deluxe
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Tea Description:
The mindful morning blend is the Plum Deluxe take on classic Earl Grey.
Everyone loves Earl Grey, but we found a way to make it even better so that we can start every day with a tea blend that is truly luxurious. We began with our absolute favorite black tea, Ceylon – it is a tea from Sri Lanka that has a gentle vanilla flavor to it. We then added a tiny pinch of sweet honey, a bit of flavor and color with the cornflowers, and topped it off with the bergamot oil that makes earl grey so famous. The orange peels give it a final flavor boost.
All Plum Deluxe teas are hand-blended and infused with love in Portland, Oregon.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m enjoying my second cup of this tea. With the first cup, I neglected to “shake” the pouch and this is one tea where you want to do that. There are honey crystals in the tea and they tend to settle to the bottom of the package so you want to mix it up a little before you scoop out the tea.
I wasn’t too sure about having honey crystals in my tea. I have often said that I prefer it when tea companies don’t put sugar, honey crystals, stevia or other sweeteners in my tea because I like to decide if I want to have a sweeter tea. I like to make that decision for myself and not have it made for me. But, I like the honey in this. I like the touch of honey flavor.
To brew this, I used my Kati Tumbler. I decided to use the tumbler rather than the tea maker because I didn’t want to put honey in the tea maker. I don’t know why, but, I made the catastrophic mistake of attempting to heat milk in an electric tea kettle a long time ago, (before there was a Breville One-Touch) and since that time, I have been very careful about what I’ll put in my kettles.
Learn from my mistake and don’t ever heat anything except water in tea kettles. Just say no.
After shaking the pouch and getting some of those honey crystals to the surface, I measured 1 bamboo scoop of tea into the basket of my Kati and added 12 ounces of boiling water to the tumbler. I steeped the tea for 3 minutes and removed the basket. Now I have a tumbler full of Earl Grey yumminess.
This is actually a spin on an Earl Grey Creme tea. And it’s quite lovely.
The black tea base is a smooth, medium-bodied Ceylon. It has a pleasant flavor that’s a little earthy and a wee bit malty. It has a slightly dry finish, indicating some astringency. I would say it’s mildly astringent and it doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the cup or the smoothness of the sip.
The bergamot is not exceptionally strong in this blend, but I think that’s probably because the vanilla notes have softened the bergamot, creating a lovely citrus-y, creamy flavor that hints at caramel tones. Bring in the light honey notes from the honey crystals and that’s where this tea really “hits the sweet spot.” The honey plus the caramel is delightfully delicious.
I do get a bright, tangy note of bergamot that’s softer than a typical Earl Grey. Then again, this isn’t a typical Earl Grey and it’s not meant to be. The vanilla adds a touch creamy. The orange peel highlights the brightness of the bergamot. And these flavors mingle in a really beautiful way with the aforementioned honeyed caramel. Mmm!
This is the first tea that I’ve tried from Plum Deluxe, and I’m so pleased with it! I really like what I’ve seen (and tasted!) from this company thus far. I love that they’re a company based locally (Portland, Oregon) and I was touched by the story that inspired the company. And I just LOVED getting a purple bubble envelope in the mail the other day! What fun! (Get it? Plum Deluxe? Purple Envelope? Loved it!)
Malibu Beach Beauty Tea from Newport Skinny Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black, Green & White Teas
Where to Buy: Newport Skinny Tea
Tea Description:
Malibu Beach Beauty Tea has ingredients that soothe inflammation in your body, especially your tissues, and regulate the hormones that cause acne and skin irritation to show up on the surface. Ingredients in it strengthen collagen production, eliminate excess water trapped in your tissues and reduce the look of cellulite. After using the tea bags, you can place them on your external skin to reduce redness and inflammation of acne, keep away from your eye area.
Learn more about this tea blend here.
Enter to win a Newport Skinny Tea 21 Day “TeaTox” Pack!
Taster’s Review:
Before I even brewed this tea, I read through the description card that came with my sample of this Malibu Beach Beauty Tea and browsed the ingredient list and this tea has a lot going on! Check it out:
Ingredients: Earl Grey Tea, Young Hysson Green Tea, White Tea, Calendula, Lavender Flowers, Red Clover Blossoms, Peppermint Leaves, Rose Flowers & Hips, Linden Leaf & Flower, Elder Flower, Chamomile, Lemon Peel & Oil, Gota Cola, Honeysuckle Flower, Blackberry Leaf, Privet Fruit, Stevia Leaf, Mangosteen Peel, Natural Flavors.
See what I mean? There’s a lot going on. I hope that it’s not too much going on! But I won’t know until I try it. So, I’m off to go brew it in my Kati Tumbler. I’ll use 2 teaspoons of tea in the Kati basket and add 12 ounces of hot water (but not boiling). The parameters on this description card suggest boiling water but with that many herbs plus green and white teas, I feel that boiling water is going to be too hot. I’ll opt for a lower temperature: 180°F, and steep it for 4 minutes. Let’s see how it goes!
Hmm … interesting. It’s an interesting flavor – in a good way! And as I said, there IS a lot going on. Because of that, the result is a flavor that’s a bit more like an herbal tisane than a tea. But that isn’t a bad thing. I like that I’m tasting the lavender and lemon and honeysuckle! I like that I am picking up on the flavors of peppermint and elder flower and rose! And I can still taste notes of bergamot (which are highlighted by the lemon notes) and the black, green and white teas.
I like that there is a lot going on but it all seems to work together in a way that pleases my palate. When I take a sip, my palate is intrigued and interested in what its experiencing. I find myself wanting to sip more rather than push the cup aside – which is, quite frankly, what I feared! I thought I’d take one sip of this and say NO! No like! But that’s not what’s happening. Yeah, it’s different. Yeah it’s a busy tea. But I like it!
The prevailing note here is floral. The lavender and honeysuckle and rose and linden and elder flowers give this a very floral flavor, but it doesn’t cross the line into perfume-y. It doesn’t even really toe the line because there’s other flavors going on to help it take a couple of steps back and keep it tasting floral/herbaceous without going into the icky area of floral/perfume-ish.
This is something I can see myself wanting to drink on a regular basis. It’s a got a really interesting flavor that compels me to continue drinking.
If the idea of beauty from the inside out interests you, check out Newport Skinny Tea’s complete line of teas. You can even enter their raffle – they’re currently giving away a 21 Day TeaTox package!
Earl Grey Tea from Tea of Life
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Learn more about Tea of Life and Amazon Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
When it comes to Earl Grey teas, there are a couple of things that I consider “standard” … that is, things that I expect from an Earl Grey. The first thing I expect is a distinct dry leaf aroma. I should smell the bergamot! The second thing I want is for that aroma to carry over into the brewed tea. I still want to smell the bergamot! Finally, and most importantly, I want a great taste: I want a good black tea base and I want to taste the bergamot. I love a good strong flavor of bergamot but I’ve also found many teas that have a softer flavor of bergamot and I have enjoyed those as well. As long as I get GOOD bergamot – not soapy or cologne-ish – then I’m a happy sipper.
Well, when I opened the pouch that held the tea bag of this Earl Grey Tea from Tea of Life, I didn’t get a strong, distinct bergamot aroma. Needless to say, I was disappointed.
The brewed tea has a stronger bergamot fragrance (although when compared to next to no bergamot aroma, it shouldn’t be difficult to have a stronger fragrance, right?) so I’m happy about that. It’s that unmistakable scent of bergamot. I love it.
The flavor: It’s good. The bergamot flavor is definitely there, and it doesn’t taste soapy or like I’m drinking fragrance de Uncle Albert. It’s not as strong as some Earl Grey teas I’ve tasted, but it’s a clear, well-defined bergamot note.
And the black tea is brisk and smooth. I’m really liking the black tea base because it’s not astringent. It’s really quite smooth and it’s a good, solid flavor. Nicely round.
Overall, this Earl Grey is a winner. I’m quite impressed with it, really, especially considering that A) this is a bagged tea; and B) I was rather disappointed with it when I took that first whiff and didn’t smell bergamot; and C) did I mention that this is a bagged tea? Like I said, impressive!
Balancing Ayurvedic Tea from TeaVeda
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Veda Company
Tea Description:
Organic decaffeinated black tea lovingly mixed with delicate flavors of jasmine and bergamot blissfully soothe and stimulate with our “Balancing” tea.
Learn more about the teas from TeaVeda here.
Taster’s Review:
Of the different teas that I received from The Veda Company, this was the one I was timid to try. I mean, you know that I love bergamot and jasmine, however, I can recall a couple of bergamot/jasmine blends that have been less than successful as far as I’m concerned. And this blend has a decaffeinated black tea base and I’ve had a few decaffeinated black teas that I’ve not been crazy about. So, a few of my ‘red flags’ popped up when I read the description for this tea.
But it’s actually alright. Maybe even a little better than alright. Yeah, this is definitely better than alright. It isn’t the best tea that I’ve ever tried but I am enjoying it.
The bergamot here is on the subtle side. It’s a little citrus-y, but not really a distinctly crisp, tangy bergamot note that I’d usually expect from a typical Earl Grey. Perhaps the presence of jasmine softens it a little. The jasmine offers a delicate floral note to the cup.
I am noticing a slightly ‘thinner’ flavor from the black tea which is a typical “side effect” from the process that decaffeinates the tea. It doesn’t taste as rich or robust as a typical black tea would. But I don’t taste that “chemical” aftertaste from the decaffeinated tea and that earns this tea big points.
It’s not my favorite from TeaVeda/The Veda Company, but I enjoyed it. It’s a tea that I’d drink again if it were offered to me. It’s pleasant and has a nice balance of flavors. It tastes good served hot and it’s also nice as it cools.