24 Days of Tea Holiday Countdown – Day 13 from Teanzo 1856

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side 1 of the ornament

It’s day 13 with this wonderful Holiday Countdown with tea from Teanzo – I have enjoyed trying the different teas that they offer through their Advent Calendar!  (All of which is also available – separately – on their website!)

For today’s bit of holiday art, I chose a really nifty ornament made by Regina Zyry!  One of the things that I love MOST about this ornament is that its crafted using an upcycled ribbon spool!  You know, when you go to the craft store and you buy the spools of decorative ribbon for your projects?  She kept her empty spools and turned them into creative ornaments!

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side 2 of the ornament

I love the color scheme of these too!  It really stands out on my tree.  And while this first side offers a ‘modern’ appearance, the reverse side has more of an ‘old fashioned’ look to it.

See what I mean?  Clever, right?

This ornament was a gift in one of the 12 Days of Christmas mail art swaps that I was involved in a few years ago.  It was a very inspiring thing to be working with such artistic ladies.

And speaking of creative, I find today’s tea from Teanzo to be rather creative!  It’s one of the teas that is offered in their Spa Trio collection along with two other Spa tea blends, including one that I’ve already reviewed as part of this countdown:  The Dream Spa Blend.

Bliss Spa Blend

Bliss-Spa-BlendTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Tulsi

Where to Buy:  Teanzo 1856

Tea Description:

Ingredients:  Ginger Root, rose hips, tulsi, orange peel, lemon peel, lemon myrtle, lemon grass, with ginger and citrus flavors. 

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

Yay!  Another tisane without hibiscus!  And this one is a Tulsi tisane – extra bonus points!  It’s been a while since I’ve had a Tulsi blend!

This blend is actually quite lovely!  I love the citrus-y flavors!  The notes of lemon and orange are strong in this blend and it adds a bright, vibrant flavor that is energizing and yes … blissful!

To brew this tisane, I poured the contents of the sampler pouch into the basket of my Kati Tumbler and added 12 ounces of water heated to 195°F and I let it steep for 10 minutes.  Remember, with no camellia sinensis leaves in the tisane, I don’t have to worry about the brew becoming bitter (no tannins!) and with no hibiscus in the blend, I don’t have to worry about the brew becoming too syrupy, thick or tart.

The ginger and the tulsi add a sort of warm, spicy note to the cup that contrasts nicely with the bright, juicy flavors of citrus.  This isn’t overly spicy, though, it’s a gentle, cozy warmth.  I like the undertone of spice that comes from these two ingredients.

But the real ‘star’ of this cup is the invigorating flavor of the citrus notes!  The orange is juicy and sweet, and the lemon isn’t too sour.  I’m not puckering when I drink this.

I really enjoyed this.  The last two tisanes that I’ve consumed from Teanzo (this and the aforementioned Dream Spa Blend) have been so delightful that they are renewing my faith in tisanes!  I have become so … blasé when it comes to nearly all tisanes that I’ve encountered as of late.  Sure, I might find the flavor agreeable, but truly exciting?  Not a lot of them have interested me to the point where I felt I was excited about what I was drinking.  These two blends are excitingly different!