Tea advent calendars are huge right now and I had to jump in and pick up a few for the holidays. One of the calendars I picked up was Plum Deluxe’s Advent Calendar- one of the more expensive ones I came across, but loving Plum Deluxe, I knew this would be amazing.
Unlike other tea advent calendars I’ve seen, Plum Deluxe’s calendar comes with a reusable 25 day “goodie” holder that you can reuse year after year. The goodie holder is made out of canvas and is done amazingly well. I’m quite taken with this calendar and actually wish there wasn’t a winter theme to the artwork because I would love to hang this in my office all year long to help me drink down my current tea stash. Unfortunately, my office is in the corner area of my family room, so it would look a little odd with snowflakes coming out of a tea pot in the crazy hot days of summer. Nevertheless, I’m in love with this holder and can’t wait to use it during the next few winter seasons to come. 
This particular calendar contains a mix of treats and Plum Deluxe teas- sample size. Being a huge fan of Plum Deluxe teas, I was excited to jump in and get my kettle going. I used to subscribe to their monthly tea plan, but found that I had to cancel just because I had so much tea on my hands. If you haven’t had Plum Deluxe teas, I encourage you to check them out. Beyond having delicious teas, they have the most amazing customer service and community behind the scenes. If you ever had any dealings with Plum Deluxe, you know exactly what I mean.
So, without further ado, I’m going to run down the first five days of treats/teas. . .
-Day 1- Sample Size of Apple Cinnamon Warmth Black Tea–
Not being a huge fan of black teas, I was still really excited about trying this tea. Like I said, I took a break from Plum Deluxe for a bit and haven’t had this tea as of yet. Brewed with water at boiling and allowed to steep for 4 minutes then topped with frothed warm almond milk, I was in heaven. This tea was everything I needed on a Mid-West brisk evening. The cinnamon was the star of this tea with a subtle apple note in the background and a touch of orange. I didn’t so much taste the black tea base but I don’t think this tea really needed that. This tea is one for sure I could see myself reordering.
-Day 2- Soul Warmer Herbal Tea (Red Rooibos)-
Unfortunately, this tea contains red rooibos, an herb that I have a strong (insanely so) aversion too. I’m one of those that adores and loves green rooibos but red rooibos is and always will be my arch enemy- so I have added this tea another’s Sisters tea package to send to them shortly. I hope they love it. It looks really pretty and I’m sure is amazing.
-Day 3- Berry Pie Dessert Tea (Honeybush)
This tea right here is hands down the best tea I’ve ever had from Plum Deluxe. The honeybush is crisp and provides this luscious dessert feel with a vanilla backdrop, the cinnamon and cardamom provide this subtle but solid spiced feel that is reminiscent of pie, and of course the berry flavor is spot on. Just so good, so right, so simple and yet so perfect. I want a gallon of this tea at the ready for me at any moment. That’s how much I love and adore this tea.
-Day 4- Self Care Blend Herbal Tea (Honeybush)
Brewed up with freshly boiled water and allowed to steep for about 4 minutes, I was hoping this tea would be a gorgeous blend of apricots and apple with a vanilla background based on the ingredient list. And that is exactly what the taste was but it almost seemed like this tea needed a touch of something else to really bring the flavors to life. The tea was good but it didn’t blow me away like I thought it would. With the second steeping, I threw in a few cinnamon chips and this tea popped to life. The sweet cinnamon brought the apricots, apple, and vanilla into this gorgeous spiced fruit note that blended perfectly with the vanilla flavors the honeybush was provided. I’m now quite addicted to this connection I created.
-Day 5- 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Heart
I do like how there is a mix of teas and treats in the mix, but I was hoping for more tea related treats than a chocolate heart. I’m sure it will be delightful with the right cup of tea and will keep it for a treat later when I have a chocolate craving. (I’m actually not a huge chocolate fan)
So overall, I did enjoy the first week’s offerings. Some hits and misses, but planning an advent calendar to appease the masses would be a huge undertaking and I can’t even imagine getting together something of this nature. I’m hoping for more hits next week!
Here’s the scoop!
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description- A daily tea based advent calendar to enjoy through the holidays.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Waffley Wedded Custom Blend from Plum Deluxe
Waffley Wedded from Plum Deluxe is a specialty blend, and I was lucky to get a taste thanks to a tea swap. In trying this tea I learned that Plum Deluxe can be contacted to make a custom blend for a special occasion, in this case for a wedding.
With such a sweet and punny name, I was predisposed to like Waffley Wedded. I got a novelty waffle iron a few holidays ago and I use just about every weekend. This is a great tea have on hand while I’m waiting for my waffles to cook.
This is a blend of black and oolong tea, so it is both full-bodied but has a rounded mouthfeel. Sweet maple and creamy vanilla are the driving flavors, perfect on its own or with a dash of milk to pump up the dessert-like experience. A hint of citrus comes through from the orange peels to help the blend bright and not overly sweet.
You won’t see this blend on their everyday listing, but if you’re looking for something similar give Pick Me Up Oolong a try, which also has maple and oolong flavors. Or blend your own tea favors for a special occasion and customize it just the way you like.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black and Oolong
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
To have your own custom blend made and see all the amazing blends Plum Deluxe has to offer, click below.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Currant Conversation Oolong Tea from Plum Deluxe. . . .
This rich, tasty blend whisks together vanilla, currant, and a deep oolong to form a soothing steep. The berry notes hold hands with the earthy oolong; the vanilla wraps around everything to keep the enterprise running smoothly.
The ingredients also include rose hips, which I didn’t detect at the outset. I also didn’t pick up on the “love” and “gratitude” that are supposedly in here. To me, this doesn’t taste so much like love as it does ACCOMPLISHMENT and DECADENCE.
This creamy and fancy blend tastes like something a VERY rich widow would sip while looking out over her veranda. Her gilded armoires hold her furs; her wine glasses are always crystal, never glass; and her heels click on the marble every time she walks.
Has she had plastic surgery? She’ll never tell. But she looks AMAZING.
Maybe it’s the tea.
It’s probably the tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
Looking for a conversation starter? We’ve got one right here with our signature vanilla black currant oolong tea. It’s elegance in a cup, a wonderful balance of woodsy vanilla and tart fruit.
This blend relies on its simplicity. The base is a fresh, earthy, and grounding Formosa oolong tea from Taiwan. Our favorite vanilla extract helps bring out the layers of floral notes in the oolong, while rose hips and black currant add wonderful highlights of sweet-tart fruitiness. It’s invigorating and calming at the same time. We can’t decide if we like it more hot or iced, so you’ll have to try both.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Full Moon Chai from Plum Dexlue. . . .
I often find chai a little bit too aggressive. It’s SO. MANY. SPICES. It’s sometimes bitter, or overbearing with the cinnamon. Many people seem to agree, since mixing milk into chai is the typical approach.
Plum Deluxe wondered: What if chai were combined with… cream? Naturally? Without you having to add sugar or milk in yourself?
As a dessert tea aficionado and someone who travels around a bit, let me tell you, I am ALWAYS on board with such a notion. I don’t always just HAVE milk on me. Sometimes I want to throw some loose leaf in a travel container and GO. I want that sweetness, but not that effort.
This is a good solution to a problem you may have not considered. I’m really happy that this happened. Give it a whirl!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
Full Moon Chai was one of our original blends, now back with even more creative energy. We’ve taken our classic, signature masala chai and added a splash of vanilla butternut extract. This simple twist adds a depth, warmth, and vibrancy to your traditional chai, and also gives the flavor a hint of sweetness and creaminess without having to add lots of sugar or milk (though we do like this blend prepared as a traditional masala chai or chai latte).
It makes a great pairing for those indoor days where you need something warm and comforting. It’s also a lovely companion for those moments when you need a high-caffeine blend to give you focus and momentum, and it’s even good for a delicious chai cocktail or three!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Just Elderflower from Plum Deluxe
The elderflower flowers look like micro chamomile blossoms, yellow and spherical. Though the elderflowers are so tiny, it almost like a bag of pollen. The small blossoms are a golden color and very fine in texture. When brewing this tea, be sure to use your infuser with the finest mesh or smallest holes.
Brewed, this tea is surprisingly earthy and savory, and not very floral. The tea has a woodsy fragrance like crushed dried flowers or cut hay. Some of the flavor notes remind me of the brighter pu erh teas I’ve tried, so if you aren’t a floral tea fan, this blend might just be your favorite exception.
The taste of the brew continues to support the earthy, dried grass tones, but coupled with a new, buttery flavor. The taste is a bit more vegetal than the scent, with a crisp, celery note. As the brew cools, and the more I drink, the more I detect a sweeter, brown sugar undertone. Plum Deluxe recommends the brew with a bit of sweetener, which helps bring forward the toasted sugar or brown butter flavors even further.
Just Elderflower is a unique blend in appearance and taste, making for a thoughtful and flavorful one-ingredient brewing experience.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description:
Just Elderflower is part of our “just” line of thoughtfully-source, single ingredient herbal teas. Elderflower is a curious, floral, and fragrant tea ingredient. Despite its delicate nature, it steeps up for a wonderful, calming, curing beverage.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!