Peppermint Bark is a holiday classic which is why chocolate peppermint teas flood the market at Christmas time. Almost each company has their own take on it and any holiday celebration doesn’t really feel complete without a peppermint bark tea latte. As such, these types of teas are cold weather teas in my mind.
So about a week ago when we had an unseasonably cold day, I set up a cold brew of Sunshine Cottage’s Peppermint Bark Tea in chocolate milk. I then forgot to drink it that day. Then the weather got significantly warmer and I just didn’t want to drink it tbh. Instead I favored my more spring-like teas. However, as the cold brewed milk has been sitting, I figured best to drink it before it goes bad. For comparison sake, I also brewed a hot tea with the remainder of the sample I had left.
This tea sets itself apart from the others, ingredients-wise at least, as it adds sunflower petals to the more typical ingredients of black tea, peppermint, white chocolate pieces, and natural flavors. However, flavor-wise as I sip on the hot tea, it tastes similar to the many other chocolate peppermint teas I have had before. In fact, it may even be a bit blander than most. There is a lot of peppermint flavor but not much else. The sample is a bit old so perhaps there is some flavor deterioration. Alternatively, there didn’t appear to be any white chocolate pieces in my filter while there was a ton of peppermint leaf so that could be causing the lack of flavor as well. Whatever the reason, the hot tea fell short of my expectations.
The cold brew, on the other hand, had a lot going on. The silky chocolate milk was made richer by the flavor of the black tea base. There is hints of white chocolate as well, though they are easy to miss under the strong chocolate milk flavor. The peppermint, on the other hand, comes through loud and clear leaving the aftertaste all minty. It is certainly more interesting than the hot tea was but even still I think this might become another in a long blurred line of chocolate mint teas.
Enjoyable but not really noteworthy.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Sunshine Cottage
Description
Creamy white chocolate and crisp mint make this holiday tea a real treat. Perfect for a toe thawing, pick me up after an afternoon on the slopes, or for sipping by the fire after a wonderful meal!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Peppermint Bark from The Sunshine Cottage. . . .
The name Peppermint Bark evokes memories of the crisp scent of mint with the sweet smell of white chocolate in a certain kitchen goods store I love to visit. I can almost feel the big bar breaking raggedly in my hand as the strong scent of mint stings my nose! Then you carefully gather all those little bits that broke off and pop them in your mouth before taking a big bite, and the white chocolate melts on your fingers.
The scent of this tea hit spot on with that memory. Fresh, sharp mint and rich, creamy white chocolate tickle your nostrils. The white chocolate is less obvious in the scent of the steeped tea but its sweetness is there, keeping this from falling into being a ho-hum plain peppermint.
Even though it is still winter as I drink this, we are already having some spells of hot weather where I live, but that’s okay because nothing refreshes quite like mint when you need to cool off.
A cooling cup it is, too! In winter, a hot cuppa will always warm you, but this is so very minty that I can also drink it hot OR cold on a hot day for refreshment. I have only had it unsweetened, but for those who like sweet tea, I really think this would be amazing that way.
The mint really is the star of the show in this tea, and even though I usually favor spearmint over peppermint by a long margin, the peppermint in this tea had delicious flavor, really sweet and fresh tasting without the edge of bitterness that sometimes creeps in with peppermint.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Sunshine Cottage
Description
Creamy white chocolate and crisp mint make this holiday tea a real treat. Perfect for a toe thawing, pick me up after an afternoon on the slopes, or for sipping by the fire after a wonderful meal!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Perfectly Pink #LadyMendl blend from #SunshineCottage
Another lovely tea from the crafty world of Etsy, this time it’s Lady Mendl blend from Sunshine Cottage. The Lady Mendl tea blend is based on a cocktail of the same name. The alcoholic beverage was all pink pizzazz, served in a martini with grapefruit juice, cointreau, and gin.
With so much pink citrus in the mix, this tea is surprisingly creamy, with delicious, juicy grapefruit at the forefront, and sweet, candied orange in the undertone. There are even passion fruit pieces in the dry leaf, adding to the popping, tropical flair of these flavors.
The black tea base is nutty and rich, nicely balancing the strong citrus tones. There’s even a hint of black pepper in the smell of the leaf, and it comes through in the brew the longer it is steeped. I find the hint of something savory and spicy to be an appealing counterpoint to the luscious fruit.
This would be a great blend for fans of earl grey who want to get outside their usual bergamot flavor but still want a citrus-inspired drink, fit for a lady. Look no further than Lady Mendl from Sunshine Cottage and start brewing up something perfectly pink.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Sunshine Cottage (Etsy Shop)
Description:
This blend is based on my mother’s favorite cocktail – the Lady Mendl. A delightful blend of orange and grapefruit, this black tea is perfect for an afternoon tea while listening to the legendary Cole Porter – who sang the praises of Lady Mendl in ‘Anything Goes’.
Just as an aside, Lady Mendl (or Elsie DeWolfe) was a fascinating woman and well worth reading about – perhaps while sipping a cuppa of this blend. I enjoy mine with milk (it smooths out the citrus) and a dash of maple syrup (another of my mother’s favorites).
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Gingerbread Tea from Sunshine Cottage. . . . .
Gingerbread Tea from Sunshine Cottage…oh…how I love thee!
I’ve had a lot of Gingerbread Teas the last 10 years or so. I have to say this one from Sunshine Cottage went the extra mile. I seemed to stand out over many others. Specifically because of the SWEET notes! Sure…when you drink a Gingerbread Tea you are probably looking for the gingerbread likeness and this tea DID have that but it had a little extra something, too!
I kept picking up on a lovely, mellow, sweetness. All I could think of is sweet cinnamon. And sure enough…Gingerbread Tea from Sunshine Cottage HAS sweet cinnamon in it! YAY!
Spicy ginger, sweet cinnamon, and fragrant star anise bring a depth to this gingerbread tea that is nothing short of joyful! A delightful holiday tea that will bring to mind the wonderful aromas of Christmas cookies and seasonal delights…this is what the product description on their Etsy shop had to say about this tea. I don’t know if I could say it any better!
The ginger was fairly subtle but still a part of the overall flavor profile. I wouldn’t change the ratio of ginger – I think it was perfect! The Anise was another well thought out ingredient that wasn’t overdone. But there was something about that sweet cinnamon that I couldn’t forget! The blend of flavored lingered very nicely on the tongue and well on to the after taste.
This was a delicious tea sipping experience that I will cherish long after the loose leaf is gone and the review written! Highly recommended!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Sunshine Cottage
Description
Spicy ginger, sweet cinnamon and fragrant star anise bring a depth to this gingerbread tea that is nothing short of joyful! A delightful holiday tea that is will bring to mind the wonderful aromas of Christmas cookies and seasonal delights!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Winter Spice Tea from Sunshine Cottage. . . .
YUM! I literally said that out loud the first time I sipped on Winter Spice Tea from Sunshine Cottage. My second reaction was the same as the first…YUM!
Upon opening the package I was assuming this would be comparable to a chai but it was much more thought out than that.
Orange, cranberry, cinnamon and cloves all add flavor to this finger warming, nose thawing winter spice blend are Joan’s words – from Sunshine Cottage – not mine but I would totally claim them as my own if I could because I totally agree with them!
Sunshine Cottage states on their Etsy Shop that Winter Spice Tea is full of all the delights of the season, hold a steaming cup of this tea, breath in deeply and relax, you’ll be filled with the spirit of the season – of course, adding a big splash of brandy or rum to your cup will lift your spirits even quicker!
I’ll have to ask Sororitea Sister-CuppaGeek- if she has tried this yet! I know she went thru a phase of mixing tea with ‘adult beverages’ for an extra special tea steeping experience!
Regardless I am totally LOVING this straight-up…as-is…I wouldn’t change a thing!
Sure – you can taste the Cinnamon up against the medium strength black tea base and it’s scrumptious and warming. But the real gems of this blend of flavors are the cranberry and orange duo! Both are FAB!
Even tho this is a Winter Spice Tea – I wouldn’t mind it any time of the year! The flavor and aroma are wonderful! I’m a fan, indeedy!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Sunshine Cottage
Description
Orange, cranberry, cinnamon and cloves all add flavor to this finger warming, nose thawing winter spice blend. Full of all the delights of the season, hold a steaming cup of this tea, breath in deeply and relax, you’ll be filled with the spirit of the season – of course, adding a big splash of brandy or rum to your cup will lift your spirits even quicker!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!