Some of you may already know that I live in the snow belt area of the north east part of the United States. I’m originally from Buffalo, too, which means I’m NOT a stranger to snow and LOTS of it!
I have been drinking Winter Morning Earl Grey from Sunshine Cottage on and off for about a month now. As I write this I am finishing up the bag of tea that I have. It’s ironic because today is our first significant winter storm of the year. Some say we could get 4 to 6 feet of snow in some areas in the next 4 days. I hope that isn’t the case.
Regardless I have the last little bit of Winter Morning Earl Grey from Sunshine Cottage to keep me company for one more day!
I’m a sucker for flavored Earl Greys. I have mentioned that once or twice (or a hundred) times before but I will gladly say it again! There is something special when a tea blended takes the time to go above and beyond your traditional Earl Grey Flavoring and give it an extra ‘sumpin’, sumpin’.
This particular flavored Earl has that stereotypical EG base to start and then they added extra floral notes, creamy vanilla flavors, and a touch of cinnamon to it, too! It’s pretty incredible! The vanilla is a touch more powerful than the cinnamon and I wouldn’t change the flavor ratio at all!
There is just something about this flavored Earl Grey that I adore and the only thing I can come up with is the pure genius of the flavor combo and ratio blending behind it. It’s truly unique, delicious, and a tea I will remember for a long time!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Black Tea
Where to Buy: Sunshine Cottage
Description
Scrumptious Winter Morning Earl Grey Tea! What could be better on a cold winter’s morning than a steam hot cup of Earl Grey tea? How about adding a splash of creamy vanilla and a dash of cinnamon? Add some steamed milk and you’ve got an Earl Grey Vermont blizzard!!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Happy Witch Blend from Sunshine Cottage
One of my favorite Etsy shops is Sunshine Cottage. They offer great flavored teas, tea accessories, and other wonderful items sure to make you smile. So naturally when I saw they had a tea named Happy Witch Blend.. . I was all over it!
Happy Witch Blend is a mix of sweet apples, cinnamon, spices, and a touch of vanilla flavoring. A wonderful fall treat to be sure. I grabbed my tea pot and instantly started steeping.
A few minutes later, I had myself a gorgeous brew waiting for me to try. This tea had one of those amazing wonderful fragrances that make you just sit back and enjoy the moment.
One sip in and this tea was exactly what I was looking. Fresh sweet apple notes mingling with a mix of different spices that remind you of chai. The vanilla did give way to a sweetness that I noticed right away. The black tea base lent itself to subtle malty notes that I found myself really enjoying. They contrasted nicely with all of the sweet notes coming from the vanilla and apple flavoring. 
As good as this tea was without any add ins, I think a touch of honey would really elevate the tea even more. Or even a shot of whiskey or brandy. . .which is what I did along with a dollop of cream and a dusting of cinnamon on top.
This tea became a decent flavored tea to an insanely amazing treat. Perfect for those cold fall/winter nights that will soon be upon us here in the Midwest. Rich, decadent, sweet, with that heat that really resonates with you.
Simply delicious however you enjoy the tea!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Sunshine Cottage
Description
Make your inner witch happy with this wonderful flavored black tea. Hand blended it’s full of sweet apples, cinnamon and spices, with a touch of vanilla for smoothness – It’s magical!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Sunshine Cottage from Sunshine Cottage
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Sunshine Cottage
Tea Description:
Good Morning Sunshine! Start every morning off with this bright and happy, citrus and tropical fruit blend, and you’ll start every day with a smile. Lovely as is, with a drizzle of honey, even a splash of milk. Great iced when the weather heats up!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Good morning sunshine is right! This tea starts your morning off right!
This lovely tea is from the amazing Sunshine Cottage Etsy store, a store for all those flavored black tea fans out there. Sunshine Cottage tea is a take on a tropical tea and a happy way to wake up in the morning with a bright colored tea to add to your tea spot.
I brewed this tea up with boiling water and let it steep for about 4 minutes. Allowed it to cool for a moment and then indulged myself in the tropical citrus aroma that was delighting me.
First sip and yes! This tea is a tropical citrus tea for sure. The citrus is almost like a juicy tangerine flavor while the tropical flavors are more subtle in the background. There are hints of this tea becoming astringent but I’m not picking that up right away. It is more of a lingering aftertaste from drinking the tea for a few moments.
On the package of the tea there was also a note about jasmine being in the blend and I’m sad that I’m not picking up those notes. I can’t say what a jasmine tropical citrus tea would taste like and honestly it may not go well together but I kind of want to try it.
As the tea sits now it was a delight and one that I would have no probably making up for the family to enjoy. I bet this would make an incredible iced tea and I have plans to try this as a cold brew to enjoy in the morning.
Strawberry Fields Tea from Sunshine Cottage
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Sunshine Cottage
Tea Description:
Plump, ripe, juicy strawberries with a cold, smooth cream – mmmmm! This is summer time heaven in a cup! A dash of half & half would enhance the flavor even more. Carefully blended and hand packaged, this tea will quickly become a favorite!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Strawberries in fresh cream. . .anybody a fan? Anybody? I am!
This tea reminds me of crisp sweet strawberries in fresh cream. Just like a fancy restaurant used to offer that my parents took me to quite often. When my dad was ready to go out to eat, we went all out. This particular restaurant also served bananas ‘n cream. I would always get one or the other for dessert.
This is a black tea but one that is done with finesse. I loved how the black tea provided a richness in the background while the strawberries and cream flavor where allowed to play. I did get slight hints of astringency so this one I don’t think would be very forgiving if oversteeped. There is also a very subtle and quite hint of a malty finish, which provides a bit of complexity. The strawberries had such a beautiful fresh flavor while the cream had a lush silky feel. Seriously. This tea was good. I recommend all the teas at the Sunshine Cottage. I’ve tried several and only didn’t care for a few and that was probably my fault for oversteeping. I would love to try this one as a cold brew or as a latte.
Now, to find a tea that tastes like the bananas n’ cream the restaurant also offered. . . .