I’m still here housesitting and trying to finish off some samples I got at the SF International Tea Fair. I remember this tea made me totally nauseated, but at the time I thought I might have used too much tea. I decided to try it again – brave or stupid?
This is one of their little tea sachets so I thought I’d use a big 12" mug of water. I do think it is better when it’s mellowed out a bit but it is still quite an overwhelming experience of sweet clove and cinnamon. It is like drinking a cup of liquid red hots. I rather like spicy things (chai, for example) but this is still way too much for me. I hope I can convince my BF to drink the other sample. Otherwise if anyone wants it, let me know.
Preparation
People who liked this
Comments
No thanks! So many people adore this tea that I have to keep it on my tea shelf, but the only way I can drink it is half and half with a plain black tea to tone it down. I tried the green version and it was like drinking pure cinnamon syrup, but oddly I found that more palatable than the black tea. My oldest daughter couldn’t drink it, though, even though she loves cinnamon. She said it was way too sweet and syrupy.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who has the same reaction! I can see it would be better mixed with some plain black tea.
I love the way its fragrance fills the room (even when its sealed up in the drawer). I even like the intensity of it in the cup. That said, it is like divinity or some other really rich food. A little goes a really long way. I can see where toned down would be a plus with this. Have either of you tried the Market Spice version? I believe it has orange in it. @ashmanra, I have the pepper mango and am waiting to steep it at work where I have a better set up.
no, I haven’t tried the Market spice version, might be worth a try someday. I do like cinnamon but not when it’s this strong!
I haven’t tried the MS version either. I try the Harney one about twice a year to see if my tastes have changed, but so far, no, still the same. I have made it half and half with Southern Season Ceylon Extra Fancy and it was more civilized!
Marketspice does have orange in it. MS is one of my favorite teas, but a few people have been turned off by it though… they kind of spray flavoring oils over it, and the look of the ‘dry’ leaf is a little disconcerting. I use little quotey thingies around dry because the leaf never looks dry, because of the amount of flavoring oils used. It’s that flavored.
It also seems to be systematically destroying any tin I put it in. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but we’ve had it in three different tins, and the lids slowly get harder and harder to open. It’s like a scooby doo mystery.
Harney’s Hot Cinnamon Spice can not be washed out of any tin it is in. I called them and asked for a new mini tin for my wooden chest because I could not refill the HCS tin with any other tea. It would have just tasted cinnamon, too! The person I spoke with told me you simply can not get the scent out, and it also ate the black paint around the outside of the top of the tin!
Amy, your description of red hots is how I imagined it would be, and while I like cinnamon, this would be too intense for me!
No thanks! So many people adore this tea that I have to keep it on my tea shelf, but the only way I can drink it is half and half with a plain black tea to tone it down. I tried the green version and it was like drinking pure cinnamon syrup, but oddly I found that more palatable than the black tea. My oldest daughter couldn’t drink it, though, even though she loves cinnamon. She said it was way too sweet and syrupy.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who has the same reaction! I can see it would be better mixed with some plain black tea.
I love the way its fragrance fills the room (even when its sealed up in the drawer). I even like the intensity of it in the cup. That said, it is like divinity or some other really rich food. A little goes a really long way. I can see where toned down would be a plus with this. Have either of you tried the Market Spice version? I believe it has orange in it. @ashmanra, I have the pepper mango and am waiting to steep it at work where I have a better set up.
no, I haven’t tried the Market spice version, might be worth a try someday. I do like cinnamon but not when it’s this strong!
I haven’t tried the MS version either. I try the Harney one about twice a year to see if my tastes have changed, but so far, no, still the same. I have made it half and half with Southern Season Ceylon Extra Fancy and it was more civilized!
Marketspice does have orange in it. MS is one of my favorite teas, but a few people have been turned off by it though… they kind of spray flavoring oils over it, and the look of the ‘dry’ leaf is a little disconcerting. I use little quotey thingies around dry because the leaf never looks dry, because of the amount of flavoring oils used. It’s that flavored.
It also seems to be systematically destroying any tin I put it in. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but we’ve had it in three different tins, and the lids slowly get harder and harder to open. It’s like a scooby doo mystery.
Harney’s Hot Cinnamon Spice can not be washed out of any tin it is in. I called them and asked for a new mini tin for my wooden chest because I could not refill the HCS tin with any other tea. It would have just tasted cinnamon, too! The person I spoke with told me you simply can not get the scent out, and it also ate the black paint around the outside of the top of the tin!
Amy, your description of red hots is how I imagined it would be, and while I like cinnamon, this would be too intense for me!