I got this tea as a Christmas present from a family member who knew of my love of loose leaf teas. I’d seen it before on DT’s site but I have this thing against sprinkles (not really sure why, especially since one of my favorite teas (pumpkin chai) has them) and so hadn’t looked at it all that seriously. One sip of this though and I was in heaven.
When dry this tea smells absolutely wonderful. Minty, with a bit of a chocolate undertone from the black tea, and sweet (though the sweet can be a bit overpowering though if it’s not something you’re in the mood for.) Now I like mint teas but quite often you can get a very “harsh” mint that has a lot of bite to the aroma and the taste, this one smells smooth, almost creamy in a way.
Once steeped this tea gives a clear, deep red-brown liquor whose aroma showcases that lovely smooth mint scent found in the dry tea. The dark notes from the black tea still (to me) smell a bit like chocolate but it’s not as noticeable as it is in the dry tea. And be forewarned, the sprinkles don’t always melt completely in the first steeping, so you’ll most likely have some leftovers in your tea ball.
The flavor of this one though… just YUM! A rich mouth-feel that isn’t too heavy leads you into a sweet mint experience. The creaminess found in the dry tea translates well into the flavor profile which helps to round out and balance this lovely tea. And the Chinese black tea that this is based on provides the perfect backdrop, not too powerful but yet deep enough to lift the mint up to new refreshing heights (and no bitterness, even with multiple steepings.)
All-in-all this tea has become one of my go-to favorites; great for those times when you’re looking to de-stress but aren’t looking for something with much in the way of spice.
