Holiday Tea-son! After my failed hibi-hip cider last night, I find myself really in the mood for one as my nightly tisane tonight. Thankfully they are quite popular holiday blends. Got this in a little sampler pack in more of T2’s typical ridiculous packaging during their after-Christmas sale last January. It was in a three-pack of their holiday teas (well, mostly, it had their chocolate mint Rooibos in it with this tea and Hot Choc, and I think the chocolate mint rooibos is part of their regular collection, and I was least interested in that, as I’ve had so many choco-mint rooibos at this point, but ah well… I mean, the whole pack of three samplers was dirt cheap!)
This tea is properly red (phew! That’s a good sign!) and the smell of this is amazing! I think the aroma alone has to be one of the most enticing I’ve had from one of these “holiday hibi-hip spice cider” type blends I’ve seen. I do smell the typical fruitiness, citrus orange, cinnamon, anise, but there is something I can’t quite place that makes me think of red wine, too. Huh.
Mmm, yes, I like this one! It fills out warmly on the tongue, with that tart/tangy base with nice warm orangy notes, but not nearly so overpowering on the orange flavor as the Spiced Clementine I drank yesterday. The spices are nice and rich here — not spicy, just a full flavor that really adds to the cider flavor — I can taste cinnamon, clove, and a touch of anise toward the end of the sip, which gives this very subtle licorice note.
I really like this one. I’m on total tea-ordering lock-down, but knowing this is a holiday blend, and I only have a sampler, I was actually tempted to go check T2’s site… but they only have another little sampler in some ridiculous packaging available this year, too. Not a proper tin, or even one of their stupid cubes (I really hate those cubes they sell their tea in). Ah well, probably for the best. I don’t need more tea, but… I would’ve been happy to stock this one. I really like this one!
Flavors: Anise, Cinnamon, Citrus, Clove, Fruity, Licorice, Orange, Red Wine, Spices, Sweet, Tangy, Tart, Thick
I have a tin of this (like the one pictured in the tea listing) that I can send to you.
Gasp! And hibi-hip cider rained from the heavens! Now I need to make a second celebatory pot since I don’t need to horde this tiny sampler.
Mmm, sounds delightful.