Squirrely

Squirrely tea is the new coffee. There, I said it, even though I probably risked life and limb to do so. Starbucks might come after me, bearing sharp sticks harvested from the pristine hills of Uruguay.

(Is it considered defamation of one’s tea-leaf character to mention coffee on Steepster? Can leaves and beans get along? I think they can. Tea has become a habit for me, while coffee is a rarity. Tea is necessary, like the oxygen I breathe or the calories I must consume in order to keep sauntering around on this crazy planet. Coffee is like dessert at the end of a ridiculously expensive meal: not necessary, but nice sometimes.)

Once I tried Adagio’s chestnut tea, I was sold. Nutty and sweet, it seems to be one of the most flavor-rich ceylons of the Adagio brand. How could one improve on such goodness? Can deliciousness be made more delicious? Moon-shooter that I am, I created this blend to try, and voila. Enhanced by traditional sweetener and cream, it’s even sweeter, even nuttier, and even richer. Yes please.

Lately it seems I’m only drinking blends that I put together, but I do own a lot of them. There is no tea finer than one made … uh, in your own diner. Wow.

Enough of this banter, and on with the tea-kus:

Chestnut, caramel, and
sweet cream on an open flame:
squirrels, mind your fur!

“I do love this tea,”
cried one squirrel to his friend.
“Don’t bogart,” friend said.

Sample from a TTB. This one is quite nutty and a little smoky. I feel like it reminds me of a toned down version of their chestnut tea, though it’s been many years since I’ve had that one. It’s decent with some milk and sugar, but I think I prefer their chestnut blend because I enjoy its boldness, and I don’t love the extra bit of smoke found here (though that flavor could be my imagination).

S is for… Squirrely.

My phone is away for the day and I’m spending this Sunday sitting outside with a small pile of books and a cup of tea. I asked Michelle if I could try this one and she sent several cups worth. I’m so glad now that I’ve tried it because it’s delicious. Strong maple/maple candy aroma before steeping. Solid base and caramel flavor. It’s very rich, full-bodied, and overall a well-rounded blend.

Second Steep
6 ounces water + 212 degrees + 20 minutes

The second steep smells of tobacco, so I think much of the flavoring may have been used up in the first steep and now the base is free to shine a bit more.

No, I take that back – I can still taste the caramel in this second steep!

Nutty, thick, rich cup of tea that can be steeped 3 times. Syrup notes at the end and smoothness throughout. All this and cute squirrels on the package!

From the Overboard TTB. Thanks to Beelicious for sticking this one in!

I was expecting more nuts from the name honestly. It’s a smokey roasted coffee chocolate tea. Good as a breakfast type I would assume. I would totally be loving this tea if not for the smokiness of it, but because of that I only finished half the cup.

Thanks to beelicious for this sample! This one has a lovely caramel and nut aroma—sweet and toasty, something like caramelized pecans or candied walnuts. (Neither of which are in the ingredients, oops!) The tea base of this is a tasty Ceylon, with a touch of that sweet, crisp, fruity note. It helps bring out the caramel flavor nicely. The nutty flavors are a little weaker in the brewed tea, but that’s okay, it’s one of those flavors that I would find overwhelming if it was strong. Overall, it’s a cheerful and cozy blend.

Finally, I don’t think I can review this tea without mentioning kissing squirrels—they’re in the description, packaging, and every review so far. Cute!

Kissing squirrels – how could I resist???? However there is just something about this tea that I don’t quite like, I mean yes, it should be quite tasty what with the chestnuts and the almonds and the caramel and all… you know what it is… it tastes just a tiny bit chemically… boo. I think I’ll give this another try a little later in the day and see if it grows on me.