Christmas Morning

Tried this in the taster section at the Stash Tea Store. I was weary of anything with “Christmas” in the title – thinking I would be blasted with something pepperminty. I was surprised to find a floral black-ish blend that reminded me of a high-altitude Ceylon. It’s a weird mix, but a pretty good one.

I read some reviews for this before I bought it (it was on sale, and I figured what the heck), so I wasn’t too surprised when I tried this blend. As someone else stated, I don’t understand exactly why this is considered a holiday blend because there’s honestly nothing special or remotely holiday-ish about it. No fancy flavours or notes, just a kind of average breakfast-y black tea blend. I like it enough for what it is, but I don’t think I would bother repurchasing. I’ve left it at my desk at work (where I drink most of the black blends that don’t require much notice… I just need the caffeine!) to finish up the box.

Bagged

Aroma when Dry: Bright, crisp, not quite fruity. clean
After water is first poured: can distinguish individual blacks in the blend, jasmine is barely noticeable.
At end of first steep:
Tea liquor:
first color: light brown
At end of steep: deep red brown

Staple? No.

Time of day preferred: Afternoon
Taste:
first notes: can taste the Darjeeling & Ceylon and Jasmine. Can smell more then I can identify.
As it cools? The tea opens up quite a bit, I can taste 4-5 individual notes, not sure exactly which, save the Jasmine
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No.
Lingers? Yes, slightly smoky, floral, woody notes.

Might try the loose leaf version sometime.
Will try as base for chai at some point.

Second steep color: med red brown
second steep taste: sweet, nutty, almost creamy

It’s called Christmas Morning, but it happens to be a nice afternoon tea, too.

(See previous tasting notes)

Jasmine Black Tea. If I had to describe it in three words or less. :)

But that doesn’t really do it justice. The underlying black tea blend is crisp and refreshing but not without some body. Basically a really good English Breakfast with added Jasmine – still can’t put it down!

I didn’t steep it quite long enough. The flavor was a little more plain than I expected. I added milk and that smoothed it out very nicely. I don’t think I would like this one much without milk, and I’m not one who really loves milk in tea. I only tasted the black tea flavors, until suddenly about 3/4 of the way through the jasmine made an appearance.

Received this courtesy of Joe Cool. At First taste a nice breakfast blend with the Assam and Keemun. I couldn’t taste the jasmine though. I am really enjoying this tea. It cooled off a bit and….hello there jasmine glad you made it to the party! This is definitely not what I thought it would be with Christmas in the title, but definitely a good cup.

I dunno, a pretty standard black, in my mind. Perhaps the water isn’t hot enough to get all of the flavor out (I try not to drink blacks at work, since I brew out of a water cooler and the water is only 190°).

My first thoughts? Jasmine? Oh, crud.

I received one packet of this in the mail, so no harm, no foul if I don’t like it. Right?

Steeped, it smells floral (as you would expect), but not overbearing. I have a sample of jasmine green somewhere around here that I can’t even bear to finish because of that exact reason.

I noticed that some reviews said that the jasmine didn’t come out until cool, but I am tasting it right from the start. I like it with the black tea base.

Still not going to be seeking out teas with jasmine in them, because I really feel they are too perfumed (?). (I have what my husband and I refer to as a “super sniffer”, and so sometimes things that are supposed to be subtle aren’t really, to me.) It was a nice change for the one try, though.

I don’t get why Stash thinks this is a Christmas tea, though. I get more of a “SPRING!” feeling when drinking it.

I drank a bit of this tea plain until the jasmine got to me and I added milk to dull it down a bit.

(PS: I liked this one even more as it cooled down.)

I found it! Down in New West, when I had to walk through a marketplace to get to an unrelated tea place. Lucky.

I’m going to go ahead and say that, because both companies are the product of Steven Smith, he must really associate greenblack blends with Christmas. Joy? And Christmast Morning? Or, another way to think of it, would be red-green blends. See what I did there?

Dry, I could definitely pick up jasmine. Steeped, it smelt like Joy, but it’s definitely darker in colour.

First sip—bitter green. Bakey oolong. No black… I think there’s a nutty keemun, and/or a darjeeling in there. Mmm… Getting a dryer black taste now.

Overall, darker and sweeter than Tazo’s Joy. I like this one much better. Damn, and I hinted to my brother that Joy would be a good Christmas present.

I would like to try Smith’s new line of teas, though. I’ve found them at Chapters, but they don’t carry much variety—about three blends. Bergamot was the only black, I believe.

Aaah, picking up a very good ceylon now. With just a touch of green bitterness.