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Holiday TTB

Although I’ve loved most of the teas I’ve tried from Verdant, this one just wasn’t up my alley. I’m not a fan of floral tea, so finding floral notes in a straight black tea was unsettling! Plus, I found it to be slightly bitter. (Which, admittedly, may be user error…there were no steeping instructions on the sample, so I just did my standard 3 minutes at 205 degrees.) I think I’ll be sticking with my beloved Laoshan black the next time I order from Verdant!

Holiday TTB

Cinnamon scares me, since it seems like it can easily take over and cover up all the other flavors in a blend. Thankfully, that’s not the case with this tea! I taste the spices, but I also get a distinct apple flavor (not a fresh-off-the-tree apple, but more of a warm baked apple) that layers beautifully on top of the black tea base. Not really getting anything that reminds me of pie crust, but it’s still a delicious treat!

Holiday TTB

Liquid Proust kindly donated a generous pouch of this tea to the Holiday TTB. I was feeling in need of a pick-me-up this morning, so decided to give it a try. It brews up to a beautiful deep orangey-red color with an enticing fruity aroma. The flavor is rich honey fruit sweetness. The first few sips were lovely, but the sweetness became a bit much for me by the end of the cup (I usually drink my tea unsweetened).

Holiday TTB

I’ve had Teavana’s ridiculously expensive Yellow Dragon and loved it, so I was excited to sample this one! It doesn’t disappoint. It steeps up to a clear golden color and smells like freshly-picked sweet corn. The flavor, though very light, is slightly reminiscent of corn too, slightly sweet and very buttery. Absolutely no bitterness or astringency. Definitely one I’d like to purchase when this sample runs out!

This tea smells SO good (quite boozey, actually) and the flavor is rich and buttery with lots of coconut and vanilla notes. Unfortunately, there is a faintly sour note to the aftertaste which is ruining the experience for me. EDITED TO ADD: Withholding rating since it seems I let the coconut go bad in this batch. I’ll have to try a fresh sample sometime in the future!

I was intrigued by this tea when I read Emilie’s recent tasting note on it and she was kind enough to send me a sample in our swap. Unfortunately, this blend just wasn’t for me. The green tea base seems nice, with no grassiness or bitterness, but the jasmine flavor completely overwhelms whatever blueberry taste is supposed to be here. I feel like I’m drinking a garden!

Caramel corn is one of my favorite treats, so I was so excited to receive a sample of this tea in my recent swap with slb2221! This blend is one of those “fruit salad” teas…lots of chunks of dried fruit and spices with no actual tea leaf that I can see. The scent as it’s steeping smells just like real caramel corn! But unfortunately, the flavor was a disappointment. Lots of sweet, buttery caramel, but nothing that’s reminding me of popcorn. (Actually, there’s a weird fruity flavor here that I’m really not enjoying.) Without the saltiness of the popcorn to cut the sweetness, it starts to get a bit sickening midway through the cup. Definitely not something I’d re-purchase, but glad I had the chance to indulge my curiosity!

slb2221 kindly sent along a sample of this one in our recent swap! I don’t think I’d pay $8/ounce for it, as I’ve had plenty of black teas that were just as good and cost a lot less (such as TeaSource’s Black Mao Feng). But cost aside, this is a very enjoyable black tea! It’s super smooth with no bitterness or astringency and lots of rich, sweet flavor. I’m picking up malt and sweet potato and maybe just a touch of honey on the first steep. Guessing this will also re-steep well!

This is a perfect Christmas tea…it tastes just like a Terry’s Chocolate Orange! You don’t get a ton of flavor when it’s hot, but as it cools down the rich dark chocolate starts to pop out with a sweet, almost floral orange note brightening things up. I enjoyed it plain last night, but I’m guessing this would also make a fantastic tea latte.

This is such an interesting tea! Honestly, I’m not picking up very much chocolate in my cup. The main flavors I’m noticing are marshmallow and malt. And those chili flakes pack a serious spicy kick! I don’t think this is something I’d reach for often, but I’m glad for the opportunity to try it. Thanks to slb2221 for the sample!