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I had a feeling based on the scent and appearance of the dried leaf that this was going to be a fairly generic fruity flavored black, and I was right. It’s got a somewhat astringent black base with notes of that artificial peach candy flavor we all know. (I don’t mind it, but YMMV.) There’s also something almost floral there? I’m not getting any strawberry, though.

Interestingly, the ingredients on the Whistling Kettle site include concentrated peach puree, concentrated strawberry juice, tangerines, and more; on the other hand, my packet lists only “black tea, flavoring, peaches, strawberries.” I’m wondering if it’s just a shortened list because it’s a tiny taster bag with space constraints, or whether it’s a totally different blend than what’s listed on the website? A mystery!

Anyway, this is fine, but not something I’ll crave and not my first choice when it comes to fruity black tea. I’ll probably try it iced when the weather gets a bit warmer.

Another random tea bag that came along with a Christmas present! I adore jasmine teas and have a very fond memory of accidentally spending way more than intended on jasmine pearls at Teavana (RIP!) a decade or so ago.

Anyway, for a bagged jasmine, this one is quite pleasant. It’s delicate and light with a smidge of citrus. I bet it would be a good entry point for the jasmine-curious, because the floral note is fairly understated. So soft and soothing!

A family member gave me a few assorted bags of tea from this brand over the holidays, and I’m just trying one out now. I needed something caffeine-free, and this tisane seemed promising! Apple, blackberry, raspberry, citrus… and it smells exceptionally tasty, like plump juicy berries. Except… I somehow missed that hibiscus was the very first ingredient. Now that it’s brewed, though, it’s unmistakable in both scent and color.

As for taste… hmm. OK, the hibiscus is not horrible. It’s definitely the first flavor I get, but it’s not quite as aggressive as it could be. (An admittedly low bar.) There’s the faintest bit of something syrupy and sweet to back it up and temper it a bit. I have no desire to drink this one again, but I don’t utterly hate it.

For a tea with so many delightful-sounding ingredients (elderberry! passionfruit! kiwi!), this one does not live up to expectations. I was looking forward to a juicy, fruity delight, but all I can taste is a mouth-puckeringly tart hibiscus, even though hibiscus is fairly far down the list of ingredients. :(

52Teas 12 Teas of Christmas: Day 12!

The final tea of Christmas! I just sipped this one on Christmas night after making lots of tea for various family members. I didn’t get much chai; it was more of a muted black tea with a sweet cookie or pastry note. Fairly simple, but tasty enough. I’ll add a bit of oat milk next time I make it to try to round out the flavors.

Overall, I was so thrilled with the 52Teas advent collection. I’m late to the 52Teas game but I’m definitely a convert!

52Teas 12 Teas of Christmas: Day 11!

I’m a total sucker for a candy cane tea, and this one delivered! Smooth, creamy mint with a lovely toasty note… yep, festive and delicious.

Bird & Blend Advent Calendar 2021: Day 24!

What a blend! I brewed it up on Christmas Eve night and enjoyed it. I didn’t get a ton of peppermint—more of a gentle smokiness with a little hit of chili at the back. I’m not sure I’d seek it out, but it was a decently cozy cuppa. Maybe not the strongest end to the B&B calendar that I could imagine, but not bad!

52Teas 12 Teas of Christmas: Day 10!

Bergamot is never going to top my list of favorite flavors, but dang—I enjoyed this one far more than I anticipated! The coconut creates a really gorgeous rich, creamy base to soften the bergamot… definitely the best Earl Grey I’ve had. I would never have considered buying an Earl Grey in the past, but I could actually see myself ordering more of this to have on hand.

52Teas 12 Teas of Christmas: Day 9!

My tea-making abilities have been slightly hampered by my parents’ lack of a real kettle… we have to use the hot water heating element of their coffeemaker. (They don’t even drink coffee!) It’s a far cry from our variable temperature kettle! I feel like I’m not doing these teas justice.

I’ve never had the cookies that inspired this tea, so I can’t compare the flavors. I got a deep plumminess layered under an almost floral spiciness—a very cozy, holiday-appropriate flavor profile.

Bird & Blend Advent Calendar 2021: Day 23

Oof, this one did not agree with my palate. All I got was an unpleasantly tart orange-y hibiscus that seemed to punch me in the tongue. I could barely finish my cup, never mind go back for a second steep. Meh!