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2020 Advent Swap – Day 22

You’ll love the smell of this tea, it puts me in a good mood!!

I can see why Devon Bartholomew said this tea puts her in a good mood – it smells exactly like the green apple Jolly Ranchers! The aroma is very strong in the bag but lightens after steeping. It still tastes more like apple candy than pear to me, though I do eat pears much less often than apples and associate them more with their sandy texture than with any pronounced flavor. The green tea was light but noticeable. I don’t think I’ve tried many pear teas so this was very unique.

2020 Advent Swap – Day 21

A classic flavor – nothing fancy but yummy.

I love both chai spices and vanilla. I also love trying new-to-me tea companies. This tea seemed like a win, and I was excited to try it. Unfortunately, the base flavor was weak, and the chai spices were not present. Devon Bartholomew said this one is yummy, but it wasn’t my cup of tea. It was not bold or flavorful in any way. I couldn’t find an ingredient list online, but it smells somewhat sweet in the package. Maybe there is licorice root? I’m guessing that’s supposed to be the vanilla. There were no spices in the aroma. What a bummer, not because it was necessarily a bad tea but because it wasn’t at all what I expected it to be.

2020 Advent Swap – Day 20

This smells soooo good when I am brewing it! A treat with a little aromatherapy!!

I don’t remember this tea, but it looks like I’ve had it before. I didn’t rate it too high last time around, but I’m ready to give this another shot. I do like orange flavor and spices, but I’m not looking forward to the hibiscus. And don’t get me wrong – I’m no hibiscus hater, but I prefer it cold. I drank it hot, and it had a bitter flavor, like the pith of an orange, not the bright flavor of the zest. Also, there were spices, but they were vague, and I couldn’t pick out anything specific. Even after letting it cool, I still didn’t enjoy this cup. I think I’ll leave the rating as is – it still fits. Thanks, Devon Bartholomew, for sharing – my husband enjoyed it!

Oh, I loved this one! I’m such a fan of smoky teas, and the combination of smoke with the fruity apple won me over. I don’t taste toffee, caramel, or cinnamon, but I’m giddy over this cup. I only have one more serving of this one, so I’ll be purchasing more with my next B&B order.

Another 52Teas blend I hadn’t yet opened. This one has such a unique aroma. The maple mixed with the spices was a pleasant and unexpected surprise. It’s a green and white tea blend, and neither of those ever have much flavor for me, but this one did. I didn’t taste the spices as much as I smelled them, but it had a nice maple flavor.

2020 Advent Swap – Day 19

I love Ceylon teas! I got this on vacation from an Asian grocery store, it wasn’t labeled in English. I bought it from the picture, haha!

This is one of my favorites from the advent calendar so far. Before steeping, it doesn’t smell like much. After, it’s a perfectly flavored orange black tea. The base isn’t too bold, but it’s strong enough to stand side by side with the orange flavor without either overtaking the other. This is one I would gladly drink again if I can find it. Might have to place an online order for a box to keep on hand. Thanks, Devon Bartholomew!

2020 Advent Swap – Day 18

One of my all time hard to find favorites for any time of day. Don’t steep it too weak. Great w/ a little sugar.

I saved this one for later in the night since it’s a rooibos. It has that nutty rooibos flavor, and it smells very sweet and festive. For those who have Cracker Barrel restaurants, imagine walking into the front lobby. It smells just like that. Sweet cinnamon rooibos. This was a nice, nighttime treat. James especially enjoyed it. Devon Bartholomew – if you have a Whole Foods nearby, I checked and ours has this one available!

Another gift from amandastory516 that I’ve had for a while but haven’t tried yet. I know exactly why I’ve been putting this one off though – MATCHA. Matcha intimidates the crap out of me. I don’t know why, but I’m always afraid I’m going to mess it up and so I never get around to trying it. I’m so glad I finally decided to try this one though because I loved it! Right out of the package, it has this green aroma. It’s not earthy and it’s not quite mineral. It’s more like spirulina. Once the water hits, it’s cake batter – just like everyone says. I started with a small amount of water and made a paste, slowly adding and whisking until everything was combined, then added a little cream and a little sugar syrup. It was a perfect warm and cozy drink, kind of like a cake-flavored hot chocolate (but without the chocolate). If not for the caffeine, I think this would make a fantastic nightcap. I’d certainly be happy drinking it every night.

One of my favorites! I got this in my advent calendar from amandastory516 last year and immediately went to The Whistling Kettle website to buy a large bag for myself. I should have let the water cool a bit before adding it because today’s cup was a little bitter and astringent, but that’s entirely on me. This tea is a good one. I love black teas with stone fruits.

2020 Advent Swap – Day 17

A stronger black tea than I expected – a pleasant surprise. Less overkill fruit flavor, more a hint of fruit with almost straight black tea. Great hot

I split this one with James since he loves lemon-flavored teas, and he did love it. Surprisingly though, he tasted blueberry instead of lemon. I tasted no blueberry and only lemon. It was very much the flavor of an iced tea with lemon, except I drank it hot. My cup wasn’t as strong as Devon Bartholomew’s, so maybe I should have steeped it a bit longer. I wish I had tasted some of the blueberry flavor, but she was right about this being more of a straight black tea with a hint of fruit.