Hot Mulled Cider

Strange VariaTEA TTB: Tea #3

Not sure why I wanted to try this one so badly when I saw it, as it tastes exactly what you would expect from this type of blend – very standard mix of mulling spices and hibiscus. Good sweetness/spice balance that made for an overall pleasant (and festive) cup of tea, albeit predictably unexciting.

Turns out I did not add this tea or any of the teas from my December My Tea Box subscription box to Steepster. So this has now been added so I can talk about how it compares to Bird and Blend’s Mulled Cider. Check out the note for that tea here: https://steepster.com/rachel12610/posts/416046

The two teas are honestly pretty similar in flavor. Like either could substitute for the other. If I really had to pinpoint a difference, I would say the Bird and Blend version is a little heavier on the clove and spice while this rests more on the apple and other fruits in the mix. This tea has cranberry and elderberry in the mix, which the Bird and Blend does not. The cranberry is a nice addition for sure as it builds on the apple to make it a more rounded fruit flavor that ties better with the hibiscus. The elderberry gives a nice berry top note that is not too sweet and steps in nicely to replace the citrus top note of the Bird and Blend version. Also, this blend does not have ginger in its ingredient list while the Bird and Blend one does. That said, the ginger doesn’t come through much in the Bird and Blend tea so its absence isn’t really standing out here.

Honestly, either way, you get a spiced yet fruity drink that would keep you warm on a cold night and satisfy a mulled cider craving for sure.