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Not sure from whence this came, but I didn’t buy it for myself since everybody at work gives me their lapsang leavings after their first cup. In this case, I’m not sure the original purchaser got past the first sniff, considering the pouch is practically full.

I steeped my first cup wimpy (little leaf, lotsa water), which is my preferred lapsang strength. Very drinkable. The proprietors mention some pine/fir notes in their particular blend, and I caught them (mildly) in the first two or three hot sips. Less so now that it has cooled. I think I’ll be able to double up on the leaf next cup, although their 1 full tablespoon to 8 ounces of water recommendation seems to be a little overkill.

For a while, finding the decaf version of this tried-and-true favorite was hard, but it’s a pretty easy grab off local shelves this season. It’s a pretty fair echo of the original—the orange and spice mixture is unchanged. All that’s missing are the deeper notes from the caffeinated base tea. I’m sure I’ll be spending plenty of quality time with this box as winter approaches.

An unopened carton of this concentrate was passed along by a coworker who didn’t think it tasted like she expected. So I set the bar pretty low…

…and jumped over it by a mile! I used 50-50 skim milk and half & half (does that make it half of half & half? or a quarter?) with an equal dollop of the concentrate, whisked away, and threw it in the microwave. Delicious! Chai purists would probably note that there isn’t enough cardamom or anise in the spice blend, but neither of those are my favorite lead notes. Honey and cinnamon are in the forefront here, so what I’ve got sitting next to me in my favorite hand-thrown mug is pretty much eggnog.

Not sure what I’m enjoying more…the beverage, the pleasantly murky weather that makes it comfortable to drink seasonal stuff, or a little quiet time with my feet up to contemplate it.

It’s easy to forget (at least when you’re two spits away from the memory care hallway) whether you’ve tasted or reviewed seasonal teas…but when you revisit a good one, it’s like the first time all over again.

Especially with this little gem. Twinings has perfected the pastry/cookie aspect. Not too sweet; no doctoring with sugar or milk needed, although I’m thinking a little dairy could enhance it nicely.

Perfect for a dank, damp, foggy, chilly afternoon.

I’m not sure if ashmanra’s done “A Kind of Tea You Buy Even When You Aren’t Out” as a monthly prompt, but this fits the category, as our Food 4 Less had a seasonal Twinings display with everything less than $3. Can’t pass that up, especially as this one gets used year-round as a nightcap.

Nothing new to say about it; everything is very understated: hints of apple, wisps of chamomile, little twinkle of cinnamon. Just leave the bag in and enjoy.

Y’all are ten minutes too late to join the Great Laundry Room Possum Rodeo. Thanks to the cool head of my husband, a strategically wielded garden tool or two, and a laundry basket barricade to prevent a stampede through the kitchen doorway, Miz Possum trundled her rat-tail hindquarters out the door and conveniently jumped into the garage wastebasket, making disposal slightly less messy. Honorable mention goes to Minnie the Watch-Cat who fished us out from the back bedroom announcing that her territory had been invaded.

After all that, I was too worn out for anything but bagged tea.

This box was originally going to be part of a themed birthday present for a friend, then I changed themes. For a hibiscus hater’s household, it’s getting consumed faster than expected. I think that’s largely because lemon is supposed to be tart—you know what’s coming instead of being surprised by the pucker. The orange peel and chicory keep it from being painfully sour and add a little dimension.

And while there’s probably only a nominal amount of Vitamin C from the hibiscus, I’ll take whatever immune boosting I can get. People at work are dropping like flies with early flu.