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Homemade Advent Calendar from AJRimmer – Day 2
Ooh, another tea from a company I’m fond of, yay! The raspberry here is just the right level of tart and not particularly sweet, and it pairs nicely with the mint. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this was great after a big lunch. Even better as a tea soda. Very happy with this one.
I made a mug of this tea yesterday and it had a lot more of a kick to it than I remembered! Once I got past the unexpected chili heat in my first sip, I quite enjoyed the balance of flavours though. Rich and chocolate-y with strong notes of raw cacao followed by a cozy and very warming mix of spices such a ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Also, obviously, chili. I liked that it was rich but not so sweet, and I really tasted what I believe was the nutmeg in the finish quite a lot actually. In many ways, this was like drinking the liquid version of a chocolate bar with chili. I don’t know exactly what kind of chili is used here, but it reminded me a lot of ancho chili peppers.
Maybe it’s the grey in the name, but this is one I tend to reach for when the sky is overcast. The whole blend has a mellow, gentle sort of quality to it. As I was scooping the tea from the pouch, I saw at least one generous piece of vanilla and something that I thought was fruit, but since there isn’t any fruit here, it must have been a piece of burnt sugar candy. Everything about this blend is mellow: the black tea, the bergamot, the vanilla. It’s like a cotton candy fluffy earl cloud. But not TOO sweet. Two great steeps.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 minute steep
Sipdown #27
Focusing on sipdowns as I prepare for the advent onslaught! And actually writing a note for this one, because apparently I didn’t review it during last year’s 52teas advent. (Or was it the 2023 advent…?)
I really love the fluffy, soft profile of Graveyard Mist, and Holiday Mist is a nice play on it. It’s funny because I don’t know that the additional fruity note screams “mandarin” to me — it’s more a generically tropical flavor, in my opinion. But it’s super tasty and bright. I think I still prefer Graveyard Mist, but this is a fun alternative!
Flavors: Citrusy, Marshmallow, Mint, Soft, Spearmint, Tropical Fruit
I started getting out my holiday teas, and was excited to see enough of this for 2 more cups. Honestly, wish I had more because this cup is delicious. The roasted flavor has come out more with age, and it’s reminding me of getting roasted chestnuts on the streets in Paris on Christmas Eve (that was a great trip).
Flavors: Chestnut, Nutty, Roasted, Spices
The first steeping of this was really nice! Mid and base notes, creamy coconut. I had a hard time waiting the recommended 10 minutes for it to cool, but I think it was the right choice. I drank it down pretty quickly. The second steeping I forgot about and I don’t know if it was because of that or that it’s a one steep type of tea, but the second cup was lacking. First cup FTW!
Preparation
52Teas has a real way with autumnal blends. Since that’s my favorite season, too, I really enjoy their ‘take’ on the season! This packet got lost in the back of my cabinet, so when the 2025 Sipdown Challenge was issued, I found it in the box of packeted teas unfortunately overlooked for some time.
While not as strong as it would have been when newer, I found this tea redolent of the best of autumn: yes, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg of course, but the pumpkin was still discernible, welcome! Too many PSLs, both coffees and teas, have all the spices, but fail to include real pumpkin. That’s not the case here!
I hope this tea will be reissued, as it’s a lovely blend.
Flavors: Allspice, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Spices, Tannic, Tea, Vanilla
Preparation
Calling something “pumpkin spice” without any pumpkin flavor is like calling a plain biscuit “chocolate cake biscuit”—it’s all in the imagination!
To be fair, the origin of the phrase “pumpkin spice” was referring to a mix of spices intended to season pumpkin pies – so it would be weird in that context for a spice mix going into pumpkins to also contain pumpkin.
…but, that said, I also agree that I much prefer when pumpkin spice flavoured food/bev products (tea, cookies, etc) do actually contain and taste like real pumpkin.
I agree, pumpkin spice does not technically include pumpkin. But people have come to expect it to, I think. It’s become more of a pumpkin pie flavor.
Very fair of you, @Roswell Strange! In truth, I was aware of the origin of the pumpkin spice origins (yes, I’m old) but also have come to expect the pumpkin flavor, as @Cameron B mentions. But good on you for keeping me honest!
Let’s face it: Pumpkin spice beverages and baked goods – whether pie or muffins or quick breads – are a delightful way to welcome, and keep, the fall season. I don’t mean silliness like pumpkin spice scented seat covers or stuff like that! But teas, coffees, cakes, pies – I love those all!
Lots of cinnamon in this, but not the spicy kind, but the baked kind. I get a hint of sweetness which must be the maple. I think I can pick out the fruit, but it’s blended in so well with the other flavors that it’s hard to pick out on it’s own. This is a nice evening cup and I’m delighted that it’s on a honeybush base!
Preparation
I’m so intrigued with flavored Houjichas! This has a definite butter rum flavor to it. I feel like the roastiness of the houjicha sits in the background as more of a base. I’m not super familiar with the taste of kukicha, so I can’t say what that is adding. I’m enjoying this cup quite quickly! I like!
Preparation
I’m drinking this tea cold, and it’s super smooth. I taste some fruitiness and a medium flavor that could be the donut. It’s missing the acidity that would make me think apple cider specifically, but I really don’t mind. It tastes good! The resteep is fruity and bright. I don’t even really taste the black base, just delicious fruit.
I bought this a few months ago. Had to stock up on some marshmallow root teas. :) This isn’t WOWing me as I thought it would, as I have dearly loved almost all other banana teas from 52Teas. I do love that this seems more like green underripe banana in the flavor, as that is when I tolerate bananas best. Though that is probably just the green tea making me feel like this is a more underripe banana. The green tea though…. it is very finely chopped… or very crushed or both. And I can’t really tell if there is matcha in this or if it is just the very tiny green tea “leaves”. hmm. No green tea from 52Teas has been like this before. And it has happened every time I steep this up, so it isn’t a matter of not mixing the bag. I think it is the very small green tea leaf that is making this seem like there is hardly any banana or marshmallow flavor here… at least much less flavoring than in usual 52Teas blends. And I made SURE to get a piece of banana in the infuser.
Steep #1 // 1 teaspoon for a full mug // 34 minutes after boiling // 1 minute steep
Steep #2 // 36 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep
edited to add: I looked at the Steepster description and it looks like this blend IS made with matcha genmaicha.
This is really warming and nice! I feel like I taste pumpkin and a bit of spice, though I wouldn’t have said caramel. I can also taste the oolong and appreciate it, even though I’m not usually an oolong lover. This could definitely have more caramel, but I think the flavors that are there are quite tasty.
