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The smell is roasted popcorn goodness but the taste is unfortunately lacking. I was hoping for something buttery, but the flavor here is watery instead. Maybe I used too little leaf or maybe it’s just too old, not sure.

Is this a black tea with mint or a green tea with mint? Steepster says green tea, but Adagio says Darjeeling (Google says it can be processed as black, green, white, and oolong) which I’ve always thought was a black tea. It does brew up somewhat dark and smells strongly of mint. This is a really nicely flavored mint tea. From the caffeine buzz I’m getting, I’m guessing this is a black tea after all.

Second Steep
6 ounces water + 175 degrees + 3 minutes

Steeps nice and dark with a green rim around the edge. The tastes is still minty but light in flavor.

The smell/aroma is juicy strawberries, the tastes is a touch bitter. I’m having this plain, no honey today.

I’m actually pretty excited to try this green tea. I was going through some of my green tea stash to share some for work and this is one I chose. My coworkers thought it smelled floral, like potpourri, but I am getting more of a roasted aroma. No honey today. And gladly, it’s not bitter! Maybe there’s hope for me and green tea yet!

Second Steep
6 ounces water + 1 minute

Lighter but still with some flavor. Probably won’t try for a third cup.

This has such a unique smell. Floral, maybe? It reminds me of my grandmother’s soap or maybe some of her powdery makeup. I can’t quite place it. It’s not a bad fragrance, not even soapy really, just floral and powdery and grandma-esque. It’s nostalgic really. The aroma changes entirely while steeping. The lemongrass shines. It’s reminding me of PEZ candies for some reason. It has a sweet aroma.

The blend is heavy on the lemongrass and calendula petals. I wish I’d used 2 teaspoons rather than one because the cup is very light and there weren’t many tea leaves there. I can taste lemongrass most of all. It feels and tastes more like an herbal tea. I’m not really getting custard or hibiscus. I’ve added a bit of cream to hopefully bring out the custard flavor, even though the tea is so light. I’m not one bit sad about the missing hibiscus, but I’m bummed that the custard just isn’t there.

Thanks, amandastory516 for letting me try this one!

Gnat and Bee is such a wonderful small business. Not only does Natalie create some amazing teas, she also does seasonal extracts, soaps, and bath products. Her autumn Chroning tea is one of my all-time favorite smoky teas. This Whiskey & Fig tea was recently released as part of her autumnal shop update, and my brother placed an order the day it came out. We love supporting Natalie because you can tell that she truly puts the love into everything she does.

This tea blend is strikingly beautiful, with pink peppercorns and what I’m guessing is bright red cherry bark. There is a smoky aroma, no sweetness at all, and the taste is just the same. I have to say, I’m a little disappointed that I’m not tasting the juicy fig, but maybe she was going more for a Fig Newton. I actually get more of that flavor. There’s almost a breadiness reminiscent of that dense, unsweetened cookie so if you like Fig Newtons this tea may be for you. I’m not a fan of them at all. I don’t get any sort of whiskey flavor but I’m not a big whiskey drinker so I’m likely just not picking up on it. It’s very drying too.

I just wish I liked this one more. Unfortunately, it’s a miss for me. Perhaps a shorter steep next time will help with some of the bitterness.

I’ve been craving peppermint today, or rather peppermint candy, and this is possibly the only tea I have that really fits. The peppermint is the high note here, but I do wish the base was bolder. Not necessarily strong, but more flavorful. This tea is admittedly a few years old so that could be it, but I remember feeling this way when I first tried it. It’s weak somehow.

This is a good tea, but it’s undoubtedly missing something that I can’t quite place. A depth of flavor, a well-rounded cup. Maybe it’s the hot chocolate I’m missing. Something. I’m happy with it though, for tonight, when I’m wanting something cozy and festive. I think honestly that might be what I’m really after – the warmth and coziness of the holiday season.

What’s your favorite holiday tea? I’d love some suggestions!

I brought a variety of loose leaf teas with me to work today but this one ended up being my tea of choice this morning. Oversteeped it a bit, but it’s generally pretty forgiving.

My morning cuppa. This had a nice solid flavor, not too strong or too bold. I didn’t taste much in the way of marshmallow, but there was a flavor there I couldn’t place so maybe that’s something. Planning to drink more of this in the coming days because it’s just a really tasty black tea. Thanks for letting me try this one, amandastory516!

A gift from amandastory516. My brother and I had a cup of this together and he swears it tastes just like cotton candy. I didn’t get the cotton candy flavor much at first, but as it cooled I feel like it came through more for me. There is definitely a sweetness here that’s more than just sweet, like the flavor of the sugar itself. I haven’t had many cotton candy teas (though I do love cotton candy!), but this one is definitely the closest I’ve had to the real deal.