2 Tasting Notes
Definitely a black tea. A little more biting than I usually go for, but that could very well be due to the temperature and time I steeped it at. It’s got a really nice reddish brown color in the cup.
The taste reminds me of campfire coffee, without the coffee bitterness. Not my absolute favorite, but if someone offered it to me, I’d take it!
Preparation
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been sticking it to the Teavana Man by buying and drinking a few different varieties of satchel/bag teas (no Lipton or store-generic-brand though, I do have some standards left). I love chai teas, but I hadn’t yet gotten around to adding a really good one to my collection at home, instead ‘making my own’ by adding cinnamon and cloves to my Teavana Nine Dragon Golden Needle or just drinking it at work. Well, now I can say I have a more than adequate addition to the stash.
Opening the tin for this tea (which on it’s own is beautiful, the dusky orange color is really nice), I immediately got punched in the face in the best cinnamon-spicey way. I was definitely excited to try it.
I used 195 degree water from my water heater, in a 10 ounce mug, with one satchet. The smell of the tea as it was steeping was fabulous, very much like Hot Tamales, and the taste was just as nice and cinnamon-y. The hint of sweet from the clove and orange peel was perfect, no sugar or honey required. ‘Hot’ is definitely a fitting moniker though, I can still feel the cinnamon burn at the back of my throat. An attempt at a second steeping doesn’t give as much cinnamon flavor, though it is still there—just subdued. First is definitely my preference.