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In college, the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf was a staple on campus – despite multiple Starbucks locations that were more convenient, because of course we had to go here to get the tea. A friend introduced me to the Jasmine Dragon Tea Latte, the very idea of which appalled me until I tasted it. Then I was hooked.

I have not figured out how to make a tea latte yet, but I’m always happy to see a jasmine tea, and this was no exception. This is one I’d buy to have a quick and easy bagged jasmine on hand.

teapigs advent, day 11

My partner asked for a cup of tea and tends to prefer simplicity, so this was a good one to share with him this morning. It’s a green tea and mint pairing that delivers exactly what it says – some green tea flavor up front and then the rest is spearmint. I like a good spearmint tea; this hit the spot.

sipsby advent, day 11*
(sipsby packages this in no particular order, so your order may be different than mine)

As the advents continue, the fruity hibiscus teas are starting to feel the same. Hot, I’m getting mostly an artificial sweet flavor, with the hibiscus next. There is pineapple in the scent but I miss it in the flavor. The hibiscus and other fruit is more prominent when it cools. I could definitely see this as a cold brew or iced tea, so long as it doesn’t accentuate the sweetener.

DAVIDsTEA caffeine free advent, day 10

This is a fun cup of tea. Grassy with a hint of mint in front, followed by a subtly tart hibiscus cranberry (which is more noticeable as it cools). Following brewing instructions, it comes out more of a pale pink. I steeped it into a darker pink for the final round, but I’m not sure it made a noticeable difference on the flavor.

sipsby advent, day 10*
(sipsby packages this in no particular order, so your order may be different than mine)

Tea names like “calm” or “energize” are a silly pet peeve of mine so I was already biased against this tea.

Chamomile is the main ingredient and it shows. I was hoping for a little more of the lemon but I’m not getting it at all. I wish I liked chamomile; I could use an easy tool to help me relax. I just don’t care for it.

teapigs advent, day 10

My feelings about this tea are colored by a memory.

Not too long ago, I discovered the brand and grabbed an advent calendar in sachets instead of loose leaf. My partner had to complete field work someplace near some of our close friends, so we all packed up and spent two weeks in a hotel covered by the company.

I took to bringing my sachet down in the hotel for breakfast with my oldest, a toddler at the time, and tasting the tea while she bounced around in her seat and we figured out what we were doing that day. Some of them were misses, but I was so surprised by this one. It smelled like coffee and chocolate, tasted sweet and mild, and really turned tea on its head for me.

It is sweeter than I would prefer, but when I drink it now I remember that trip, that hotel, that silly little girl and all the adventures we got to take when she was tiny, and so I’ll always take an opportunity to enjoy a cup.

DAVIDsTEA advent, day 10

This morning seemed perfect for a tea that felt like a cozy cloud, so I was excited to brew this up. It hasn’t rained today but given the weather all week, why not?

I see where they call this a mild chai; the spice comes through in the scent of the dry tea and the cup, but it’s hard to taste while hot. I noticed a lot more of it in the colder cup. I like the idea of these spices on a green tea base but I’d like more of them.

sipsby advent, day 9*
(sipsby packages this in no particular order, so your order may be different than mine)

Makes an easy cup of black breakfast tea. I tend to prefer straight unsweetened black teas on ice, but this wasn’t bad hot with some honey. It’s something I’d buy to have on hand for my partner, even though I wouldn’t choose it – “I could definitely drink this everyday” was the strongest endorsement he’s given any of these flavors.

(If anyone has suggestions on how I can learn more about distinguishing different varieties of black teas or figuring out the subtler notes of teas, I’d love to hear them!)

teapigs advent, day 9 and day 24

Peach and jasmine are two of my favorite things in tea. I saw all the reviews about how temperamental this blend can be though, and since I’m a chronic over-steeper, I decided to be very careful about both temperature and time. Unfortunately, it meant that I could still smell the peach/jasmine combo but could barely taste it. I’d like to play with this a little more and see if I can get the taste to get anywhere close to the smell another time, because this blend is screaming my name if I can!

DAVIDsTEA advent, day 9

I tend to go heavy on the tea I use for a brew in general, but especially these fruit/hibiscus blends. I think it pays off for Sunny C, as I got a lovely cup of orange and hibiscus that didn’t taste watery at all. The dominant flavors I noticed are hibiscus/orange peel, lending a bitterness to the tea, but it works while it’s hot. This is one I want to play with some more in the future!

DAVIDsTEA caffeine free advent, day 8