Tea Revv Advent – Day 12-17

So it’s time for the latest instalment from my Tea Revv 24 Advent calendar. This last few days has brought quite a good bunch. Mostly.

Day 12 – Snowballs

A decaffeinated Rooibos tea today, this time very festive as I can see snowflakes and silver sprinkles amongst the leaves. Pretty cute! I confess to getting a bit girlie when I saw it.

The tea quickly darkens in colour as the water is poured on, it has a 3-4 minute brew time and this is definitely enough.

Strong marzipan like scents waft upwards. I worried a bit that I wouldn’t enjoy this tea, not being a fan of marzipan.

Although milk was suggested I decided against it, it smelt sweet and rich enough.

Totally surprised as I took my first sip at how delicious it tastes. a fruity, almondy tea that actually didn’t remind me of marzipan at all. I’m starting to wonder if my fear of marzipan is more about the texture. Or texture and flavour combined at least.

Day 13 – Ultimate Chocolate

This is a black tea with cocoa. I could see petals inside the sachet, when I read the ingredients it said sunflower petals. Well who knew! I know you can eat and bake with the seeds, I quite like them to nibble on, but I’ve never before seen the petals be used in anything. Nothing you consume anyway.

The tea quickly turned a dark reddish brown. It was only brewed for 3 minute, which was the lower end of what was suggested.

I could smell chocolate, a kind of chocolate wood. Earthy I guess. The fragrance of tea also drifted in and out.

This was a tea that could be served with milk however I decided to drink both cups without. I started with the first but then thought the taste didn’t suit milk. For me anyway.

I did enjoy this tea. It had a really familiar taste about it. I’m still not 100% sure what. Possibly Turkish delight. You know the kind that is coated in chocolate. A bit floral. Sweet but bitter. Actually quite moorish.

Day 14 – Maple Green

A green tea in this sachet. The leaves very dark and joining them were what looked like petals.

Just a 1-3 minute brew time was recommended, green tea can be bitter so this made sense.

According to the ingredients real Maple Syrup was involved with these leaves, so I was expecting a sweetness to come through and maybe balance the green tea bitterness. I was wrong. A very intense bitter floral taste hit me. Wow, this was not to my liking!

I apologise for not describing this tea too well, it’s only one so far I haven’t been able to drink. I couldn’t even finish the first cup.

Day 15 – Gingerbread

For starters I love gingerbread, I also love a Starbucks Gingerbread Latte, so was excited at the thought of the flavours combined with tea. My first favourite beverage!

Lots of different colours could be seen in the sachet, an autumnal feeling about it, like crispy leaves.

A black tea that can also be made as a latte. I imagined the flavours to be like chai maybe, so added milk. Brew time suggested was 3-4 minutes. I went to the maximum, possibly more, as I’ve learned I like a chai quite strong. Gives it chance to bring out the spices more.

This was as delicious as I expected, spicy like a chai, festive and warming. I added milk to both cups, and with the second I had one of my homemade Christmas shortbread snowflakes (check out my recipe and how to construct a shortbread Christmas tree here!).

Day 16 – Go Nuts

We’re going herbal today with this decaffeinated nutty tea.

The leaves were very colourful, with lots of bits and pieces in. I could see shards of nuts and cocoa beans.

A startling blue colour appeared when water was poured over, which then turned a little red. It’s now a bright purple as I drink, with no milk added.

Wow it smells amazing, nutty and fruity. Fruit and nut. Like the chocolate bar, kind of.

Tastes more appley though as I begin to drink.

You know that moment you bite a crisp apple and it’s sweet yet tart, and sucks the moisture from your mouth. Does that have a word? Well if it does that’s how I’d describe this tea. I really liked it. I quite like taste combinations that mess you up a bit. Tickle the tastebuds as they say.

It did still have a nuttiness to it. More of an aftertaste. I couldn’t tell you which nuts, just a general woody nutty flavour.

Day 17 – Irish Cream

This is a black tea, fully caffeinated. It looks just like tea leaves inside the sachet, no random surprises today.

It says best served hot, with milk or a ‘lattea’ as it calls it. I’m guessing it could be made entirely with milk, or just a dash.

I decided to go for a dash as I have to be in the mood for a milky drink. It can be quite rich. Being called an ‘Irish Cream’ I’m thinking Baileys, whisky, some kind of creamy spirit in a tea. A hot toddy type thing.

With the milk in it has the appearance of a regular tea, if it wasn’t for the smell you wouldn’t suspect a thing. From the smell I was expecting a boozy taste, it smelt a bit like Baileys. It did taste of it too, not strong, nor sickly, but quite subtle.

I’ll be adding Snowballs and Go Nuts to my list of favourites. Along with the previously mentioned Ice Cream Earl Grey, Apple Pie Spice, Notorious Eggnog and Pumpkin Pie Chai.

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Do you have a favourite tea you’d recommend?

What advent calendar do you have this year?

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