Melissa

When at Barnes and Noble this is what I want during the holidays. There is nothing groundbreaking here, baking spices and black tea. It is just that the balance is really lovely. The cloves are an unusual addition that I really enjoy. Holds up well to a cookie.

Bigmont oil made me think I hate earl grays for a long time. This is a classic earl grey made with oil. This has teeth. Brewed a little long or a little hot and it gets pretty vicious and upsets my stomach. The sheen of oil on top should scare you off. There are lovely earl greys but don’t use any with oil.

Decent apple-y pie spice combo. I have tried this a few times, but I am usually a little disappointed with the weakness of the flavors. Longer brew times help. I ended up using up the rest of my stash in a mix of a long brewed infusion and real apple juice. Also the bags work to spice cider.

I was skeptical. The balanced taste of this tea and the warm apricot overtones convinced me that Disney really can do tea. This is not a challenging or bitey tea, and its surprising lack of acidity makes it a really good choice when you just want a nice soothing tea. It isn’t what I would serve at a mad tea party, but it is exactly what I would pull out to comfort a heartbroken friend (and it would go quite well with salted chocolate)

If I want a herbal in winter this is my go-to. Gentle and sweet with a little sharpness that echos the black tea that is my normal choice. I use a longer seep time. This is good with things that are not too sweet because it is easy to overpower the gentle sweetness of this tea.

Has a delicate sweetness that I like a lot on mornings where bolder teas might be too much. Not a strong flavor, so it isn’t going to make up for soda, but it is a nice hint of sweet that makes the basic black tea pop.

Simple earthy and bitey a good basic black. Do not overbrew or it will taste a little muddy.

I really like Buckingham Palace, it is a nice well rounded tea, but for me Superior Earl Gray does a better job of fitting in to its spot in my tea rotation

This is my most requested tea, the strong bigmont balances the rich but sharp black tea that is the backbone of this blend. This is likely to become my staple go-to tea