1120 Tasting Notes
After seeing all of the good reviews for this, I was happy to be able to find it in Target. I totally see what all of the fuss is about! It’s a lovely holiday tea with an incredibly attractive price tag. It doesn’t particularly remind me of a candy cane, but it’s very minty nonetheless and that’s enough to satisfy me. Vanilla is a secondary taste that makes a nice subtle addition, and as it steeps far past what is probably the recommended time, the cinnamon comes out more and more. This is labeled as a Christmas tea, but I’m sure I could enjoy it all year ’round!
The only complaint I have is that the peppermint reminds me of peppermint extract, including that weird bite it has. I’m not sure what could have been done to tone that effect down — less peppermint? more vanilla? a different method of flavoring? — but it can get annoying. A longer steep does help to bring out the other flavors and thus cover up the peppermint, but it could still be better.
Confession: this is the first honeybush I’ve ever had, which is pretty odd considering my sweet tooth makes me more suited to it than to rooibos. So I don’t know if it’s the honeybush or the combination of flavors that makes this blend great — but whichever it is, I approve. Slightly sweet but not dessert-y, this is a yummy and calming tea that really does make me want to curl up somewhere on a cool fall day.
I’m not familiar with matcha outside of green tea ice cream, so it was great to be able to try this. (That’s one great thing about visiting people for holidays, drinking their tea!) Not bad at all, although I’m sure matcha prepared the traditional way is much better.
