Broke into this tea after dinner, my reward for a long day (and a longer one coming tomorrow!) I bought this tea because, like a magpie, I am drawn to all things sparkly. That it was a cinnamon black tea (one of my favorites) was just a bonus! It’s gorgeous looking in the bag and it makes your tea sparkly – brilliant!
The dry leaf aroma is of cinnamon and vanilla. I was surprised by that, as I wasn’t expecting the vanilla to be strong. I steeped for 6 minutes (the bag recommends 4-7, a wide range!) I was hoping this would be a cinnamon where I could taste the black tea. I was not disappointed in that, and I am very pleased with the quality of the black tea (which is often lacking in these blends.) I was delighted to find the vanilla very present in the cup as well as the aroma. It evokes a baked good, but doesn’t exactly taste like one, if that makes sense. I added milk and sugar, and I liked it that way. I might try no milk next time for a change.
In comparing this to the cinnamon I reviewed yesterday (Upton’s cinnamon chai) I find this tea superior in every way. The cinnamon tastes true, not artificial, the black tea is good quality and not bitter, and the addition of vanilla gives it a lift that carries it up near the top of my list. It’s not fireball spicy, but it’s not that sort of tea. It does have enough cinnamon that I (a cinnamon fanatic) am very satisfied.
