White Chocolate Peppermint

I’m enjoying this one! There’s some mint and some dessertiness from the white chocolate. It’s definitely a mild flavor, but I liked it! I couldn’t really taste the base tea, which was fine with me. I had it with a bit of milk, and if it were herbal, I’d probably add this tea to my rotation. It’s mild, but solid. I’m glad the TTB gave me a chance to try it!

Sipdown! (51 | 255)

“An Ode to Tea” Alphabet Challenge – W

Not gonna lie, I thought this was an herbal tisane and probably steeped it too hot and too long. Oh well!

Well, it’s not bitter, which is impressive. But it’s not great either. The combination of the mint with a touch of cinnamon in cardamom is interesting. But the mint has a bit too much of an herbal flavor for me. The white chocolate also tastes more like regular chocolate flavoring, which we all know is not my favorite.

So meh, it’s not for me.

This is not a boldly flavored holiday tea, but a subtle and smooth cup of peppermint goodness. Sometimes I wonder if some holiday blends just try too hard by adding extra ingredients. This one is simple and delicious if you are expecting a mellow, minty cup.

April Sipdown Alphabet Challenge: “W” Tea
I’ll be happy when my box of this one is gone. I just don’t really care for it. It has kind of an artificial taste to it and the strong cardamom taste isn’t pleasant here. When I think of a white chocolate tea or even a peppermint bark-inspired tea this is not what I think of. I love Republic Of Tea’s Peppermint Bark tea but that one is a lot pricier than this box of CS tea of course.

I’m not 100% sure what pushed me to pick this off the shelves at my local grocery store – I am not a mint tea person, and I’ve had too many bad run-ins with teas attempting to recreate a chocolate flavor. One typically overpowers the other. Not only that, but the cinnamon and cardamom intrigued me – I can see it complementing dark or milk chocolate for a chai type of deal, but white chocolate? In white tea? Whatever may be the case, I picked it up. Call me one of those girls who picks up anything with spice at the mere hint of chillier weather (still in the high 80’s here!), I tossed it in my cart and began to wonder if I would regret it. Still, at only $2 something, I wasn’t too worried.
Well wow, was I blown away. This is the perfect tea to drink when it’s rainy and cool out. Even if it’s still a Texas summer, but maybe it’s cloudy for a change. Regardless, it somehow worked! The white tea is mostly in the background, making sure none of it is too heady or acidic. The white chocolate is prominent, and somehow enhanced by the cinnamon and cardamom notes. If you’re worried about the cardamom, don’t be – the spice level is still low in this, everything just compliments the other. Lastly, the peppermint peeps in to steal the show. I primarily dislike mint teas because they upset my stomach (acid reflux is NOT a joke), but this doesn’t have the intense minty-ness of typical teas. The mint here makes this a Christmastime classic. Like peppermint bark!
Anyway, enough of that. I also love that there is little caffeine in this. Despite my adoration of black teas, dealing with some health issues has left me on a white tea kick. I still do not enjoy herbal teas, which is why I was so taken aback by this one. Celestial Seasonings is typically a brand I associate with herbal teas, and they’re usually too flowery for me or they work better as iced teas. This one is perfect hot, and I was so excited that this is the one white tea I’ve seen from them! Needless to say, you should pick yourself up a box. I already bought two more in anticipation of winter time!