Christmas Eve Herbal Tea

My boyfriend’s mother gave three sachets of this as a gift to me just before Christmas, so I figured I’d bring them home and actually drink the tea on Christmas Eve! Steeped up a cup each for my mom and I and then, finding it to be rather weak, dipped the third teabag intermittently into each of the cups for a bit more flavour.

I was initially worried at the spearmint aroma emanating from the bag (as I dislike mint), but the mint is fairly light here. As are, well, all the flavours. I mostly taste mint, with a hint of sweet cinnamon spice.

I will admit… I’d prefer not to drink this again. I definitely appreciate the chance to try it though, and also the fact that she didn’t heap me with an entire box of teabags!

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: Bright, Minty, nutty, slightly sweet
After water is first poured: Minty, bright, slightly chewy
At end of steep: minty, foresty. Hints of vanilla and orange.
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: light, delicate green
Staple? Yes, stocked up on bags this year, will look next into loose leaf.
Time of day preferred: Any, especially good for alertness.
Taste:
first notes: slight spice, orange, and cinnamon, then clove. Mint and vanilla close
As it cools? Tea opens up quite a bit Mint and Orange become more noticeable, spices blend more evenly.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, orange and clove, mellow hints of mintyness close.
Would like to try chilled sometime

I thought I already tried this a while back but maybe I didn’t…

This smells like holiday booze! It tastes like it too!It says it has cinnamon, orange peel, spearmint, vanilla, clove flavors in it but they all blend together to make it’s own flavor. The only thing identifiable on its own is the spearmint. As it cools – or iced rather – I can taste the orange a little.

The flavor isn’t incredible by any means…but it’s ok. The flavors aren’t really defined but it’s fairly strong for a bagged tea and I can see how it resembles a holiday drinks so props there!

I got this in a trade from someone, but it’s been so long, I’ve forgotten who it was. But this seemed like just the thing for a wet, windy day here in Atlanta. Not that it’s cold, but you know.

It smells of cinnamon and mint the most. I admit, I’m a little apprehensive. The scent reminds me of a Yogi tea, which I’m not a fan of at all. Also, it’s a tisane, which sometimes disappoint me. (I like the tea base to be bold!) The flavor is very heavy on the cinnamon. It reminds me of those cinnamon peppermints they sell around Christmas. The ones with the red centers. Mint is the second-strongest taste, followed by a hint of clove. I can’t really taste the vanilla at all, which is something I was looking forward to. And the orange peel is non-existent. All around, this isn’t something I’d drink again.

Still from the tea swap (thank you Keen Tea Time) a spiced herbal blend. Cultural expectations and all this tastes not at all christmas-y to me – it´s spearmint, orange rind and american cinnamon mostly. Spearmint has its own tang, different from the usual mint around my parts of the world, to me its association with toothpaste is unavoidable. And american cinnamon is also different from my regular cinnamon, american cinnamon to me is the taste of tooth-friendly chewing gum. So you see where this is going. Instead of Christmas associations, this sounded like a very tooth-friendly drink. And it was a nice, palate cleansing sort of taste, I liked it. Orange was also present, but my mind focused mostly on the spearmint-cinnamon thing. Cloves I did not detect.

The one drawback of this tea for me was that it was so thin, so weak. I like that they did not use fillers like chicory (à la Lipton) which taste muddy to me, but the poor spearmint was just not up to the task of my bigg-ish tea cup. When rebrewing I think I will up the dose or halve the tea

Meh. Two immediate strikes against it (and not the bag) – there is no tea in this and I have never liked spearmint. The cinnamon, vanilla, and clove are all interesting flavor ideas but the mint overpowers them. I will say, after it reaches room temp it isn’t bad. Just not my cup of joy.

I had this earlier. I mainly taste the spearmint and cinnamon. And think this is really good.

I decided I like how Tazo does mint, and since Stash was originally created by the same guy, I just figured.

I wanted the set—Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning—but no place seems to sell Christmas Morning, and only 1/5 seems to sell Christmas Eve (or at some point did, as the ‘out of stock’ signs tell me).

When I opened the box I got hit by a STRONG mint odour and was initially very worried. But it mellowed out when brewed, and sniffing it, it smells of a mellow mix of orange, cinnamon and nutmeg, with just a very small hint of mint.

It tastes of a mellow mint. I could have done five minutes, I think; I decided to test the centre of the steep-range the box gives. Just so I could simplify my next cup—go higher, or go lower. Mostly mint, with a bit of orange and almost some spices. It’s nice to curl up with.

Eh, its okay but it looks a bit better than it tastes. I have the loose variety & its very pretty in the infuser but tastes a bit too fruity for my liking.

Steep Information:
Amount: 1 teabag
Additives: none
Water: 150 F hot spigot water, 1 mug full
Steep Time: a little over 3 minutes (using Steep.It)
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: candy cane, mint
Steeped Tea Smell: mint, spice
Flavor: minty
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: warm spice
Liquor: light translucent yellow brown

Still have my head cold, so smells and tastes may be more potent than described. I am not picking up the orange or vanilla. The cinnamon and clove come in more toward the end, as the mint hits you first.

Now that I hunt for it, I can bring out the orange, not getting it strongly though.

This tea does as advertised and does bring to mind Christmas (with all the mulled drinks and cookies and candy canes).

I would say you need to want a mint tea, and like mint tea for you to enjoy this. The tea does bring in some spice to the end but it’s a complimenting note and not the main flavor.

Post-Steep Additives: none

Playing catchup with this posting. Pulled it out for Christmas Eve and remembered why it had been sitting around for so long. Totally agree with the others that mentioned the strong mint taste. While I like spearmint gum, this is just too much mint and not enough tea flavor.

Christmas Eve Herbal is the perfect compromise of spice and mint, with a little citrus. The aroma and taste do remind me of Christmas; the tea is all-season, though. Brew a cup in July to reminisce about the holiday season!

I want to make drinking this a standard Christmas Eve tradition :)

I decided to reach to the back of the cupboard and pull out the “Stash” of Christmas/Holiday teas that get neglected through the summer. The main smell of this one is mint, and the taste…mint. Spearmint. Upon a second sip I can smell cinnamon joining the party. The taste is still mainly mint, and it’s a nice moderate mint. Not too strong or weak. If you let the tea stay on your tongue for a couple seconds you can notice more of the spicey taste. Tastes best when it’s hot, not just warm. Steep this one in a winter themed mug (like I just did) for the full effect!

I had this this morning, which just happens to be Christmas Eve! I used the bagged variety. I really like the strong note of clove and cinnamon. It’s perfect for a relaxing tea that still has a strong kick of Christmas flavor. Let this one steep a long while and the notes come out stronger. The only problem is that the mint starts to turn a bit bitter, a sacrifice I’m willing to make for a stronger taste of clove. I added a bit of sweetener as well.

Quite minty but more.
Sad to say that it didn’t light my fire, and I always find myself choosing something else over this one.

I like the blend of citrus and cinnamon, however the herbal base isn’t strong enough to handle those strong flavors.

Love the combination of spice and citrus in this one.