Peppermint Joy

TeaEqualsBliss was kind enough to lend me some of this from her prodigious tea stash.

It tastes to me like a more sophisticated version of Celestial Seasonings’ Candy Cane Lane. The peppermint is nice and refreshing, but it doesn’t cover up the flavours of the other components of the tea. I can actually taste and identify the vegetale green tea and the touch of sweet vanilla that were added to this blend. There’s a also a hint of spiciness – but just a hint. A chai this ain’t, but it gives the tea a bit of a zing and makes it taste like some sort of X-mas goody.

I feel rather guilty about drinking this in the middle of June. ;)

I’ve woke up feeling a bit groggy and off…hoping that I’ve not caught a bug, but fearing that I have. Decided that this tea was the perfect one for this morning. The peppermint has the perk-me-up-ness that I need, and I really like the vanilla with it, and the fact that you can taste the green tea still. Most peppermint teas tend to be overwhemingly mint, but this one has the perfect balance.

Zhena’s teas, I’ve found, are either hits or major misses…this one is a hit!

My parents came to visit me today and surprised me with this tin of tea! It was so sweet and thoughtful of them! I had never tried Zhena’s Gypsy Tea before, though I had eyed it several times at the grocery store. This one is a special holiday blend with a really cute and festive tin! I love how it says “Happy Holidays” in several languages on the tin.

Of course, I couldn’t resist and opened the tin to get a whiff of it. Hmm… smells so delicious! It smells sweet, refreshingly minty, and spicy. I couldn’t wait to try it! The sachet is round just like RoT’s sachets and has no tag.

I boiled water in my kettle, and since its a green tea, I let it sit until I can barely see the steam coming from the spout. I don’t have a thermometer, so I like to guess the temp. I steeped it for a little more than 3 minutes.

Wow smells so good! I can make out the cinnamon, cloves, and mint. It felt like a party in my mouth! It went down smoothly, and the mint wasn’t very overpowering, which is great. The blend is very refreshing. On my way in, I could smell the spices. The scent is strong and sweet. When I drink tea, I like to take my time, and even as it began to cool off a lot, it still tasted good. :) This will last me a while since there are 22 bags. I have to say… THANKS Mom and Dad!! :)

Tis the season for Seasonal Teas! I also tried this one for the first time today but have enjoyed many Zhena’s teas prior to this one. The aroma of this tea is very festive…just like a holiday drink…almost like something with RUM in it. The taste is just as intriguing. It’s very different from anything I have ever tasted. Glad I bought a tin today.