Cranberry Autumn

I simply love this time of year, and few things match it so perfectly as this tea. It sums up everything I love: the crisp, brisk air, the emblazoned leaves crunching underfoot. There’s nothing better than taking a deep breath and enjoying it, putting on an burnt orange sweater and warming up your hands and heart with this perfect fall companion.

Got this sample in trade from KallieBoo!. Thanks!

The cranberry is very strong in this one. Really strong. It’s so tart that I think I don’t like it very much. I like my cranberries to be moderated by other things and this one tastes like straight up steeped cranberries, I can’t even taste the tea part of it. There is something else that I can’t identify in the taste and it’s rubbing me the wrong way.

I was wary of this, but it was surprisingly nice! I didn’t steep it to the recommended time, and it was a smoother cup than the bitter one I had before (my fault, though, let the tea steep too long.) Very tart, but with the addition of honey it becomes a well-rounded tea with a pleasant flavor.

This really is the perfect tea on a cold autumn day. The cranberry and orange mix great with the tea and produce a flavor that’s both smooth and tart at the same time. I went back to reorder this within days of receiving my first tin.

Backlogging…
Last night I was in a black tea mood, so this was my early evening choice.
I continue to be impressed with Harney and Sons, their teas are well blended and seem to me
perfectly proportioned. Orange always has the flavor power to dominate but not in this case.
Cranberry and Black Tea are featured with Orange is a supporting role. I really like this and
look forward to crisp fall days

I recently discovered not one, but two loose tea fans who work with me at school. We decided to swap some of our faves. This morning, courtesy of one, I’m drinking Cranberry Autumn by Harney & Sons.

The scent of this tea before brewing is extraordinary. It’s such a rich, fruity (in a very berry way) and delicious smelling tea.

I went lightly in allowing it to steep. Boiling for 1 minute using the Breville. (It was ready and waiting for me when I awoke this morning.) I’m so glad that I chose the light setting this morning as it came out beautifully. Its taste is very similar to its scent… simply amazing. It’s nice without being overwhelming and the tea and berry tastes are combined so well that I can’t help smiling. What a beautiful tea!

Dry leaves had strong chemical, artificial aroma. Once infused (as recommended by Harney & Sons), however, the aroma had a fresher cranberry-orange aroma, although there was a melted hard candy undertone in the liquor flavor.

This tea is so flavorful and delicious. I picked it up on the recommendation of the lady who runs my local knitting shop. She advised me to use the same bag to make two full pots of tea, which I found to be totally doable. Lovely, but not overwhelming cranberry taste. Fruity and perfect with a light dessert. I made a raspberry pound cake and it was a good pairing. Ideal on its own too.

Sipdown! (72)

I felt like opening one of my Harney samples yesterday and this happened to be the one that sounded best at the time. And the little packets make about two pots of tea for me, so I’m finishing it off tonight!

This one is just okay. I wish the flavoring was stronger, as I mostly taste the base tea with just a hint of cranberry. I don’t really get orange at all. The base here is quite earthy and woody but smooth and pleasant enough.

So all-in-all, it’s a decent tea, but nothing great. It’s too bad, as I love cranberry and it would be nice to have a yummy cranberry black tea.

Sipdown 114/395!!

Gosh I’ve been gone a while. I don’t know what it is about today that’s making me want to just curl up in a ball with a book and a pot of tea, but I am going with it. Since today was feeling so autumnal I had to go with this tea, it just encapsulates the season and my current mood so well. From the second it started brewing it was everything I’d hoped it would be; rich and fruity, warm, cosy and inviting. The scent drew me in immediately. I’m not a big fan of cranberries or cranberry juice so I wasn’t sure what I would make of it, but they actually pair really really nicely with the citrus, adding a lovely berry-type fruitiness to the orangey notes I’m getting. It could be summery with such bright fruity notes, but instead it’s a perfect autumn symphony in a cup. Absolutely no additives necessary, it is sweet and strong and full-bodied without being remotely astringent. I am enjoying every cup of this pot of tea and will be sad when it’s gone. Thank you Marzipan for sending me such an elegant hug in a cup.