Soul Warmer Herbal Tea

Merry Christmas Eve to all who celebrate! It’s been a joy doing adventaggedon with folks!

This is day 24 of the Plum Deluxe herbal advent calendar. When I brewed this up, I couldn’t figure out whether it was hazelnut or chestnut. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it’s both! It’s nutty, smooth, and very very slightly sweet. The caramel is extremely light; it’s more apparent in the aftertaste than the sip. Really pleasant winter tea!

I have had this sample for a long time, and I think the blend has lost some flavor or Covid is still playing tricks with my sense of taste.

I am only just coming to tolerate red rooibos but I am determined to get rid of all these single servings or small bags that have been lying about. The rooibos here is very mild, and lacks the sharp Robitussin flavor I dislike so much. That is a good thing.

While it was piping hot, I tasted very little. As it cooled, the nutty flavors came through.

Not bad, but not one I need to buy. I wouldn’t turn down a cup of it if it was offered.

This is a pleasant caramel chestnut flavor. It’s rather light but has a cozy comforting flavor near the end of the sip and the aftertaste. I may order more of this after finishing my sample.

Sipdown (297)

I set out to make a matcha and somehow ended up pulling this out instead. As a caffeine free caramel, chocolate, nutty rooibos, its about as far from matcha as I could have grabbed. This tastes like a nutty tea drizzled with honey. I am not really getting chocolate or caramel which is fine for me. Overall its alright but not something I need more of following this sample.

Advent Day 8

It’s a rooibos. Caramely. Fruity. Went down without too much complaint while watching the Mandalorian. I don’t know about the soul warming effect, but I’m even immune to the Disney on steroids cuteness of baby yoda, so do take that into consideration on my perception of what does and does not warm one’s soul.

Plum Deluxe Advent Calendar – Day 8

Ooh, this one sounds really good from the ingredients. Hazelnut, chestnut, caramel, AND cocoa? Yes, please…

It’s quite good actually. At first I thought it was too light in flavor, but the nut flavors really bloom toward the end of the sip and they’re delicious and buttery. The beginning of the sip is mostly just rooibos, and then by the end it’s mostly yummy roasted nuts, the emphasis being on chestnut. There’s a nice creaminess to it as well, and I do get a rather dark burnt sugar sort of caramel note in the background.

Yummy, I’m really enjoying this one on the couch tonight, with my two little pug heaters on my lap. :)

(today’s advent teas: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIirQD-Air7/)

Evening tea time. The dry leaf of this one honestly reminded me a bit of the pecan one, in that I got a strong “sweetly nutty” aroma, like caramel and nuts. That aroma became more apparent as my cup of tea sat steeping on the counter as I went about preparing my morning matcha smoothie. I’m getting a strong caramel dessert aroma, like some sort of caramel sauce with nuts?

The flavor… mostly it tastes like a caramel-flavored rooibos. I’m getting that sweet caramelly flavor (which may be amplified by some of the natural notes in the rooibos itself, as I get just a hint of a vanilla note here), and there is a subtle nuttiness that comes forth closer to the end of the sip. It isn’t a distinct nut flavor, but is a little stronger than the natural nutty notes I sometimes get from rooibos itself. There is a hint of woodiness from the rooibos but mostly I’m picking up on its sweeter qualities. It’s a pleasant, sweet evening cup, but not a flavor profile that is particularly unique.

Plum Deluxe Advent Day 8
I hate this. It smells and tastes like a bag of potpourri was left in a drawer with old nuts for too long. I’m just getting stale nuts and old candle…and rooibos. Blech. Won’t be rating because it just wouldn’t be fair.

This has a lovely chestnut flavor. For the price, I’d definitely choose S&V’s version over this one, but this is a pretty great cup. I’d love to try it with milk, but I only have the small sample. I like the rooibos they use, and the flavoring is nicely sweet and nutty and a little bit salty. I’d totally drink it again.