I would like to preface this review with the following fun fact – I am a sucker for any ceylon tea.
This tea is part of the Ceylon region pack from zesta tea and features Ceylon from the Ruhunu region which is a low grown region in the south of Sri Lanka. This tea was a loose leaf and required me to utilize one of my tea sacs rather than a stainless steeper as the leaves were so fine.
This was a batch of pure Ceylon meaning that there was no added flavors or herbs to compete with the flavor of the tea. This was a beautifully smooth brew and was one of the best ceylons I’ve ever had. Interestingly I was only able to get one brew out of a batch, but I still think that the tea is worth the cost even at one brew per serving.
Zesta sells this tea as part of their Ceylon region pack, and I would be willing to pay pack price for just this single box. For black tea drinkers, this Ceylon region pack needs to be in your upcoming purchase. This would also make a great gift for tea enthusiasts to test their palate for the subtle differences that growing regions have on a tea – wine drinkers do it all the time, we can too!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Zesta Tea
Description
Experience and appreciate the unique taste of premium regional teas, as this regional pack has Ceylon tea from all five tea growing regions – Uva, Ruhunu, Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula, Kandy. Ceylon tea became famous for its unique taste variety that differs across the regions and elevations which are reflected in these teas.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
San Francisco Blend/Coffee Tree and Tea Leaves Co. . . .
Thankfully, for the past holidays, I was gifted more tea to enjoy! I actually smelled the San Francisco Blend in my gift box before ever opening it. This has a strong, pleasant, aroma which has cinnamon notes to it. Though it is strong, it is not a negative aroma. I will admit, however, that I actually had to store the San Francisco Blend outside of my standard tea storage because I actually started smelling this blend on my other teas.
Despite the strong aroma of the tea in both dry form and while it is being brewed, it does not have a strong cinnamon taste! If you’ve had Adagio Tea’s Fiery Cinnamon Spice, this blend is lighter in cinnamon flavor than Adagio’s blend. I can drink it without any sweeteners or creams. If you wanted to, you could add some milk or almond milt to make a really nice mock-chai.
The independent tea shop is based in Chicago, Illinois, and I would recommend The San Francisco Blend if you are a fan of black teas with cinnamon. This is a great blend for your cup!
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Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Coffee Tree and Tea Leaves Co
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Fiery Cinnamon Spice/Adagio Teas. . . .
You always hear that smell is one of the most powerful senses as it is connected to your memory.
The Hot Cinnamon Spice blend from Adagio has a nostalgic aroma to me – it reminds me of red hot candies from my childhood when it’s dry, and the aroma makes you think that the flavor will be overpowering.
When brewed, it still keeps that red hot candy aroma, but the flavor is surprisingly mild compared to the aroma. If you try this tea, know that you must like cinnamon in your tea! Also, be sure you drink it hot – when it cools off it taste more like a cinnamon stick.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
Finally, the wait is over! A long-time customer request, Fiery Cinnamon Spice is here to stay! This tea packs the perfect punch of cinnamon flavor, blended with Ceylon tea, orange peels, and cloves for an amped up, kick-in-the-palate cinnamon experience. Perfect to heat you up on a cold day, or just wake up your palate on an early morning. This tea will bring a smile to any cinnamon lovers face.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Alice’s Tea from Alice’s Tea Cup. . . .
I grabbed a bag of this loose leaf tea from Alice’s Tea Cup in New York, New York when I was visiting in August. If you are not able to go to New York to pick up your cuppa, they also do loose leaf tea orders online. Be sure to check back frequently because (1) they are moving their primary location so their loose leaf tea orders are on hold and (2) their menu and blends change frequently. The only difficulty with their blends is that when you’re in the store, some of the teas on their menu have different names when you get to the store so be sure to use the amazing knowledge of your tea staff at each location to make sure you’re getting exactly what you want.
The Alice’s Tea blend is a great light morning cuppa. This is a mix of both black and green teas with hints of floral. What is beautiful about this particular blend is how easy it is to see each of the blend’s ingredients. Full blossoms of flowers and large green tea leaves are beautifully blended with a traditional black breakfast tea. I’m typically the type of person who adds cream to just about all of my black teas (I lived with a lot of Britts in my early 20s), but this particular breakfast blend doesn’t require cream or sugar. I would almost say that the addition of cream takes away from the blend’s characteristics and this might be due, in part, to the green tea that is blended in as well.
If you enjoy tea, try to stop into Alice’s Tea Cup if you’re ever in New York. Even if you’re not in the area, it is absolutely worth the time on their online store. The quality of the blends is exceptional. You may want to be prepared with a tea storage solution at home though because the most recent shipment I received came in bags that did not seal very well. Hopefully, they will be working on finding a new bag supplier soon.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black/Green
Where to Buy: Alice’s Tea Cup
Description
Unfortunately this tea shop is currently down but keep a lookout for their online reopening!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Raja Oolong Chai/Adagio Teas
As a chai, I expected strong cinnamon but didn’t know what to expect with a chai based around an oolong base. What I ended up with was a well-balanced blend which is a flavorful reminder of the fall.
When I opened this package, there was an immediate smell of cinnamon and chicory. I’m always waiting for fall to come back, not for the pumpkin spice, but because I’m waiting for the chicory to come back! The chicory and cinnamon balance in this cup is beautiful. My cup did have some flavor that settled to the bottom of the cup; so, if you’re not a speedy drinker, have a spoon ready to keep the tea mixed and the flavor evenly distributed. In addition to the cinnamon and chicory that I’m in love with, there are also hints of ginger and cardamom that blend to create the chai that anyone who enjoys Indian chai will recognize. These flavors are milder in the raja oolong when compared with an Indian chai, but this is a great compliment to those flavors.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong/Chai
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
A blend fit for royalty, this Indian inspired chai is a cinnamon lover’s dream. The rich complexity of oolong tea lays a smooth foundation for a majestic cup, packed with savory spice notes and hypnotic aroma. Elements of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, chicory and cocoa nibs harmoniously blend together creating an exciting, yet truly satisfying chai that is sure to tickle your taste buds.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!