The name Peppermint Bark evokes memories of the crisp scent of mint with the sweet smell of white chocolate in a certain kitchen goods store I love to visit. I can almost feel the big bar breaking raggedly in my hand as the strong scent of mint stings my nose! Then you carefully gather all those little bits that broke off and pop them in your mouth before taking a big bite, and the white chocolate melts on your fingers.
The scent of this tea hit spot on with that memory. Fresh, sharp mint and rich, creamy white chocolate tickle your nostrils. The white chocolate is less obvious in the scent of the steeped tea but its sweetness is there, keeping this from falling into being a ho-hum plain peppermint.
Even though it is still winter as I drink this, we are already having some spells of hot weather where I live, but that’s okay because nothing refreshes quite like mint when you need to cool off.
A cooling cup it is, too! In winter, a hot cuppa will always warm you, but this is so very minty that I can also drink it hot OR cold on a hot day for refreshment. I have only had it unsweetened, but for those who like sweet tea, I really think this would be amazing that way.
The mint really is the star of the show in this tea, and even though I usually favor spearmint over peppermint by a long margin, the peppermint in this tea had delicious flavor, really sweet and fresh tasting without the edge of bitterness that sometimes creeps in with peppermint.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Sunshine Cottage
Description
Creamy white chocolate and crisp mint make this holiday tea a real treat. Perfect for a toe thawing, pick me up after an afternoon on the slopes, or for sipping by the fire after a wonderful meal!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Sweet Peppermint in the Shape of a Heart from Tea Drops. . .
I got a sample of Sweet Peppermint from Tea Drops in some teamail from a friend. Most of the tea I drink for fun or for reviews are loose leaf teas, with the occasional bagged tea as well. I personally haven’t tried many instant teas, so at first I was a bit baffled with the right way to brew this sample from Tea Drops. Simply put the tea-cake into hot water and stir. How easy is that?
Let me draw attention to the adorable fact that this Sweet Peppermint sample came pressed into the shape of a heart. The cuteness of this tea-cake is the essential detail here, and is what makes these Tea Drops teas such cute gift ideas. They have other shapes like stars and flowers as well as the heart shape I tried.
Brewed this tea is mildly minty, very sugar and sweet, with some creamy vanilla tones. The little compressed tea-cakes might be an easy solution to brewing tea on the go. Consider stashing a few of these in your desk at work for when the going gets tough and you only have a mug around for tea-brewing.
As a tea, this blend is okay. The cuteness of the presentation is its true benefit and enjoyment. Definitely worth a try for the novelty of their super-cute tea-cakes.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Tea Drops
Description:
A fuller bodied Peppermint tea experience that’s refreshing to the senses with a kick of genuine spearmint. Naturally caffeine-free, this is the perfect anytime tea – morning, day, or night.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Smart Tea from Wild Leaf Active Teas. . . .
I am a sucker for a tea with a magical claim, friends.
This one is a delightful green, with hints of berry and mint at the forefront. Now, I’ll be honest– I may have brewed this one up a bit too hot, as I hadn’t realized it was a green until after my water went a’boilin’. (Not my– wait for it– *smart*est moment, but I digress.)
But regardless, it was everything I love greens to be– fruity, light, grassy– and nothing I dislike– bitter, or vegetal.
Did it make me any smarter?
I can’t say for sure (and my flub on the boiling temp would surely suggest otherwise), but it was great afternoon sipping, and gave me just enough pep to make it through til the end of the day.
If I’m smart enough to know what’s good for me, I’ll be brewing this one again!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Wild Leaf
Description
Channel your inner Einstein with mental stimulating Ginkgo Biloba, Peppermint and Gotu Kola. Whether you need to tackle a job interview, a test or just figure out what’s for dinner, drink this minty flavored tea to bring out the most brilliant you!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Peppermint Cinnamon from Trader Joe’s. . . .
I’ve been feeling the need to cull my tea collection lately, friends. Now, before you gasp and exile me from Sororitea-Sisterhood, let me clarify. I have SO MUCH TEA. And frankly, lots of my “backlog” teas are ones that have sat there for a very, very, very long time. Rather than letting them languish, I’ve been packing them up (or tossing them out, if they’re really *that* old) and passing onto friends, and keeping my core collection full of teas that I really, really love. (this way, when new samples come in, I can happily sip a cup or two and then move along to the next without a giant back-stash of guilt staring at me from my tea cabinet.)
Now, you’d think in all this freshening-up of my tea cabinet, I’d be staying away from picking up anything new. Ah, friends, but you would be wrong. While I’ve been trying to stay away from restocking the empty spaces in my cabinets, the siren song of new blends has been a little tricky to resist. I’ve mostly persisted, but when I saw this cute little box of pyramid sachets for only a handful of dollars at Trader Joe’s, I knew it was coming to work with me for easy brewing.
This blend is simple, as the name implies– only peppermint leaves and cinnamon stick chunks, perfectly visible in the bag. It’s autumnal (thanks, cinnamon!) without being in-your-face, it’s herby and fresh (oh hey, peppermint) without being toothpaste-y. I can say with all honesty that it’s unlike any herbal I’ve ever had before– and frankly, when it comes to herbals, I’m learning that the simpler/fewer ingredients, the better. I’m finding this the perfect little bridge to get me through my mid-morning/pre-lunch slump during the workday, and it hits those festive fall notes, to boot. Well done, TJ’s! This is worthy of a space in my forever-cabinet.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Trader Joe’s
The Lucky Snitch from Riddle’s Tea Shoppe and Curiosities. . . .
Riddle’s Tea Shoppe and Curiosities is an awesome Etsy store that sells many fandom-inspired goods. There is a big focus on Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts and Lord of the Rings/the Hobbit inspired teas, post cards, buttons, and other trinkets, though she explores other fandoms as well. Each item displayed beautifully in the images on her site. In fact, that is how I found this company, through the beautiful images strewn throughout Instagram advertising her products.
For weeks I tried to buy her many tea samples but each Wednesday when she restocked, everything sold out so fast that I was unable to make my purchase. That is until one Wednesday when I made sure to be online for exactly when the restock occurred and quickly threw one of each tea in my cart and cashed out.
It was while perusing her site that I realized I had actually tried some of the teas before. How is that possible since I never bought her stuff? Well, before selling directly through Riddle’s Tea Shoppe and Curiosities, the shop owner offered her blends on the fandom section of the Adagio Teas website.
This particular tea, The Lucky Snitch, is not one I had previously tasted so when I got to brewing, I was excited for something new. In light of the chocolate, peppermint, cinnamon, and creme, I thought this would make for a good latte so I measured out what I needed for that and used the rest to make a hot cup of this tea plain. I steeped both for 4 minutes in 200 degree water.
The plain tea really emphasizes the peppermint. Its the top note that sits atop the chocolate, another flavor highlighted in the cup. The two components, though complimentary, at times seems a bit disconnected. I don’t get much in the way of cinnamon or ginger and though creme is also not a flavor I notice, I believe it helps give the chocolate a silkiness that is more akin to milk chocolate as opposed to more of a cocoa or dark chocolate. So, this tea essentially tastes of a milk chocolate bar that someone put peppermint on.
The latte does something a little different to the tea as it seems to have brought out some more of the cinnamon/spice notes. That makes this heavier. I genuinely thought the milk would make this more creamy but instead it gives a cinnamon weightiness to the whole blend. The peppermint still lingers on top though somehow more harmoniously blends with the other components. Meanwhile, the chocolate disappeared a bit in the mix. Given that lack of chocolate flavor, this makes me think of when you make hot chocolate packets with water instead of milk and everything just feels watered down, which is especially strange in light of this being made with milk. A faint shadow of hot chocolate, except in this case, a shadow of a peppermint mexican hot chocolate given the focus on peppermint and cinnamon. It is not bad, but surprisingly this does better as a plain cup of peppermint chocolate tea.
Does it stand out among all the other peppermint chocolate teas out there? No, so I probably will stick to the ones I can more easily attain in Canada. However, it is a nice take on the flavors and if this blend is one that you can obtain easily and without paying much shipping, it is worth a try.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Riddle’s Tea Shoppe and Curiosities
Description
The tea shop is taking a break. Click below for more information.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
