The Whistling Kettle

Thanks to amandastory516 for this tea! I can’t tell that it’s pumpkin specifically, but I can definitely taste the toffee bits in this one. I’m drinking it as a latte, and it’s so desserty and good. So not really a pumpkin tea, but a really nice dessert blend. And definitely no spice. Really it should be titled toffee black tea, or something like that.

Another sample from Shae! I don’t think I’ve had anything from this company before, but their packaging is really cute. The tea itself really did smell like an oatmeal cookie, but the flavor was mostly cinnamon and not much else.

The mallow petals in this tea create an exciting and different experience to traditional Earl Grey.

The cherry was just a bit too overpowering for me. I couldn’t find the almond notes at all. It is good for a rooibos tea, but there are other options.

I’m so sad to give this such a harsh review, but it is just terrible. Even worse than the strawberry. It’s a very muddy reddish/brown color. There’s a bit of an artificial raspberry flavor, but it is so incredibly bitter. Pretty terrible. I couldn’t drink past the first sip, and dumped it.

I’ve been looking for flavored/unsweetened matchas to try, and just ordered quite a few from The Whistling Kettle. I made this one this morning and was very disappointed. The directions call for 16oz of water for each single serve packet of matcha. I used about 12oz of water/oat milk. It turned a light brown color, which was a bad sign. I could taste no strawberry, and no matcha. It just tasted like oat milk. I have quite a few others to try, so I’m hoping for better results.

Day 8 of our Advent Tea Swap. From amandastory516.

Our department moved buildings this week and I have been so incredibly busy. I missed my tea time for the last couple of days so I’m making it a priority this morning before I have too many interruptions. I’m so glad today’s tea is a caffeinated one because I feel like I really need it. I’m finding I’m really enjoying the oolong teas from my Advent box. Oolong has never been a favorite of mine, but I’m appreciating it more and more. I’m not picking up cinnamon or rice pudding in this one, but the flavor is solid and just really enjoyable.

Day 3 of our Advent Tea Swap. From amandastory516.

Oh my goodness, this tea smells amazing. It seems so familiar, but I just can’t place it. The taste is something I know I’ve experienced before, but I cannot figure it out. It’s floral maybe? Reminds me of some of the teas I’ve tried (and loved) from Satori Tea.

I’ll be honest – I was nervous to see what looked like hibiscus in the blend. I like it on its own but not always when it’s blended with other teas. It’s just so tart. I didn’t get any tartness in this cup at all. It was just amazing. Not to mention there were sparkles in the dry blend so that’s a win for me.

Amanda – I love this tea so much. It’s my favorite so far! I’ll be purchasing some for sure. Thanks for introducing me to something new to love!!

EDIT: Just looked this one up and they are peony petals, not hibiscus!

Chocolate and raspberry has been my favorite flavor combination since I was little. Joyva jelly rings are one of my favorite candies ever, and with a spoonful of sugar added this tastes just like them. There are whole raspberries in the dry mix, which is nice. Chocolate chips too, which I honestly wish were dark instead of milk, but it doesn’t really impact my overall enjoyment of the tea.

Did I mention it sparkles? Because it sparkles. It took me a moment to notice it , but the first time I saw it my inner 6-year-old took over and I sat there for a good five minutes swirling my glittery chocolate raspberry tea around in my mug.

Disappointed in this blend because I dont believe it lived up to its name or description. I am a huge lover of banana in tea. One of my all-time favorites, and a staple in my tea stash, is Banana Nut Bread from DAVIDsTEA. Anytime I see banana, I always try it. I was also intrigued by Whistling Kettle’s description of this tea, particularly the notes of graham cracker. It sounded really good. I used about 2 1/2 tsp (1 perfect spoonful) to my 12oz perfect mug (DT’s tea ware). I boiled some water and then let it sit for a few minutes and poured it in. I let this steep for about 6 mins. I literally can’t say that I tasted much of anything except for chamomile. To be fair, I think I’m coming down with a cold so my tastebuds may be dulled right now- but really it tasted like I was just drinking chamomile tea! :( this was super disappointing. however, i will play around with this blend and ill keep trying it since i have a bunch left.

Sipdown and thank goodness. I thought my wife’s cup last night was bitter because I accidentally over-leafed, but I was more careful with mine this morning and it’s still crazy bitter. Steeped under boiled for a mere two minutes and I’ve got a bitter brew with maybe a hint of cranberry? Maybe? Blegh. Will finish my cup, but I’m glad to be rid of it.

All I got from this cup was bitter black. No cranberry, no pomegranate. Just bitter. Very sad.

This tea tastes so much prettier than I expected. Nice balance of malty black tea and vanilla.

Awesome black tea!

I love the sweet, tart cherry and the more complex fig taste in this tea. The sweetness isn’t overwhelming.

Beautiful, delicate flavors that don’t get lost. This is a prefect blend of tea, fruit, and floral notes.

Sipdown!

This one is a bit astringent, but the fruit flavor does a lot to cover it. I’m not sure I’d call it pomegranate – it’s more red berry than anything else – but it makes for a juicy tea.

Enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. The strawberry is not it’s usual unbearably tart self. It’s a sweeter strawberry tea!

When I first had this tea, it tasted spot-on like banana bread. Now, it’s just carmelized sugar in the faintest way. Not bad, but a far cry from the bananas foster goodness I was hoping for.

This was a lovely smelling and tasting tea: Very cinnamony, and definitely smelling of cinnamon bun. Very soft aroma; slightly sweet. This was a seasonal tea I’m very glad I bought.

Not a bad tea, and as a black tea it’s solid, but I didn’t detect any especially strong plummy or cinnamony aromas or flavors. It’s certainly a pretty tea – the sugar crystals do give the loose leaf tea a sparkle – but it didn’t have a strong non-standard-black-tea flavor. I would neither recommend nor not recommend it; I’m ambivalent about this tea. The creamer I added did provide a deeper flavor to the tea. Probably good for people who like flavored black teas but don’t want (or want a break from) strongly flavored black tea.

This tea has been keeping me company throughout the day today. The first steep was creamy but far too floral for my liking. The second steep is better – less floral, still creamy – with more smoothness coming out as it cools. Probably not one I’ll restock once my sample is gone, but it’s pretty tasty!