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It’s been a long day, so I’m having a cup of black tea this afternoon (something I normally make a point not to do, because sleep). As a treat, I added some sweetened condensed milk to this cup instead of my regular honey and oat milk. It’s not overly sweet so the flavors are still coming through, but it’s also mega creamy which makes my soul happy today. This is an interesting blend from Gnat & Bee. I’ve bought several of her teas, and some are really good while others are not so great. I would say this one falls squarely in the middle. It’s certainly not a repurchase for me at this point, but I’m really enjoying the cozy vibes I’m getting from it in this moment. It calls to mind a decadent hot chocolate, but light on the chocolate. If that makes any sense at all. It’s faintly floral but also earthy and a bit spicy in the way that ginger is spicy – more of a punchy heat than a spicy heat.

I’m really starting to enjoy and appreciate the roasty aroma of oolongs. I took a nice, deep inhale while this was steeping and can smell the cherry here alongside the oolong. Sipping now, and I am so happy with the flavor. It’s deep and dark, chocolaty too, but the cherry is front and center. As it cools, I’m also getting some coffee notes reminiscent of a coffee-flavored Werther’s candy. Surprisingly, this is one of the better teas I’ve had in a while. I expected it to be weak with age, but it’s incredibly flavorful and complex. I’m very tempted to try a second steep, but I’m worried it may not live up to the first cup and I don’t want to ruin my memory of it.

This was a sample I received from AQ2T with another order. It’s obviously a few years old since the company is no longer in business, so I expect the flavor won’t be quite as strong as it once was.

It is slightly floral, slightly astringent. Still flavorful, surprisingly enough. It’s not one I would order even if I had the opportunity but it’s nice to try as a sample.

An overnight cold steep for this one. I used the full bag of tea in my 34 ounce pitcher. Tried measuring but the leaves were so big and twisty that the spoon couldn’t contain their magnificence. It being a white tea, this doesn’t taste like much to me. I don’t taste the watermelon and I’m not familiar enough with papaya to pick up on that flavor, so really to me it’s just lightly flavored tea. My husband, on the other hand, loved it.

It’s overcast today and breezy. The leaves are starting to fall from our peach tree, and it truly feels like fall is finally here. Autumn in Alabama is fickle – sometimes it will be in the 80s, sometimes the 60s. We have to enjoy the good days when they’re here. Since it seems a good fall day, I knew I wanted a spiced tea. And I knew it had to be this one. Not sure why, but I had a pretty intense craving for this holiday tea so I made my husband a different holiday tea and we are pretending it’s the holidays together. It’s too bad he didn’t like his tea. Oh well. I do like mine. :)

This is heavily spiced, and not only spiced, but also spicy. It’s a touch bitter too, probably an error on my part, but full-flavored with the cloves coming on strong. James (the aforementioned husband) took a small sip (as he typically doesn’t trust my tea choices) and made an awful face, announcing that I could have this one all to myself. Sound good to me. I love it.