December 24 - Santa's Secret

David's Tea - Santa's Secret

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.5 tsp
Time:   4 - 6 min
Temperature: 98° C

Notes: Medium Caffeine. Contains soy.

Ingredients: Chinese black tea, peppermint leaves, candy cane sprinkles, natural and artificial flavouring.

Review: The aroma is of mint is nice, while the flavours of the mint and vanilla go well with the strength of the black tea. Overall, quite nice but as usual I could do with a little less sweetness.

Rating: 8/10

Mood music while sipping away: Sufjan Stevens - Hey Guys, It's Christmas Time!.

December 23 - Gingerbread

David's Tea - Gingerbread

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.25 tsp
Time:   5 - 7 min
Temperature: 96° C

Notes: Caffeine free.

Ingredients: Rooibos, green rooibos, honeybush, cinnamon, currants, crystalized ginger, pineapple, safflower petals, natural and artificial flavouring.

Review: This has a very lovely cinnamon, sweet aroma that is only accentuated after being seeped. And it actually does taste like gingerbread!

Rating: 8/10

Mood music while sipping away: Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Time Is Here.

December 22 - Sleigh Ride

David's Tea - Sleigh Ride

Suggested serving

Amount: 2 tsp
Time:   5 - 7 min
Temperature: 98° C

Notes: Caffeine free. Tree nuts and coconut.

Ingredients: Apple, hibiscus blossoms, candied pineapple, candied papaya, beetroot pieces, cinnamon stick pieces, raisins, coconut, roasted almonds, popped rice, artificial flavouring.

Review: The appl, almonds, and cinnamon remind me of Forever Nuts. While the sweetness of the fruits is somewhat tempered in this mix, I think a more cinnamon would make the tea nicer.

Rating: 7.5/10

Mood music while sipping away: Elvis Presley - O Come, All Ye Faithful.

December 21 - Chocolate Orange

David's Tea - Chocolate Orange (Pu'erh tea)

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.25 tsp
Time:   4 - 6 min
Temperature: 98° C

Notes: Medium caffeine. Contains soy. May contain milk.

Ingredients: Pu'erh tea, chocolate, orange peel, natural and artificial flavouring.

Review: The aroma of the puerh and chocolate is very nice. But the flavour exudes chocolate and the orange is barely present, the puerh is also somewhat masked by the chocolate. Still, as I love chocolate I can't really say that this is a bad tea.

Rating: 7.5/10

Mood music while sipping away: Iron & Wine, Calexico, Kathleen Edwards & Glen Hansard - “Fairytale Of New York” (from the Jimmy Fallon show).

December 20 - Vanilla Orchid

David's Tea - Vanilla Orchid

Suggested serving

Amount: 1 tsp
Time:   3 - 5 min
Temperature: 92° C

Notes: Medium caffeine.

Ingredients: Huang Jin Gui Oolong from Anxi in Fujian Province, natural vanilla flavouring.

Review: Wow the vanilla aroma upon opening the little canister is intense and very inviting. The flavour is equally rewarming, with the creamy vanilla marrying well with the floral orchid of the oolong.

Rating: 8/10

Mood music while sipping away: Low – It was just like Christmas.

December 19 - Read my Lips

David's Tea - Read my Lips

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.25 tsp
Time:   4 - 5 min
Temperature: 96° C

Notes: Low caffeine. Contains soy. May contain milk.

Ingredients: Chinese black tea, peppermint, dark chocolate, red lip sprinkles, pink peppercorns, natural and artificial flavouring.

Review: This is an interesting mix of chocolate and mint with the black tea, both of which are mixed in just the right amount to not be overpowering. The peppercorns offer very subtle spicy endnotes. As usual, I am a little hesitant about the sweetness but otherwise a nice cuppa to have on a wintry morning.

Rating: 8/10

Mood music while sipping away: Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

December 18 - Buddha's Blend

David's Tea - Buddha's Blend

Suggested serving

Amount: 1 tsp
Time:   3 - 4 min
Temperature: 82° C

Notes: Medium caffeine.

Ingredients: White tea, green tea, jasmine pearls, white hibiscus blossoms, artificial flavouring.

Review: I may have over-stepped this, but the tea lashes at my stomach with an acrid potency that produces a thin stream of sweet vapour to lodge in my throat. The aroma of the dry leaves is deceptively lovely but once stepped, the floral notes overwhelm. At least Christmas is not far off!

Rating: 6.5/10

Mood music while sipping away: Emmylou Harris – Christmas Time's A-Coming.

December 17 - Cream of Earl Grey

David's Tea - Cream of Earl Grey

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.5 tsp
Time:   3 - 5 min
Temperature: 98° C

Notes: Medium caffeine.

Ingredients: Black tea, cornflowers. With natural vanilla and bergamot flavouring.

Review: I had been anxious to try this tea for months now after a friend recommended it. The aroma is distinctly Early Grey but the taste is much smoother. The vanilla flavour counters the usual bitterness of the black tea, which allows for a nice light flavour. The only thing I question is the creaminess of it, which seems rather lacking.

Rating: 8/10

Mood music while sipping away: Bob Dylan – Must be Santa.

December 16 - Main Squeeze

David's Tea - Main Squeeze (Maté)

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.5 tsp
Time:   4 - 7 min
Temperature: 94° C

Notes: Stimulant. Contains sulfites.

Ingredients: Green yerba maté, candied papaya, pineapple, safflower, natural flavouring.

Review: I remember trying yerba maté a while ago and its accompanying jolt of energy. I also remember the slightly acrid taste of it. Main Squeeze, however, tempers the maté's strong flavour with some pleasant papaya and pineapple tropical sweetness.

Rating: 7.5/10

Mood music while sipping away: The Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've).

December 15 - English Breakfast

David's Tea - English Breakfast

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.5 tsp
Time:   4 - 5 min
Temperature: 98° C

Notes: Medium caffeine.

Ingredients: Sri Lankan black tea.

Review: This is just a nice, simple, strong black tea. A nice little jolt in the mornings.

Rating: 8/10

Mood music while sipping away: The Hidden Cameras – Ban Marriage.

December 14 - Cinnamon Rooibos Chai

David's Tea - Cinnamon Rooibos Chai

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.5 tsp
Time:   4 - 7 min
Temperature: 98° C

Notes: Caffeine free.

Ingredients: Red Rooibos, orange peel, cinnamon, cloves, natural honey and cinnamon flavouring.

Review: The cinnamon is quite powerful both in the aroma and flavour of this tea, which is very nice. The orange peel flavour is a little lost in the clove and cinnamon, but the honey adds just the right amount of sweetness. Quite nice.

Rating: 8/10

Mood music while sipping away: Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now.

December 13 - Glitter & Gold

David's Tea - Glitter & Gold

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.25 tsp
Time:   4 - 7 min
Temperature: 98° C

Notes: Medium caffeine. Contains soy.

Ingredients: Chinese black tea, gold sugar balls, sugar cystals, lemon peel, cloves, vanilla, natural and artificial cinnamon flavouring.

Review: After slugging through the sub-zero morning air into work today, I was grateful that I had filled my thermos with some Glitter & Gold. The cinnamon and cloves added a lovely warmth to the tea. And while I am usually put off by too much sweetness, I find the sugary element works tolerably well here.

Rating: 8/10

Mood music while sipping away: T. Rex - Children of the Revolution.

December 12 - Kokomo Green

David's Tea - Kokomo Green

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.25 tsp
Time:   5 - 7 min
Temperature: 93° C

Notes: Medium caffeine.

Ingredients: Green tea, papaya, mango, pineapple, rose petals, marigold petals, cornflower petals, artificial mango, exotic and passion fruit flavouring.

Review: The aroma is overwhelmingly mango and tropical fruitiness. Tastes-wise, however, the green tea adds only bitterness and the fruit become scrambled together in a porridge of indistinguishable flavours. Also, I'm left with a slight astringent or metallic after-taste.

Rating: 6.5/10

Mood music while sipping away: Leonard Cohen - Ain't No Cure For Love.

December 11 - Mother's Little Helper

David's Tea - Mother's Little Helper

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.5 tsp
Time:   4 - 7 min
Temperature: 98° C

Notes: Caffeine free.

Ingredients: Peppermint, lemongrass, rosehips, hibiscus, chamomile flowers, valerian root, cornflowers. With natural peppermint flavouring.

Review: Well, this is a nice tea. It has nice minty and lemony flavours. It has a nice, comforting fragrance. It did have a slight medicinal taste, but otherwise it is still pretty nice. I have nothing really negative to say about it except it could perhaps use something a little more punchy, a little more exciting, but for relaxing than it is rather nice.

Rating: 7.5/10

Mood music while sipping away: Rolling Stones – Mother’s Little Helper.

December 10 - Coffee Cake

David's Tea - Coffee Cake

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.25 tsp
Time:   4 - 5 min
Temperature: 96° C

Notes: Medium caffeine. Contains sulfites.

Ingredients: Black tea, cherries, pineapple, natural and artificial cake flavouring.

Review: Well, this definitely smells like coffee cake. The pineapple and cherries add a certain fruitiness and sweetness but the flavour of the tea and artificial flvouring mute everything. It could perhaps use more in the way of cinnamon and coffee to make it live up to its name more.

Rating: 7/10

Mood music while sipping away: Taken by Trees – Sweet Child O' Mine.

December 9 - Silk Dragon Jasmine

David's Tea - Silk Dragon Jasmine

Suggested serving

Amount: 1 tsp
Time:   2 - 4 min
Temperature: 94° C

Notes: Medium Caffeine.

Ingredients: Organic Chinese green tea.

Review:There is a slight bitterness to this tea, which is usual for jasmine-scented leaves. While the flower scent is nice, I didn't feel this was much different from any standard jasmine green.  

Rating: 7/10

Mood music while sipping away: Noir Désir – Le vent nous portera.

December 8 - Mango Madness

David's Tea - Mango Madness

Suggested serving

Amount: 2 tsp
Time:   5 - 7 min
Temperature: 94° C

Notes: Low Caffeine.

Ingredients: Apple pieces, white Bai Mu Dan tea, orange peel, pineapple, mango, orange slices, freeze dried tangerine pieces, safflower petals, freeze dried strawberry pieces, marigold blossoms, artificial flavouring

Review: . The fruitiness of this tea comes out clearly. However, given all the various fruit the distinct flavour of mango is a little lost. It is a little sweet and a little tart and the white Bai Mu Dan tea is utterly lost in the mix.  

Rating: 7/10

Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts below...

Mood music while sipping away: Gordon Lightfoot – Song for a Winter's Night.

December 7 - Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait

David's Tea - Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.5 tsp
Time:   5 - 7 min
Temperature: 98° C

Notes: Caffeine free. Contains milk.

Ingredients: Apple, hibiscus, raisins, carrot, yogurt bits, beetroot, strawberry, rhubarb, artificial flavouring

Review: The aroma on opening the tin is fantastic - sweetly rich and fruity. The flavour, however, falls a little short.  The tartness of the tea is well match with the creamy yogurt and delicate strawberry and hibiscus flavours. I had a lot of expectations based on the lovely perfume so while the taste is fine it is nothing special.

Rating: 7.5/10

Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts below...

Mood music while sipping away: Bat For Lashes – Laura.

December 6 - Genmaicha

David's Tea - Genmaicha

Suggested serving

Amount: 1 tsp
Time:   2 - 3 min
Temperature: 74° C

Notes: Low Caffeine.

Ingredients: Japanese-style green tea, roasted rice

Review: Ahhh, this brings back memories of Japan, and even Korea. I've always associated Genmaicha with warmth and comfort and this version does not disappoint. The roasted, somewhat subtle, flavour of the puffed rice along with the slight bitterness of green tea create an almost perfect balance. The aroma is also subtle but enticing.

Rating: 8.5/10

Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts below...

Mood music while sipping away: Nujabes – Far Fowls.

December 5 - Stormy Night

David's Tea - Stormy Night

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.25 tsp
Time: 4 - 6 min
Temperature: 98° C

Notes: Medium Caffeine. Contains milk and coconut.

Ingredients: Organic: Black tea, chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, vanilla, and natural vanilla flavouring.

Review: As a colleague says, "I just don't know about this tea." The mix of chocolate, cinnamon, and vanilla with black tea might not be the most compatible of matches.  I do like the little caffeine buzz and the first hit of chocolate flavour is nice, but it soon gets a little blah. A stormy night indeed.

Rating: 7/10

Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts below...

Mood music while sipping away: Nina Simone – Sinnerman.

December 4, 2013 - Forever Nuts

David's Tea - Forever Nuts

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.5 tsp
Time: 4 - 7 min
Temperature: 98° C

Notes: Low Caffeine.

Ingredients: Apple, almonds, cinnamon, beetroot and artificial flavouring.

Review: What a wonderful aroma!  As soon as I opened the little canister I was hit by a comforting apple and spices scent.  The beetroot, unsurprisingly, adds a bright reddish colour to the concoction.  Thankfully there is no added sweetener as the apples provide ample sweetness.  The almond and cinnamon flavours are great but could be ramped up a bit more.

Rating: 8/10

Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts below...

Mood music while sipping away: Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood – Some Velvet Morning.

December 3, 2013 - Blueberry Jam

David's Tea - Blueberry Jam

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.25 tsp
Time: 4 - 7 min
Temperature: 98° C

Notes: Low Caffeine.

Ingredients: Black tea, blueberries, elderberries, pink cornflower petals, stevia.

Review: There is no mistaking the strong blueberry aroma of this tea.  The first few sips were delicious but after a little bit the fruity sweetness of it felt a little overwhelming to me - but then I may have steeped it too long.  I do like the pairing with black tea, but I think it could do without the stevia.  The tea is not overly layered, which is nice but, again, a little too sweet for me.

Rating: 7.5/10

Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts below...

Mood music while sipping away: Brian Eno - I'll Come Running.

December 2, 2013 - Alpine Punch

David's Tea - Alpine Punch

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.5 tsp
Time: 4 - 7 min
Temperature: 98° C

Notes: Caffeine free. Contains tree nuts and coconut.

Ingredients: Rooibos, coconut chips and rasps, apple pieces, cinnamon pieces, ginger bits, cardamom, black pepper, rose blossoms, almond flakes, artificial flavouring.

Review: The aroma of cinnamon and apples is inviting. The taste, though, is more rooibos and the coconut mellows the spices and apple flavours. The almond also comes through in a subtle but welcomed manner, reminding me a little of something like amaretto. Really quite nice, especially on a cold winter's morning.

Rating: 7.5/10

Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts below...

Mood music while sipping away: Philip Glass - Metamorphosis 1.

December 1, 2013

David's Tea - White Chocolate Frostrost

Suggested serving

Amount: 1.25 tsp
Time: 3 - 5 min
Temperature: 96° C

Notes: Caffeine free. Contains milk, soy, and stevia.

Ingredients: Peppermint, white chocolate, pink peppercorn, stevia leaf, natural sugar flavouring, natural and artificial white chocolate mousse flavouring.

Review: The white chocolate flavour is slightly overpowered by the strong mint flavour, for some that might not be a bad thing. It is also rather sweet (thanks to the stevia). It is not as creamy as I imagined it to be and leaves a residue in my cup. While the rich taste elicits Christmas flavours, the addition of peppercorns adds an interesting, slightly spicy, flavour. All and all not bad, just a little too minty and sweet for me.

Rating: 6.5/10

Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts below...

Mood music while sipping away: Dave Brubeck.