DavidsTea Advent Calendar Day 13

Day 13 is Ginger Turmeric Tonic (not listed on the website) which is a low-caffeine green tea.

Ingredients: Ginger, genmaicha (green tea, roasted rice, popped rice), apple, turmeric, natural flavouring

I love genmaicha because of the popped rice (gives it a nice nutty/popcorn-like flavour), but I'm not a big fan of ginger (unless it's in gingerbread, I LOVE gingerbread) so I was a bit apprehensive as I waited to sip this. The ginger burned the back of my throat as I swallowed, but I kept drinking because of the roasted rice flavour. It steeped up into a nice yellow colour due to the turmeric, and I feel like I did something healthy for my body by having both the ginger and the turmeric. But it's not a tea that I would buy for myself.

DavidsTea Advent Calendar Day 12

Day 12 is Red Velvet Cake which is a medium-caffeine back tea described as:

"This sweet, lightly creamy black tea blend perfectly captures our favourite dessert: red velvet cake. We’re the first to admit it’s a pretty flashy treat – which is exactly why we love it so much. With milk and white chocolate chips, beetroot powder and little red sprinkles, this decadent blend is rich, delicious and a whole lot of fun."

Ingredients: Black tea, milk chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, milk, soy lecithin, salt, vanilla), white chocolate (sugar, palm kernel oil, whey, skim milk, mono and diglycerides, soy lecithin, vanilla), sprinkles (sugar, corn starch, vegetable oil, soy lecithin, dextrin, colour (red 40 lake, yellow 6 lake), confectioner's glaze, natural and artificial flavour, carnauba wax), beetroot powder, natural and artificial flavouring.

This smells so good while steeping! No need to add milk or sugar unless you like your tea really sweet. It's quite smooth, very nice.

DavidsTea Advent Calendar Day 11

Day 11 is Snow Day which is a low-caffeine herbal tea described as:

"Got a blizzard on the way? Cozy up inside with a cup of this chocolate-mint herbal tea – the perfect way to warm up on a chilly winter day. With peppermint, cacao nibs and dark chocolate drops, it’s sweet, creamy and oh-so comforting. The best part? Cute little snowflake-shaped sprinkles add a touch of sweetness to the blend. Bring it on, winter!"

Ingredients: Peppermint leaves, cocoa beans, cocoa husk, chocolate drops (sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, sunflower lecithin), white chocolate pieces (sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, sunflower lecithin), sugar sprinkles (sugar, rice flour, rapeseed oil, tragacanth), natural and artificial flavouring.

I'm not sure how much caffeine is in this, but it must come from the cocoa because there's no actual tea in it. Very minty, very sweet, this would be nice to drink over the holidays when it's cold and nasty outside!

DavidsTea Advent Calendar Day 10

Day 10 is Nutty and Spice which is a low-caffeine oolong tea described as:

"Blended with walnuts, pistachios, cranberries, pineapple and a merry dash of cinnamon, this warm, buttery oolong is as festive as it gets. It’s sweet, spicy and deliciously cozy. Whether you have it straight up or with a splash of milk, this is one tea that’ll have you singing “Deck the Halls” in no time. Warning: may induce feelings of holiday cheer.."

Ingredients: Oolong tea, roasted chicory root, pineapple (pineapple, sugar), papaya (papaya, sugar), cinnamon, walnuts, ginger, apple, rose pepper, roasted almonds (almonds, caramelized sugar), cardamom, almonds, pistachios, cranberries, rose blossoms, natural and artificial flavouring.

This is another smooth oolong tea, very light and delicate, perfect for Christmas,

DavidsTea Advent Calendar Day 9

Day 9 is White Cranberry Bark which is a caffeine-free herbal infusion described as:

"Hooked on that decadent white chocolate bark packed with tart cranberries? Get your holiday fix with this tantalizing caffeine-free fruit infusion. With juicy red berries and creamy white chocolate stars, it’s a mega merry way to end to any holiday east. Just brew a pot for your favourite people, serve with a side of decadent treats and prepare to get jolly."

Ingredients: Apple (apple, citric acid), papaya, raisins, cranberries, elderberries, hibiscus blossoms, white chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, sunflower lecithin), stevia extract, natural cranberry and chocolate flavouring.

This one smells heavenly as it's steeping, and the flavour is perfect! A hint of tartness, but not overpowering...not too sweet...everything seems to be blended perfectly with no one ingredient overwhelming the others (as seems to happen when people put hibiscus in tea blends!). I really like this tea and it gets two thumbs up from me.

DavidsTea Advent Calendar Day 8

Day 8 is Zest Wishes which is a medium-caffeine oolong tea described as:

"With warm cinnamon, cardamom and zesty orange peel, this cozy oolong is the best way to wake up on a winter morning. A rich caffeinated breakfast tea, it’s got all the comforting, melt-in-your-mouth flavours of a spicy baked treat. Tangy but not overly sweet, it’ll have you leaping out of bed in no time!"

Ingredients: Cinnamon, orange peel, oolong tea, apple, cardamom, natural orange and cinnamon flavouring.

Oolong is a semi-oxidized Chinese tea that falls somewhere between green and black on the tea spectrum, and it's said to have many health benefits thanks to the antioxidants. I like oolong teas because they're light and flavourful. This one is quite nice, although a bit heavy on the cinnamon flavouring. Another good tea for those with a sweet tooth!

DavidsTea Advent Calendar Day 7

Day 7 is S'mores Chai which is a medium-caffeine pu'erh tea (pu'erh is an aged black tea from the Yunnan province in China) described as:

"Gooey toasted marshmallows, graham crackers, dark chocolate – it’s no wonder we live for s’mores. Our tempting pu’erh tea adds an extra dash of cinnamon to the campfire classic, so it’s rich, warming and packed with fudgy goodness. Brew it as a frothy tea latte for the ultimate cold-weather indulgence. Don’t worry – there’s s’more where that came from."

Ingredients: Pu'erh tea, brittle pieces (sugar, hazelnut, invert sugar), cinnamon, sugar, marshmallow (sugar, corn syrup, modified cornstarch, gelatin, sodium hexametaphosphate, natural and artificial flavour, blue 1), chocolate chips (cane sugar, cocoa liquor, cocoa butter), natural and artificial flavouring.

I love pu'erh teas and I love chai teas, so this should be a great mix. I never add any kind of sugar/sweetener to either of those teas, just a splash of milk to chai. This tea has added sugar as well as additional sugar in the brittle pieces, marshmallow, and chocolate chips, which ends up making it too sweet for my taste. If, however, you have a sweet tooth and love sweet treats, you will really like this one!

DavidsTea Advent Calendar Day 6

Day 6 is Forever Nuts which is a caffeine-free herbal infusion described as:

"You'll go nuts for this herbal tea. With its crunchy almond slices, sweet apple bits and cinnamon bark, this tempting caffeine-free infusion turns a crazy shade of pink when steeped. Why? Because of its hint of earthy beetroot. Deliciously nutty, decidedly addictive, it’s one of our all-time bestselling blends."

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

This is a good one! I actually have a small tin of this in my tea cupboard because I like it so much. I can't put my finger on what the exact flavour is, but it's sweet and mellow and not overpowering at all. A nice treat to open up today!

DavidsTea Advent Calendar Day 5

Day 5 is Organic Cream of Earl Grey which is a high-caffeine black tea described as:

"Lovers of Earl Grey tea adore this creamy alternative to the original breakfast blend. You’ll recognize the same high-quality black tea, the same citrus burst of bergamot oil, the same beautiful grey-blue petals. However this version adds a touch of vanilla, and the result is an unexpectedly rich, creamy taste experience. Try it on its own or as a satisfying tea latte."

Ingredients: Organic: Black tea, marigolds. With cornflowers and natural flavouring.

I was SO happy to find this one when I opened up box number 5 this morning! I love Earl Grey teas, especially Cream of Earl Grey (which is Earl Grey with vanilla added). This one is smooth and not overpowering, and I love it so much that I used my big 16oz mug for it. This one should definitely be a staple in everyone's tea cupboard.

DavidsTea Advent Calendar Day 4

Day 4 is Apple Cider which is a caffeine-free herbal infusion described as:

"Craving a hot cup of old-fashioned apple cider? Curl up with this fresh caffeine-free apple tea inspired our favourite seasonal beverage. With a sweet, clean apple taste and a hint of creaminess, this fruit infusion is the perfect way to warm up when the cold weather sets in. The only thing missing is the cinnamon stick."

Ingredients: Apple, apple pomace (pomace, citric acid), sweet blackberry leaves, apple flavouring (artificial apple flavouring, concentrated apple juice), artificial vanilla and cream flavouring.

This steeps up into a nice light colour and it smells very "apple". I drank it before I could take a photo because it was SO GOOD! I could taste both sweet and tart, and I love the taste of tart apples (why I love cider!). I'd like to buy this in a larger quantity and drink it throughout the winter!

DavidsTea Advent Calendar Day 3

Day 3 is Let it Snow which is a low-caffeine green tea described as:

"Frightful weather ahead? Warm up with this creamy eggnog-inspired green tea. With festive notes of white chocolate, cinnamon, clove and custard, it’s the perfect way to add a touch of cozy to your day. Serve it straight up in a teapot big enough to share or spiked with brandy for a spicy winter warmer. Not cozy enough? Whip it up as a frothy tea latte. It’ll nog your socks off"

Ingredients: Candied pineapple (pineapple, cane sugar, citric acid, sulfur dioxide), green tea, black currants, apple, cinnamon, white chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, whey powder, lactose, soy lecithin, natural vanilla), cloves, stevia extract, natural flavouring

This steeps up a nice light colour and very fruity smell. It's a nice light green tea (make sure you steep your green teas at 80 C and not 100 C (boiling water), otherwise you'll burn your tea leaves and then have a burnt flavour to your tea!). My only complaint about this is that they've added stevia extract to it. WHY would you add a sweetener to green tea?!?!?! Because of this, it makes it too sweet for me to enjoy.

DavidsTea Advent Calendar Day 2

Day 2 is Cinnamon Rooibos Chai which is a caffeine-free rooibos described as:

"Organic rooibos tea and cinnamon are a powerhouse combination. According to aromatherapy principles, cinnamon enhances your ability to concentrate. Plus it has a clean and refreshing taste your breath will thank you for. And rooibos is bursting with vitamins and minerals. Your new favourite caffeine-free tea also contains Zanzibar cloves and citrus oil. Delicious."

Ingredients: Organic: Rooibos*, apple, cinnamon. With natural cinnamon flavouring.

 Once steeped, it smells quite fruity and has a nice amber colour. The taste is fruity as well, not as much cinnamon as you might think, but it's quite nice and light. I was thinking it might actually make a nice iced tea for summer (if you have any left after the holidays!).

DavidsTea Advent Calendar Day 1

I was delightfully surprised to receive a DavidsTea advent calendar this year from my friend Ryan (a fellow tea lover), so that means 24 days of blog posts! Starting with the calendar itself, this year's is quite fancy (two thumbs up from me). The two flaps on the front open to reveal the boxes of tea inside, as well as a box which contains a shiny black tea scoop.

 

The boxes have ribbons on the top so that you can hang them on your Christmas tree, and inside each box is a resealable bag of loose leaf tea. For me, this is a HUGE improvement over the tins with screw-top lids that previous calendars have had, as I had problems with more than a few of the tins being so tightly sealed I had to crack the plastic on the lids in order to get them open (another two thumbs up, DavidsTea!).

Now, on to the tea...

Day 1 tea is Candy Cane Crush which is a low-caffeine black tea described as:

"This rich and decadent peppermint black tea is like a minty wonderland in a cup. Think creamy white chocolate drops. Crushed candy cane pieces. And tons of cute little snowflake sprinkles. One sip of this sweet, icy-cool blend is all it takes to get you smiling from ear to ear – especially if you add it to your next mug of holiday eggnog. Could this tea be any more festive? We think not."

Ingredients: Black tea, white chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, butter oil, soy lecithin, vanilla extract), peppermint candy (corn syrup, sugar, peppermint oil, colour (red 40)), snowflake candies (sugar, rice flour, cottonseed and soy bean oil, corn starch, gum arabic, cellulose gum, titanium dioxide (colour), confectioners glaze, carrageenan, soy lecithin, artificial flavour), cane sugar, peppermint, natural peppermint and vanilla flavouring.

 I love the look of this...the white chocolate chips, the snowflake candies, and the crushed bits of candy cane really add to the festiveness of it.

Once steeped, it smells very minty, and it brews up as a light amber colour. The flavour is light and mild, and the mint left a nice tingle on my lips. No need to add milk or sugar to this one, just drink it straight up. This would be great to sip on a cold dark night when you're cuddled up under a blanket on the couch with a good book, especially with a bit of snow on the ground outside.

We're off to a good start, DavidsTea!