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Cameron B. drank Gingerbread Spice by Celestial Seasonings

4330 tasting notes

I thought this was a black tea, but it turns out it’s an herbal. Oops ha ha. :P

It steeps up unexpectedly dark due to the chicory. Flavorwise, it’s quite mild. The ginger and cinnamon are at the forefront, and I think there’s a bit of clove somewhere in the natural flavors. I don’t get a lot of chicory really, though I admit I haven’t had a lot of experience with it in general. There is a slight earthy toastiness and it does add a bit of body. The last ingredient is “luo han guo”, which is apparently monk fruit. Strange that they call it by the Chinese name, when monk fruit is a fairly common sweetener nowadays. Anyway, happily it’s not very strong in this blend.

To me, this doesn’t really taste like gingerbread, mostly because the ginger is quite zesty and tastes more like fresh ginger than the powdered kind used for baking. But it is a pleasant enough sweet spiced herbal brew that would be nice for the evening or after eating a bit too much.

Holiday grocery store teas tried: 9/19

Flavors: Candy, Cinnamon, Clove, Earthy, Ginger, Herbaceous, Molasses, Roasted, Spices, Spicy, Sweet

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 0 sec 16 OZ / 473 ML

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2 comments

gmathis
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I believe the best gingerbread-alike I’ve tried is Twinings Gingerbread Joy. Did you have that in your arsenal of holiday grocery purchases?

Cameron B.
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I have it but I haven’t tried it yet! Harney & Sons Gingerbread Festival is delicious.

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Comments

gmathis
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I believe the best gingerbread-alike I’ve tried is Twinings Gingerbread Joy. Did you have that in your arsenal of holiday grocery purchases?

Cameron B.
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I have it but I haven’t tried it yet! Harney & Sons Gingerbread Festival is delicious.

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Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2025 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- February sipdowns: 5
- Total 2025 sipdowns: 39

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia (or monkfruit, etc.).

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing