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When I’m working a 12-hour shift, one travel mug of tea just doesn’t cut it! So today I caved and brewed up some bagged tea at the coffee station at work. For a bagged tea, this is actually quite good…there is a nice balance of citrus and cinnamon flavor and a nice smooth base (I’m not detecting any bitterness or astringency, which makes me happy!) It’s similar to Bigelow’s Constant Comment, but I like this one better.

This is one of the few teas that I will not drink without milk…it’s just too spicy for me! With milk, it’s an enjoyable chai with a strong spicy kick from the ginger and clove. The vanilla is present, but definitely takes a backseat to the spices.

Hidden Gems TTB #20

This is a great black tea! Super strong and flavorful with notes of whole-grain bread, honey, and sweet potatoes. It’s reminding me a lot of Whispering Pine’s Golden Snail, but with a slightly smoother texture. There’s a little bit of bitterness in the aftertaste that I’m sure would disappear with a splash of milk, but I’m enjoying it plain in my travel mug this morning. A good way to finish off a fantastic box of samples!

Hidden Gems TTB #19

Wow, such a unique flavor combination for tea! This is something I would never have purchased for myself, but I’m so glad I got a chance to try it out. (Thanks for putting such a great box together, Anlina!) Both the orange and rosemary flavorings are strong and pretty much drown out the base (which is fine by me, because I’m not a big fan of red rooibos). I mostly get a nice smooth orange flavor as I’m sipping, but the rosemary comes in strong at the end of the sip and leaves a lingering savory aftertaste. Surprisingly, the combination works quite well!

Hidden Gems TTB #18

This makes for a nice breakfast tea: Earl Grey, but with a strong berry flavor added. (Apparently, it’s supposed to be black current? I really couldn’t tell from the taste.) The flavoring was nicely balanced with the base and there was no bitterness and only a touch of astringency; I enjoyed it even without milk.This isn’t something I need in my cupboard, but I enjoyed sampling it!

Hidden Gems TTB #17

Mmm, this is such a nice fruity tisane! The pear is the strongest flavor and it’s wonderfully juicy and natural. Alongside that, I’m tasting some other fruits…watermelon, maybe? And a hint of pineapple? Whatever it is, they blend together beautifully. The rose is in the background, mostly coming out in the aftertaste. (And since I don’t like overly floral teas, that’s okay by me!) This was a sweet taste of summer in the middle of winter and I would definitely consider purchasing some to try iced when warm weather actually arrives!

Hidden Gems TTB #16

This looks like one of those fruit blends that Teavana is so fond of: lots of chunks of dried fruit, plus some little white chunks that I can’t identify…freeze-dried yogurt, maybe? I tried to get a good mix of everything in my cup, but I wasn’t super impressed with the flavor. There was no milkiness that I could detect, and the flavor was just a generic fruit blend; I really couldn’t pick out any specific types of fruit. Not a fan of this one!

Hidden Gems TTB #15

Wow, this is the most thick, creamy oolong I have ever encountered! The floral flavor was a bit overpowering for my tastes, but I’m still glad I tried this just to experience the unique mouth feel.

Hidden Gems TTB #14

I’m impressed by how accurate the honey flavor is in this tea…it really tastes like I added honey to my cup! It’s very sweet, with a strong honey taste and a bit of fruitiness hanging out in the background. I wish the raspberry would pop a bit more, but this is still quite good.

Hidden Gems TTB #13

This tastes more like a fruitcake than an apple tart to me…there are distinct cake notes along with raisin, nuts, spices, and a fruity flavor that isn’t really screaming “apple”. It’s actually quite delicious, but not at all what I was expecting from the name.