Celestial Seasonings

So I picked this up on a whim cause the grocery store was out of the peach white tea that I was digging. I wanted white tea so a combo? Why not. The dry bag has a little bit dusty aroma to it. A little sweet too, and if you breathe in too deep get ready to sneeze. So after brewing this the aroma of honey and lemon are very nice. The taste. After a few sips I was trying to figure out what it reminds me of. Then it hits me. Warm summer shandy! I have enjoyed this tea so much that I’m on another box. Everyday after lunch this is my brew. I have noticed that the Siberian ginseng help in fending off work stress. Loving this one.

I like ginger in just about everything, but this was not my favorite. The ginger is somewhat overwhelming, and the luo han guo made it a little too sweet for me. It’s certainly not undrinkable, but I wouldn’t get it again.

This was the free tasting tea at my local tea shop. It was delightful. I almost bought some, but I have a bag of Della Terra Candy Cane coming to me at Christmas. I find that I really do enjoy peppermint in my tea.

My aunt didn’t like this tea so she gave it to me. I love it! I actually quite enjoy it with out sugar, but tonight I thought I’d try it with a little bit. I asked my boyfriend what he thought and had him add the sugar. He added two level spoon fulls of sugar, and it tasted just like a candy cane. And I for one looove candy canes. I do have to say though, I think one spoon full of sugar might have been enough. I’m kind of sad that it only comes out during the holiday season, so I’ll have to get some more, ya know stock up on it a bit so I can have it whenever I want! :) I love this tea! It’s quickly become one of my favorites.

Today has been a long day. Exams are this coming week, and while last week was dead week, this weekend is dead weekend! This tea is the perfect end to a day filled with studying and running around. The mint and chamomile are soothing and relaxing enough to help reduce the stress of my 8 am exam. I love this tea!

It’s alright. Not among the better chai blends of the world, or even among the better Celestial Seasonings blends. The coconut and tea flavors are there, just kind of weak. Being caffeine-free is a nice touch, too. The one thing this tea really has going for it is mouthfeel. It’s very creamy on the palate. I usually pair it with an evening dessert—right now it’s complimenting a carrot-coconut cupcake rather nicely. I’m sure I’ll finish the box, but I doubt I’ll buy it again.

This was my father’s tea of choice when I was growing up. Now that I work a nine-to-five myself, I can see the appeal. A very bright and surprisingly complex blend, definitely one of Celestial Seasoning’s better offerings. Definitely a relaxing cup to enjoy after work.

The king of sleepy teas. Has a nice pleasant flavor, which I prefer over bigelow’s sweet dreams or trader joes well rested. Really relaxes me when I drink it. And of course it has maybe the cutest art in the whole tea industry. The bear even inspired me to get one of those old fashioned sleeping hats and pajamas to add to my experience.

I loved the smell, but the taste left much to be desired. I tried it once with one bag and some sugar, and another time double-strength with sugar and milk. The teabags smelled like sugar cookies with orange zest, but even with a double-strength brew, milk, and sugar, the tea was just… empty-tasting. It just didn’t satisfy… and it was kind of nasty and buttery-tasting, too. My boyfriend *cartomancer*’s mother really liked it, though. I actually bought 6 boxes of these thinking they’d be SO awesome because they were the only holiday tea sold out on the CS website… I guess I can return them or exchange them for a tea I like better. Maybe I’ll try it again later with honey and no milk to see how it fares. It’s possible that I overwhelmed it with milk and sugar. I still really want to like this because it smells so good and the blend seems like it should have more depth to it than I’m experiencing, if that makes any sense.

This tea is better in a bigger cup since it steeps so quickly and strongly. I like it quite a bit. I’m pretty sure I’ll have to buy more than the 3 boxes I already ordered from CS because cartomancer will want this one as his night-shift pick-me-up for the year. Damn, that man drinks a heck of a lot of tea! I’ll probably return some boxes of Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride and pick up some boxes of this stuff, or he can buy his own tea. Better yet, we ration the holiday tea throughout the year and attempt to treat the hole that “stocking up” has burned in my wallet.

This was the first time I’ve tried this tea. The box says, “Now with richer vanilla flavor!” but I can’t comment on that because I haven’t tried previous versions.
I was shocked at how quickly the teabag colored my water! It’s definitely a quick-steep tea, not unlike the PG Tips black tea that’s usually in my house. I think I left the bag in for less than a minute. My parents stock the cabinets with pretty small teacups (maybe 6-ounce cups), so depending on how much water you use, you might want to leave it for maybe 2 minutes. The tea steeped really darkly and I added 2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp evaporated milk, so it ended up looking sort of muddy. Even with the short steep and adding sugar and milk, it turned out a little bitter. The black tea was pretty satisfying, though, and I got quite a bit of smooth vanilla flavor with some cinnamon background notes. It tasted smooth and would probably have tasted better if I took the teabag out even earlier! Overall, the flavor was rich (maybe no richer than last year) and I definitely think I could have brewed this in a 16-ounce cup without losing any flavor with one teabag, which is great because I like really strong flavors in my tea. For a tea this affordable, I think it’s a great purchase.

Had this at work yesterday. Just stuck two teabags in my water bottle and stuck it in the fridge for a bit. Tasty, love the cinnamon!

Greetings Steepsterites. We meet again.
2012 sure has been a crazy one, huh? The last review I posted was Halloween weekend of 2011. And here it is almost Christmas 2012.

So, where do I start…
I moved from Nebraska to Arizona, got married, have a child on the way, a crazy puppydog, a beautiful place to live in a picturesque town… but one thing is missing.
Tea.
So I’ve confessed my love affair of tea to my husband and I’m back! I can’t wait to build my tea arsenal back up and start reviewing again. (If you check my cupboard I currently only own a few boxed teas I picked up from the local grocery store..sadface.) But, Harney just had free shipping last weekend so I ordered a couple of my favorites, Paris and Hot Cinnamon Spice, and threw in a sample of their new Soho blend which I’m excited to try. I mostly ordered Hot Cinnamon Spice to get my hubby hooked, because that’s the tea that hooked me.

Here’s one I picked up the other day. Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride from Celestial Seasonings.
The teabags smell of sugar cookies, orange zest and I think I’m smelling a hint of raisins.
Once dropped into boiling water I’m instantly brought back to my childhood days of slaving over a hot easy bake oven. This smells like easy bake oven treats! A sweet childhood smell. It makes me smile. I want this in a candle. Besides sugar cookie I’m also picking up on a nice faint caramel scent.
First sip…rather disappointing, based on how great it smells. I can see how someone only tasted hot water. This seems to be more of a scented tea. Not a strong base note going on. Nothing much for the light notes of sugar cookie and orange to cling to. The smell is much better than the taste. The body is lacking. Adding sugar and honey helps, it’s definetely a tea I’d only drink dressed up in sweeteners and/or cream. I could see Davids tea or 52 teas pulling this dessert tea off more satisfyingly.

All in all not horrible but not very memorable, not something I would miss very much once the holiday season is over and it’s no longer on the shelves. I don’t regret buying it but I won’t buy more once I finish the box. Much better dessert teas out there!

Glad to be back!!
Love, Mrs. Bain:)

PS – A picture of our happy little family: http://i46.tinypic.com/2iw8tvs.jpg :)

So I’m sitting here watching some cartoons on Netflix, and I decide to try this. I just bought it today. I was going to make four different cups, to try and find a way I like it. But only after one cup, I’ve decided that I will not buy this tea again. I’ll finish this box, and be done. It’s bitter, and not strong enough. I let it steep for about 5 and half minuets, the length of time I usually steep any tea. It does however have a wonderful aroma, and would taste a little better w/o the after taste, and little less cinnamon. Not very impressed, I’m sad to say.

This herbal has be best raspberry flavor I have tried! I like it plain. I just tried it with a teaspoon honey for my throat (I’ve been really sick) and the tangy/sweet contrast was mouthwateringly good.

Can’t wait to try it iced mixed with black tea.

YUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bought a box – what was I thinking??

Never again. It tasted like what would happen if you licked the shelf in a spice closet and chased it with hot water.

The first time I had this tea I was about 18 – this was a very long time ago lol. I drank it by mistake while visiting an Aunt, and loved it! When she told me what it was I logged it to memory and went home and bought my first box. Thus began my love affair with Sleepytime tea.
No other bedtime tea comes close!

Teas like these are the ones that have me going to more eccentric places such as Teavana, because I can barely consider this tea at all. Where’s the apple? All I smelled/tasted was… cinnamon. Not the nice rich kind of cinnamon, just the cheap hot tamale like flavour in hot water. Yuck.

Is it just me or does this tea get better when you’re getting closer to the bottom of the box?

This is a bagged tea but it’s still really good. Very spicy, strong hints of coconut. Even awesomer if you use a flavored coffee creamer, like pumpkin spice or chocolate, like most milk teas are improves with flavored creamers. When I can’t use fancy creamers I use milk (whole milk is better) and add honey instead of sugar.

This tea does not really help me to sleep, few things can touch my insomnia so I don’t blame Celestial Seasoning for that. But it does help when my sinuses are messed up making it easier to breath.
It’s a good-smelling and good tasting tea, no sweeteners needed though if your throat is sore adding honey will not spoil it.

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: sweet fennel herby notes, minty fresh
After water is first poured: crisp, sweet Mint, fennel
At end of first steep: bright sweet fennel, mint closes
Tea liquor:
At first? Hints of green
At end of steep: meadow green
Staple? Yes.
Preferred time of day: as needed medicinally, evening otherwise
Taste:
At first?: sweet fennel, crisp mint notes close
As it cools?: Notes brighten, mint opens up, texture gets herby, fuzzy, tea gets both bodied and lighter
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, sweet, slightly creamy fennel notes, short hints of mint bite

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: frosty sweet, crisp minty desserty
After water is first poured: sweet, spicy, powdery
At end of steep: delicate minty, crisp, slightly sweet
Tea liquor:
At beginning of steep: med minty green
At end of steep: brownish green
Staple? yes
Time of day preferred: any
Taste:
At first: light mint, mild, crisp, sweet, slight bite closes
As it cools? mint crisps up a bit, bite lingers longer, distinct from the cooling closing notes
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Crisp clear, peppermint,cooling closing notes, mild bite
Lovely chilled

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: Vanilla Mint Frosted cake
After water is first poured: Vanilla mint Powdered sugar
At end of steep: Frosted Vanilla
Tea liquor:
At first: light green
At end of steep: same.

Staple? Yes, seasonal, and I got a few extra this year
Time of day preferred: Early evening
Taste:
first notes: Aromatic Fresh, very Light, moderately sweet (western) hits first, then mint close behind, trailing hints of cinnamon and mint
As it cools? Notes open, even out, loose the cake frosting heavy qualities, candy cane quality starts to beckon, light and crisp.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Delightfully so, leaving candy cane fresh notes clearly hanging inside one’s mouth, no bitterness, but palatable with each breath between sips.

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: Sweet, like store cake frosting
After water is first poured: vanilla notes noticed first, hints of the others
At end of steep: bland, dusty sweet
Tea liquor:
first color: med. brown
At end of steep: darkens a bit.
Staple? No.
Time of day preferred: undecided.
Taste: bland, like mildly candied cheap black tea
first notes: Vanilla, pepper
As it cools: cinnamon and Vanilla surface
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, with a touch of vanilla