Sugar and Spice - David's Tea

Where to buy:  David’s Tea

Description:  EVERYTHING NICE

Some teas are great conversation starters. All you have to do is steep a cup and before you know it, people are asking “what is that wonderful smell?”, “did someone just bake a cake?” and of course, “can I have some?” This comforting black tea blend is no exception. With the warm aromas of cinnamon, cloves and vanilla, it smells and tastes like a spice cake fresh out of the oven. But consider yourself warned: you might want a little bit extra to share around…

Ingredients:  Black tea, apples, cinnamon cassia, cloves, carrots, marigold petals, orange peel, natural vanilla flavoring

My Review:

After my disappointment with the Pumpkin Chai, my sister recommended that I try Sugar and Spice.

As I opened the pouch I was immediately hit with the wonderfully spicy smell of orange peel, cinnamon and cloves. There are good size chunks of orange peel, blended with dainty marigold petals, apples and carrots. The addition of these ingredients to the black tea gives it a subtle yet striking color contrast.

The recommended brewing is 1.5 tsp. of Sugar and Spice, water heated to 94 degrees Celsius (or 201 degrees Fahrenheit), steeped for 4-7 minutes. I brewed a double serving again for 6 minutes and added a tiny bit of milk.

Once brewed, this tea smells strongly of cinnamon and cloves with an undertone of orange and apple. The scent reminds me of the orange pomander balls and spice cookies that we make at Christmas. The tea itself is not very strong, but does have a hint of spice and the apple gives it a mild sweetness without added sugar or honey. The clove is definitely the stand out spice in this blend. I found this tea to be quite pleasant, not overly spicy but not too bland.

This has to be one of my favorite teas. I love the subtle spice flavors mixed with the fragrant orange peel and the sweet apple. I think this tea will quickly become one of my favorite fall/winter teas!