Tag: Clearview Tea Co

Crème de Menthe by Clearview Tea Co
Black Tea / Flavoured
$9.00 for 40g

Clearview Tea Co’s Crème de Menthe came to me as part of The Sugared Teacup’s December themed subscription box.

First Impressions

I have such a love for mint and black tea blends, it’s almost embarrassing (except it’s really not). I was so in love with basically everything that I got in my December tea box (and yes, I am still sad about the end of The Sugared Teacup – so if you have any recommendations for tea subscription boxes send me an email!), and getting a peppermint black tea was basically the best thing ever. Crème de Menthe came in a foil pouch that has a clear plastic back to it – the packaging is resealable, which is one of the best features to have in tea packaging. The leaves are visible and the labelling is clear regarding ingredients, temperature, and steep time (although I do think the font size could be bigger – I found it small and I already wear glasses!).

There’s a very strong peppermint aroma to the dry leaf, and I do pick up a bit of vanilla undertones to this black tea blend. The black tea isn’t very prominent in the aroma of the dry leaf. Crème de Menthe consists of: organic black tea, organic peppermint, organic vanilla, and natural flavour.

Preparation

Clearview Tea Co recommends steeping Crème de Menthe in 190-205°F (88-97°C) water for 3 to 5 minutes. I opted to steep at 200°F (95°C) water for 4 minutes.

First Taste

Crème de Menthe steeps to a beautiful golden red colour, and has a strong peppermint aroma. The flavour of tea itself has a much more mild peppermint flavour in comparison to the dry leaf, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The peppermint is mild and this couples nicely with a creamy vanilla flavour and I can taste the black tea base – it has a nice flavour to it that reminds me of a robust breakfast tea.

A Second Cup?

I resteeped Crème de Menthe twice, adding an additional 30 seconds for each subsequent steep. I found that it resteeped pretty well for the first resteep, but the flavours were quite muted for the second resteep. I would say that Crème de Menthe is good for just one more steep.

My Overall Impression

I loved Clearview Tea Co’s Crème de Menthe. As previously mentioned, I love peppermint black tea blends, so it shouldn’t be that big of a surprise that I really enjoyed this blend from Clearview! I think that the addition of vanilla was smart because it does add a different flavour to the blend that results in a pleasant creaminess. I think this tea would do very well as part of an afternoon tea (black teas often take well to cream and sugar), and it would also pair well with desserts – thanks to those vanilla notes.

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Cinnamon Roll by Clearview Tea Co
Black Tea / Flavoured
$7.50 for 40g

Clearview Tea Co’s Cinnamon Roll came to me as part of The Sugared Teacup’s October themed subscription box.

First Impressions

I learned about Clearview Tea Co via The Sugared Teacup! The tea itself comes in a sealed (resealable!) foil bag with a clear, plastic back so I can see the tea before even opening it. The name of the tea is handwritten on the label – what a nice touch (and lovely penmenship!). The steeping instructions and ingredients list are on the back, along with the contact information for the tea company.

Cinnamon Roll smells like cinnamon – there’s a hint of sweetness that makes me think of those cinnamon heart candies that show up around Valentine’s Day. I love how easy it is to see the ingredients in this black tea blend, and the strength of the cinnamon in it. The aroma of the black tea base peeks through the cinnamon, and it reminds me a bit of an Assam – just a slight malty aroma to it. Cinnamon Roll consists of: black tea, cinnamon, and natural flavour.

Preparation

Clearview Tea Co recommends steeping Cinnamon Roll in 190-205°F (88-97°C) water for 3 to 5 minutes. I opted to use my Breville IQ Kettle‘s Oolong setting (195°F/91°C) and steeped Cinnamon Roll for 4 minutes.

First Taste

Cinnamon Roll steeps to a beautiful golden orange. The cinnamon aroma from the steeped tea is lovely, it’s warm and inviting and does remind me a lot of baking. The black tea base is more obvious in the steeped tea than in the dry leaf form, there’s a mild malty flavour that I’m fully attributing to the black tea. It’s a nice tea on its own, I think it could be really elevated by sweetening it with a little bit of brown sugar, and adding a bit of cream – which I did do. I found that this made it both taste and smell more like a cinnamon roll.

A Second Cup?

I resteeped Cinnamon Roll twice – adding an extra 30 seconds for each steep. I found that the first resteep was very similar to the initial steep in terms of flavour and strength, while the second resteep was lacking the cinnamon flavour. I would say that Cinnamon Roll is good for one more steep.

My Overall Impression

I liked Clearview Tea Co’s Cinnamon Roll. I think the cinnamon flavour was on point, and the black tea base is pleasant to steep and drink. The cinnamon flavouring doesn’t make me think of cinnamon roll – yet! If you add a touch of brown sugar and cream to it, it really does make it taste like a cinnamon roll (which is the namesake for the tea, after all!). Like the black tea on its own, love it with the brown sugar and cream because it just really elevates the flavour and reminds me so much of an actual cinnamon roll. This is definitely a dessert black tea, and would highly recommend pairing it with afternoon tea goodies or all those holiday baked goods you’ve got in your house (you know the ones I mean!).

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