Tuesday, February 24, 2015

St. Nick's Tea by Simpson & Vail




Seller Description"Add St. Nick's Tea to your holiday wish list because this blend is Nutty & Nice! Black teas are enhanced with the flavors of chocolate and roasted nuts with a hint of maple. The tea brews to an amber cup with a smooth, nutty, slightly sweet taste. It's the perfect blend to enjoy on winter nights while you're sitting by the fire. A definite crowd pleaser!"
Ingredients: Black teas, almonds, organic cacao nibs, vanilla beans, flavoring and orange blossoms.
WebsiteSt. Nick's Tea by Simpson & Vail
Sample source: Provided

Teaware: 16oz glass infuser mug
Measured dry: 2 teaspoons
Water Temperature: 212º F
Steeping Time: 3 minutes
Additives: 3 teaspoons of raw sugar

Sipping this tea, it makes me think more about young love than Santa. I remember hearing that my great grandfather used to own a pharmacy in Eastern Oregon where they sold fountain drinks and malted milk shakes.

It was at a country fair not too far from that pharmacy that my grandparents started courting... and right there on main street where grandpa, as a groom, pushed his new bride down the street in a wheelbarrow. We were recently going through some pictures for my grandfather's memorial, and I don't remember if I actually saw a picture or just remembered the story, but I can so easily connect that image of young love with the flavor of this tea... old timey and wonderful.

As it was steeping, the fragrance lured my husband from his computer room into the kitchen. He took one sip of this and a smile ignited across his face. He told me, "It makes me think of hot chocolate malt. My grandfather used to make malted chocolate milkshakes. It has this chocolately, nutty flavor that's just wonderful for a cold winter's morning." He took a few more sips, then continued, "I actually smelled it across the house. I was hoping it tasted as good as it smells, and it does!"

The flavors of this tea hit me the same way. A fantastic, old-fashioned chocolate milkshake that just makes me smile... for a couple of reasons. The first being the memories and stories it evokes, and the second being the slightly more practical (but no less celebrated) way it compares to the original in terms of calories!

Like Simpson & Vail's Victorian Earl Grey, this may have been introduced to our household as a sample, but will probably end up a cupboard regular.

Prominent Notes: Chocolate, cream, and a certain level of nuttiness
Aftertaste: A hint of the black tea base with a stronger chocolate element
Overall: A new favorite!