Gingerbread Spice by Celestial Seasonings

Seller's Description: "Step into a cozy kitchen warmed by the spicy aroma of freshly made gingerbread — with no baking required!"
Ingredients: Cinnamon, roasted chicory, ginger, natural flavors (soy lecithin), roasted carob and Luo Han Guo.
Website: Gingerbread Spice by Celestial Seasonings

Sample source: Provided

Teaware: 16oz glass tea infuser
Measured dry: 2 sachets
Water Temperature: 212º F
Steeping Time: 4 minutes
Additives: 3 teaspoons of raw sugar

As soon as I opened the box, I was hit with a wave of ginger. There's no missing its spicy bite in this tea, and as I tend to be a bit of a ginger fiend that was no problem for me!

It's not until you steep it up that the other notes come out to play, but not in the way I was expecting. This strikes me more as a ginger tea than a gingerbread tea... or at least not your usual holiday gingerbread... something a lot older.

When I visited Hampton Court Palace back in 2003, I picked up a recipe book from the Tudor kitchens and have since tried out some of the dishes. This tea reminds me more of the flavor of their Gyngerbrede honeyed treats than a more modern cookie. It's where the "bread" part of gingerbread cookies got their name. Those treats were made with honey, white breadcrumbs, cinnamon, ginger (of course!), and ground black pepper.

Sipping this tea, I had to check the ingredients again to make sure this one didn't have the black pepper in it. It has that kind of a robust yet gentle bite. Part of that may be due to the roasted ingredients, but I think I may have to make up a fresh batch of Gyngerbrede in order to compare!

All in all, this was a very interesting cup and it has sparked my curiosity. 

Prominent Notes: Ginger!

Aftertaste: A slight honeyed effect with hints of pepper
Overall: Curiouser and curiouser

Gingerbread Black Tea by Simpson & Vail

Next up on our tour of holiday teas is the slightly smoky Gingerbread Black Tea by Simpson & Vail, which helped me ring in the first morning of our Thanksgiving break!

Seller Description: "Warm yourself from the inside out with this aromatic black tea blend. The brewed tea emits a heady, spicy aroma and the cup is perfectly proportioned. The flavors of gingerbread spices dance on your tongue, with no one spice overwhelming the others. Destined to be a spice lovers new favorite tea!"
Ingredients: Organic China black tippy tea, organic cinnamon, organic cloves, organic ginger and gingerbread flavoring.
Website: Gingerbread Black Tea by Simpson & Vail

Sample source: Provided

Teaware: Glass cup and saucer, metal infuser
Measured dry: 1-1/2 teaspoons
Water Temperature: 212º F
Steeping Time: 3 minutes
Additives: 2 teaspoons of raw sugar

Opening the sample package, I was overwhelmed by the scent of warm gingerbread cookies. When I spread out the blend, it was easy to identify the cloves and cinnamon, although it did take me a moment longer to recognize the ginger - I'm so used to sushi ginger and candied ginger that I don't think I've ever seen dried ginger before. But no matter its appearance, it plays a solid role in this tea!

The ginger blends with the smoky flavor of cloves and the creamy, muted spices of pumpkin pie. There's an interesting layered effect, as each of the notes is hitting my tastebuds individually before combining into a gingerbread-infused aftertaste.

This was actually my second attempt, and by far the most successful. My husband made up the batch earlier this morning, and he followed the recommended quantity and steep time. He thought it was too weak after three minutes, so it steeped for one more. That turned out to be a mistake, and the cloves took the opportunity to become a little overwhelming.

To get the maximum depth of flavor without the bitterness of an oversteep, I decided to bump up the dry leaves and go back to the original steep time. That was the perfect move, as it reigned in the cloves and brought a wonderful balance to the cup.

As it cooled, the flavor became even creamier and more pronounced. This will be a tea to keep your eye on as we move forward in the Pageant of Winter Teas!

Prominent Notes: Smoky, with notable cloves and creamy, muted pumpkin pie spices

Aftertaste: Gingerbread
Overall: Yummm!

Gingerbread by DAVIDsTEA

Seller Description: "For the past four years, all we wanted for Christmas was a gingerbread tea. Every winter, we’ve pestered David for a spicy-sweet, festive tea. But he just couldn’t find the perfect blend…until now. And with its warm, comforting aromas of ginger, cinnamon and molasses, this rich rooibos tea totally worth the wait."
Ingredients: Rooibos, green rooibos, honeybush, cinnamon, currants, crystalized ginger, pineapple, safflower petals, natural and artificial flavouring.
Website: Gingerbread by DAVIDsTEA

Sample source: Purchased

Teaware: Abalone China cup, Japan, Shy Flowers pattern
Measured dry: 1-1/4 teaspoons
Water Temperature: 212º F
Steeping Time: 5 minutes
Additives: 2 teaspoons of raw sugar

This was my first sniff of DAVIDsTEA's holiday lineup, and when I opened the tin I was hit not with the lovely bite of ginger but instead with the somewhat bizarre flavor of the molasses bourbon pecan pie I made a couple Thanksgivings ago.

The pie has not been repeated since (hint: if you make a pie with alcohol, it's better if you actually like it!), so you can understand why I was a little hesitant to steep this up at first. It helped that I found a cute little cup at the local second-hand shop and needed an excuse to take pretty pictures of it!

The rooibos and honeybush are definitely the most dominant flavors in this tea, followed by the molasses, and leaving the hint of gingerbready goodness to take up the rear.

There is an incredible sweetness to this cup, and if I hadn't been looking for the specific flavor profile I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more. I'm also not wild about all the small particles shifting around in the bottom of the cup. I'm a big texture girl (ask me some time about trying native foods in Alaska!), and I really hate to go for a sip and end up chewing.

Prominent Notes: Rooibos and Honeybush

Aftertaste: Molasses and gingerbread
Overall: While I'm not blown away it's still a nice way to wind down after a busy day.