Holiday Tea by Harney & Sons

After yesterday's marathon of tea reviews (three!) I felt like grabbing something a little more straightforward, so this pre-packaged tea moved to the front of the line.

Seller Description: "Our Holiday Tea is a black tea spiced with citrus, almond, clove and cinnamon. Delicious hot or iced. Wonderful for a holiday table, a cold winter morning, or any time you crave a holiday-inspired brew."
Ingredients: China black tea, cloves, cinnamon, safflowers, orange peel, natural and artificial vanilla, cinnamon, almond, and orange flowers. (Note: Cinnamon was listed twice on tin)

Website: Holiday Tea by Harney & Sons

Sample source: Purchased

Teaware: 8oz cup and saucer
Measured dry: 1 sachet
Water Temperature: 212º F
Steeping Time: 4 minutes
Additives: 2 teaspoons of raw sugar

Because of Harney's shipping costs (a $2 sample costs $8 to ship) the only way this made it into the lineup was because Super Target started carrying tins of their sachet teas. It's a lot easier to justify a $5.99 tin of 20 sachets than only a couple cups of loose leaf for $10.

Now there is a downside to that. Harney's sachets are nylon, and their website describes them as "food safe and stable in boiling water." Unfortunately, they are not biodegradable. One of the reasons I usually avoid bagged and sachet teas is the waste. With a loose leaf you only have the outside packaging to deal with, and nor do you have to worry about the joys of heating plastics in your food and drink.

As of right now, there are better options but nothing yet is nearly as efficient as reusable metal, glass, or ceramic infusers. There are companies out there using PLA plastics, which are biodegradable and made from renewable resources, but according to the Smithsonian, so far the "biodegradable" aspect only works over a long period of time and when it's in a compost-like situation. Because of its unique make-up, recyclers are not accepting it yet, and can actually regard it as a contaminant. Making loose leaf tea with a quality, reusable infuser usually eliminates a whole host of worries for me.

But packaging aside, let's focus on the tea. For me, Harney teas usually take a couple tries before I can dial in the best cup. I followed the directions on the tin at first, and steeped it for 5 minutes. It was a little intense and somewhat bitter, so I reduced the steep time to four minutes and the taste was markedly improved.

I can't really pigeon-hole this one into a pre-set category. It's definitely a black, but after that... it has chai spices but doesn't taste like a chai. It has some creamy vanilla, but that's only one of the layers. The almond, orange, and safflowers don't really present themselves individually, but they do a nice job of supporting the other elements. That said, I'm not entirely sure this actually tastes like a holiday tea. It's gently spiced, sweet, and creamy but doesn't really shout at me from any particular tradition.

I can easily picture us enjoying a cup of this on a chilly morning, and while I can't really define it, I can easily see us finishing up the tin.

Prominent Notes: China black tea and cinnamon

Aftertaste: Cream and cloves
Overall: Creamy and interesting

Earl Grey Black Tea by Teavana vs. Earl Grey Supreme by Harney & Sons

Now that I'm finally feeling better, we have some face/offs to get back to! Today Teavana's Earl Grey Black is going up against Harney & Son's Earl Grey Supreme, so settle back and enjoy the battle!


Earl Grey Black Tea by Teavana
Teaware: 16oz glass infuser mug with lid
Measured dry: 2 teaspoons
Water Temperature: Boiling
Steeping Time: 4 minutes
Additives: 4 teaspoons of raw sugar




Earl Grey Supreme by Harney & Sons
Teaware: 16oz glass infuser mug with lid
Measured dry: 3 teaspoons
Water Temperature: Boiling
Steeping Time: 4 minutes
Additives: 4 teaspoons raw sugar





Now that both cups have been properly infused, let's see how they meet the criteria!

1. Does the tea taste smooth, without any jarring notes?

• Teavana: Yes, this is a very smooth cup with a slightly creamy finish that only adds to the silkiness the tea.

• Harney & Sons: As you might remember from my intial review of this tea, it has taken a lot of effort to try to dial in the best cup. This is one of the better attempts, but it still has a briskness that you'd expect more from an English Breakfast than an Earl Grey. 

2. If this is a variety blend, does the Earl Grey flavor profile maintain the driver's seat?

• Teavana: As I mentioned, the vanilla adds a small amount of creaminess, but the Earl Grey definitely remains dominant. 

• Harney & Sons: Not applicable - this is a straightforward Earl Grey blend.

3. Is there a "Wow!" factor? Something that makes it stand out?

• Teavana: I still get a slight licorice or anise aftertaste from this tea, which I really enjoy.

• Harney & Sons: Not really.

4. How is the astringency? Does it detract from the tea?

• Teavana: Barely noticeable - this is a sweet, smooth cup.

• Harney & Sons: Mild to moderate, but it doesn't really detract.

5. Does it have any special ties to sustainability, Fair-Trade, or eco-friendliness?

• Teavana: Their literature and staff script make claims, but that is not backed up with documentation nor certification and remains a debate online.

• Harney & Sons: No claims in literature or online.

Jake's Opinion: My favorite is the Teavana. It is a smooth, sweet, enjoyable cup. While not a straightforward or traditional Earl Grey the modifications really add to the experience rather than detract from it.

Lyssa's Opinion: Even after everything we went through trying to make the best cup of the Harney & Sons, I still can't bring myself to enjoy it. To me, it really does taste more like an English Breakfast than an Earl Grey. The Teavana, on the other hand, is sweet and smooth and has some delightful subtle notes that really raise the bar. I don't care for the company nor their policies, but I will enjoy finishing the tin we bought of this tea.


So, the winner of this face/off is...

Earl Grey Black Tea by Teavana

Earl Grey Supreme by Harney & Sons

Earl Grey Supreme by Harney & Sons

Seller Description: "To the connoisseur we offer Earl Grey Supreme, which uses a higher grade of teas along with the addition of Silver Tips. Most of our customers have never gone back to our regular Earl Grey once they have tasted the Supreme. If you love Bergamot and fine tea, this is the blend for you."

Directions: "...a teaspoon of tea for each cup of tea desired....pour boiling water over tea & steep 5 minutes."
Cost: $7.50/4oz tin

Teaware: ForLife NewLeaf 16oz infuser mug
Measured dry: 2 tsp for first cup, 3 tsp for second cup, 2-1/2 tsp for third cup
Water Temperature: Boiling
Steeping Time: 5 minutes for first and second cups, 4-1/2 minutes for third cup
Additives: 1-1/2 tbsp Sugar in the Raw

A close up of the dry tea

Sometimes I forget how much television is offered online, so when I came across PBS' streaming Antiques Roadshow episodes I just had to settle in for a marathon. I'd heard wonderful things about this tea, so I figured it would be a great companion.

I was very, very wrong. It took three different cups of tea, and iced version, and a re-steep to figure out that I really don't care for this... and I wish I hadn't bought a whole tin!

When I first opened it, the smell sent my senses for a loop. The aroma is a spicy bergamot - more straightforward than Mariage Frères' Earl Grey French Blue, brisker bergamot than Teavana's Earl Grey Black, and spicier than Simpson & Vail's Earl Grey.

For my first cup, I followed the directions exactly: 1 tablespoon per cup for five minutes. Instead of a bracing cup to start my day I was left with a flavor that started mild and ended with a very watery aftertaste. Even the infused leaves were weak - the aroma that had tantalized my senses initially was now a pale imitation of itself. I dumped the leaves and gave the rest of that cup to my husband.

The infused leaves

For my next attempt, I increased the amount of dry tea to 1-1/2 teaspoons per cup and stayed at a five minute steep. That cup showed more promise, but I think I used too many leaves because it was fairly bitter. I shoved the rest of that cup into the fridge to cool and tried again.

The third attempt was 1-1/4 teaspoons of dry tea with a 4-1/2 minute steep, and I think I (finally!) hit as close as I'm going to come to the sweet spot. 

The bergamot was still milder than the dry smell would indicate but the watery and bitter notes had been eliminated. There was a lot more astringency than I expected, and the dry mouth feel was a lot more pronounced than other Earl Greys which have had similarly mild bergamot notes. At this point my patience for this tea was starting to wane, so I dumped the rest of the third cup in the fridge with the second cup.

First attempt

Now on to attempt a re-steep. I kept to the same steeping time as the 3rd attempt, and I was pleasantly surprised. It's a mild cup, but the Earl Grey flavor profile still dominates the flavor. Actually, the re-steep is very similar to the first attempt I made, but without the watery aftertaste.

Finally, we come to the iced-tea version of this tea. It's at this point that I want to completely give up on this brew. The cold has not improved it, and as a last-ditch effort to gain some enjoyment from this tea, I poured in a dash of milk. Now it tastes a little like bitter bubble-tea. 

That's it. I give up on this stuff. It's just too finicky to mess with. During the school year I'm usually running around juggling fifty-zillion things at once, and I don't have time for a tea that's this picky about how it's prepared. I could spend another morning attempting to dial in just the right way to brew it, but I have much better things to do and a whole line-up of Earl Greys with better manners and behavior.

Update 7/5: I think I needed a bit of time to allow my frustration level to simmer down. It's two days later, and I finally feel up to trying again. I have completely disregarded the directions at this point, and at the suggestion of JaquelineM on Steepster, I used 3 very level teaspoons of dry tea, slightly cooler water (boiling minus 5 minutes), and a 4-minute steep. Once I removed the infuser basket I added 1-1/2 tbsp Sugar in the Raw, and, finally, I was able to enjoy it.

When prepared this way, it's a surprisingly smooth Earl Grey. There are no jarring notes, and the mild bergamot twines nicely with the black tea blend. There's little to no astringency, and it is nice to enjoy an Earl Grey without the usual dry mouth sensation as a chaser. I've tried this same method a couple times now, and the consistency has forced me to change my mind about this blend. I am actually going to move it forward to the first elimination round.

For right now, I'm going to settle back with the rest of the cup - and savor the idea that this whole dialing-in process happened with the infuser mug I'm using for both the Battle of the Earl Greys and school in the fall. I don't want to do this again with another piece of teaware!

Prominent Notes: Mild bergamot

Aftertaste: Black tea blend

Overall: Moving forward to the first elimination round