Sweet Cinnamon from Stash Teas

Scent in package: Did someone say cinnamon bears?
Brewed in: Trusty tea-for-one pot here at work.
Steeping: 5 min. @ 212 degrees
Cup: Trusty tea-for-one cup

I’m not a very good “tea snob” sometimes, if only because of my penchant for flavored tea. And while I’ve explored several different tea companies’ versions of “flavored blends”, so far none have been better (or even as good) at flavoring tea than Stash, in my opinion (Republic of Tea is a very close second). When I drink a flavored tea, I want to taste *that flavor*, not lightly scented tea. Stash never fails at that, whether packaged as lose tea or teabags. So when I ordered this Sweet Cinnamon tea from Stash when it was their “Internet Special of the Week” (free tin with purchase of the featured tea!), I had high expectations, and I was not disappointed.

When I opened the pouch, the strong scent of fresh cinnamon poured out, and I was pleasantly surprised to see actual chunks of cinnamon almost equal to the amount of tea in the bag. It makes for a rather pleasing sight, and I love the smell of cinnamon, so I couldn’t wait to brew a cup. While brewing, the scent is like Big Red gum, spicy and hot and warm. The first sip bit me back, the cinnamon strong throughout the cup, and while the tea taste was still there, it was in the background, complementing the flavor, rather than the other way around. Perhaps most people wouldn’t like that, but I enjoyed every last swallow, and finished the cup feeling rejuvenated and energized.

It’s not a thick tea in the mouth, but rather a thinner infusion, with a pleasantly light feel on the tongue. It’s not astringent in the least, even when over brewed slightly (as I did at work this morning), and the aftertaste is what you’d expect from a cinnamon tea, though not spicy, but rather a bit dry. I’m sure that with a bit of sugar and milk, it would taste much like a lighter version of chai.

It’s a wonderful cup, and I’ll probably reorder when I run out, because it’s tasty, and not terribly expensive at $3.75 for 50g. And hey, cinnamon is good for the metabolism, tea is good for just about everything, so it’s pretty close to the perfect “health drink” too! If you like cinnamon, try some. You won’t be disappointed.