Tea Forte Advent Calendar: Day 24 - Harvest Apple Spice

 LAST DAY OF THE CALENDAR!!!



*Ehem* excuse me.  After not finishing my 2022 calendar due to health and taking about 7 months to finish THIS calendar as well, I'm feeling more than a bit of accomplishment here at the end of things.



When I opened my final little door and discovered the name of this tea I was OH SO HOPEFUL that I was going to get something for Christmas Eve that tasted a bit like hot apple cider - but tea.



The write up began to confuse me.  "Orchard-ripe fruit and berries infused with warm baking spices."  I say confused because... berries?  I was not expecting berries.  Still, I cued up Muppet Christmas Carol and brewed my cup.  No tea, just an infusion, which was a fine way to wind down at the end of my day.


When I sipped my first sip, the berry flavor hit me first - and it was delightful.  I think it was a mix of cranberries and maybe blueberries?  Regardless, the berries gave the infusion a tartness that balanced out the sweetness of the ripe apple.  Apple in an infusion can so often announce itself like a trumpet fanfare on the top note and wash over my tongue in a way that no other flavor manages to get through after.  Such was not the case here.  The berries were the top note and the apple slid in on the mid-note.  Right on the tale of the apple were the baking spices giving a delicious warming sensation that kept the apple to the center of my tongue without drying the sides of my tongue the way that cinnamon can when paired with apple on its own.  The berries came back on the end note to keep the apple sweetness from dominating the aftertaste.  In fact, the aftertaste reminded me of spiced cranberries.



When I paired the cup with my shortbread star, the whole thing turned into the most delicious liquid holiday pie and made for a splendid Christmas Eve.  Honestly, one of the best teas in the calendar - definitely the most holiday of all the blends.  And, since there's no tea in the blend, that's high praise indeed coming from me.


Bottom line - I loved it.

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