Usually when I receive tea for Christmas, it’s not a good thing. Most of the time it’s a super sweet, gimmicky Christmas tea that’s blended with God-knows-what.
So, when I tried English Tea Shop’s Candy Cane tea (thank you Lucy), I was shocked. This is delicious!
For the past month and a half, I’ve been enjoying this herbal peppermint tea and excitedly thinking about how I would write my English Tea Shop Candy Cane tea review. It’s perfect for sipping after a full meal and so smooth and refreshing without being overpowering.
I just wish there were more than 6 tea sachets per box.
Yes, I know we’re now over halfway through February, but you can still buy this tea on Amazon and it’s so good all year round.
ETS Candy Cane Tea at a Glance
- Blend: Peppermint and green tea with organic orange, cinnamon, chicory and vanilla
- Flavour: Strong and pleasurably sweet peppermint with a balanced warmth and mild body
This is one of the best peppermint teas I’ve ever had the pleasure of sipping. The combination of peppermint with green tea and warm notes creates a well-balanced cup that’s refreshing without tasting like liquid toothpaste.
Full Review - English Tea Shop Peppermint Tea
A light, clear, coppery coloured tea that tastes as bright as it looks!
- Type: Pyramid mesh sachet
- Tea: Green tea
- Additives: Peppermint leaves (34%), orange peels (12%), cinnamon pieces (12%), roasted chicory (6%), natural flavourings (5%), vanilla pods (4%)
- Flavour Notes: Fresh, bright peppermint with a mild body beneath
- Aroma: Strong and refreshing peppermint menthol
- Milk or Lemon: Drop of lemon
- Where to Buy: Amazon as part of the Christmas set
English Tea Shop call this a herbal tea with green tea leaves, but actually, I feel it is more like a green tea with peppermint flavourings. This is because it has such a nice warm body and tea feeling to it.
With some tisanes (herbal teas) you get a very watery, fresh taste. It’s pleasant, but it doesn’t remind you of the warmth and body you get from a classic black or green tea.
This peppermint tea has that classic tea feeling perfectly combined with the refreshing taste of peppermint.
The aroma and initial sip are of sweet peppermint. Despite it being named Candy Cane, it’s not sickly sweet at all. It has a light, bright menthol flavour which is quickly followed by a warm, homely taste from the green tea combined with cinnamon, chicory, orange and vanilla.
Both the bright, peppermint side and warm, green tea side are perfectly balanced. It’s not too much, or too little.
How to Brew Candy Cane Tea
English Tea Shop recommend brewing for 2-3 minutes, but that’s crazy! At 80°C I only brewed the tea sachet for 53 seconds before tasting.
The colour is warm, golden brown and clear. Very inviting.
I drink this tea after a heavy meal, like Christmas dinner or just a hearty lasagne. The peppermint is revitalising while the smooth, mild body of the tea comforts my stomach instead of clashing horribly with my carb-heavy dinner.
It’s perfect how it is, but you could add a drop of lemon if you fancy it.
As a green tea, you could happily drink this tea in the morning too!
Why English Tea Shop Christmas Collection?
This was a gift, but if I’d seen it myself in the store I might not have gone for it. Firstly, the tea is in plastic pyramid sachets. These are a step-up from teabags in terms of the quality of tea leaves used, but they’re restricted. The pyramid has limited space for those large (but not whole) tea leaves to expand, which restricts the flow of water when they grow, thus dampening the whole infusion.
As you can see from my image of the tea taken out of the sachet, the leaf sizes are all very different. I’m putting this down to the packaging. It was almost like each sachet was vacuum packed inside a plastic sleeve, crushing the contents.
Despite all the odd-bits, this was still a delicious tea and I am very glad that I tried it. The quality of the leaves and flavours used to create that delicate balance far outshines the plasticy nightmare they’re wrapped and sold in.
Origin of the green tea is a mystery, but we do know that every single ingredient is certified organic and blended in Sri Lanka.
Summary
This tea is worth the money. You can buy it in the traditional pack of 3 Christmas teas, or hunt for the single pack. It’s clearly designed as a Christmas gift, due to the inflated price, individually wrapped tea sachets and quirky triangle-shaped box… but why not treat yourself at other times of the year?
I would recommend English Tea Shop Candy Cane Tea to anyone who wants a refreshing cuppa but has been put off by overly strong peppermint teas in the past.
About Me
Like a bright peppermint tea, I like to think that I am a breath of fresh air in the online tea world. It’s my mission to provide you with all the info you need to know about each tea blend, without getting bogged down in the fancy terminology. You’ll find honest, useful reviews and recommendations in the ‘Izzy’s Corner’ section of the Immortal Wordsmith blog!
Freshen Up Your Tea Knowledge
Did you know you can brew your own peppermint tea quite easily? Herbal teas make up a large part of The English Tea Book; a short guide to infusions, herbal teas and classic teas, written by me. It’s perfect if you’re just starting to venture into the world of tea!
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