Whittard Christmas Tea Review
Okay, so the first thing you do is open your stocking, right? Well, one year I rushed to open my stocking only to discover I’d opened the best gift I’d get all day – a festive mini caddy of Whittard Christmas Tea.
Whittard of Chelsea has updated the tea tin design over the years, but the blend remains the same because it’s an absolute classic. Sure, the loose leaf isn’t whole. And yeah, there’s flavouring as well as dried ingredients. But it’s Christmas so relax!
Find out what this tea tastes like, and how to brew it, below.
Whittard of Chelsea Christmas Tea at a Glance
Izzy's Rating
3.5/5
- Blend: Black tea with orange, vanilla and spices
- Flavour: Light black tea with smooth spices, orange zest and vanilla sweetness
A thirst-quenching Christmas essential to sip when you’re stuffed full of turkey! This is a pleasant tea that really embodies the Christmas zeitgeist in my mind.
Full Review – Black Christmas Chai
Izzy's Rating
3.5/5
- Type: Loose leaf
- Tea: Black tea
- Additives: Orange peel, cloves, flavouring, safflower petals, vanilla pieces
- Flavour Notes: Light black tea, orange zest, vanilla sweetness, smooth spices
- Aroma: Cloves, cinnamon, orange, black tea
- Milk or Lemon: Milk, if desired
- Where to Buy: Whittard Official Website (seasonal), and Amazon
Popping open the tin, (I’m always appreciative when my tea is delivered in an airtight container) you’re instantly hit with notes of floral spices – cloves and cinnamon. Lighter notes of orange and smooth black tea create a beautiful base. Simply sensational.
It brews into a murky orange-brown colour. But don’t judge a book by its cover! The colour might not be appealing but it sure tastes good.
The steam swirling out of my chosen Christmas mug has subtler notes of fresh orange and cloves over a black tea base.
I take a sip and have to resist downing the cup because I’m trying to review it! It’s very light and smooth with a wet, hydrating mouthfeel. It isn’t thick in the slightest. The spices are light and warm, dancing over my tongue with hints of orange and vanilla.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The combination of spices, sweetness and orange freshness with that comfortingly familiar black tea taste just sums up Christmas for me.
How to Brew Christmas Tea
Whittard’s instructions for brewing their Christmas tea are to use freshly boiled water for 3 to 5 minutes. I stick to the 3-minute mark because I like to drink this tea black. If you’re adding milk, brew for the full 5 minutes to enhance the black tea base.
Although labelled as a Christmas tea, the flavours in this tea are really similar to many chai teas so go ahead and sip this one down throughout winter. No one will know…
As for what to eat with Whittard Christmas Tea, you can never go wrong with a mince pie!
Why Whittard of Chelsea?
I’ll be totally honest. I just love collecting the cute mini tea tins from Whittard that they release with cool designs throughout the year. And I can feel totally confident buying these tins without much thought because I genuinely trust Whittard of Chelsea.
The quality of their teas are always great. Even when you choose their teabags (which are slightly crumby compared to loose leaf) you’re pretty much guaranteed a lovely flavour. So, go ahead and pick any tea from Whittard you like.
This Christmas tea has flavouring in it, but that’s not to say that the flavouring isn’t natural. Whatever the flavouring is, I’m sure it adds to the flavour and body of the tea.
Summary
If you want a really lovely, smooth Christmas tea to pick you up on the best day of the year, you should definitely try this one. Whittard have a few Christmas blends out each year, from Glitter Tea and Silent Night to Mulled Wine. Check out their current selection now.
Tea Recommendation
Pull on your Santa hat, it’s time to get festive. I highly recommend taking a look at my review of Adagio Raja Oolong Chai. It’s a really pleasant, light oolong tea with the chai spice flavours you adore. Go check it out.