Andrews and Dunham, 2014 Damn Fine Holiday Blend

Picture Credit: Andrew and Dunham

Andrews and Dunham Description:
Maybe it's the sudden onset of bone-chilling, cold weather, but we find ourselves posessed by the spirit of the Holiday season! And a good thing too, as we've just blended up a jolly batch of Damn Fine Tea for the occasion.

Slow your roll and take some time to fortify your spirits with the Damn Fine Holiday Blend. Blended from Yunnan, Ceylon and Darjeeling teas, it’s full-bodied and bright, tastes great on its own or with fixin's, and was custom made to attract cookies. Share it with the people you love!

Each tin of Damn Fine Holiday Blend is hewn from only the finest northern wools (not really!) and filled to the brim with a custom blend of truly exceptional tea (really!). No, it's not flavored with anything but pure, delicious tea. Brew it for four minutes in boiling water.

My Review:
Another I recently received in the mail from a friend. Just looking at the leaf, I'm pretty sure this Andrews and Dunham blend is a guaranteed winner with me. Just look at that beautiful leaf! It has a lot of golden tips and enough dark chocolate to make a grown man squeal with glee (only a slight exaggeration).

As it says in the description, this is a blend of Yunnan (my very favorite type of straight black tea), Ceylon (my very favorite type of leaf for flavored teas), and Darjeeling (one I haven't explored near enough).

It has an awesome aroma of malt, hay, honey, and chocolate. Mmmmmmm.

I want this. I want it now.

The green ceramic teapot was used along with about 4g of leaf and 10 ounces of filtered water. Per recommendation the water was heated to boiling and the steep time was 4 minutes.

The result is a hearty mug of deep red/orange tea. The scent is much like the dry leaf.

In the wet leaf I can see large green pieces that appear to be the Darjeeling. I think I can also separate the Yunnan from the Ceylon.

The taste is mostly just what I expect. That is a good thing. Yunnan makes for a beautiful smooth and complex cup. This is all that, with its malt, honey, and baked bread notes. The Ceylon adds some bite to the sip that stays with you long into the aftertaste. I catch fruity notes like a woodsy plum at the end of the sip from the Darjeeling. From somewhere in the blend comes just a hint of smoke. You have to watch for it, but I like it.

I am not sure what makes this a holiday blend, and I don't even care to analyze it. Seriously, how many orange or peppermint spicy teas does one need during the holidays? I think what you really need is something hearty that goes with all the food lying around during the holidays.

Now, of course, the problem is the holidays are over by now and all we have to look forward to is the long cold winter. Bah! But wait. That's the beauty of this blend. It doesn't lock you in to a tiny moment in time. This will still be just as fantastic in January and February, while your simply trying to keep warm.

As I stated at the beginning, this is a guaranteed winner with me.

You can find Andrews and Dunham 2014 Damn Fine Holiday Blend here.