This is only the second tea by Bigelow that I've tried (and both, I've tried in the last two days). I've been, overall, impressed by Bigelow. I admit that after being quite disappointed by other American brands, I gravitated towards those from the UK. I assumed that they'd be better able to formulate a good cup of tea, being immersed in the long-standing tea culture extant in Europe. By comparison, there isn't much of a tea culture in the States. But, the perfect pairing of warm spices and orange with black tea here is really quite impressive. It's not simply a delicious combination, it demonstrates a brilliant tailoring of spices to the environment. After all, the States get much colder (in some parts) during autumn and winter than the UK (and even as compared to many places in Europe). Adding warming spices to a tea is not simply a matter of taste, but a matter of necessity. The way that these spices act upon the body allows a person to be warmed not only by the temperature of the tea, but the action of the spice. This autumn set in quite quickly with a chill and I have been rummaging around, trying to find a tea to warm me up. While a loose Lapsang Souchong helped me the other day, I'm simply not fond of the smokiness, which often sticks around in my throat long after. This cup of Constant Comment tea was the first time I was made to feel warm this autumn. I'm so glad that I came upon this (it literally fell out of the cabinet when I was looking for something else and belongs to someone else in my household who was kind enough to share with me). I look forward to trying other teas from the Bigelow brand. I'd also encourage others to give this particular variety a try. It is a great combination of spices, it is well suited for a bit of honey if you are so inclined, and is just the thing for a cold day.

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Comments:

Tchuggin' Okie wrote: on November 12th, 2019

I appreciate these comments, and am glad to see I'm neither isolated nor delusional in hugely enjoying this tea. Folks like to rag on inexpensive bagged teas—rightfully so in a lot of instances—but Bigelow hit on a winning balance here, several decades ago. As a fan of spiced black teas anyway, this has been a mainstay of mine for many years, and hasn't worn out its welcome yet. The price is great too!

Whiskey wrote: on November 12th, 2019

You're definitely not the only one! I've had everything from inexpensive bagged tea to very expensive loose and compressed teas. This really is a great combination of flavors. As you had said, sometimes a criticism of inexpensive bagged teas is deserved. But, other times, it feels like people let their desire to look fashionable get in the way of enjoying a great tea at a great price. It's really their loss. I'm actually stocking up on this one in preparation for winter. I've decided to try this variety in loose form (they have it on their website, but I haven't found it in stores). In my experience, it tends to produce a bit more of a rich brew. From what I've seen from Bigelow thus far, I don't expect to be disappointed. ;)

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