As some of you might recall from my previous reviews, I don’t usually go for bagged tea.  There has to be something very alluring about the tea itself to inspire me to purchase a bagged tea, especially when loose leaf tea is so readily available in Whole Foods (one of only two grocery stores where I will actually buy tea, as they have proven themselves to be committed to the quality of their products).

What caught my eye about this particular box of tea bags from Allegro was the name of it.  Nilla Nut Dream.  It just sounds yummy… it sounds like a cookie, or perhaps a dessert parfait that has been made with vanilla wafers.

Upon closer inspection of the label, I found that this tea was an organic black tea, flavored with vanilla, hazelnut, cinnamon and maple.  I could not resist!  Into the shopping cart it went. Needless to say, I had high expectations for this tea.

And I have not been left disappointed.  While the featured flavors of this tea are what lead me to purchase it, I am pleased that they are not an overpowering presence in this cup.  The tea itself plays the starring role.

Although the label does not indicate what type of black tea is used for this tea, I suspect it is an Assam, or at the very least, a blend containing Assam.  This is due to the robust and malty character of the tea — it is a bit bolder than a typical Ceylon tea.

And then there are the flavors:  vanilla, cinnamon, hazelnut and maple.  Let’s start with the most prominent flavor, the vanilla.  It is smooth and creamy and lightly sweet.  The malty quality of the tea enhances the vanilla especially well.  The cinnamon actually does not seem to approach the palate until about mid-cup, but when it does, it is delightful.  It’s not really a spicy cinnamon, but more like a light sprinkling of cinnamon atop this delicious vanilla custard in a cup!  The maple here is also soft, and compliments the hazelnut flavor, leaving an agreeable nutty, maple-sweet finish on the palate.

Allegro describes this tea as

Allegro’s Holiday NILLA NUT DREAM is a festive blend of organic black teas blended with a pleasant bouquet of luscious spices.  We add a swirling trio of vanilla, cinnamon and hazelnut to create an exceptionally satisfying flavor and aroma.  This tasty tea blend is a wonderful way to welcome the morning and makes a lovely evening treat.  It is satisfying brewed and served on its own or with a splash of milk or cream.

I added a drizzle of agave nectar to my cup, and found that this brought out many of the more subtle flavors, and especially some of the softer cinnamon notes.  I would caution you though, that even though this is most likely an Assam tea, and Assam teas go quite well with milk or cream — when I added a splash of milk to my cup, it washed out all of the flavors save the vanilla… and I think that the delicate balance of flavors in this cup are far too delectable to wash out!

Since this is a holiday blend, I suggest you hurry over to your nearest Whole Foods and pick up a box of Allegro’s Nilla Nut Dream.  Imagine sitting around the tree on Christmas morning with a cup of Nilla Nut Dream warming and waking you!  What a truly lovely tea for creating holiday memories.