My relationship with tea thus far has been limited. As a child, I just didn’t participate in any hot beverages - except for the occasional hot chocolate, and a hot orange squash when I was under the weather. Since I’ve been with Mr C, I’ve drunk more tea but still not really enjoyed it. Recently, I tried some tea without milk in and liked that a lot better.

My Life List has had “Try different types of tea” on it for a while, but I think I’m in the right frame of mind to do it now.

One of the things I love about the tea aisle of the supermarket, and of tea shops and suchlike, is how lovely a lot of the packaging is. I selected my first tea purchase based on the good packaging, and then, of course the flavour. Apple and ginger seemed like an interesting combination. I like apple flavoured things, and I’ve often encountered apple and cinnamon on my travels, but not really ginger before.

Clipper Apple & Ginger tea

£1.69 for 20 bags

A delicious and refreshing infusion that brings the fruity sweet flavour of apple together with the complimentary warming zing of ginger. Naturally caffeine free.

Clipper site

What I hadn’t realised until I tried it is that it also contains an element of liquorice. I don’t really like liquorice, certainly not eating it as a snack when it comes rolled up in those liquorice parcels, etc. Thankfully, it wasn’t too overwhelming but more on that in a moment.

What I’d also like to do with this Life List challenge is attempt to take some interesting and decent photos as I go. With such gorgeous packaging, and the various colours that come from many different teas, there is potential for some good shots. I’m not a natural photographer but I do enjoy it, so this can be a combination of two different fun things.

Lesson learnt this time: taking photos of boiling water can cause unforeseen steam related difficulties.

Onto the tea, though. Out of the packet, it smelt lovely. I’ve always thought that fruit teas smell much better than they taste, and I do still believe that is true. I can appreciate the taste more now I’m a bit older, though. The smell was, well, it’s an overused idea but it really did smell of Christmas.

I poured the water in, left it about five minutes to infuse as per the instructions and then took a sip. My initial thoughts were that the liquorice taste did come through more than I would have liked but I didn’t find it as off-putting as I do liquorice in its sweet-based form. The taste was clear and more savoury than I had imagined, and it didn’t leave me with any kind of aftertaste. I had one cup mid-afternoon on Friday, and it left me quite thirsty. I find that with normal tea, too. I decided not to make judgements until I had tasted two cups.

My second cup was this morning, and it felt a little blander - presumably as I had got used to the taste - but it didn’t leave me thirsty this time. I don’t think this is something I would buy again but I will likely finish the 18 cups I have left over the next few weeks. I really felt the Clipper product was high quality, and I’m keen to see what other flavours they have.