Winter Coffee Blends of 2021

So. I messed up. Many coffee beans were hurt in the making of this post because I decided (like a caffeine-deficient dumbass) to do my "research" for this post all in one day.

I thought it would be a fun way to welcome in the holiday season by creating my own coffee flight! I bought all of the winter and Christmas blends our local Safeway sells and brought them home with me last night. I opened all of them up this morning and tasted one of each throughout the day.

See, I usually drink Maxwell's or Folgers. I don't splurge on coffee like this, but I thought that I deserved something nice. I noticed in fine print on the packaging that it says: "store in airtight container and use within a week of opening."

How strict is that? If I leave it in its original packaging, is it going to get gross? If I don't take a week to drain three bags of holiday-infused coffee... is it going to get moldy? I think I effed up.

But enjoy my thirty dollar blunder and don't make the same mistake! If you're going to enjoy all three of these guys, like I did... space them out! Try them one week at a time, perhaps? Like I should've done.

Starbucks Holiday Blend of 2021

Roast: Medium

Notes: Herbal, Sweet, Maple

I don't usually like medium roast coffee. I'm a dark roast girl, all the way! However, I could drink this black. I don't usually drink coffee black, either. All of those notes are there and pleasant. The herbal and sweet go well together, leaving the maple to caress your tongue at the end.

As for a "holiday blend..." it doesn't really scream Christmas in a Cup, you know? This is a nice and light coffee I'd enjoy on a fall evening, when I'm lightly bundled in a large sweater and watching a cartoon. Instead, I tried this coffee on a winter-esque morning, straight out of bed, when it was sixty-one degrees in the apartment. My hair was disheveled, and I was in need of some hot coffee now.

It didn't really pack the punch for a winter coffee, but I still enjoyed it. If you're a medium roast coffee drinker, you'll probably like this blend. It is Starbucks, so it has to be good, yes?

Starbucks Christmas Blend of 2021

Roast: Dark

Notes: Spicy & Refined (herbs, baking spices, chocolate finish)

I read this packaging and I was confused. Deeply confused. Spicy and refined? What the hell does that mean? Those are two very subjective words. I read the side of the bag for clarification and found the other tasting notes that I put in parentheses. These make a lot more sense to me.

According to their description, they "...take Sumatran beans, aged to perfection, and add them to dark-roasted beans from Papua New Guinea, Guatemala and Colombia." That sounds pretty extensive to me, but it tastes incredible! I'm not going to doubt their system because it clearly works. The spice is there and I'm not sure what refined should taste like, but I tasted the herbs, spices, and chocolate for sure.

I added some French Vanilla creamer to it and this one definitely tastes like Christmas in a Cup, but it's much more potent. It really depends on your taste in coffee. Go with the holiday blend if you like lighter cups and the Christmas blend if you like the darker ones.

The spice is addicting. It leaves this beautiful buzz on the tip of your tongue. I'll be prioritizing this blend over the other one.

Peet's Holiday Blend of 2021

Roast: Dark

Notes: Blackcurrant, Spice, and Holiday Cheer

I'm not sure what blackcurrant is supposed to taste like, so I'm not sure if Peet's did this right or not. All I know is that it tastes good. This is probably the mellowest dark roast I've ever had. It is a dark roast; you can taste that much. However, it's not as strong.

According to the package, Peet's holiday blend is a "spirited blend--lush, spiced and citrusy sweet--drawn from the best crops of spring, summer, and fall. For 2021, Guatemalan chocolate joins silky Kenyan blackcurrant and Ethiopian candied peel with a syrupy Sumatra finish." Now it all makes sense. I can taste the chocolate and candied peel influence, as well as the Sumatra.

Peet's Holiday Blend leaves that little zing on the tip of your tongue, but it's not as much of one. If you like Starbuck's Christmas Blend for this year, but you want a blend that's a little friendlier... this is your bag of coffee. This blend is perfect for a mid-day pick-me-up (that is, if you drink coffee all day like I do).

This was so much fun to research and I hope you found a new blend to try this holiday season.