Cinnamon and black tea have been paired for a good reason: the spice's warmth plays off the tea's malty backbone without overwhelming it. This one leans full-bodied, with the cup carrying honey and date sweetness, a citrus lift from lemon, and a savory, vegetal thread underneath the cinnamon and spice. There's a coffee-like depth to the finish that keeps it from tasting one-note.
Cinnamon itself has a long history well before it ended up in a teacup. People have used it since at least 2,000 BCE — the ancient Egyptians burned it as a perfuming agent during the embalming of pharaohs, and the Old Testament mentions it as an ingredient in anointing oil. It reached Europe through Arab merchants, who by some accounts spun tall tales about its origins to justify the price. One story, dating to the 5th century BCE, held that giant birds carried cinnamon sticks to nests built high on unreachable cliffs, and that traders lured them down by leaving ox meat on the ground for the birds to haul back — collapsing the nests under the weight and scattering the cinnamon for collection. Charming story, not remotely true.
The cinnamon itself carries no caffeine, but the black tea leaves do — brewed to Tea & Coffee's spec, that's roughly 45mg per 8-oz cup, decaf versions aside. To brew it, steep the leaves in water just off the boil, 100°C, for three to five minutes. It stands well on its own, though a touch of honey or lemon suits it too.
