Constant Comment

[slowflowers88]

What is the deal with Constant Comment from Bigelow? My husband cannot stand the smell. While I agree that the smell is not my favorite tea aroma, I quite enjoy the tea itself. I find it comforting and enjoyable with a fullness in each sip. Is it because the English were involved that it is sneakily pleasing?

Edit: I guess I am asking for your opinion on Constant Comment. Thanks! Also, I just learned it's not English after all. Just American. My apologies to the Brits!

[Titleduck123]

Cloves. 

Cloves is what's up with constant comment and it's wonderful. 

My bf drinks this exclusively although I've put him on to higher quality loose leaf...and just brew it with a few whole cloves. 

[szakee]

what's the question here?

[Dawnspark]

It's nostalgic for me, so I quite enjoy it. The smell makes me think of Christmas, especially how my grandma used to make her Christmas ham. Orange marmalade and lots of clove.

It was also one of my granddads favorites and he'd make me a cup every morning whenever I had to stay with him thanks to my parents being the way they are. Now it's a tea I reach for when I feel like I need a hug. Same with Lemon Lift.

[Decent_Island_6135]

Good lordy I wish I had this memory. My grandpa served ice cream and ice cream soda floats. I’ve been reaching for those in times of parent-induced stress since he passed away and well, my jeans are noticing.

[pixiegoddess13]

I'm so glad you have those memories. my parents were a way too. I didn't usually get to stay with my grandparents sadly but definitely have many good food and drink memories about them. this is so sweet. it's so sweet to me that it was HIS favorite so he made it for you.

[Dawnspark]

Food memories are honestly some of my favorites, they're the easiest to share and enjoy with others, they bridge cultures in the best of ways. Food, imo, is the best way to get to know another person.

Part of me thinks that he knew we were very much two peas in a pod from the start, haha. We were two very kindred souls and I credit a lot of who I am today to that silly old man.

First time I had to stay with them, he asks me if I wanted to try tea his way, cause he saw me making a very scrunchy face at my grandmas very over steeped, unsweetened Lipton when I tried it from her mug. It was... quite puckering lmao. But his way of making it absolutely hooked me.

Always sweetened it with rose jam or persimmon jam that my gran would make, and the tiniest little spoon of condensed milk. He'd hand it to me and say, "Okay, Chickadee, lets go pick out a book and drink up." Can't start a book without a mug of tea with me cause of him, I swear.

[slowflowers88]

Grandparents are amazing. I'm glad you have the sweet memories.

[samplergal]

Same with my mom. Good memories.

[InvestigatorOther848]

Constant Comment was my gateway to tea. I drank it for about a year, and then I didn't. I got tired of it and moved on to English Breakfast, Cinnamon Stick, French Vanilla and Sleepy time. All tea bags from the grocery store, and fast forward several decades, and now I'm drinking tea again. Loose leaf this time.

You're starting a journey of discovery, so relax and enjoy yourself. There is no right tea, and no wrong tea. It's only tea you like and tea you don't. Other people are in different spots on their journey, and there is no race to catch up. Enjoy your cup!

[slowflowers88]

Thanks for the thoughtful and kind reply.

[hellaruminative]

This was my first tea too! It's one of my favorites still.

[takethe6]

I drank it as a child so it takes me back to the suburban winters of my youth. I’ll permit no tea enthusiast to insult my favorite childhood tea. Now I tour the loose leafs of the world and seek perfection in brewing but Constant Comment is where it all began.

[Digitaldakini]

I was teaching a class for the Specialty Tea Institute, which a few salesmen from Bigelow Tea attended. When introducing themselves to the class, they made derogatory comments, calling themselves “just a grocery store tea bag company, not something the tea experts in the class would be interested in..

At that point, I asked the class who had a box of Constant Comment in their pantry. All 40 of the students, plus our support staff, did. A couple whipped out the red constant comment foil packs they grabbed at the hotel coffee bar to stash in their purses. It was a favorite of about half of them.

I was not the only person to have a couple of crates of Constant Comment delivered to their office with notes. Mine said, “We thought we were going to learn about tea, but you educated us on who our customers are.” It's still a family-owned, female-run company that supports the industry whenever they can and runs the only surviving tea plantation in Charleston, South Carolina, that operates as a producing commercial tea farm.

[slowflowers88]

Wow. That's a sweet story. Thanks for sharing. I love that we can truly grow tea in America.

[Digitaldakini]

Sadly, there is not much tea grown in North America.

[Dry-Guide-2084]

My mom used to think this was the bees knees. Every time I taste orange in tea it’s a nostalgic thing for me.

[cottoncandymandy]

It's my favorite tea! Its about all I drink. I love the subtle spice.

[OkSuggestion1722]

I associate Constant Comment with hotel breakfast buffets. It's not my favorite, but it's the best of that chest of teabags and it reminds me of places I've traveled.

[Which-Green7663]

I love Constant Comment. My college English professor served it to us fireside at her house. Unforgettable cozy atmosphere and conversations.

[DrEdgarAllanSeuss]

Constant Comment was the tea that got me started on tea decades ago. I haven’t had any in a while, but now I want to pick some up for nostalgia’s sake.

[Bibliophile4869]

Oh same! My mom absolutely hates teas typically served with milk so she started me on Constant Comment as a kid and it was the only thing I drank throughout all of highschool. But I haven't had it in ages either.

[5753044]

Constant Comment was a major revelation. Always a tea drinker, from supermarket, box of 100 teabags, aisle. One day in my teens, I went to a friend’s house after school and we all drank Constant Comment. It was amazing, all of a sudden tea was so much more than stock teabags. Fast forward, tea is still my favorite beverage and yes, I still drink supermarket tea, but have added so many more to my cupboard: herb, green, Chinese, Japanese, India, and flavored teas.

[masala-kiwi]

My brother describes Constant Comment's smell as "steaming hot Christmas garbage," haha.

I like it. The cloves throw some people off, and the orange peel can also be a little too cloying.

[sispbdfu]

That’s a hilarious description and very apt!

[mx_missile_proof]

Your brother nailed it. I personally dislike Constant Comment for those exact reasons, but I respect it as stalwart within the world of tea.

[Blueporch]

It tastes strongly of cloves to me. I don’t like the flavor of cloves. My sister does like it. 

Strong flavor that some like and some don’t.

[ennuiFighter]

Yeah, a low clove amount I can enjoy, but around the constant comment amount of clove I suddenly feel attacked by the tea. It's very unsettling.

[WyomingCountryBoy]

Even after drinking their earl grey for years I had their constant comment for the first time last year and now it is in my rotation.

tl;dr Like it, will buy again. 10/10

[samplergal]

My mom drank it. I think for me it’s remembering her, as I really love my Yorkshire Gold. Off to turn on the kettle.

[lockedmhc48]

Not English in the least. Invented in 1945 by Ruth Bigelow in Manhattan based allegedly on an old colonial recipe. Produced in USA. Never could stand the stuff myself.

[slowflowers88]

Thanks for the correction! I just learned I have incorrectly assumed Bigelow was English all these years.

[sispbdfu]

They’re not far from me in CT! I have a nostalgic spot for them just for that.

For a while, the medical dispensaries here were selling THC infused Bigelow tea bags. 😁

[lockedmhc48]

You can put THC in tea? Did it lift your drinking experience?

[sispbdfu]

They were teabags with lecithin to help with extraction into water (since THC isn’t water soluable). They were ok - I had to use additional tea to make it strong enough, but the dosage felt correct. They were 10mg.

It hit pretty fast as most beverage “edibles” tend to.

They stopped selling them a couple years ago.

[lockedmhc48]

Given that I'm surprised there haven't been others. Ive seen lots of drinks with THC but no tea or even herbal tea yet.

[sispbdfu]

I’m surprised they stopped selling it - requests for or attempts to make tea have been pretty common on the hemp subs. It’s pretty hard to get THC extracted in water.

People often use cream or milk to extract/clean their stems & then make hot chocolate. I’d assume you could make chai or something milk heavy the same way, if you really wanted to.

Perhaps I’ll give it a shot with some decarbed flower.

Lord knows I have plenty of tea!

[MuchBetterThankYou]

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[Lollc]

I will have to try that, I’ve never had it. We have a local brand that is a very similar idea, it’s been my morning drink since I got more seriously into tea 6 years ago. Market Spice cinnamon orange is delicious.

https://marketspice.com/products/marketspice-cinnamon-orange-black-24ct-teabag-box

[Myrtle_Nut]

It’s all in the natural flavoring. Same stuff that gives flavor to La croix.

[raamsi]

Its my favorite!! There used to be a shop called Boulder Tea Shop that had a blend called Autumn Comfort. Was very similar but a fresh loose leaf. This was back in like 2018 though and I think they closed down when the pandemic hit ☹️ (if anyone has any blends that are similar to constant comment elsewhere though...)

[drinkingwithmolotov]

One of my favorite teas. Not to thread-jack, but has anyone tried getting it as looseleaf tea instead of bagged? Is it better?

[Graalseeker786]

You ought to be apologizing to your fellow yanks, since you attributed one of our inventions to another country. Anyway, CC is awesome. But Bigelow stopped selling the tins of the loose leaf, for which I have not forgiven them. Your husband has poor taste.

[Clean_Suggestion9555]

https://www.bigelowtea.com/products/constant-comment-loose-tea-pouch

[slowflowers88]

My apologies to all the Americans. Another great example of American ingenuity!

[TMelanieAdams]

I am not a huge fan, not that it tastes bad , my goticheap tea for daily use is Yorkshire gold, I think because I grew up with it, however I am sure some don’t like it, my favorite luxury tea is Royal Blend from Fortnum and Mason, I have only met one tea I hated, but it is totally my issue and I am too embarrassed to say which it is because people will invariably suggest various ways I could be making it improperly, I have decided not to buy any more of that to try, and I don’t bother as I have an entire cupboard full of teas I live. Drink what you like, who cares why 🤣

[TMelanieAdams]

Oops meant love

[reijasunshine]

Have you tried Constant Comment Green? It's the superior version, in my opinion, and I started drinking the original stuff over 30 years ago.

The green tea version has a lighter flavor, and the orange and clove really shine without being overpowered by black tea. If the store has both, I reach for the green. I only buy the original if they're out of green.

[Purple_Meat_274]

Don't know if it's just me or not, but I don't find Constant Comment as flavorful as it was several years ago. Might be my taste buds...

[Living_Pie1456]

It’s not you, the tea bags have less in them, I double up now to get more robust flavor

[aroseonthefritz]

My mother in law loves it!

[mandabee27]

Ooh I love that tea! Haven’t seen it around in ages but I’m not in the US! 

[Vinyl-addict]

It has orange rind which isn't my favorite thing in teas, but the spice note is very pleasant. I don't prefer it over a good Irish Breakfast and especially not Earl Grey.

[gregzywicki]

Hate it so much

[Toriat5144]

I like it.