Constant Comment Tea - Bigelow

A Cup of Orange, Spice and Quiet

Few teas carry as much history in a single sip as this one. First blended in 1945, Bigelow's signature orange-and-spice creation was the recipe that launched the family company, and decades later it still tastes like a small ceremony. If you want a warm, fragrant, completely caffeine-free brew to wind down with in the evening, this is one of the most reliable cups you can keep in the cupboard. LocoYoko stocks Constant Comment tea in our tea collection for coffee and tea drinkers right across Canada, so you can order it fresh without hunting through grocery aisles.

The appeal is simple: it smells like the holidays, it soothes like a hot toddy without the alcohol, and it asks nothing of your sleep. For anyone searching for a gentle, decaffeinated alternative like our Perfect Peach herbal tea or peppermint, it slots neatly into the same evening routine while delivering a far more interesting flavour.

What This Blend Actually Is

This is a herbal-style orange-and-spice tea, sold in convenient tea bags and blended and packed in Canada for the local market. The hallmark of the brew is rind of oranges layered over warming spices, which gives it that unmistakable citrus-and-clove aroma the moment you open the box. It is bright and zesty up front, rounded and a little sweet underneath, and it finishes clean rather than bitter.

Because it is bagged, there is no measuring, no infuser to clean, and no guesswork — ideal for a quick after-dinner cup or for keeping at the office. One sachet is calibrated to make a single satisfying mug, and the format travels well, which makes it a dependable companion for hotel rooms, cottages, and long winter weekends.

It is worth a small note on naming: the original recipe is built around a tea base flavoured with orange rind and spices. If you are strictly avoiding all caffeine for medical reasons, see the dedicated section below, because the answer here is reassuring — the version LocoYoko ships is offered as a caffeine-free cup, so you can enjoy it late without a second thought.

Who It Suits

This blend is made for the part of the day when you want to slow down. It is for the person who finds plain herbal infusions a little flat and wants real flavour without the buzz. It suits anyone reaching for a comforting nightcap, anyone who loves citrus and warm spice, and anyone building a calming pre-bed ritual.

People who struggle to switch off at night often look specifically for a herbal tea for insomnia or a soothing cup to replace an evening coffee. While no tea is a medical treatment, a warm, caffeine-free drink as part of a consistent wind-down routine is one of the oldest and gentlest sleep cues there is. Those searching for herbal teas for sleeplessness tend to value exactly what this one offers: zero caffeine, a calming aroma, and a flavour pleasant enough to make the ritual something you look forward to.

• Evening and bedtime drinkers who want zero caffeine
• Fans of orange, clove and warm spice
• Anyone trading an after-dinner coffee for something soothing
• Holiday hosts who want a fragrant, crowd-pleasing pot
• Tea lovers who find chamomile too plain on its own, who love peppermint and other herbals

The Flavour Profile

The first thing you notice is the nose — sweet orange oil and a whisper of clove and cinnamon that fills the kitchen before the kettle even finishes. On the palate, the citrus is lively but never sharp, supported by a gentle baking-spice warmth that lingers pleasantly into the finish. There is a natural roundness that reads as mildly sweet even before you add anything.

Compared with our French Vanilla blend, a straight peppermint or chamomile, the brew is far more aromatic and complex, closer in spirit to mulled cider than to a plain herbal infusion. It is smooth, low in astringency, and forgiving — meaning it holds up well whether you take it light or let it steep toward the stronger end of the range.

How to Brew It Properly

Getting the most from this cup is genuinely easy, but a couple of details make the difference between flat and fragrant. Use freshly drawn water brought to a full rolling boil — 100 °C — because the orange and spice oils need real heat to release. Pour the water over the bag rather than dropping the bag into a sitting mug; that initial agitation lifts the aroma immediately.

Use one tea bag per roughly 240 ml (about one standard mug) of water. Then let it steep for a generous 5 to 7 minutes. Unlike green or black tea, this herbal-style blend will not turn bitter from a longer infusion, so if you like a bolder, spicier cup, lean toward the full seven minutes. For a lighter, more delicate result, pull the bag at five.

• Heat fresh water to a full boil (100 °C)
• One bag per mug, about 240 ml
• Steep 5 to 7 minutes, covered if you can, to trap the aromatics
• Give the bag a gentle squeeze against the spoon before lifting it out
• Taste before sweetening — it is often sweet enough on its own

If you are brewing a pot to share, simply scale up: one bag for every mug-sized pour, the same boiling water, and the same five-to-seven-minute window.

Lemon, Honey and Simple Variations

This blend is delicious plain, but it also takes beautifully to a few additions. A thin slice of lemon sharpens the citrus and makes it feel like a soothing tonic — a lovely option when you have a scratchy throat. A spoonful of honey rounds the spice and pairs naturally with the orange; maple syrup works just as well and gives it a distinctly Canadian twist.

A splash of milk or oat milk softens the brew into something almost dessert-like, a little reminiscent of a creamy spiced latte. For the colder months, try it as the base of a warm punch: brew a strong pot, add a cinnamon stick, a few orange slices and a little honey, and let it sit on low heat for a non-alcoholic mulled drink. In summer, double the strength, chill it, and pour over ice with an orange wedge for a fragrant iced tea.

• Lemon and honey — soothing, throat-friendly, classic
• Maple — a local sweetener that suits the spice
• Oat or dairy milk — turns it creamy and comforting
• Iced — brew double-strength, chill, serve over ice with orange
• Mulled-style — simmer with cinnamon and orange slices for a warm punch

When to Drink It and What to Pair It With

This is, above all, an evening tea. Its calming character and caffeine-free profile make it a natural fit after dinner, with a book, or in the last quiet hour before bed. Many people keep it as their default nightcap precisely because they can enjoy a hot, flavourful cup without worrying about a restless night.

On the table, the orange-and-spice notes love sweet and buttery foods. It is wonderful alongside shortbread, gingerbread, spiced cookies, scones, or a slice of orange or carrot cake. It also cuts nicely through richer desserts like cheesecake or dark chocolate. During the holidays it doubles as a fragrant, alcohol-free option to offer guests, holding its own next to mince pies and stollen.

Caffeine, Ingredients and Storage

The headline detail matters most for an evening drink: this brew is caffeine-free, which is exactly why it works so well as a bedtime cup and as a swap for an after-dinner coffee. There is nothing here to keep you awake, so you can enjoy it as late as you like. At its heart, the blend is built on tea flavoured with orange rind and warming spices — the same orange-and-spice character that has defined the recipe for generations.

To keep every box tasting as vivid as the day it was packed, store it correctly. The enemies of flavour are air, light, heat and moisture, so:

• Keep the bags in their box or an airtight container
• Store somewhere cool, dark and dry — a pantry shelf, not above the stove
• Keep them well away from strong-smelling spices or coffee, since the bags readily absorb odours
• Avoid the fridge, where humidity and food smells can dull the aroma

Treated this way, the citrus-and-spice fragrance stays bright right to the bottom of the box.

Why Order From LocoYoko

LocoYoko is a Canadian coffee roaster and tea shop, and we ship across Canada. Buying this blend from us means you get fresh stock from a local retailer rather than a box that has been sitting on a distant shelf, with delivery that does not cross a border or stall in customs. We enjoy free shipping on orders over $50, so it is easy to round out your cart with a bag of our coffee or another tea you have been meaning to try. And every order is backed by our 30-day happiness guarantee — if it is not right for you, we will make it right. For anyone who wants Bigelow Constant Comment tea delivered quickly and reliably anywhere in the country, that is the easiest way to keep your cupboard stocked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this tea caffeine-free?

Yes. The version we ship is caffeine-free, which makes it ideal for evenings, bedtime, and anyone cutting back on caffeine.

How long should I steep it?

Steep for 5 to 7 minutes in fully boiling water at 100 °C. Because it is herbal in style it will not turn bitter, so lean toward 7 minutes for a bolder, spicier cup.

What does it taste like?

Bright orange rind layered over warm baking spices like clove and cinnamon. It is aromatic and gently sweet, smooth rather than sharp, and pleasant enough to drink without any additions.

Can I add milk, lemon or honey?

All three work well. Lemon and honey make a soothing throat-friendly cup, maple gives it a local twist, and a splash of milk turns it creamy and dessert-like.

Can I make it iced?

Yes. Brew it double-strength so it is not watered down by melting ice, chill it, then pour over ice with a wedge of orange for a fragrant iced tea.

Why buy it from LocoYoko instead of the grocery store?

You get fresh stock from a Canadian retailer, free shipping on orders over $50, fast nationwide delivery, and a 30-day happiness guarantee on every order.