Autumn has arrived and as we move into the colder weather, there’s nothing better to beat the chill than a hot cup of tea. While spring and summer lend themselves to lighter options such as green tea and fruit teas, there’s something cosy about curling up with bolder flavours in your mug in autumn and winter. With that in mind, here are our top six teas for cold days.

English Breakfast tea

A classic English Breakfast tea brewed just the way you like it will always offer warmth and comfort when you’re about to face a frosty start. Whether you take it black or with milk and sugar, it provides plenty of body with that perfect malty flavour that so many of us love.

Chai

This black tea is blended with warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom and cloves to give it a rich, complex and aromatic flavour. A little bit of milk softens the bold spices, or you can blend it into a latte with frothy milk and some sugar to give it a creamy sweetness. It’s an ideal choice after a wintry walk or while you curl up on the sofa with a movie.

Rooibos

This naturally caffeine-free tea is smooth, earthy and sweet, with notes of vanilla and malted caramel. With a splash of milk, it’s the perfect warming drink for the darker evenings, as there’s no caffeine to keep you awake.

Christmas tea

One for the festive season, Christmas tea blends smell delicious and taste even better. They’re typically made with a base of black tea, with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and citrus such as orange peel added. Christmas tea is sure to get you in the mood for merriment, or simply bring comfort to cold days.

Lapsang Souchong

This bold black tea is made by drying the tea leaves over burning pine wood, giving it a smoky, woody flavour. Think sitting round a cosy campfire as you toast marshmallows and tell stories. Balanced with low bitterness and chocolatey notes, it’s a wonderful choice for bonfire night or before heading out to enjoy festive lights.

Chocolate tea

Yes, chocolate tea really exists, though it’s not made with actual chocolate. Black tea is blended with cocoa nibs and/or cocoa shells to create a malty, chocolate-infused flavour, offering a lighter alternative to the heavy sweetness of hot chocolate. It’s great for dunking biscuits or sipping with a croissant at breakfast time.

Join a tea party you won’t forget

Don’t miss the chance to have tea with one of fiction’s best-loved characters. The Tiger Who Came to Tea is an Olivier Award nominated children’s play that brings Judith Kerr’s best-selling picture book to life with songs, dancing and clumsy chaos. At just 55 minutes long with no interval, it’s perfect for younger children, allowing them to discover the magic of the theatre and interact with the story. Find performance dates and venues online and book your tickets today to one of the best children’s shows of the decade.