90

My order from Whispering Pines came in this morning and it took me all of 5 minutes to make a pot of this tea. I’m having to restrain myself from dipping into the rest of my order too quickly (I’ve ordered several teas from the same company and I’m really excited to try them).

The first thing you notice about this tea is the aroma. You don’t even have to get the bag near your face, the second you open the seal this tea makes itself known. It smells as sweet as it looks bright, with spicy ginger notes and the minty pine smell of eucalyptus.

I used the brewing instructions on the site and followed their temperature recommendations. I used my 16 oz cast iron tea pot with water from my tap. We’re on a private well with a filter system so the water doesn’t alter the taste of the tea. When I poured the first cup the tea was a VERY dark color, sort of reminiscent of green tinged coffee. The first sip yielded pine and eucalyptus but not much else in the way of flavor. It had the spicy mouthfeel of ginger though which I like, even if I couldn’t taste it. I added honey, lemon, and a little extra sugar. The tea immediately changed color from green mud to a lovely red amber. The whole flavor pallet changed as well. You could still taste the eucalyptus but it was joined by the sharp spice of ginger and the gentle sweetness of the elder berries. I also personally love lemon with my ginger.

Overall I have really enjoyed this tea and I can see why they recommend it when you are feeling a little under the weather. This tea has made me feel awesomely relaxed and has helped calm my stomach which was still reeling from a terrible hotpocket related life decision earlier this morning. I wouldn’t drink it everyday but I think it’s going to be my go to tea for when I can’t sleep late at night.

Flavors: Eucalyptus, Ginger, Pine, Spicy, Sweet

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 5 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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Bio

I have always been a fan of tea but never had the drive to drink anything more than the bagged tea I could buy at the store. Cheap bag of Earl Gray, splash of milk, pinch of sugar, and I was happy as could be. It was the way for years. My addiction to whole leaf began just days before I was to jump on a C-130 with my unit and deploy to Afghanistan. We were posted at Joint Base Lewis Mcchord for MOB training and we were given a 4 day pass into Seattle to enjoy the last few days we had left in country. Long story short, I visited a Teavana out of boredom while waiting for a friend and that was it. I left for the sandbox with 2 lbs of tea and an electric teapot in my rucksack. No regrets.

Since then I have addicted my mother, and to some extend my dad, to the pleasures of a pot of steeped whole leaf. Now we can’t go back. We’ve tried. Whole leaf can be an expensive habit.

Allergies: Cinnamon (I miss chai tea)

Likes: Ginger, Elderflower, Citrus,Lemon/Lemon verbena, Umami, Toasted, Smoke, Earthy, Floral, Grassy/Hay/Herbal, Tangy (think hibiscus), Peach, It would seriously be quicker to say which flavors I DON’T like

Dislikes: Apples, grapes, grapefruit, most berries

Location

Las Vegas, NV

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