This tea brings back memories… it marks my first ever foray into the world of loose leaf teas (for all that it’s a herbal blend :D.) Prior to this I had been limiting myself to grocery store tea bag brands (though at the time I had been starting to get pickier about what brands I got.) Then one Saturday afternoon my partner and I were wandering the aisles of one of our local farmers markets and I spotted a tea vendor that we’d walked by numerous times before, but this time I was curious so in we went.
We ended up spending a lot of time there, smelling different teas. The fellow manning the booth came over to give us a hand and after telling him my preferences at the time he suggested this herbal blend as a good one to try “first.” So away I went with a bag of tea… and no ball or tea bags to brew it in… opps… Eventually though I was able to get this brewed and the rest, as they say, is history.
Dry this tea is not only visually appealing, with all the different textures and the splashes of color, but it also smells amazing. I’m not usually one for long ingredient lists but the combination of it all just really works for this tea. Each sniff is just a little bit different from the one before but I can usually pick out the peppermint, chamomile, and spruce needles, which together form an interesting base for this tea. All told it’s probably one of the most well rounded scent profiles I’ve ever experienced in a tea.
The infusion comes out a lovely clear gold and the aroma darkens somewhat though it is still refreshing. To be honest the change in the scent profiles from dry to infused reminds me of going for a hike on a trail leading into the forest, you start out with just a light hint and then once you’re inside the scents “darken”.
And I love the flavor… the chamomile mixes in so well with the peppermint, leaving just that touch of “fresh” in your mouth; and mixing in the pine needles just gives it a bit of pizazz that sets this tea apart. The lavender and strawberry help to sweeten it up significantly, but the infusion does well with some added honey too (back when I first had this tea I couldn’t imagine drinking something unsweetened, it was a running joke that I wanted tea or coffee with my sweetener and milk rather than the other way around… Man how things change :D) As for the rest of the ingredients… as foreshadowed by the scent profiles they all combine to form a complex but compelling mixture where none really stand out per say but the combination just elevates this tea to a whole other level.
In the end this tea served as a grand introduction to a whole other world that I had no idea existed… a world that eventually lead me to Steepster. So with that in mind I raise my cup and wish all of you in the US a Happy Thanksgiving, and for the rest of you(/us) TGIF! :D
