My head pain is (slowly) starting to wane, and I remember that last time my migraine was approaching the postdome phase a heavy lavender infusion seemed to help speed up the process. My nausea is getting a little better (oddly enough the only thing I’ve really craved the last few days has been straight-up pineapple juice, so I’ve been guzzling that rather than tea), but I feel ready to handle a warm cuppa again. Since I cashed-in my birthday giftcard to Tea Chai Te and that order arrived today, I thought I’d make this blend, which has a very heavy lavender aroma.
Now, the last time I had a lavender-heavy tea, it was just too much (which was Lupicia’s Lavender White tea), and I ended up having to turn it into a lemonade infusion to drink it, so I’ll admit when I smelled how strong the lavender was in this, I was immediately worried. Plus the base in this was a mix of blackberry, strawberry, and… red raspberry leaf. My lowest rated tea to date has been Traditional Medicinals bagged Red Raspberry Leaf tea. But I wouldn’t have ordered this if I didn’t have a natural curiousity to try a new lavender tea so… crossing fingers and hoping for the best here.
I am actually honestly surprised. There is no doubt, lavender is the main flavor here, but there was something that came off so strongly in Lupicia’s White Lavender that it had this bitter bite right in the close of the sip, and the whole thing just felt overwhelming. This is not so. It has a strong lavender flavor, but still pulls off a delicate, floral mouthfeel. The taste actually has a minty note, if you were to take away the strong menthol feeling from the mint, and the finish is sweet and flowery. I thought with such a leafy base that I’d taste that distinct “cut grass” sort of taste I can get from raspberry leaf, but the tea just tastes like a very smooth lavender tea.
I love lavender and got a bit worried and put off by the last lavender tea I’d tried, so I’ll admit this is a really pleasant surprise… this is so nice! It has a strong lavender taste without hitting that edge that goes too far and becomes bitter from the flower, leaves a lovely minty, refreshing feeling in the mouth, and is incredibly relaxing. This is good plain, but if you are in the mood for a sweeter profile, a little lemon honey is great in it, as well! If you are a fan of lavender teas, this is a good one!
Flavors: Floral, Lavender, Mint, Smooth
