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All the combined notes in this tea create a really rich and complicated type of earl grey. Whilst the bergamot is blindingly obvious in the dried aroma, there’s less to be found in the steeped cup. I’d have liked to have tasted more of this, with an added punch of smoke, and dare I say it, less of the signature Tregothnan manuka. But, let’s bare in mind that’s just what I want, judging the tea on what it actually is, I still can’t say that I’m disappointed. The tea is absolutely beautiful; the flavours are subtle, but spectacular. Some earl greys are bold and boastful, but the Tregothnan blend is eloquent and graceful.

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As an oolong lover, it’s always exciting to see a high grade, single origin oolong in a subscription pack. And this really got me excited… I’m talking out loud squeal excited… I fell in love with the Wan Ling Tea House after tasting their AA Grade Jasmine Pearls, unrivalled quality btw, and the chance to try another of their quality teas just got me! Both taste and aroma are delicate with a predominant note of minerals and florals, the latter lingering in the finish, long after each sip.
Enjoyed: On a windy hike. Now that I live near the mountains, sipping a tea like this (even if from a flask) with the glacial breeze whipping around me, really served to heighten my sense to the terroir.

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It’s not often I actually sit down and enjoy a sencha. I’m more of a Chinese green tea sort of gal and tend to find sencha too potent and crisp for my taste buds. If I’m drinking it, it’ll usually be cold brewed! Perhaps it’s my change in environment, but the crisp autumn days in Vancouver made this tea delicious. The aroma is filled with fresh grassy scents, whilst the taste is with sweet, zingy limes and a slightly toasted finish.
Enjoyed: Sat on a beach, in the sun of a crisp autumn afternoon, wrapped in a knit jumper and munching salty roasted chickpeas.

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I’ve had bad experiences with blueberry blends. Like really, really bad. Shudder-inducing bad. Yet, this one went down easy! The steeped aroma is like a very sweet, sugary blueberry, but the flavour is underwhelming (not bad, just not special). The combination of flavours (carmael and fruit) seemed jarring against one another. It just wasn’t my thing… Until I iced it. The sweet caramel hints combined with the fruitiness in a smoother way, whilst the rose became more apparent.
Enjoyed: Iced, after work when the apartment felt hot and stuffy.

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Over my tea drinking years I’ve slowly become accustomed to drinking certain black tea without milk. However, I generally find the black tea in chai blends to be bold, brisk and bitter, meaning I have to add milk. Although, I found steeping this blend for 2.5 minutes allowed for a smoother tea. The spices are great, cardamom heavy with the remaining spices creeping in behind. I’m sure when steeped for longer the rich flavours would blend well with milk.
Enjoyed: On a cold, rainy morning. The tea paired so well with a wet view of the city and chilly breeze running through the apartment.

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SPOILER ALERT! I really don’t like chamomile… Before tasting this I felt stuck between a tea I hate and a brand I love.

It’s very much a chamomile aroma, with the spicy scent of fennel that reminds me of health food stores, it’s not a bad smell, I know people who enjoy it, but it reminds me of headaches! The first sip has a sour, metallic, aniseed-like tingle, (which I enjoyed! YAY!) and then drifts into the cottony-honey flavour of chamomile. Chamomile just isn’t for me (don’t be surprised! I literally told you already!) BUT! I got through the cup, or enough of it to count, so that’s progress on a cup of straight chamomile at least! Not sure if I should be thanking Edgcumbes or apologising!?

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When cold brewed, this blend is really refreshing, with a delicate fruitiness and a black tea that is smoother and easier to sip at. The fruits in this are a mixture of summer and autumn harvests, making this feel like a great transition tea, the light current and strawberry serving as a reminder of the summer slipping away from us, whilst the darker late season fruits hint at the autumn coolness creeping in. Perfect tea timing!

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Ok, this blend got my mouth watering, not just a little, but A LOT! The aroma is something I can only describe as a candy strawberry (like Chewits, remember those?!), sweet and synthetic, but in a nicely reminiscent sort of way. Once steeped the mint creates a glacial, cooling edge. Brewed hot, the flavour is weak, something I’ve come to expect from flavoured fruit blends, but I can understand why others tasting this may be disappointed. The fruity element is much more reserved, with the mint being dominant. It’s ok, but not a tea I would personally turn to for comfort.

On a hot day though? That’s when blends like this shine! Ok, so… obviously it was gorgeous. Vancouver was sweltering, at the time I was guzzling through this, so cold brewed Strawberry Mint was a literally saviour.

For more on Whittard Tea Chest Subscription Box: https://www.tastethetea.co.uk/2017/09/26/whittard-tea-chest-subscription-box/

Dried aroma is a “standard” black tea smell; malty, a little fruity, with tiny hints of tobacco. Once steeped these notes develop an additional smoky hint! The actual flavour is beautiful; malt, a subtle smokiness, that’s easy to miss in the first few sips, and what I can only describe as a puerh likeness. These deep, peaty notes hint at the dark and mysterious past the blend is associated with! It’s a warming cuppa, and the subtle smokiness should ease the transition from warm to cool days.

For more on the Whittard Tea Chest Subscription Box: https://www.tastethetea.co.uk/2017/09/26/whittard-tea-chest-subscription-box/

Aroma: Fresh hay, a little grassy and a sweet, slight fruity element.

Flavour: The first few sips are fruity, like warm freshly squeezed grape nectar, with slow steady hints of cherry. It’s sweet, gentle and fulfilling.

Final Thoughts: Himalayan first flush is totally elegant; both tea and packaging have that type of class that comes with good champagne. Obviously, such an exclusive and complex tea is going to come with a price tag that exceeds the usual. However, this beautifully flavoursome and light tea is worth every penny. Recognition for exquisite Nepalese teas like this one is on the rise, and it’s great that Tea in the City has sourced and stocked it in advance of that trend. I love the company for this, all of their teas are special, so even if this one doesn’t tickle your taste buds, the company is still worth checking out for their other premium teas.