We at SororiTea Sisters adore our friends at Simpson & Vail so that is why we thought we would dedicate today’s posts to all things Simpson & Vail! We hope you enjoy our reviews and find some goodies to try for yourself! ~The SororiTea Sisters
Walt Whitman’s Green Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail is the tea of the moment here at Sororitea Sisters!
Walt Whitman’s Green Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail is inspired by his beautiful nature imagery in Leaves of Grass, especially the poems he wrote about roots and herbs.
In one of his memoirs, Whitman describes a man who “express’d a great desire for good, strong green tea.” This blend is an earthier and more mature variation on Simpson & Vail’s Lemon Ginger Green Tea.
A few things I noticed right away about Walt Whitman’s Green Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail was that it first and foremost smells like green tea and ginseng right off the bat – both dry and wet. Then when I poured the water on top of the leaves to infuse there was a natural froth that swam on top in the infuser pot. This fascinated me
The color of the post-infused liquor is quite glowing. That is the best way to describe the color of tea that Walt Whitman’s Green Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail produces
If you are a fan of herbal tasting green teas Walt Whitman’s Green Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail will be right up your alley! If you are a fan of ginseng – Walt Whitman’s Green Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail might just be your cuppa! If you are into literature, nature, and tea connections with the appreciation for good tribute teas – you are going to want to check Walt Whitman’s Green Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail out! A lot of thought and passion went into this flavored green! Bravo!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
Walt Whitman was born May 31, 1819 to a housebuilder and his wife in Brooklyn. He was introduced to the written word at the age of 12 when he began working as a printer’s apprentice. There, he taught himself to read and devoured the classics. When the printing house burned down, Walt taught for five years until he decided to pursue journalism. The first edition of Leaves of Grass, a rough self-published volume of only twelve poems, was printed in 1855. Whitman would continue to revise and reprint Leaves of Grass until he died. Though his contributions to poetry are considered some of the most important in American history, Whitman did not enjoy success in his lifetime. He spent much of his life struggling to get by with only a meager clerk’s wage to support himself as well as his mother and invalid brother. An 1882 edition of Leaves of Grass finally afforded him enough wealth to buy a house in Camden, New Jersey where he would work on Good-Bye, My Fancy until his death in 1892.
Our Walt Whitman tea blend is inspired by his beautiful nature imagery in Leaves of Grass, especially the poems he wrote about roots and herbs. In one of his memoirs, Whitman describes a man who “express’d a great desire for good, strong green tea.” This blend is an earthier and more mature variation on Simpson & Vail’s Lemon Ginger Green Tea. It combines an unobtrusive green tea base with the earthiness of ginger and eleuthero roots and the sweetness and acid bite of lemon (with lemongrass, lemon peel, and lemon flavoring).
Ingredients: Organic Green Tea, organic ginger root, organic lemon peel, organic eleuthero root, organic lemongrass and natural lemon flavor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Pina Colada Green Tea Blend from Bruu Tea
Our Sister’s Thoughts:
Hello Steeping Friends!
Today I bring you a review from Bruu Tea, a UK based company that ships worldwide and offers an array of their own creative tea blends. Pina Colada Green was one of three tea’s chosen from my Tea Club box that arrived today and is my first taste of Bruu Tea. I find their style rather quirky, as well as receiving three teas (the others being Vietnam OP and Brazilian Blend) I also received a random flag (Somalia), a cocktail umbrella, a party blower and a chocolate coin; needless to say an Olympic theme was in mind with this months package. Either way it made for a nice change to have some personality in a club pack. Pina Colada was chosen as a random tea to review for SororiTea Sisters.
Ingredients: Green Tea, Coconut Chips, Pineapple Pieces and Sunflower Petals.
The packet itself is see through so I can see the blend with ease, as such I can pick out each of the ingredients listed. The green tea itself does have some stems/sticks and is roughly broken resulting in a quick steeping time.
Opening the packed I am hit with pineapple and coconut, more perfumed than soapy *thankfully* and a sweetness that lingers in my nostrils. Pina Colada heaven. (Starts singing “If you like Pina Colada’s, and getting caught in the rain”).
Steeping wise this had some handy instructions on the front for those unsure. It states 1tsp of leaf in 80C water for 2-3 minutes. I did 2 minutes as I indicated earlier that the green tea leaves were quite small and wouldn’t need long, I would hate for it to be bitter.
Once steeped a cloudyish yellow liquid is produced with a mild grass and pineapple scent.
Leaving it to cool slightly I take a sip, it’s subtle in overall flavour despite the strong scent but I can taste the green tea, the pineapple and the coconut. The green tea base is soft, slightly bitter yet buttery (like a Chinese Sencha though I cannot be sure which green tea it is) but behind that is a subtle yet slightly sweet and perfumed pineapple with an ever softer coconut cream in the after taste. I like that I can taste the green tea and it is not overpowered by the fruit.
Half a cup down and it’s slightly dry in the after taste with an increase on perfume; but it leaves such a delicate Pina Colada-esque flavour in my mouth it makes up for them. You can also notice a slight toasting of the green leaves part way down the cup which compliments the blend, making it non too sweet.
Overall I would say I am impressed. On the negative side I thought that it could have been a bit stronger but on the other side I sort of like that it wasn’t, if I have a nice green tea base I want to taste it. Perhaps I can try a double strength next steep and see what happens, or try the 3 minute marker. Either way I know I will be using the rest of this tea up pretty sharpish. Also it gave notes to try this tea iced and I think that just screamed winning idea.
Until next time,
Happy Steeping!
Here’s the scoop!
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green Tea Blend
Where to Buy: Bruu Tea
Description:
A Caribbean green bursting with the taste of summer.
Subtly sweet and almost smoky. Green tea drinkers must try and try again…and again. We go cocoNUTS for this beauty.
