I’ve always been a fan of Edgar Allan Poe’s works and when I saw Edgar Allan Poe’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail I knew I just HAD to try it! A funny side-story prior to my review of this tea…when we first adopted Riley…our Corgi/Lab Mix he had terrible separation anxiety and because of it he used to grab books off my bookshelf and shred them to pieces! The Works of Edgar Allan Poe was his first and most graphic causality.
Edgar Allan Poe’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail is a Black Tea and Pu-erh Tea Blend with the addition of bergamot oil and beet root. Digging deeper into the black tea base – Simpson & Vail uses multiple black teas and even adds Lapsang Souchong in the mix!
The color of this – once brewed – is a dark brown but has red glowing thru – as well – thanks to the beet. It’s a glorious color – it really is! The aroma is smoky yet fruity.
The taste will take more explaining! Edgar Allan Poe’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail is complex but delicious! Upfront I could taste the Lapsang Souchong. It was smoky but not overly-so because of the other things happening in this tea. In the middle of the sip there is a sweet fruitiness going on that is a nice surprise. Following that welcomed fruity interruption is a wonderful malt flavor AND texture that swim around on my tongue. This blended teas ends smooth, fruity, and slightly smoky. There is an after taste and after thought of citrus that lingers, too. This is REALLY wonderful! I can’t think of anything I don’t like about this blended-based tea! YUM!
What I really LOVE and appreciate about the THOUGHT that went into Edgar Allan Poe’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail is the ingredients. To look at the dry blend it’s EVERYTHING DARK which totally explains Edgar Allan Poe’s life, work, and character. Throw in a bit of Lapsang Souchong and it just makes it very more ‘goth’ and mysterious. The beet root offers an immediate comparison to blood which also fits into the life and times and works of Poe. I might be getting a little over-analyzing with this next statement but I feel that lingering flavor from the bergamot symbolizes Poe’s talent that is still appreciated today and makes his literary-legendary live on.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Description
This dark, earthy blend evokes the damp tombs of Poe’s stories. While it is perhaps the most well known, The Cask of Amontillado is not Poe’s only story in which his fear of being buried alive becomes a major plot point. His vivid descriptions of “utter darkness among a quantity of loose earth” that “threaten[ed] to bury [him] entirely” offered a direction for our blend. It combines the earthy tones of Puerh black with the mellow smokiness of Lapsang and the slightest citrus hint of an Earl Grey. The dried beetroot turns the brewed tea a deep blood red.
Ingredients: Black teas, puerh tea, lapsang souchong tea, beetroot and bergamot oil.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
William Shakespeare’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail
This tea sample didn’t have ingredients on it, so I took a moment to think about what a Shakespeare tea might taste like.
(Original Artwork Courtney of Super Starling!)
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Description:
Possibly the most well-known name in western literature, William Shakespeare began his life as a tanner’s son in Stratford-Upon-Avon in the spring of 1564. After a seven year period following the birth of his children in which no reliable records of his life can be found, Shakespeare reappeared in London where he began writing and acting in plays. Initially, his name was relegated to the corners of playbills, but as his productions grew in popularity, theaters began using “written by William Shakespeare” as their main selling point. The plays and poems he produced during the thirty year period when he was writing have endured the test of time and are studied and read across the world. He pioneered many styles and structures that have set the foundations for some of western literature’s greatest achievements. Shakespeare is even credited with inventing over 1700 words in the English language.
Gardens, herbs, and flowers appear in many of Shakespeare’s plays and oftentimes play a critical role in his stories. Our William Shakespeare tea blend is a combination of a few of the many herbs he references: lavender, roses, rosemary. The wit and playfulness of his verse means that Shakespeare’s plays can still be enjoyed today, ideally with a warm cup of tea.
This black tea and floral blend brews to an amber cup with a sweet, floral taste. The slightly earthy and woody notes are rounded out with the citrus taste of bergamot and sweet rose petals.
Ingredients: Rose Congou black tea, lavender petals, rose petals, rosemary and bergamot oil.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Jane Austen’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea
Our Sister’s Thoughts:
I have to say I’m LOVING these new Literary Teas from Simpson and Vail and today I will introduce you to Jane Austen’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea.
Jane Austen’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea is strong and independent…meaning it has a flavor all of its own. After reading the ingredients of Black teas, spearmint, lavender flowers and vanilla flavor I thought I knew what this tea would taste like but I was surprised with the flavor of this tea. Here’s why…yes, the black tea is strong and I LOVE that. The spearmint mixed with the lavender is what changed it up for me. Something happened when the spearmint and lavender joined as a union in this cup of tea. It formed it’s own flavor! Then you add that bit of vanilla in there to smooth it out and it’s unlike anything I have had before.
I LOVE being surprised – or better yet – proven wrong – by a tea and Jane Austen’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea did exactly that! This is just what I needed to start my day on a crazy Monday morning! I just might have to buy this one in bulk and soon! This is a heavy-duty tea that gets a GOLD STAR from me!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail Tea
Tea Description:
Jane Austen was born on December 16th, 1775. After receiving her primary education at boarding school, Jane returned home where she and her older sister Cassandra would spend long hours in their father’s library reading the classics and writing their own stories. Jane had a close relationship with her father and he encouraged her creativity by supplying her with the paper and writing utensils she desired. In 1811, Jane’s first novel Sense and Sensibility was published and met with immediate success. Jane Austen’s novels illuminate the everyday lives of young women in the early 19th century and blend contemplative pastoral prose with witty banter and intriguing romance plots. Besides writing, she was an avid gardener who tended to her own plants late into her life.
The delicate prose of Jane Austen’s novels is evoked in this blend that combines peppermint with a gentle touch of vanilla. Lavender flowers, which look lovely in both the cup and the gardens around Jane Austen’s estate, add a sweet floral taste that complements the mint and vanilla wonderfully. This blend captures the color and joy of Austen’s characters while taking inspiration from the herbs and flowers she cultivated in her own garden. It brews to a refreshing cup with a cool mint flavor that’s softened by the warm vanilla and the sweet lavender flowers.
Ingredients: Black teas, spearmint, lavender flowers and vanilla flavor.
Certified Kosher
Brew tea at 212º – steep for 3 minutes.
4 Ounces of loose tea makes approximately 50 cups of tea.
Please note that the photo is shown for our 4oz tin. We are also offering this in a 4oz pkg size, which will come in one of our double lined bags labeled with the name of the tea.
Novels by Jane Austen:
Sense and Sensibility
Pride and Prejudice
Mansfield Park
Emma
Northanger Abbey
PersuasionCheck with your local bookstore for these titles or for recommendations for further reading.
Learn even more about this tea here.
Green Guava from Simpson and Vail
CuppaGeek’s Review:
Simpson & Vail is one of my favorite tea companies to review. The crew is passionate and incredibly in tune to what the tea community wants and needs. They provide amazing customer service and deliver fresh teas with flavors that are crisp and bright.
Green Guava is one of their “summer” blends that they have been featuring. Vibrant sweet tropical notes are what I’m picking up from the pouch. The tea itself gives you such a summer feel. I love how the bright colors pop against the green tea base.
Allowed to cool for just a few moments and I was greeted with flavors that are recommencement of a sweet jam you would pick up at your local farmer’s market. Fresh sweet with a tiny twinge of tartness. Buttery green tea base brings out a wonderful balance and completes each sip with such a full bodied feel. To bring out the tropical feel I really wish there was almost a hint of pineapple or mango thrown into the mix. There is almost a note of a flavor that is missing.
All in all, this flavored green tea is really nice. Subtle, gentle, and not in your face. One that could bring a soothing tone to a hectic day or even as an afternoon tea.
If you haven’t checked out the fabulous line of teas at Simpson and Vail- please do! I’m sure you’ll find at least five teas that will instantly hop into your cart.
What do learn more about this tea?
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Tea Description:
A wonderful afternoon tea! This fabulous blend of delicious fruits is melded with colorful herbs and our delicate White Monkey tea. The pale ecru cup emits a scrumptious fruity taste that is certain to please.
Learn even more about this tea here.
William Shakespeare’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson and Vail
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Tea Description:
Possibly the most well-known name in western literature, William Shakespeare began his life as a tanner’s son in Stratford-Upon-Avon in the spring of 1564. After a seven year period following the birth of his children in which no reliable records of his life can be found, Shakespeare reappeared in London where he began writing and acting in plays.
Initially, his name was relegated to the corners of playbills, but as his productions grew in popularity, theaters began using “written by William Shakespeare” as their main selling point. The plays and poems he produced during the thirty year period when he was writing have endured the test of time and are studied and read across the world. He pioneered many styles and structures that have set the foundations for some of western literature’s greatest achievements. Shakespeare is even credited with inventing over 1700 words in the English language.
Gardens, herbs, and flowers appear in many of Shakespeare’s plays and oftentimes play a critical role in his stories. Our William Shakespeare tea blend is a combination of a few of the many herbs he references: lavender, roses, rosemary. The wit and playfulness of his verse means that Shakespeare’s plays can still be enjoyed today, ideally with a warm cup of tea.
This black tea and floral blend brews to an amber cup with a sweet, floral taste. The slightly earthy and woody notes are rounded out with the citrus taste of bergamot and sweet rose petals.
Ingredients: Rose Congou black tea, lavender petals, rose petals, rosemary and bergamot oil.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is the first of many new teas (from Simpson & Vail) that we will be reviewing here at Sororitea Sisters – William Shakespeare’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson and Vail – that is! I’ve always been a fan of poetry but this specific name and tea go beyond my love for writing! Whether or not it’s TRUE or a case of mistaken identity – I ‘may’ be distantly related to William Shakespeare. The family rumor is that I am related to a ‘John Hall’ from Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. There was a John Hall that was a Doctor there in the 1500’s that married William Shakespeare’s Daughter Susanna.
So there were MANY reasons I was excited about this tea! But let’s get to the ACTUAL tea experience – shall we? This William Shakespeare’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson and Vail has a black tea base and is blended with lavender, rose, rosemary, and bergamot oil. After reading the product description and learning about the connection and inspiration of this tea I was blown away at the creativity and artisan-ship!
First and foremost the powerful aroma smacked me in the face as soon as I opened the bag! This is some STURDY stuff! William Shakespeare’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson and Vail is like a special flavored Earl Grey. Not just your standard EG but with a little extra something. But the aroma was magnified that is for sure!
The color of the post-infused tea in the cup was a lighter color of brown that I thought it would be. But that didn’t mean the taste was going to be lacking. The flavor on the tongue was almost as intense as it was on the nose! I could taste the Earl Grey as well as the heavy-duty lavender. The rosemary was subtle but contributed.
I really enjoyed this William Shakespeare’s Black Tea Blend from Simpson and Vail. Sure – the tea was a winner – but – when you have a theme, tribute, or personal story with it – it makes it even better!