This tisane is going to be a bit difficult for me to describe because there are things in this blend that I have never tasted on their own. What I have tasted on its own is chamomile, and I find that this is the predominant flavor here. I do pick up on the spearmint but it isn’t terribly strong. I like the inclusion of spearmint because I find mint tisanes to be very relaxing and I prefer spearmint to peppermint.
I do not recall having skullcap or passionflower before, though I know several people who use passionflower supplements to combat anxiety or to improve sleep with success. An article on skullcap says that it is in the mint family but has a slightly bitter taste. I do taste something unfamiliar in this, but I do not find this hard to drink or bitter.
I went to bed after drinking it and slept well, but since I generally do rest well I can not say for certain that the tisane had an effect. I will say that if I were having trouble sleeping or felt anxious and this worked, it would not be a chore to drink it for relief. As something to drink for pure enjoyment, it isn’t something I would reach for first. It tastes much like many chamomile blends I have tried, so if you like chamomile and need soothing or some help going to sleep, I think this is worth a try.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: The Virginia Tea Company
Description
After a long day, the best thing we can do is allow our bodies and minds to relax. The ingredients in this tea help do just that. They create a beautifully relaxing tea to help you unwind and focus on what matters most: you. Ingredients: Organic St John’s Wort, Organic Lemon Balm, Organic Lavender, Organic Passion Flower, Ginkgo, Organic Eleuthero Root, Organic Peppermint Brewing Instructions: Bring fresh water to a boil. Then pour over tea. Steep 10 minutes.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
English Breakfast from The Virginia Tea Company. . .
There are so many teas called English Breakfast, and they can be quite different. The original English Breakfast tea is said to have been pure 100% Chinese Keemun. This is the exception rather than the rule today, and you are more likely to find a mix of black tea from Sri Lanka, India, and Kenya. Modern tea tastes in the UK overall run to strong black tea that not only holds up to, but almost requires, milk and sugar – a nice, boot-you-out-of-bed tea.
Having a tender and sensitive tummy, I am cautious with breakfast blends as I don’t add anything to my tea, and with no milk to smooth my morning beverage the day can go dicey if the tea is too astringent. Also, once awake I am generally ready to go and don’t need to kick in the pants.
This fair trade tea is a blend of Ceylon, Kenyan, and Assam teas. I have put them in the order I believe them to be represented in the blend based on the taste. Far and away the top note for me is the lemony taste of Ceylon tea tingling on my tongue. This high citrus note is almost enough to make you think it is flavored! This often indicates that the tea was grown at a higher elevation of Sri Lanka. I put Assam last because I am not getting a huge amount of malty or bready flavor.
I am quite able to drink this without milk and sugar, enjoying the dry tingle of the briskness of the tea without the almost instant stomach ache some breakfast teas give me. I do believe that if milk and sugar is your thing, the tea could withstand it and wouldn’t wimp out under the additions.
If you love a good, black breakfast blend and want to upgrade to fair trade and organic tea, give it a try!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Virginia Tea Company
Description
This organic tea is perfect for pairing with your morning meal. The full-bodied flavor can be blended with milk and sugar to create an even better drinking experience.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Immunity from Virginia Tea Company. . . .
As the weather turns colder, it becomes a great season for brewing warm tea. But it also tends to become a season for germs as well. Meet both needs with a cup of Immunity from Virginia Tea Co. With several powerhouse herbs that boost your immune system, like echinacea and elderberries, this cup is good for both your mental and physical health.
Fragrant ginger and cinnamon are the first notes I smell in this blend. Those two herbs tend be a cornerstone of most chai blends, so their spiciness is familiar and warming, without the caffeine of black tea. Upon my first sip, the fruitier flavors of elderberries and tart echinacea fill my senses. The sweet, dark berry flavor of the elderberries lingers the longest on my tongue, with the ginger and cinnamon just a flash of spice in the scent. If you’re not a fan of chai flavors, don’t worry, this one is much more fruity than spicy.
This herbal tea is pleasantly earthy, and not overly sweet or artificial. This would be great on its own or brewed with honey if your throat it is scratchy and your morale is low. I love the idea of a more berry-based blend for those under-the-weather days. I have so many lemon and chamomile restoratives, this Immunity blend adds the perfect variety to my get-well tea cupboard.
Whether you feel a cold coming on, or you just want to be prepared for the season, order up some Immunity from Virginia Tea Co. and stay warm and healthy this cold season.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Virginia Tea Co.
Description:
As our body’s first line of defense against all illnesses, it is safe to say that our immune system is worth a great deal to us. This blend of ginger, cinnamon, echinacea, elderberries, and eleuthero root are perfectly combined to give your immune system the boost it needs.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Christmas in September: Winter Cheer from Virginia Tea Company
I’m a bit out of season to review Winter Cheer from Virginia Tea Company, but today is a grey and dreary day so a cup of tea with “cheer” in the name feels like a good fit.
This blend features black tea, peppermint, and cinnamon. Even in the dry leaf you can smell all three distinct flavors.
Having peppermint and cinnamon in the same blend is like sitting in a snowbank next to a campfire: there are both cooling and warming elements happening at the same time. I enjoy blends that make use of these flavors. Beyond their flavor profiles, both peppermint and cinnamon bring their own type of sweetness.
Peppermint has a creaminess beneath all its icy mint, almost tasting like vanilla. Cinnamon has a more earthy, herbal sweetness, more in line with cloves or licorice.
With both of these flavors set against the robust backdrop of black tea, you get a full-bodied brew with a very tactile mouthfeel, both cooling and warming. This is a fresh take on the “spiced black tea” trend that pops up every fall and winter. The mint and cinnamon together really make this unique and festive.
I’m feeling full of cheer already!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Virginia Tea Co.
Description:
Sit back and relax with your family this holiday season while sharing this delicious, guilt-free tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
English Breakfast from the Virginia Tea Company . . . .
When you need a tried-and-true pick-me-up in the morning, many of us reach for a cup of English Breakfast black tea. But each tea company has a little different take on this style of tea. English Breakfast from the Virginia Tea Company is robust in scent, taste, and texture.
This tea is full and malty, almost chewy, with toasty tones of baked bread. This tea is strong enough to have flavor after being mixed with milk and sugar, and to hold up on its own against the savory flavors of your breakfast.
The first scent and taste are the rich and complex flavors like roasted wheat or leather, followed by the little crisp bite of black tea that we come to expect. There is a hint of earthy smoke at the back of each sip, along with the the less bitter black tea tannins and thicker mouthfeel.
This is a black tea that makes you feel strong and invigorated, while also giving your palette a full-bodied flavor experience. For those mornings where it is hard to get your head on straight, be sure to brew up a strong cup of English Breakfast from the Virgina Tea Company and get back on track.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Virginia Tea Co.
Description:
This organic tea is perfect for pairing with your morning meal. The full-bodied flavor can be blended with milk and sugar to create an even better drinking experience.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!