Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tease
Tea Description:
A classic Kenyan black tea in traditional orange pekoe style. Perfect for adding milk &sugar. Equally satisfying iced with your favourite sweetener.
Learn more about July’s Postal Teas shipment here.
Learn more about subscribing to Postal Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
I recently subscribed to Postal Teas – just to check them out. I’m always interested in seeing what other companies out there have to offer, and I especially enjoy subscription services such as this one. I like the idea of a “mystery box” coming my way each month where the teas have been curated with a theme in mind.
So I was really excited when the “One Classy Lady” themed tea box arrived filled with three ‘classic tea staples.’ To be honest, these three teas – A Kenyan Orange Pekoe, a Genmaicha, and a Lapsang Souchong – didn’t really generate a lot of excitement with me because these are teas that I’ve had on more than one occasion (although not from this specific vendor) and I was kind of hoping for a new tea experience.
However, I was happy to find a hand-written note in my box. Here’s what they wrote to me:
Anne,
We’re super excited to have you experience these teas!
We decided to go with some well made classics that everyone should try at least once.
Let us know which is your fav!
-Postal Teas
OK, I understand a little more about why they selected these teas and I’m good with that explanation, because I agree! I think that everyone should try these three teas. Also included in the box was a nifty little 48-page notebook for “tea notes” (and I like that they took the time to write “tea” on this notebook. It’s a little detail, certainly, but I like that it is one that wasn’t overlooked.)
But that’s enough about the box … let’s get into this tea!
When I first read that this is an Orange Pekoe tea, my immediate thought was “oh, another Ceylon.” Not that Ceylon teas are bad, mind you! I love a good Ceylon tea and I’ve discovered MANY wonderful Ceylon teas in the time that I’ve been reviewing teas. Some very surprising Ceylon teas … some Ceylon teas that have changed my original belief about Ceylon. But, I’ve had a lot of Ceylon and I was just hoping for something a little different.
But this isn’t a Ceylon!
It’s a Kenyan Black tea! Now, Kenyan teas, I’ve had quite a few, but far fewer than I’ve had Ceylon teas. And I’m always happy to try a Kenyan black from a tea company I’ve not tried before – and I’ve not tried any teas from Tease, Postal Teas featured tea purveyor this month.
Robust! Full-flavored! Smooth and rich! These are all words I’d choose to describe this Pekoe. It’s rich and malty with a pleasing mouthfeel. It has that sort of “chewy” taste that evokes thoughts of freshly baked bread crust.
Our local grocery store always has fresh French bread – hot and right out of the oven – at the top of the hour in the afternoon. We like to plan our visit to this store around this time of the day so that we can pick up a loaf of the bread to devour in the car after we’ve finished shopping. No butter, no jam … just warm, soft, freshly-baked goodness. My favorite part is the caramelized, crispy-chewy crust … and that’s what this tea reminds me of!
This is an ideal tea to choose for that all-important first tea of the day because it’s bold and has some invigorating GUSTO to it – it will give you that kick you need to get the day started. It also takes well to the additions of milk and honey if you like to add those to your breakfast tea.
As for me, I like this one served straight up. It has a light sweetness to it that is reminiscent of honey and caramel, with lovely floral tones in the distance that accent these sweet notes perfectly. There is a mild, cleansing astringency that readies my palate for the next sip. A really lovely CTC Kenyan.
And despite my first thoughts on the overll package, I have to say that it was a very fun package to receive so I’m going to go with at least one more month from Postal Teas to see what August has in store. So far, I’m enjoying this familiar journey with Postal Teas.
Yin Gou Mei Green Tea from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
This Chinese tea is often referred to as eyebrow tea due to its eyebrow shaped tea leaves. The leaves are hand picked during early spring to result in a floral and robust flavor without the bitterness often associated with this type of tea. The rich green tea leaves brew to reveal a bright jade liquor with a fresh aroma, balanced earthiness and smooth, subtle finish. Yin Gou Mei Green Tea is best served hot.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
It’s been a while since I’ve had a Yin Gou Mei, so, I was really looking forward to having this tea when I discovered it was part of this month’s Selection Club sampler box from Simple Loose Leaf.
Yin Gou Mei is often called “Chinese Eyebrows” because of the cute “eyebrow” shape of the leaves. But, I don’t like calling it Chinese Eyebrows because that sounds … weird and not in a good way. So forgive me for not calling it by that name and instead going with Yin Gou Mei.
And this is a really LOVELY Yin Gou Mei!
This is sweet and creamy with soft nutty notes, but there is a light crispness to the cup as well. There are delicate floral notes that meld with the soft, creamy sweetness. It makes my palate swoon how these two tastes mingle together. It’s very smooth from start to finish, with no bitter notes and very little noticeable astringency.
What I like about Yin Gou Mei is that it’s a little different from the typical green tea in that it tastes somewhat “earthy” but not really overly vegetal. While there is a slight vegetative note to this, it’s not a heavy, grassy taste, nor does it taste like steamed veggies or any of the other vegetative comparisons that I often make. It’s smooth, floral and lightly earthy/vegetal note that is softened with a pleasant creaminess.
I know I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again in the future, but, I just love getting my monthly Selection Club box from Simple Loose Leaf! It really is a GREAT bargain: I get five different teas each month and there’s enough for several pots of tea from EACH of the five teas in the box. Plus you get a sample from the next month’s box to whet your appetite for the teas to come! And there are a couple of different payment options available to you that have been designed for savings and convenience in mind.
And if you want to save even more, here’s what you do: use this code – SISTERSELECTION25 – and receive a 25% discount when you sign up for the Selection Club! This discount is applicable only to the monthly Selection Club subscription and not the retail selection of teas. It’s an awesome service!
Product Review: Tea Assortment of Hard Candy from Raley’s Confectionary
Product Information:
Where to Buy: Treatsie
Product Description:
Tea-flavored hard candy. Flavors include Lemongrass Green Tea, Chai Latte, Arnold Palmer and Mango Black Tea.
Learn more about Treatsie’s Subscription Box here.
Product Review:
I know I’ve confessed it before, but, I’ll confess it again: I have a sweet tooth. And I find myself particularly attracted to sweets that are tea inspired, like these yummy hard candies from Raley’s Confectionary. While recently perusing the Treatsie website, I came across this tea flavored hard candy assortment, and you know I couldn’t resist!
I recently discovered Treatsie, and they’re a subscription box (similar to the box that I get every month from Simple Loose Leaf), so every month, I will get a box full of yummy treats. (And chocolate. Did I mention chocolate?) You can also shop for the products individually and there are some really interesting curated boxes that you can buy at Treatsie too. I bought these tea flavored hard candies separately, because as I said before, I couldn’t resist when I saw the words “Tea Flavored Hard Candy.” Um … yes please!
My separately purchased products (not the Treatsie subscription box) arrived this afternoon, and I’m really pleased! It was packaged beautifully, and I even got a “thank you” treat tucked inside – another package of Raley’s Confectionary’s hard candies – these little “thank you” candies actually say thank you right on them, and they’re pomegranate flavored! Yum!
These tea flavored candies are really tasty. The Mango Black Tea candy has a very distinct mango note and I can taste a softer black tea note in there too. The Lemongrass Green Tea has a lemon-lime-ish sort of flavor to it, with a background of a sweet, grassy green tea note. The Arnold Palmer tastes more of lemonade than it does of tea, but every once in a while I taste a slight tea-ish flavor. I like the tangy note of the Arnold Palmer, though, it seems to balance out the other sweeter tasting flavors of the package.
And then there is my favorite of the four: Chai Latte! I think I’d be happy to have a whole package of just the chai latte. They have a gentle spice to them (these aren’t strong in spice! They’re more sweet than spicy!) and I can taste the black tea as well as a creamy note to them – they’re like a sweet little chai latte!
I love that the flavors that are promised are the flavors that are delivered. Sure, they’re sweeter than what you’d experience if you were actually drinking a cup of chai latte or a mango flavored black tea – but they ARE candies, after all! They’re supposed to be sweet. What I love is that these are not just something that satisfies the sweet tooth in me, but also the tea lover in me too.
So, now I’ve found this sinful company that will send me sweet-tooth indulgences once a month … how do I say no to that?
Insomniac’s Dream Herbal Blend from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
This dreamy tisane blends five calming herbs into one delicious tea. Catnip and Chamomile Flowers lure the drinker into a mellow, relaxed mood, while the bright flavors of Peppermint, Lemon Balm and Lemongrass dance around their palate, resulting in a tea that is at once effective and unforgettable. But drinker beware- you may hit the pillow before finishing your cup!
Chamomile Flowers, Lemon Balm, Catnip, Lemongrass, Peppermint
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
This is not necessarily a tisane I was overly excited to try as I don’t generally get all that excited about chamomile blends, but as far as chamomile blends go, this Insomniac’s Dream is enjoyable.
The light apple notes of the chamomile meld nicely with the bright lemon-y notes of the lemon balm and lemongrass and the crisp, cooling notes of peppermint to create a very palatable taste. The catnip adds a little bit of sweetness to the cup and enhances the mint notes.
I like that the overall taste of this tisane is mellow. Since it’s to be a blend that helps lull the drinker into a sense of peacefulness so that they can rest, the mellow flavors assist in that endeavor. The minty notes are not too invigorating and the citrus-y notes are not overly zesty. This cup is all about calm.
And it DOES help instill a sense of relaxation. I feel myself starting to “chill out” from the inside out, like my muscles are starting to relax and I feel myself start to feel a little bit drowsy. This may very well be an Insomniac’s Dream!
I like this best served hot. I find that as it cools, the flavors seem to mute a little bit and because it’s a mellow tasting herbal tisane to begin with, you don’t want the flavors to get any more mild than they are.
This is another blend that I got with my June Sampler Box as part of the Selection Club subscription – I highly recommend subscribing to this service. It’s a great way to get a lot of tea for a small price! And if you want to save even more, use this code: SISTERSELECTION25 and you’ll save 25% off when you sign up for the Selection Club.
This discount is not applicable on the retail selection of teas, and is only good for the selection club subscription.
Sleeping Dragon Green Tea from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
Sleeping Dragon green tea is grown at about 3,000 feet in the mountainous Fujian province. The tightly rolled leaves and silvery fuzzy buds give this tea its signature shape and name. In the cup, it delivers a soft, fruity sweetness enfolded by a rich smokey note similar to a gunpowder, but more complex and crisp in the finish. Sleeping Dragon remains a great cup for a green tea novice or those who oppose the grassy character of some varieties.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
The fragrance of the dry tea has a strong vegetal scent, reminding me a little bit of the smell that fills the kitchen when I’m steaming broccoli. Maybe with a tad of seaweed in the steamer. Although … I’ve never done that. I probably won’t either.
Fortunately, this Sleeping Dragon Green Tea from Simple Loose Leaf doesn’t have a seaweed-ish taste to go along with that aroma. This is actually quite lovely!
The flavor reminds me of something between a green tea and a white tea. It has some of the fruity, melon-y notes that I might find in a white tea, but with a more forward presentation. It isn’t quite as delicate as I find most white teas to be, although it is a little more delicate than most green teas that I’ve encountered.
I also taste hints of citrus with the melon, and there are sweet, vegetative notes of a green tea that meld in a harmonious way with the fruit tones. Not grassy, but, with a non-aggressive vegetative note that reminds me of a sweet, mild green vegetable, perhaps a perfectly steamed artichoke. As suggested in the above description, I am also tasting a very subtle smokiness. There is only a very subtle dry astringency to this – so subtle that I think even those who tend to be sensitive to astringency can enjoy this.
The tightly wound leaves of this tea didn’t fully open with the first infusion, so I decided to take them for another steep! The second steep was very similar to the first. It was darker in color, and a little stronger in flavor than the first infusion, but, overall, the flavors were very similar. I noticed that the citrus notes that I detected in the first cup were not very noticeable in the second, but, these seemed to be replaced by a creaminess that I didn’t experience in the first cup.
Overall, a very interesting and delicious green tea. I don’t know that I’ve experienced a “Sleeping Dragon” green tea in the past, and so I’m glad I got to try it. I love that I’m being exposed to some new and exciting teas thanks to the monthly Selection Club box from Simple Loose Leaf!
To save 25% when you sign up for the Selection Club, use this code: SISTERSELECTION25. This discount is not applicable on the retail selection of teas, and is only good for the selection club subscription.