There’s something magical that happens whenever I get a new tea from Plum Deluxe. It’s like Andy and his fantastic tea blenders just have a wire straight to my brain and know JUST what kind of tea I’m craving at any given moment. (Seriously, you guys. How do you do it. HOW.)
When this fruity, fragrant tea of the month showed up at my doorstep, I was a tiny bit cranky from this random week dreary getting close to spring time kind of days — and little did I know, a fresh cup of fruity iced tea was just what the doctor ordered to cure me of my let’s get winter over -crankyness.
This delicious oolong & black blend brews up with mild, fruity sweetness in the brewed cup, and is a perfect combination with a splash of lemonade (my favorite way to serve it) or paired with a hint of sparkling water. But you guys, if we’re being honest? I’ve been hoarding the dry leaf to sniff instead of brewing it because it smells OH SO VERY GOOD. Do you remember the sweet and delicious tang of strawberry fruit snacks as a kiddo? This tea is a DEAD RINGER for that delightful flavor-memory, but sans any of the chemical-ick.
Frankly, it’s the only cure I’ve found to remedy the crankiness that is born of cold dreary days. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go pour a cup and stick my nose in the dry leaf and enjoy.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong & Black
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Pomme Blossom White Tea from Plum Deluxe. . .
Do yourself a favor and visit the website for this company. I betcha you’ll be drooling before you read half of the descriptions. Have someone hide your credit card first and change your Paypal account password if you are weak or you’ll be broke tomorrow.
Plum Deluxe has a monthly tea subscription available, a blender’s choice special so you can try a surprise tea at a special price, and of course, teas to order as you wish.
Today I tried their Pomme Blossom White Tea, a delightful and flavorful blend featuring white tea, rose hips, jasmine, apple pieces, hibiscus, safflower, ginger, cinnamon, orange peel, rose petals, and pomegranate essence. CALM DOWN HIBISCUS HATERS. There isn’t enough hibiscus to change the color of this tea to pink, so you know there is hardly any here. I could smell the rose hips and hibiscus but the tea was not tart. It WAS full of delicious, fresh flavor and was fantastic both hot and iced. Even the cinnamon is quite muted, just adding a sparkle to the cup.
What impressed me about this tea blend is that there is SO MUCH in it, but it is very well balanced and the end result is a really refreshing tea.
Sadly, this blend is not available at present, but no matter. Looking at their site, I’d say there a number of teas to fall in love with here.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Waterfall Mist Honeybush Tea from Plum Deluxe . . . .
Waterfall Mist Honeybush Tea, a relatively Plum Deluxe blend made of honeybush, orange peels, and peppermint. Now I am familiar with this brand but have never personally ordered from them and when I came across this sample in a traveling teabox, I was intrigued.
Since the sample was generous, I decided to experiment with this tea though all cups were steeped in 200 degree water for 3 minutes.
First, I brewed it hot, my typical go-to method for all new teas. The hot cup tastes first and foremost of mint. Cooling peppermint, in fact. Honeybush is the next thing I pick up, tasting a sweetness typical of this base but also a slight wood note. Finally, if I focus, I can catch a bit of orange pithiness here and there but mostly it is drowned out by the other ingredients.
Next, given the summery and cool flavors of orange and mint, I thought this would make for a nice iced tea. Giving it a try now, I can say mint is still the most prominent note but it is certainly toned down when compared to the hot cup. That allows for some more bright orange/citrus flavors to come through. The base is also more subtle in the iced tea, though still contributing its trademark honeybush sweetness.
Finally, as per the recommendation on the packaging, I made a second iced tea and added a splash of lemonade. Since this was my first time adding lemonade to tea, I was excited to see how it would turn out but if I am being honest, I am not a fan. The lemonade makes the tea flatter, or I suppose it weighs it down making for a thicker mouthfeel that is less refreshing and more heavy. Plus, while I was hoping for some zing from the lemonade to pull out the orange in the tea, it was no where to be found. The lemonade lost its usual tartness while the tea lost most of its flavoring besides mint. Combined with the lemonade though, that mint is more medicinal than in the other two cups. To me, it seems the whole is less than the sum of its parts. Perhaps my “splash” of lemonade was more than what Plum Deluxe had in mind?
Ultimately, this was an alright cup of tea. Well cups, I suppose. Nothing mindblowing but still quite solid. I think it is best iced and can see it being a delightful companion on a hot and humid day.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
First featured in July 2016, the Waterfall Mist is an gentle, exacting combination of orange and mint. This tea has a similar feeling of refreshing simplicity. Enjoy it iced, as a sangria infusion, with a splash of lemonade, or frozen into tea popsicle!
All Organic ingredients. Honeybush Tea, Orange Peel, Peppermint. No caffeine. Steep 1 tsp in boiling water 3-5 minutes or cold brew overnight.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Delightful Morning Blend from Plum Deluxe. . . .
There are times when I simply need a good, strong Earl Grey. The Delightful Morning Blend from Plum Deluxe is perfect for those times. What makes it unique is the addition of lavender and a hint of vanilla. All of Plum Deluxe’s teas are organic and made in small batches.
I love a pot of Delightful Morning served with milk and sugar on a lazy Sunday. Today was not-so-lazy, but this lovely blend gave me the perfect boost for the start of a busy day. It is equally amazing on ice!
Plum Deluxe is a mail order tea company based in Portland, Oregon. I discovered them on Instagram last year and joined their tea of the month club. Every month, members receive a purple envelope with a new surprise blend of tea! They also have a members-only Facebook page with some of the nicest people you will meet. However, one does not have to be a member to order from the wonderful selection of teas and accessories on their website.
I wasn’t a fan of Earl Grey until I started to try good-quality, loose leaf varieties. Now it is one of my favorites. For anyone who may have similar misgivings about Earl Grey, try a cup of Plum Deluxe’s Delightful Morning Blend and you may start to think differently about Earl Grey.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
Originally we created this tweak of our Mindful Morning earl grey with a pinch of Oregon lavender for the many flower festivals we visit during the spring and summer – and lucky day, it’s now available online.
The fresh lavender adds a softness and balance to the astringency of the bergamot, accented by the vanilla notes in the base black tea. It is truly wonderful iced or hot.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Oregon Breakfast from Plum Deluxe. . . .
I really am in love with anything that includes hazelnut, hazelnut makes everything better. However, if you follow any of my reviews you’ll know that i’m not always too keen on orange or citrus. The ingredients in this delectable blend by Plum Deluxe include: black tea, honeybush, orange peel, and hazelnut essence. Tell me that doesn’t sound yummy and i’ll be looking at you like you have ten heads! It sounds heavenly, so of course I bought it. Typical me.
As soon as I opened the package and took a whiff of this mix, I knew id love it. In all honesty, the orange was so subtle I don’t think I could have picked it out if I didn’t know it was on the ingredient list. What I could smell was the hazelnut- nutty and creamy right off the bat. I’ve got to say that their addition of honeybush to their black tea blends really is smart, especially when the blend has a nut inclusion. Honeybush and nuts is a great combo, they accentuate each other and bring out the best in each other- a match made in heaven! The orange here is so subtle on taste just like on smell and I really can just barely detect it, which is more than okay with me. This blend is absolutely amazing and it is the PERFECT summer (or fall) tea for a sunny morning drive to work (or wherever you may be going on a sunny morning). I completely recommend you give this blend a try!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
This breakfast tea is how Plum Deluxe folk like to start their day. The earthy base helps center you; the ping of orange helps wake you and get you excited about today’s possibilities. It’s a simple tea and yet it is rich with subtle flavors.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
