Sweet Dreams is part of AstroloTea’s Transformative Loose Tea range, which combines ingredients with specific properties to create teas designed to have an effect on either mind or body. Sweet Dreams, true to its name, is supposed to be a relaxing blend, with the intention of promoting sleep or rest. Like many blends of this kind, it contains a selection of herbal ingredients known for their calming properties, including rose petals, hops, jasmine, lemon balm, and lavender. It also contains more unusual ingredients, such as poppy, catuba, gotu kola, dogwood, yarrow, brahmi, kava kava, and mullein. Many of these I’ve never come across before. All of the ingredients are organic, except the kava kava which has been cultivated without the use of chemicals.
I followed the recommended parameters and used 2 tsp of leaf for my cup, added to boiling water for 5 minutes. The resulting liquor is a bright orange-brown, with a mildly herbaceous scent. The flavour is more delicate than I expected, initially quite generically “herbal”, but with clear flashes of rose and lavender. There’s a distinctive thick sweetness from the hops in the mid-sip, and a touch of aniseed-like fennel. A light lemony-citrus note rounds off the sip.
The proliferation of ingredients made me wonder whether it would be possible to distinguish any one of them at all, but in actual fact it is possible to pick out the stronger, more dominant, flavours. Many of the ingredients are unfamiliar to me, though (and probably to most people), and it’s fair to say that the overall effect is herbal with an edge of floral. I’m pleased the the floral doesn’t edge over into perfumey, and it’s not too strong, so you might get along with this even if floral teas are not typically your thing. In flavour terms, its reminiscent of a lot of similar blends, only with more unusual, carefully selected, ingredients.
I didn’t notice much of an effect straight after drinking, but I can certainly appreciate having another caffeine-free pre-bedtime blend in my cupboard. With its light, delicate flavour, it’s a pleasing choice for late night drinking whether you buy into the “sleep-aid” aspect or not. I’d happily seek out more AstroloTea blends in the future.
And since today is #MusicandTeaMonday, we couldn’t help but pair this tea with this song! Don’t forget to join us on your favorite social media of choice with #MusicandTeaMonday!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: AstroloTea
Description:
Sweet Dreams Organic Loose Leaf Tea is only available as an herbal tea blend. It is a powerful sedative tea for nighttime relaxation and sleep. It has been used to help relieve insomnia and sleep disturbances.
This soft and dreamy tea is the perfect way to close every day. Slip into comfort and notice how gently everything floats away as you easily drift off to dreamland. Sweet Dreams tea is a luxurious gift to give yourself for a day well lived.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Unwind Tisane from NudiTea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: NudiTea
Tea Description:
Lost your chill? You can rest assured our UNWIND blend is the tea for you. Chamomile blossoms complimented with spearmint leaves work harmoniously together to strip away stress and anxieties, leaving you calm and relaxed. These delectable tea leaves are sourced from lush fields in Egypt, so now you can sleep like an Egyptian.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Before I get into this – the final review of NudiTea’s teas – I want to tell you a little bit about the packaging! The teas are packaged in mylar lined, kraft pouches that are handsomely stamped with the name of the tea. There isn’t really anything that stands out so much about the pouches, but what did stand out to me is the way these pouches were packaged in the box.
The teas were wrapped up in Kraft paper and then tied with twine cord and there was a little tag tied onto the cord, like a gift! I’ve mentioned before that I love it when there is some special attention paid to details like this. It was such a joy to receive this package!
But the packaging wouldn’t mean a whole lot if I didn’t enjoy the teas. Fortunately, I found their Body tea to be tasty and I also enjoyed their Focus blend. And I’m actually quite enjoying this Unwind blend too!
As I’ve said (many times) – I’m just not all that excited when it comes to chamomile. However, chamomile is certainly a useful herb when it comes to unwinding and sometimes, I need to do just that so I turn to chamomile when I need to relax and destress.
Today is a day like that – I’ve had a very busy day and now it’s time to calm down and get ready to rest. So, I brewed a cup of Unwind Tisane from NudiTea. This is a blend of Egyptian chamomile and spearmint.
And while chamomile isn’t my favorite herb, I have to admit that I’m finding this blend to be rather tasty. The sweet, apple-y, honeyed notes of the chamomile meld really nicely with the minty notes of the spearmint. Normally, I prefer peppermint over spearmint because I like the zestier flavor of the peppermint, but for a calming, relaxing herbal tea such as this, spearmint is the perfect choice. It’s a little softer and the chamomile helps to soften it even more so that I’m just getting a smooth, even minty note without the sense of invigoration that I often experience with mint teas.
If you want your tisane a little sweeter, add a dollop of honey. I found it to be quite enjoyable straight. Very soothing, very relaxing and a really nice way to “unwind”!
Camomille Matricaria from Les 2 Marmottes
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Tisane
Where to Buy: Les 2 Marmottes
Tisane Description:
Feverfew chamomile is a small and simple plant without chi chis. With its flower fragrance, it offers a fresh and comforting tea, breathing the fresh air. A very light yellow color, almost transparent and a light, honeyed flavor: chamomile, it is nature in all simplicity, that where lies happiness.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was a little apprehensive about this chamomile because when I opened the packet, I could see that the blossoms have been crushed and it looked a little more like chamomile dust rather than chamomile flowers. It looked a lot like what you’d find if you opened a grocery store offering of bagged chamomile tisane.
And that’s the stuff I’m not crazy about. I’ve come to a point where I enjoy whole blossom chamomile, but the dust in most tea bags that you can buy in the grocery store? No thank you.
But I decided to go into this experience with an open mind. I mean, who knows? Maybe I’ll like it. I won’t know though, until I try it. (That’s what I keep telling my daughter when it comes to trying new foods, anyway.)
I steeped the tea bag in 6 ounces of water that had been heated to 195°F for eight minutes. Normally, I’d go ahead and steep it for 10 minutes, but because this had been crushed to a powder, I decided to go with just 8 minutes.
I’m glad I did. The flavor is strong and I don’t know that I’d like it much if the flavor were any stronger. As it is, this is alright. It has a light, apple-y flavor and sweet nectar-y, honey-like flavor. It’s soothing. It’s pleasant.
Let’s face it, chamomile will never be my favorite. It just won’t. But I like it better than I used to. This at least tastes fresher than what I’d get from the supermarket. (Who knows how long that stuff has been sitting on the shelves!) And as far as chamomile goes, this isn’t too bad. It’s relaxing me and that’s what I needed it to do because I have to get up early in the morning and as it is, it’s pretty late. I needed something that was going to help me unwind and catch those zzz’s so that I can be bright-eyed tomorrow.
Not a bad cup and effective at relaxation.
Relax Ayurvedic Rooibos Tisane from TeaVeda
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: The Veda Company
Tea Description:
Sweet, romantic and warming flavors of vanilla, cinnamon, rooibos and spices entice and entitle you to “Relax.”
Learn more about the teas from TeaVeda here.
Taster’s Review:
I know I’ve said it more than once here on this blog, but I’m a sucker for packaging. I’m also really into presentation. And I have to say that I really like the presentation – and the packaging! – from this new-to-me company, The Veda Company, and their line of teas called TeaVeda.
The Veda Company sells not just an intriguing line of teas, but also candles, body care and home décor. And I love the presentation of their TeaVeda line. The tins are GORGEOUS and isn’t the teapot and teacup (in the photo above) absolutely beautiful? The teacup is also called “Relax” and each of the teacups in the TeaVeda line has an inspiring message printed on the inside of the cup. For the Relax cup, the message is:
“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” ~George Bernard Shaw
I love it all: the teapot, the teacup, and the gorgeous tins that the teas are packaged in. Beautifully ornate with a very tight fitting, double lid system to help keep your tea protected from the elements.
But wait, there’s more! There’s TEA!
Tonight, I’m in need of a soothing, relaxing cup of tea so I’m sipping on “Relax” from TeaVeda, which is a chai-like blend of spices, vanilla and rooibos. This chai has the “usual” chai ingredients: ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Plus it also has some black pepper to spice it up even more and some vanilla to sweeten it.
This blend is a lovely spicy-sweet blend that teases my taste buds! At first I think that the cloves are the most prominent flavor of the cup, but then the pepper and ginger come through strongly. Then the cinnamon and cardamom come shining through.
The vanilla is a subtle flavor to this cup, adding a creamy flavor to the drink without softening the spices. There is a warm, nutty flavor from the rooibos that complements the spices well. And, even though the spices are vibrant, the beverage has a calming overall effect.
A nice, soothing cup of “Relax”!
When I first encountered The Veda Company, I found that their website is not an e-commerce/shopping cart type of site. Instead, to place your order, you need to utilize their inquiry page and place the order via this system. Not quite as convenient as the shopping cart, I realize, and they realize it too, so until they do get the shopping cart up and running, they are offering a 20% discount on retail orders made through the inquiry page! I love saving money!
Chamomile from Ocean of Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Ocean of Tea
Tisane Description:
Hailing from the beautiful country of Egypt, chamomile tea is derived from the tiniest and prettiest chamomile flower. Delicate in nature, bright with yellow color and innocent as can be, these chamomile flowers make for a calming cup of tea. These blossoms are harvested and dried to make this delicious tea that comes to you complete with whole dried chamomile flowers. Golden in color and light in taste, this is a gentle tea for those looking for a caffeine free treat. Slightly sweet with apple undertones and floral scents, this could be the tea for someone looking for a light tea with a hint of honey. Forget the store-bought, pre-sealed packets that cannot possibly deliver the depth of flavor that this chamomile tea can. Try it for the first time, and it will be the only chamomile tea you will be hooked on. This is a caffeine free tea.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Yeah, I’ve said it before. I’ll probably say it again many times in the future, just as I’m saying it now: I’m not a big fan of chamomile. But I don’t hate it. It’s just not my favorite of the different herbs used in herbal teas, even though it’s probably one of the most popular.
That said, I’m finding that I enjoy it the more that I drink it. Especially when I encounter whole blossoms in loose leaf form like this Egyptian Chamomile from Ocean of Tea. The dried chamomile flowers are large and whole, not crumbled into a powdery dust. I find that with the whole flowers like this, the flavor is much better than the dust that you find in the tea bags on the local grocery store shelf.
This is light and sweet, with notes of crisp apple. It’s soothing and very relaxing to sip. And one thing I do like about chamomile is that after I’ve had a cup of chamomile tea, I feel very calm and relaxed. I’m ready to start catching the Zzz after a warm cuppa chamomile and the best way to get that cuppa is in loose leaf like this!
To brew a cup of this Chamomile, I measured out a scoop and a half (using my bamboo scoop) into a basket infuser (like this one, also from Ocean of Tea). I heat the water to 195°F and let the tea steep for 8 minutes.
For chamomile, I like a basket infuser like this because it fits right into my 12 ounce mug, and allows the water to filter through as if it were steeping loose, and then when it’s finished steeping, I just lift the basket out of my mug and the tea is ready to drink. I don’t usually want a pot of tea this late in the evening because a) I probably won’t drink that much tea; and b) I’ve already cleaned the kitchen and I want to keep things as simple and I want minimal clean up for whatever it is that I’m making late at night.
This is a pretty decent cup of chamomile! It’s simple, but when I’m looking for a bedtime drink, simple is often the best choice.