I have made a vow to drink more caffeine free teas and herbal tisane offerings in the past year. I’d like to boast and brag and say that is the main reason for me sampling and reviewing Namaste from Simpson and Vail but I wouldn’t be telling you the whole truth. I have been battling some skin irritations – as well as – some aches and pains so I thought I would buff up my herbals more for that reason, too!
I won’t blab anymore about my aging and ailments. Instead, I will proceed with describing this herbal tisane. Namaste from Simpson and Vail is an offering in their Yoga or Yogi or Yogic Tea line.
Ingredients include Birch Bark, Chamomile Flowers, Jasmine Blossoms, Wild Cherry Bark, Vanilla Beans, Organic Damiana Leaf, Organic Oatstraw, Rose Petals, Honeysuckle & Lavender Blossoms.
The flavor of this tisane was pretty tasty. I was pre-judging it and shame on me. I was afraid the Jasmine and Chamomile were going to be the flavors that overpowered the others and they were not. Everything in the loose mix worked well with each other. It was calming and comforting. I’m glad I finally tried this tisane. One of these days I will learn to not wait so long to try an herbal (or at least not have to have a reason to try it).
I think I will pour myself another cup! Cheers!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
Namaste is a greeting or parting phrase as well as a gesture.
In Sanskrit, Namaste means, “the light in me bows to the light in you” or “I bow to light that exists in me and you and to all that is sacred in life”. When spoken to another person, it is usually accompanied by the gesture of the hands at the heart center in prayer position and a slight bow of the head and shoulders. This can also be performed wordlessly and still carry the same beautiful intention.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Nepal Guranse Estate Organic Oolong Tea/Simpson and Vail
I have been wanting to write this review for quite a few weeks. It was THAT memorable. This Nepal Guranse Estate Oolong from Simpson & Vail is organic and from a pretty neat estate.
When it comes to the leaves of this Oolong they hail from South Asia…bordered by China and India…you guessed it…the leaves are from Nepal! Nepal is home to some of the largest mountains in the world, including Mount Everest which is the highest point anywhere on Earth. Nepal is comprised of 75 districts, one of which is the district of Dhankuta. Dhankuta is located in the Koshi hill Zone in eastern Nepal. It borders the Darjeeling region of West Bengal, India, and enjoys the same soil and climatic conditions as Darjeeling.
The Guranse Tea Estate has planted pure young and vibrant clonal plants all selected to make high quality teas. They believe in producing only the best, therefore, their tea goes through a series of careful processes before it is packed and finally ends up in your cup for an entirely new experience of health and vitality.
Guranse is NASAA organic certified, JAS certified, and ISO 22000- 2005 certified. 95 % of the workers are women and the Company pays for several of the worker’s children’s education and pays for the salary of teachers at the village school. How great is that? The company also supports an older people’s home that is nearby, by providing meals, rations, blankets, and more.
When I read on the S&V website that Guranse Tea was more than just a beverage – I knew I had to dig deeper into this estate!
As for the sight, touch, taste, and smell of this tea…he strong brown, twisted, tippy leaves brew into a more mellow amber cup with a sweet, mild taste and a delicate fruity sniff and taste. The oolong itself is lightly rolled, semi fermented, and hand sorted!
This Oolong was pretty wonderful and learning about the estate and people behind it made me enjoy my cup even more!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
China Snow Dragon Green/Simpson and Vail. . . .
Not too long ago…I knew what I wanted…I wanted a green tea. I wanted a green tea from China…I wanted something mystical like a Dragon and soft like snow…lucky me…I had a pouch of China Snow Dragon Green Tea from Simpson and Vail that I had waiting for me.
I have found my own personal ‘sweet spot’ for infusing green teas and that is just shy of 2 minutes. This one stood up to the test.
These leaves were a FUN mix of green leaf and white downy (snow) buds. The aroma is fresh yet vegetal. It brews to a pale green cup with a light, delicate floral taste, too!
I was happy to learn that this special green tea comes from gardens in Fuding county which is a Fujian province in China. This county is known for its steep mountains and vast seacoast and I have to say you can really taste the difference in the tea!
This was another winner from Simpson & Vail! Can’t wait to see and TASTE what is next!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
This special green tea comes from gardens in Fuding county, Fujian province in China. This county is known for its steep mountains and vast seacoast.
These leaves are a mix of green leaf and white downy (snow) buds. The aroma is fresh and vegetal. It brews to a pale green cup with a light, delicate floral taste. Truly exquisite!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Athena’s Lemon Olive Leaf Blend from Simpson and Vail’s Monthly Subscription Box. . .
Who doesn’t love a subscription box? I know I love them – especially tea subscription boxes. For a while I was getting 52Teas, BlendBee, and Plum Deluxe subscription boxes (which I loved) but I wanted to try out a few different companies this go around. So last week I decided I would give our friends at Simpson and Vail’s subscription box a go. Simpson and Vail have a lot of different offerings when it comes to teas so I was hoping by signing up, I would be able to experience some of their teas that I haven’t gotten around to picking up. Athena’s Lemon Olive Leaf Blend was one of those blends and I was so excited to see it in my first box.
Athena’s Lemon Olive Leaf Blend is a blend of olive leaf, lemongrass, and ginger root. So think of your traditional lemon ginger tea with a slight twist. Brewed with water at boiling and allowed to steep for 5 minutes plus (I actually got a phone call and couldn’t get to the tea right away), this tea hits the spot on this cold midwestern blustery day. Solid lemon notes, that sweet and spicy hint of ginger, along with this almost herbaceous olive oil finish delivers a solid soothing and comforting cuppa. (Yep. There is a slight hint of an olive oil flavor in my cuppa. And you know what I love it. )
Smooth crisp spiced lemony goodness . One of those blends where the ginger and lemon are balanced out perfectly and gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling.
This tea is giving me all the loving I need while still battling this awful cold I’ve had for the last few days. One of the better herbal blends I’ve had in a while. Really digging it and am on my fourth cup as I write this review up. Can’t wait to enjoy this as a cold brew!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
The aroma of fresh lemon greets your nose as you sip this delightful blend. The golden cup explodes with a lemony goodness that lingers on the palate refreshingly. This all organic brew is great hot or iced.
Ingredients: Organic olive leaf, organic ginger root, organic lemon mytle, organic lemon peel, organic lemongrass
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Leafy Black Colombian Tea from Simpson and Vail. . .
This Organic Leafy Black Tea from Simpson & Vail is the 2nd tea that I’ve tried (that I know of) that hails from the Bitaco Tea Estate. This is a lovely loose leaf tea that features large, twisted leaves. When steeped, this tea yields a cup that’s sweet and mellow with a soft fruity character at the end of each sip.
I did have a little time to play around with this tea, however, and it can be a versatile cuppa if you want it to be. What I mean by that is if you double the amount of loose leaf and cut the steep time in half it gives off a different flavor than described on the companies website. With this steeping method I’ve noticed it’s a much more heartier, and bold brew with a fair amount of maltiness, too!
I think I mentioned this in another tea review recently but this tea is what we call a chariTEA…
Bitaco Tea not only cultivates exceptional teas, they also are committed to their community. They created the Agricola Himalaya Foundation to develop and improve programs focusing on education, especially for local children. Activities focus on the improvement of infrastructure, recreational opportunities, local culture and access to technology.
So not only is it a good cup – it’s a good cause! An all-around feel-GOOD tea!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
From the mountainous region of Colombia, in an area steeped in biodiversity, along the western slope of the Andes, is the Bitaco tea estate. The gentle mist from the mountains, rich soil, and ample rainfall all stimulate the growth of the tea bushes, producing a tea with unique characteristics.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!