Fall flavors are usually dominated by pumpkin and cloves and cinnamon and spice, but Apple Sage from Simpson & Vail focuses on the less obvious sensations of the season. With fresh apple and savory sage, this blend should definitely be in everyone’s fall rotation. Apple pieces in the dry leaf immediately give off a fragrance that transports me to my hometown orchard: juicy, sweet-tart fruit, maybe paired with a cinnamon honey-stick from their local honeybee hive. The apple pieces are numerous, and provide a true, luscious, apple flavor.
What really makes this blend unique is the sage. I can’t say I’ve tried a tea with sage before, even if I have used the herb in other places in the kitchen. Sage is a smell I associate with Thanksgiving dinner, an herb that goes well with turkey and stuffing or with chicken pot pie. When brewed hot, this tea is both sweet and savory, almost like taking bite of everything off your holiday dinner plate.
In a way, it’s like the Willy Wonka 3-Course-Meal chewing gum! (Only without the disastrous blueberry-transformation consequences).
Sage evokes the taste of main course dishes like poultry or roasted potatoes, while the blackberry leaf adds a bit of tart berry like cranberry sauce, and finally the blend is topped off with sweet fruit flavors akin to apple pie. The black tea base is strong enough to hold its own with all these flavors and give the blend a hearty undertone to pull it all together.
I get so distracted by all the pumpkin spice and cinnamon eggnog flavors of the holidays, that I forget there’s more to the fall-winter palette. Apple Sage was an unexpected blast of Thanksgiving, apple pie, and all things fall. Definitely worth a taste at this time of year.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: black tea
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Description:
The taste of sweet apple and fragrant sage blend together wonderfully. The amber colored cup offers a depth of flavor that is warming and refreshing at the same time. This tea complements foods such as hard cheese, salads, sandwiches, fruits and more.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Pumpkin Spice from Simpson & Vail
As with any seasonally-significant stereotype (I love them ALL, you guys), pumpkin spice is my jam. I’ve tried a fair number of pumpkin teas in my day, and let me tell you– they can be tricky to nail down. Too often, the pumpkin flavor comes across as fake, or barely-there, or the “spice” is way overdone, leaving no “pumpkin” to be found. I was eager to try this blend from Simpson & Vail as in my experience, they always knock it out of the park when it comes to flavors.
Did they capture a delicious flavor? Totally. Was it entirely pumpkin-y? I’m still not sure. This tea has absolutely none of the fake-y pumpkin flavor I’ve come to despise in my seasonal teas (woo hoo!), but it’s coming across more gingerbread-y to me in my first cup. Maybe my brain is just jumping ahead a season or two, but while the spices are on point, I’m having a hard time picking up pumpkin in my freshly-steeped cup. As it cools, however, the pumpkin begins to sneak in a bit more, and I’m greeted with a delightful cup of fall goodness.
Later, I try it as a tea latte with a scoop of pureed pumpkin stirred in and a splash of coconut cream and maple syrup, and BAM– there’s that autumnal flavor I was looking for! I’ll definitely be drinking this one again.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Description
The stories of pumpkins, both in history and fables, make this fall fruit a staple in American diets. Their importance in American history began when the Native American Indians saved the Pilgrims from starvation by sharing this fall favorite. From fairies creating a pumpkin coach for Cinderella to Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater to the endless faces of Jack-o’-lanterns, we have grown up with pumpkins as a part of our culture. Every Fall I watch with delight as the pumpkins reach maturity, anxiously awaiting the tastes of pumpkin soups, pumpkin breads, and, of course, pumpkin pie!
This blend combines black teas with pumpkin and spice flavor to create a deep amber cup that is velvety smooth and aromatic. Its light, delicious taste is reminiscent of pumpkin custard. This tea, enjoyed year round, just adds another sensory delight to the mystique of the pumpkin!
Ingredients: black teas, pumpkin flavor and marigold petals.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Snickerdoodle from Simpson & Vail
I have never been a fan of red rooibos, although I tried one or two flavored ones that I liked simply because the flavoring covered up the base. I have been eager to try green rooibos to see if I would like it because I would love to find some caffeine-free options for evenings, but it has to be something I really enjoy, or why bother?
I was pretty excited to see that my first ever green rooibos was going to be in a flavored tea that celebrates and imitates one of my favorite cookies – Snickerdoodles.
Wow! Simpson and Vail knocked it out of the ballpark on this one! This is sweet, I guess from the blackberry leaves, and the cinnamon is forefront but not “cinnamon red hot candy” strong. It really tastes like you have just had a bite of a cookie with that cinnamon sugar dusting on the outside.
My daughter immediately said, “This tastes like Christmas!” And I am happy because I have found my evening cup of indulgence for this winter.
Way to go, Simpson and Vail!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Description
When we were kids Jim came home from elementary school with some recipes his teacher had given him (perhaps for an upcoming bake sale). I’ll never forget the day our Mom made a batch of Snickerdoodle cookies. They were an instant favorite in our house! The recipe was lost for awhile and we would continually ask Mom for “those lovely cinnamon cookies”. You never saw four happier kids than when she found the recipe again.
If you are a cinnamon lover then this Rooibos blend is for you! When you open the bag, the aroma of cinnamon cookie happily greets you. The brewed cup is amber colored with the taste of fresh baked snickerdoodle cookies. The sweet cinnamon taste lingers deliciously on the tongue.
Ingredients: Organic Green Rooibos, organic cinnamon pieces, sweet blackberry leaf and flavoring.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Caramel Walnut Shortbread from Simpson and Vail
The first thing i noticed about this green Rooibos blend is that it smelled rich and coffee like. In fact, it reminded me of a flavored coffee I used to buy, maybe caramel or something? I can’t remember because it’s been so long since I’ve bought coffee! But this tea made me want a cup as soon as I smelled it.
I would serve this tea to die hard coffee drinkers that can’t imagine why people drink tea. This tea has a rich, deep and sweet flavor. I can really taste the caramel and walnut flavors. It is naturally sweet, so I didn’t even use any coconut sugar. I used a splash of coconut milk, and savored every sip. I have never had green Rooibos tea, but after drinking this I looked into it, and apparantly it has a more delicate flavor, which makes sense to me. I like Rooibos tea, but it does have a distinct flavor that I definitely didn’t taste in this blend.
This might be my favorite tea that I’ve tried so far. Like ever.It’s a perfect dessert tea because of course it’s rich and sweet, but also Rooibos is naturally caffeine free, so it won’t affect your sleep. I cannot recommend this delicious, decadent tea enough!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Description
Featuring another delicious caffeine-free addition to our Dessert Tea line. This new blend was easy for us to agree on. This green Rooibos blend brews to an amber cup with a nutty, buttery taste and deep caramel overtones. A delectable brew that needs no sweeteners.
When I asked Jim for his feedback on this blend he gave it to me along with this “4 out of 4 people recommend this. I know usually it’s 4 out 5 but we didn’t like the 5th person’s comments so we threw his results out and him in the quarry”. I think this caffeine free blend might be just what Jim needs this afternoon!
Ingredients: Organic Green Rooibos, flavoring, safflower blossoms, and orange blossoms.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
#FanaticFriday: Emily Dickinson’s Jasmine Tea Blend from Simpson and Vail
We at SororiTea Sisters adore our friends at Simpson & Vail so that is why we thought we would dedicate today’s posts to all things Simpson & Vail! We hope you enjoy our reviews and find some goodies to try for yourself! ~The SororiTea Sisters
I was a bit hesitant about jumping right in to Emily Dickinson’s Jasmine Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea. Not because I don’t like Jasmine – it’s just not something I get overly excited and have to run right out and buy. I was torn, too, because I am a HUGE Emily Dickinson fan! Always have been! And I know I should judge a tea by its name but I would be lying if I said a little bit of that didn’t go on here. I knew I HAD to try it!
Emily Dickinson’s Jasmine Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea was more than just Jasmine. This blend of ingredients and flavors also included rose petals, jasmine blossoms, marigold petals, and blue cornflower petals. That’s a LOT of petals! It did look pretty in the bag – I must say. It also had a delicate and ‘pretty’ aroma, too! I’m thankful it wasn’t an overpowering Jasmine aroma!
It brewed to a color of many green tea looking infusions would…a cloudy, pale grey-green. Emily Dickinson’s Jasmine Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea surprised me with a creamier sort of Jasmine flavor. It wasn’t bitter but it wasn’t sweet, really, either. Honestly…the only word that comes to mind while describing this Jasmine is creamy. I don’t know if I have ever tasted a Creamy Jasmine before. As I continue to sip I realize just how much I enjoy this! I’m very surprised! This is a GOOD thing!
As far as Emily Dickinson’s Jasmine Tea Blend from Simpson & Vail Tea being a literary tea and tribute tea this all makes sense. Emily Dickinson often incorporated nature into her poems that is probably one of the many reasons I enjoyed her poetry. Emily spent years away from society and during those years she cultivated an extensive garden. It was said that she grew jasmine flowers, cornflowers, roses, and many other flowers, plants and herbs. I appreciate the research, selection, and effort that went into this tea. It was a pleasant surprise that I will remember for quite a while!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
Emily Dickinson was born on December 10th, 1830 and lived in a home that was central to Amherst political society thanks to her father and brothers. Growing up around powerful men prepared Dickinson for a life of the same, but society dictated that, as a woman, she was relegated to seemingly less meaningful ventures. Her anger at this slight comes across in her poetry and letters where she explored complex ideas of meaning and self while examining the smallest details of the world around her. She withdrew herself from society and lived in relative solitude until her death. Only a few of her poems were made public during her lifetime, but four years after her demise, a collection of poems was published and met with popular and critical acclaim. Her poems reveal a complicated mind that examined itself with as much attention to detail as it examined the world. Dickinson’s defiance of categorization and simplification make her a popular poet to study even today.
In the years she spent away from society, Emily Dickinson cultivated an extensive garden. In it, she grew jasmine flowers, cornflowers, roses, and many other flowers, plants and herbs. These flowers appear repeatedly in her poetry so our blend had to be floral. We created a delightful combination of jasmine tea and rose petals that brews to a light ecru cup with long green leaves and rose petal accents. This delicate tea hits you with a strong jasmine taste that’s sweetened and mellowed with the subtle flavors of the rose petals.
Ingredients: Jasmine tea, rose petals, jasmine blossoms, marigold petals and blue cornflower petals.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
