Sometimes I can’t believe I haven’t tried a combination of some simple, favorite ingredients. Wildest Mints from the Story of My Tea blends peppermint, clove, and licorice into an herbal brew. Three simple, flavorful ingredients, no added flavoring, no caffeine. Wildest Mints is a great herbal blend to keep in your cabinet for soothing mint with little something extra.
Story of My Tea recommends this brew be iced. Drinking it cold enhances the already refreshing rush of brewed peppermint and is just the right flavor for an especially hot day. The licorice and cloves add some herbal sweetness and bring more texture to the feeling of this tea on your tongue and throat.
I also like this as a hot brew, maybe as an after dinner cup with plenty of peppermint to help with digestion. When warm, the peppermint brings a little creaminess to the cup along with its familiar cool, crispness. The cloves are more prominent in a warm brew, and I adore their dark and spicy aftertaste and buzzy mouthfeel. As always, the licorice is sweet and soothing.
Who knew there could be so much going on with just three classic ingredients? Story of My Tea clearly did!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Story of My Tea
Description:
The main ingredient of this calming blend is peppermint, this herb has several millennia of history. There are records that show Peppermint was used by the ancient Egyptians around 1,000 B.C. The Romans grew peppermint gardens for its use as a digestive aid they also used it as a grown cover between the stepping stone pathways. The Japanese valued it so highly that they carried peppermint in small silver boxes that hung from their belt. Peppermint was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 as a hybrid between water mint and spearmint. Today this plant is cultivated in many regions of the world.
The second ingredient is licorice root, a plant native to southeast Europe and southwest Asia. It brings a natural sweetness to this blend and is valued by both eastern and western medicine for its anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and “harmonizing” properties.
Finally, the cloves. These aromatic dried flower buds used in Asian, African, Mexican, Near and Middle East cuisine add just the right spice balance to this blend.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Omija Berry Blush from Story of My Tea. . .
This tea found its way into my cup on one of those fake-out spring days. You know– it’s April and you’re mourning the fun of spring and are just itching for some green grass, chirping birds, and a pitcher of iced tea?
Except here in the Midwest– the birds have all flown south for the winter, the grass looks like the color of that “green smoothie” (yeah right) you tried to make this morning to bolster your winter blues– and you haven’t made a pitcher of iced tea in MONTHS because hello, it’s cold outside!
And then, you dig through your tea stash and find something fruity and light– maybe not to make iced (you prefer a 24 hour cold brew method, after all, and tea is needed posthaste), but makes such a tart and tangy, sweet and fruity hot cuppa that you’ll allow it?
That was TOTALLY this blend for me, friends. Something about the berry blend used here was just a liiiiittle more fun/interesting than your average herbal bear, too– it was tangy and tart, but not mouth-puckeringly so. The berry flavors were vibrant– a little reminiscent of a fruit-by-the-foot in-a-cup… just sans all that sugar.
In a few months, I bet this one will be DELIGHTFUL iced. Until then, though– pile on those warm winter clothes, hunker down in your cozy bed, get the kettle boiling, and serve it up hot.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Story of My Tea
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Lumbini Opa from Story of My Tea. . . A Monthly Tea Experience. . . .
If you haven’t heard of Story of My Tea’s monthly subscription service, I implore you to check this monthly box out. This monthly subscription box may be a bit more expensive than the others out there, but this tea box delivers a monthly tea experience. A curated monthly tea experience into regions and tea depths that you may not be familiar with. Other tea boxes do the same, yes, but with each tea that Story of My Tea delivers to your doorstep, there is also an added learning experience.
On the back of every pouch is more information regarding the tea and even an interactive bar code that you scan with your phone to learn more. I just love that feature.
This go around, I brewed up Lumbini Opa, a black tea from the Lumbini estate in Sri Lanka. From what I’m understanding, this particular estate is considered to be one of the finest tea producing estates in the region. Lumbini Opa is described as being very fragrant, rich and malty with a full bodied taste with complex flavors and hints of spicy sweetness.
Another great point to Story of My Tea’s packaging is that feature prominently on each package are the steeping parameters. No need to guess with their teas. The steeping guide lines are laid out for you. Steeping parameters for this tea are 190F and a steep time of 3-4 minutes. Story of My Tea also suggests adding in ginger slices, mint leaves or a stick of cinnamon. I love all of those suggestions and will end up trying those next go around with this tea.
After allowing the tea to cool for a few moments, I took my first sip. I haven’t had a black tea in a while and this tea is making me wonder why. Warm malty tones with a tiny bit of an earthy hint provide this wonderful loving tea a great start. The spicy hint kicks in more towards the end of the sip and contributes to this delicious after taste. Each sip is soothing and warming to the soul. This is one of those teas you need around for when you are cold to the bone and need warmed up. Like those winter days that are creeping every so slowly towards us. This tea has “Sweater Weather” written all over it.
I love those scenarios when a tea reminds you of how great a variety can be. I have been neglecting my black teas for far too long. I need to brew up a few and show them some love.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Story of My Tea
Description
A tea subscription for the explorer in your heart!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Omija Berry Blush from Story of My Tea. . .
I will be 100% honest, I love Story of My Tea. I love their passion for tea, their customers, their business, just the whole concept and thought behind Story of My Tea. I love the fact that you can subscribe to their monthly tea box and basically each month you have a tea journey delivered to your door. Tea journeys and experiences you may not have necessarily tried on your own or even thought about trying. I am typically a green or white tea kinda gal. I do love my black tea, herbals, and every once in a while, I’ll dab my toe into puerhs. But that is where the beauty of Story of My Tea really comes into play. Each month you are delivered a variety of teas, from all over the world, all different varieties that you can take your time, really experience and really enjoy. At least that is what I did.
Story of My Tea was gracious enough to send The SororiTea Sisters the September box. As soon as I opened up the box, I instantly knew which tea I wanted to try- The Omija Berry Blush. Omija means five flavor berry- which alludes to the unique complex flavor profile with sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent aspects that are found within the berry or so I’m told from the back of the tea package. This tea is a gorgeous blend of omija berries, lavender, strawberry pieces and rosehips. There are pops of blue from what I believe are cornflower petals. I am not the biggest fan of lavender so I was hoping the tartness from the berries would overcome the lavender flavor.
Brewed up by the package parameters-1 tsp-212F-5 mins steeping time- this tea lays the ground work for one relaxing chill evening. The berry notes are not overly tart nor overly sweet. They fall right in this medium ground where the lavender can bring in this needed floral pop that gives this tea a nice gentle kick. I almost wish there was some mint thrown in to give this tea a refreshing finish but overall, this tea is quite lovely. Soft, gentle, soothing, and caring.
This is one of those teas you can see being shared at a tea party or even with loved ones who possibly aren’t big into tea. The laid back flavors really make this a uniquely universal tea that I could see so many tea enthusiasts and non tea enthusiasts enjoying. I can’t say this is a tea for me, I like my tea to be a bit bolder in flavor, but I think with a tweak here or like I said, the addition of mint, this tea could really sing.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Story of My Tea
Description
A tea subscription for the explorer in your heart!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Green Tea Mango from Story Of My Tea. . .
This tea comes with a delightful “HELLO!” on the packaging. A tall thin envelope complete with a greeting from the tea itself: “Hello, I am the most delicious and energizing Green Tea Mango iced tea you will ever taste!” Well tea, if you are excited, I guess I am too!
The conversation doesn’t stop there though. This tea goes on to say “People say I am *Smooth *Sweet * Tropical. I contain caffeine. I am made of Chinese grown sencha, mango flavor and sunflower blossoms”. So that was pretty informative.
I opened the package and to my surprise, this was one large tea bag made for pitcher brewing. But how do I steep this pitcher of tea? Well, the tea had an answer to that question right on the package: “Cold Steep (Simple & Smooth) – Toss me in a quart of water and refrigerate for about 4 – 6 hours. or Hot Steep (Quick & bright) – Steep me in half a quart of hot water (170F for 3 – 4 minutes). Then add another half a quart of ice cubes.” Well thanks again, tea…you are so helpful! I went with the cold steep method and as soon as the water hit the teabag, the scent of mango filled the air. I left this for 5 and a half hours for no other reason than I forgot about it.
Sipping on it now, I will say the tea might actually live up to its promise of being the “most delicious Green Tea Mango iced tea”. This tastes just like 7D Dried Mangoes. Super sweet and deliciously fruity. The green tea base, as promised, is smooth and thus hangs out in the background, contributing the slightest bit of grassiness. It really is quite good and I doubt I will have any problems finishing off the pitcher.
So this was certainly a great introduction to Story of My Tea. The packaging was a lot of fun and the pitcher sized teabag is so simple to brew. Plus, the company delivers on flavor as well! What else can a girl ask for?
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Story of My Tea
Description
The sencha base in this tea, creates a refreshing, sweet and smooth iced tea. The aroma of fresh mangos rises from the steeped tea. It brings out tropical vibes and beach days. This tea is incredible iced and amazing hot.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
