Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Pluck Tea
Tea Description:
This high grown luxury loose leaf black tea is blended with dried ripe peaches and apricots grown in Niagara, Ontario.
Soft and fruity… chill for an enchanting iced tea.
Learn more about August’s Postal Teas shipment here.
Learn more about subscribing to Postal Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
My “August” box from Postal Teas arrived a few days ago, and I was eager to dive right in and try “this month’s” teas. This service is set up to ship at the end of the month, so these teas that I received in September are actually August’s teas, so it will be a little confusing for me to be calling this August’s box when it arrived in September. But it’s really not that important … at least the teas arrived, right? And I’m quite happy with this month’s selection.
And I’m even happier with the note that I received in the box. As I mentioned in my first review of the teas that I received with my first shipment, they include a handwritten note. I dig that, it communicates to me that they took a few moments out of their day to write something to me. While I love the convenience of shopping online and it’s how I do most of my shopping (at least for tea!), with the handling process of the many orders of so many companies out there it seems that the personal touch is lost. That “thank you for shopping with us” and the smile from the clerk is lost (and let’s face it, it’s lost when you shop at most of the big chain stores too) and that’s something that I – as a consumer – appreciate. So when I get a handwritten note with an order, even if it’s just something as simple as a hand-written “thank you” on the receipt, it tells me that a person was on the other side of this order. I like that.
And what I like even more is that this note … was written with ME in mind. They wrote this to me. They didn’t have some formed response that they wrote on everyone’s note of every package that they sent out this month. Let me show you what I mean. The note says:
Anne,
We love having your feedback!
We hope these are a little more exciting for you!
Be sure to let us know what you think!
OK. So not only are they addressing the fact that I sit here and write tea reviews, but they’re acknowledging that they read my reviews and they’ve taken my feelings into account while writing this note because I did express some discontent with the previous box because the teas – while they were classics and quite good! – were just a little … well, it was like, OK, I signed up for this new service and they’re sending me teas from a new-to-me company but they were teas that I could pretty much find anywhere. I could go to my local coffee shop and find those teas. So, I was like, “Um … boring!”
Hey, what can I say. After writing reviews for over five years, I guess you could say that I’m needy and what I need is something different. Something that I don’t already have in my pantry. (And my tea pantry is extensive.) So, yeah, my apologies to Postal Teas and Tease for sounding less than excited about trying something that I’ve already tried.
BUT … I’m not here today to talk about last month’s box. I want to talk about this month’s box! This is the first tea that I’ve tasted from this month’s box from Postal Teas. This month’s supplier for Postal Teas is a company called Pluck and it’s a company that I’ve not yet tried. And THAT’S why I like to subscribe to services like this. I like to explore teas that I’ve not tried before from companies that I’ve not yet heard of. This month, Postal Teas delivered that right to my mailbox.
The dry leaf is deliciously fragrant! It smells a lot like my kitchen did about a month and a half ago when I brought home a big box full of freshly picked peaches. Yum!
I brewed this tea in my Breville One Touch. I put two bamboo scoops of tea into the basket of the tea maker and added 500ml of freshly filtered water into the jug, and then set the controls for 212°F and 2 1/2 minutes (my go-to settings for most black teas).
The tea has a peachy aroma, and I smell more “black tea” notes now than I did with the dry leaf. The dry leaf is all about the peach, but now that the tea is brewed, I’m experiencing a lighter peach note and a little bit of black tea in the fragrance. It smells delightful!
Nice! The peach is a little elusive while the tea is piping hot so I would suggest letting this tea cool slightly before taking a sip. As the tea cools, the flavors develop. (And it’s AMAZING iced!)
The black tea is strongest flavor of this cup, and that’s the way it should be. When I taste a flavored tea, I like it when I can taste the flavors the tea promises, but I still want to taste the tea part too. Otherwise, I might as well just consume a glass of fruit juice. I want tea!
But that’s not to say that I don’t taste the peach in this tea, because I do. The peach is there, but it doesn’t overpower the tea notes. It’s a flavor that starts out subtle and develops slowly.
And what I like best about the peach notes here is that it tastes very true to the fruit. It doesn’t have an artificial peach taste. It tastes like peaches that have been picked off the tree and then liquefied and added to a cup of Ceylon tea. The aftertaste is delightfully peachy!
As I was brewing this tea, I thought about additions. I didn’t add anything to the cup, but a little bit of sugar might encourage the peach notes to emerge a little bit more and it might temper the slight astringent bite at the tail of the sip. But, it wasn’t too astringent and I could taste the peach notes without the sweetener so it’s not something that must be added. I was thinking that maybe a splash of milk or cream would give this a ‘peaches and cream’ sort of flavor but now that I’m drinking it, I think that the dairy addition would overwhelm the delicate notes of peach and you don’t want that!
It’s a very enjoyable cuppa, and it captures what this time of year is about to me – the sweet harvests as the summer comes to an end and we welcome autumn.
Green Pekoe Tea from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf here.
Tea Description:
Green tea from the Fujian province of China. Green Pekoe is famed as an everyday tea, and is among the most popular teas consumed in China. Its thin, wavy leaves appear almost black when dry. Once infused, however, our ‘Green Pekoe Blues’ reveals its true color. And produces a light cup with a smooth, mellow taste and a gentle, soothing aroma.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Receive 25% savings on the Selection Club from Simple Loose Leaf. Just type in SISTERSELECTION25 in the coupon field and save 25%! This discount is applicable only to the monthly Selection Club subscription and not the retail selection of teas.
Taster’s Review:
Oh wow! This is just what I needed today. As I write this (which is a few days before it will actually publish), I am feeling kind of drained. Everyone in the household is getting sick! Ugh! I don’t feel it yet … except for that weak, sort of drained kind of feeling that I feel. Lackluster … no energy. You know what I’m talking about, right?
Today, my box from Simple Loose Leaf arrived, and it came just when I needed something to pick me up and bring a smile to my face. (Receiving these boxes from Simple Loose Leaf every month always DO bring a smile to my face!) And this Green Pekoe is the first tea that I’m trying out of this month’s box.
The dry leaf smells very vegetal and a little earthy – like something between freshly cut grass, kelp and the leafy green section of the produce market. It’s a green tea, so I brewed it at my “go to” temperature for green tea, 180°F. I measured two heaping bamboo scoops of tea into the basket of my Breville One-Touch.
Well, I sort of “guessed” that it was about two heaping scoops. These leaves are long and curly like a bunch of tangled up wire! So, it’s difficult to actually get a heaping scoop out of the package. You either get more than a heaping scoop … or you get less, as in much less. Like a few leaves. This is usually the case. These leaves are very *independent* and don’t want to hang with the crowd on the bamboo scoop – they want to do their own thing!
So I measured out enough leaves to where it looked like two heaping scoops in the basket. Then I poured 500ml of freshly filtered water into the jug (fortunately the water is not as independent as the tea leaves and just goes with the flow), finished assembling the jug and set the timer for 2 minutes at 180°F.
And we have green tea deliciousness!
The flavor is sweet and mild. It’s not an overbearing “green tea” taste – it doesn’t taste too much like vegetables of any sort, nor does it taste bitter or grassy. I do pick up on hints of steamed artichoke, but it’s not an overwhelming flavor.
It’s smooth and feels soft on the palate. It has a very satisfying, soothing kind of taste – just the pick-me-up that I needed on this afternoon that was starting to feel kind of down-and-out! This tea got me out of that funk.
I like the light flavor here, it’s sweet with delicate notes of flower and fruit. The finish is slightly dry but not overly astringent. The aftertaste is pleasantly sweet. This would make an excellent everyday sort of green tea because it has a very enjoyable flavor and it is very relaxing to sip.
This tea helped turn my whole day around! Thank you, Simple Loose Leaf!
Hempmaicha Green Tea Blend from Handmade Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Handmade Tea
Tea Description:
Hempmaicha is a Handmade Tea variation on the popular Genmaicha-style tea. Hempmaicha begins with a smooth Chinese green tea base. The blend then introduces roasted hemp seeds for a nutty, sweet flavor. Lastly for Genmaicha authenticity natural popcorn (no oil, no butter, and no salt) is added to the blend. Originally blended for the month of June. ’14.
Learn more about this blend here.
Learn more about Handmade Tea’s blend of the month subscription here.
Taster’s Review:
I have been a fan of Handmade Teas for quite some time. So every once in a while I check out their website to see what they’ve been up to. The last time I went to the website, I noticed that Hempmaicha was their June 2014 blend, and I decided that I just HAD to try that!
I have been a big fan of hemp for many years now. In my college years, I was a very vocal advocate for the legalization of hemp because I feel that it would be very useful. Hemp fibers can be used to make fabric that is soft, breathable and durable, paper that requires no bleaching and is therefore better for the environment and the seeds are very nutritious. Some of the first automobiles were built to run on fuel made of hemp.
So when I saw that this blend from Handmade Tea was created Genmaicha style, but instead of using toasted and popped rice kernels, roasted hemp seeds and popcorn was added to the blend. Interesting and very cool, indeed!
I’ve tried several of Handmade Tea’s blends in the past, but this was the first time that I tried their “mini” size. The full size of Handmade Tea’s blends included a large tin of the blend, plus three small (sample size) tins of the components in the blend.
For example, with the Balché blend that I reviewed previously, I received a 3-ounce tin of the blended tea and three smaller tins with the individual components: a tin of Yunnan Black Tea base, a tin of Guajillo Peppers, and a tin of Cacao Nibs and Cinnamon blended together. (Click here for part one of that review, and click here for part two.)
But for this purchase, I decided to try their mini size and see what that was like. The mini size is a mylar-lined, kraft stand-up pouch that holds 1.5 ounces of the blend. You also get the nifty little envelope that’s been wax sealed and includes information about your blend. This size is really ideal for me, because as much as I do love the full size and all the tasting components of the blend, I’m a “taster” and 3 ounces is more tea than I need. I would love to see the “mini” incorporate a small sampling of each of the components as well (like the full-size does), maybe in smaller pouches, because I do like that feature, but for a taster like me, the 1.5 ounces of tea is much more agreeable to me and my overflowing pantry of tea.
So the first thing that stands out about this blend for me – other than the name and the “hemp” factor – is that the tea used is a Chinese green tea rather than a Japanese green tea. Genmaicha is a Japanese tea, so I was a little surprised that this was crafted using a Chinese green. But that’s OK, this tea is more about the hemp, I think – at least for me it is – than it is the type of green tea used for the blend.
The blend looks exactly like the photo above because, well, I took that photo. Yeah, I’m no photographer. But it did manage to capture the green tea, the popped kernels of popcorn and if you look closely, you can see the toasted hemp seeds too. I was happy to see that there were quite a few hemp seeds in this. The blend has a very strong nutty aroma. It smells sweet, nutty and warm.
And it is really good. It’s a bit nuttier in flavor than a typical Japanese Genmaicha. It is sweet and toasty in flavor. It’s perfect for this afternoon, because we’re just now starting to experience some autumnal type weather. It’s not unbearably hot outside although it is still quite warm as I type this, but it’s not so uncomfortably hot and humid. And with the slightly cooler temperature, I find myself wanting that warm and cozy sort of experience from a tea and this tea delivers that.
The green tea base is sweet and lightly grassy. It has a slightly creamy element to it – not quite ‘buttery’ but maybe a little bit – and this melds nicely with the nutty hemp notes. The hemp adds a sweet nuttiness to the cup, and it tastes roasty-toasty which I like. I don’t know how much of the popcorn I’m actually tasting here.
It’s really tasty. It’s sweet with a certain savory element, warm, and toasty. I am really glad I decided to grab this blend while it was still available. As I write this, there are still “nine” of this tea in stock (I’m not sure how many of the 1.5 ounce mini packs are available versus the 3 ounce full-size packs.) So if the idea of a re-imagined, re-interpreted version of the classic Genmaicha using a Chinese tea base and hemp seeds instead of rice appeals to you – you should try this! I think that it’s close enough to the original idea of Genmaicha that those who love Genmaicha would also enjoy this, and those that are looking for something just a little different would also like it!
It gets a peace sign of approval from me!
Honeybush Herbal Tisane from Simple Loose Leaf
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf here.
Tisane Description:
A sweet, smooth honey-scented herbal tea, Honeybush is made up of the leaves, stems, and flowers of a bush native to South Africa. Honeybush provides a bit of a natural smoked flavor with a touch of a tart finish. It is caffeine-free, low in tannins and contains antioxidants, making it a delicious, healthy, and versatile beverage.
Ingredients: South African Honeybush Herbal Tea
Learn more about this tisane here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Save 25% off when you sign up for the Selection Club. Use the coupon code SISTERSELECTION25 when you join. This discount is applicable only to the monthly Selection Club subscription and not the retail selection of teas.
Taster’s Review:
It’s not very often that I have a cup of straight-up honeybush anymore. Usually, I’m tasting honeybush as part of a flavored blend. But as I sit here, sipping on this Honeybush from this month’s box from Simple Loose Leaf, I find that I’m quite enjoying this! I’m enjoying it a lot more than I expected to.
In fact, as I was brewing it, my attitude was kind of glib. I wasn’t all that excited about it. I mean, it’s not like I’ve not tried pure honeybush in the past.
But as I said, it’s been a while since the last time I had a cup of pure honeybush. I don’t know for sure how long it’s been, but it’s been long enough to where I’ve forgotten just how tasty a cup of straight-up honeybush tastes.
It’s sweet and honey-esque. Hence the name. There is a nutty note to it, and a slight woodsy tone. The description above suggests a “natural smoked flavor” and while I can’t say that I ever remember that smoky note in the past, I am noticing it now. It’s slightly toasty. It enhances the nutty flavors, so perhaps that’s why the smoky/toasty note was indistinguishable in the past because what was “smoky” or “toasty” was also “nutty.”
It’s a very soothing beverage, and because it’s naturally caffeine free, it’s one that you can drink later in the evening without worry that you’ll start bouncing off the walls from a caffeinated buzz. And while pure honeybush is not something that I keep on hand regularly, it sure is nice to have a cup of it every once in a while, and I have Simple Loose Leaf to thank for reminding me of that!
That’s one of the reasons that I absolutely LOVE the Selection Club tea box that arrives from Simple Loose Leaf in my mailbox every month. I get five sampler size packages of high quality loose leaf tea in every box. Each month, these five teas are different, and every month, the box is a new adventure. It’s so much fun to receive this box every month!
Milk Oolong Tea from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf here.
Tea Description:
Upon opening the bag, you’ll be greeted with a heavy scent of fresh, sweet cream. We crafted our Milk Oolong by blending our Green Jin Xuan with natural milk flavors for a delightful, creamier taste that’s sure to please.
Ingredients: Green Jin Xuan, Natural Milk Flavors
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Save 25% off when you sign up for the Selection Club. Use the coupon code SISTERSELECTION25 when you join. This discount is applicable only to the monthly Selection Club subscription and not the retail selection of teas.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve been spouting praises about Simple Loose Leaf for quite some time now, and the reason is simple: every month, I open my mailbox to a package containing five different tea samplers. I like that. It’s what I call happy mail. It’s happy mail because it makes me happy. It’s not a bill. It’s not junk mail. It’s TEA! What could be better than that?
Well, one thing that’s better than receiving the tea is actually brewing it and drinking it. And this Milk Oolong from my August Selection Club box is an absolute delight to sip!
Sweet, creamy … luscious!
A Jin Xuan Oolong is the tea that is generally referred to “Milk Oolong” because of it’s naturally creamy, milky flavor. Simple Loose Leaf has taken this one step further and added natural milk flavors to give it a very creamy, decadent flavor that goes beyond the natural flavors in the Jin Xuan.
In the tea community, there is some debate on whether or not this flavoring should actually be done. I find that I enjoy both the pure Jin Xuan and the flavored Milk Oolong so long as the flavoring is a quality flavoring, and this tastes like it’s a good quality product.
My first two infusions (following a 15 second rinse) were combined to make my first cup. And the first cup is very creamy and sweet. A background note of nutty flavor and a light vegetal tone. Later infusions were not quite as creamy – some of the creamy notes begin to lighten up as I continued to steep the leaves. This allowed for some beautiful floral notes to emerge. Lily? Orchid? Somewhere between the two. Lovely!
A true delight – this Milk Oolong from Simple Loose Leaf’s August Box! If you haven’t yet joined the Selection Club, well, why not? It’s a great service from a company that provides exceptional customer service. A win-win!