#loose leaf tea
We’re celebrating #farm2cup all week long!
You can save $5 on your order $30 and above with this special coupon code.
Whether you’re stocking up on your favorite loose leaf tea or trying something new, you can feel free to go ahead -try something new!
valid on all regular orders through August 21st
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photo set: brewing up our newest harvest of Zhu Rong Yunnan Black tea
Tasting Notes: wheat, honey, toasted nuts, coriander, citrus, cedar, marshmallow
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The He Family’s 2015 Autumn Harvest Laoshan Black has just been picked, and is available now!
Tea Cats tested :)
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Proper loose leaf Darjeeling at the 5th floor cafe in Foyles on the Charing Cross Road in London.
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Finally got to the UK T2 store. Incredibly helpful staff, and I stocked up on the lovely London Breakfast (80% Assam, 10% Lapsang and I forget what the rest is - but the staff stay it blends well with Melbourne Breakfast too), as well as filling our empty tins of the light, sweet Darjeeling and my favourite evening cuppa, low-caffeine Daintree. I look forward to trying the Milky Oolong.
We also sampled Strawberries & Cream ice tea in store - the colour and flavour of boiled sweets, but no less refreshing for that.
[Disc: I understand T2 is being acquired by Unilever Aus; I work with some Unilever UK/IRE brands but T2 is not a client of the agency I work for.]
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Blackquartz Alchemy is a tea shop with an emphasis on environmental responsibility and sustainability. Handcrafted in Alabama, each blend is made in small, one pound batches to ensure quality and freshness. All ingredients are certifed USDA organic, and fair trade whenever possible.
We encourage others to recycle and reuse, which is why we use 40% recycled and 100% biodegradable kraft paper bags for our 2oz blends, and reusable glass corked vials for smaller amounts. Gift boxes, packing materials, and shipping boxes are all reusable and recyclable.
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HORSEMAN organic pumpkin spice black tea blend from Blackquartz Alchemy. Available for a limited time only!
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Blackquartz Alchemy Ultimate Samplers are on sale for $15 this weekend only! This sampler contains two cups of each of the 18 blends we offer, plus a reusable cotton tea bag and Blackquartz Alchemy vinyl sticker.
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BLACKQUARTZ ALCHEMY TEAS GIVEAWAY!
☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾
Blackquartz Alchemy is having its grand opening this week! Along with 20% off in the store using code GRANDOPENING, we’re also doing a tumblr giveaway!
To enter to win, you must be following blackquartzalchemy.tumblr.com. Each reblog of this post counts as an entry. You must also not edit or remove the contents of this post in any way. You must have your ask enable on your blog so that I have a way to contact you.
We will be choosing FIVE winners!
☾First Place gets an Ultimate Sampler Gift Set containing every single tea we offer.
☾Second and Third Places will receive a 2oz bag of a random blend.
☾Fourth and Fifth Places will receive a vial of a random blend.
You have until 8:00pm CDT Friday, January 10th to enter. Thank you, and good luck!
11 hours left!
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Midsummer Night’s Dream from David’s Tea
Prep: 212° water, 5 minutes steep, honey
Verdict: ★★★★★ 5/5 Favorite!
Midsummer Night’s Dream is my all-time favorite, most beloved, 5-star rated, totally obsessed with, BEST ICED TEA EVER! But did you know: I’ve never tried it hot until now. It’s so light and summery that I worried the harmonious nuance of the floral and fruity tastes would be lost on a cup of hot tea, but my fears were unfounded. Both the hot tea version and the iced are a perfect 5/5. While it is even better iced (maybe a 6 out of 5 really), as a cup of hot tea it is still an amazing, soothing cup with such a perfect balance of tastes.
This tea is a symphony of sensation, with sweet fruit flavor, airy floral notes, and a lingering mint that cools and soothes. Combining apple and gooseberry with spearmint and rose petals, the balance between these tastes is impeccable. No flavor overshadows, with the fruit, floral, and mint blending seamlessly as the sip moves from bright fruit first to the most soothing floral mint finish.
This already magnificent tea still has higher heights to reach as Iced Tea Perfection, but I’m so pleased it’s just as delectable hot. I’m sipping so slowly to really savor each and every drop. The nuance of this tea’s flavor continues to absolutely blow me away.
It’s sweet, it’s light, it’s refreshing. It tastes like a cool evening breeze on a summer night, carrying the scent of fresh-bloomed flowers and all the day’s warmth in its gentle gust.
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Green Passionfruit from David’s Tea
Prep: 185° water, 3 ½ minutes steep, honey
Verdict: ★★★★☆ 4/5 Very Good!
If you’re feeling the itch of spring fever already, this bright tea is sunshine in a cup. The base green tea is filled with generous chunks of candied pineapple and currants, plus pineapple and mango flavoring. Cornflower and marigold petals sprinkled in make this tea visually beautiful. With an intoxicatingly tropical fruity aroma that evokes a summer breeze, green passionfruit is a sweet, sunny blend you’ll want to drink down in one gulp.
The taste is juicy and sweet, especially enhanced with a dollop of honey. As the tea cools to just-warmer-than-room-temp, the fruit flavors really start to pop and dance. I tried sipping a little too soon and planned to give this 3 stars for lack of juicy goodness, but “accidentally procrastinating on drinking your tea” did me a favor this time. The juicy goodness arrived!
The pineapple and mango are very present without being overbearing (I also taste the ghost of non-present coconut, which I guess shows the strength of the association between the pineapple, mango, coconut trifecta). Typically, I’m neither the biggest green tea lover nor overly fond of tropical fruit flavors, but this tea truly is a stand-out. Sweet, juicy, and fruity, it’s chasing my winter blues away. What can I say? I like this tea and gettin’ caught in the rain.
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Prep: 212° water, 3 minutes steep, milk + honey
Verdict: ★★★★☆ 4/5 Very Good!
It seems fitting to mark the theoretical end of winter with a warm cup of pomegranate tea. This black tea is flavored with both pomegranate and raspberry, with raspberry leaves sprinkled throughout, for a hybrid pom-ras party. Bright, fruity, and sweet, this is a pleasant cup with juicy flavor.
The #1 word I would use to describe this tea is actually cheeky. The fruity flavors are sweet with tart notes that add a playfulness to the overall taste. The lingering notes are reminiscent of a sour-candy buzz, while the first sip is smooth and sweet.
This tea is a lot less messy to prepare than an actual pomegranate—though unfortunately you also don’t get the fun satisfaction of pulling out all those little seeds. Still, this is a bright sweet-tart tea bursting with juicy flavor that will invigorate you with fruity flavor. If you’re feeling the winter doldrums, a cup of pomegranate tea is a good reminder than warmer weather is on the way (unless of course you’re Persephone, in which case, it might bring six more weeks of winter for you).
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Lemon Cayenne Cleanse from David’s Tea
Prep: 165°, 4 minutes steeping, honey
Verdict: ★★★★☆ 4/5 Very Good!
I would describe this one as more lemon than cayenne, but it sure is tasty. The aroma is bright and citrusy, without being overpowering. The aroma is absolutely lovely. A dash of honey makes all of the flavors pop and adds a sweet-tart undertone.
With a light base of white tea, the lemon peel, rosehip peel, and lime pieces give this a bright, citrus flavor. This tea contains chili peppers but in a way that adds warmth to the flavor more than heat. Though the website touts this as a blend of sour and spicy, to me it tastes more like a fabulous blend of sour citrus and sweet warmth.
This is one of the more unique teas in my collection and I love it for that. The harmony between the citrus flavors and the chili notes creates a bright, warm blend that’s sunny and full of life. If you’re shy about spicy, you’ve nothing to fear from this one. But if you’re looking for something with citrusy sweetness and invigorating warmth, this one hits on that special something.
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Cinnamon Heart from David’s Tea
Prep: 212°, 5 minutes steeping, honey
Verdict: ★★★★☆ 4/5 Very Good!
Oh, this is cinnamon-y. Yet, the distinctive sweetness sets this tea apart from your usual chai, for a rich, playful cinnamon taste that’s bright and warm and full of zing.
Cinnamon is the star attraction—and star ingredient—of this tea. However, while not distinct in and of themselves, the rosehip, apple, and pumpkin are working hard in the background. These other elements add a layer of sweetness that plain cinnamon would not have on its own, tempering that spicy sharpness with brighter, sweeter notes.
The result is a warm, juicy cinnamon flavor with a zingy sweetness. It’s reminiscent of cinnamon candies (though it’s neither as eye-wateringly sharp nor as artificially sweet, achieving cinnamon sweetness in a more natural way).
This tea is cinnamon, cinnamon, cinnamon, but the full sweetness keeps the taste from being too sharp or too much. It’s a perfect balance of sweet and spicy, for a contrast that is truly delicious.
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Lavender Buttercream from David’s Tea
Prep: 212°, 4 ½ minutes steeping, honey
Verdict: ★★★★☆ 4/5 Very Good!
This is delectably sweet! Like licking the frosting off a cupcake, the taste is bright without crossing into cloying or overkill. The buttercream flavor is absolutely spot-on, a smooth replication of its namesake. Normally, I like a little sweet treat with my tea, but this is a dessert all on its own!
The caffeine-free rooibos is enhanced by vanilla flavoring and lavender. I prefer to add a little honey to make those bright, sweet flavors really shine. If you’ve got a sweet-tooth and love a desserty treat, this is one a winner! A lot of teas that purport to mimic different desserts are often more abstract, but I really can’t get over how much this one reminds me of the taste of frosting.
I would describe this as more buttercream than lavender, though both tastes are present. But the lavender is much more subtle than the bright cupcake frosting taste. That said, the lavender is most present in the aftertaste, with those earthy-smooth lavender notes lingering behind that more vivid sweetness.
Overall, if you love sweet, this tea is downright delectable!
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