Tropical Rooibos: This one had a distinct and strong Aroma immediately upon opening the bag and reaching for a sachet. I was hooked quite immediately, and I was left hoping that the tea would taste as potent as the aroma. As the tea brewed, I was met with aromas of rooibos and coconut, and was fascinated by how creamy and smooth it was. I also started to notice a little bit of vanilla as well. I did notice that there was a small film of oil on the top of the tea, most likely from the coconut. The taste of this tea was slightly sweet with a strong rooibos front and sweet elements around it. The vanilla created a wonderful smoothness to the tea, and it was incredibly calming to drink. I also noticed a slightly juicy feeling in my mouth after each sip.

Ingredients: Rooibos (40%), Desiccated Coconut, Apple Pieces, Rosehip, Freeze-dried Pineapple, Lime Leaves, Orange Peel, Vanilla Pieces

English Breakfast: Right away, the aroma of this tea was different from other english breakfast teas that I have had. This tea had an aroma that was almost fruity, like raisins or some other type of dried fruit. There were also hints of maltiness and rich tannins, so I knew I was in store for a strong cup to get me going in the morning. I all too readily went to taste this tea based on its unique aroma. My first thoughts: Malt, thick malt. I like it. The fruitiness stopped at the aroma, but I loved the feel of this tea. Extremely robust and everything that I love in an English Breakfast tea.

Ingredients: Indian Assam Black Tea, Kenyan Black Tea, Sri Lankan Black Tea, Chinese Yunnan Black Tea

Jasmine & Mint Green Tea: This tea requires the drinkers to love two of the main ingredients: Mint and Jasmine. I did not expect the two to compliment or blend together as well as it did. The aroma is taken over by the powerful jasmine, so I fully expected to have this tea be majorly jasmine over mint, but I was quite surprised that the mint was just as present as the jasmine when sipping. When tasting, I first note the jasmine on my tongue with the mint coming in as a cooling factor right after. It is an unexpected combination, but one that does work, however, I am not sure how often I would be able to drink it. The green tea does peak its head out as the tea cools a bit more, but it is very subtle. However, this lighter-bodied tea does leave the mouth feeling fairly refreshed and I can feel a slight cooling that lingers for quite a while.

Ingredients: Chinese Jasmine Green Tea (90%), Peppermint (7%), Jasmine Blossom (3%)

Earl Grey: I love a good earl grey tea, and after my adventures in Western Michigan, I had begun another search for a strong earl grey. I have fairly high standards for them, and normally I am disappointed with the bagged variety I have previously tried, opting for loose leaf. Disappointed does not even resonate in my mind when drinking this tea. The aroma was tinged with rose and lovely bergamot. I made this a few times, but it paired especially well with our Saturday family breakfast and I enjoyed sharing this tea with my earl grey loving family. The taste was that of strong bergamot with floral undertones. There was a lovely balance of black tea, making it light but still quite robust. With every sip, I could get hints of the strong aroma making it an encompassing experience.  The one part I could not really detect was the orange element that I saw in the ingredient list, but that really did not matter to me since I enjoyed the tea so much. I had some rose sugar cubes that my family and I used which went very well with the tea.

Ingredients: Sri Lankan Black Tea (85%), Orange Peel, Rose Petals, Natural Bergamot Flavouring

Price: I still absolutely love when companies put their tea in the currency the customer is shopping on. It avoids the step of figuring out how much it actually costs to you, and makes the buyers journey so much easier (alright, marketing talk is coming out). All of their teas are $9.00 USD for 15 tea pyramids. They are currently on sale for 25% off for Black Friday sales.

Packaging: All elements of their packaging are recyclable and 100% plastic-free. Their teabags are made out of PLA (polylactic acid derived from cornstarch) and is biodegradable. Their inner plastic lining which holds the tea bags is made out of cellulose and is home-compostable. Their outer carton is made out of recycled materials and can be recycled. I cannot smell any of the strong aroma coming out of the tea carton either, so I trust the tea will stay fresh.

Sourcing: They make their ratios and sourcing apparent on their ingredient list. I always like it when companies also disclose their ratios, it helps determine why I may or may not be tasting certain ingredients.

What draws you into new tea companies? Packaging? Sourcing Info? Let me know in the comments! I find myself looking at packaging and what the blends/teas are. Happy Brewing!

-Danielle