Tea Tea Tea!

Tea is seen by so many as a staple of our nation. We built an empire on leaves plucked from the hills of India, the plains of Kenya and if we were ever in real need for a cuppa, we could have exchanged goods for all the tea in China.

The London Tea company was formed in 2003 and as with, in my opinion, most good businesses, they started by producing the flavours that they liked. They say they were ahead of the game in wanting to produce teas that weren’t produced without using harsh chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Now they are hoping to be ahead of the game with a new range of teas and herbal infusions.

Raspberry and Chilli – This fair-trade and organic tea is less subtle that most fruit teas that I have tasted but that is not a bad thing. The danger of a fruit tea is that their bark is often more power than their bite but with the chilli added to the more subtle raspberry flavour, there is a real kick to the flavour with every mouthful. If there was such a thing as a ‘getting ready to go out’ tea, then this is it.

Peppermint and spearmint – This fair-trade and organic infusion of two flavours you would not normally expect to be sharing the same bag is a curious little creature. Each sip held me on the cusp of something, I kept waiting for that final burst but each time I was pulled back from the brink. This mixture of mints was a tender kiss that left you wanting more.

White tea elderflower – This organic tea seems to stick more stringently to the rules of flavoured teas than the first two. It smells delicious and looks delightful as the tea infuses in the water and the flavour is wonderfully subtle. It certainly doesn’t give you that dry mouth feeling that some flavoured teas do. The tagline on the packet is, ‘an English summer’ and I couldn’t agree more. It is light, refreshing and takes you to an open space as the sun is setting.

Intense chai – As someone who has spent a good chunk of time travelling around the Himalayas, it was with trepidation that I made this fairtrade beverage. When products have words like ‘chai’ on, they are implying some kind of cultural connection, and most tea manufactures manage to produce something so generic that you could mistake one brand for another. This is where the London Tea Company have excelled themselves, this drink could be set down at any table with pride. It carries flavours from misty mountain sides straight into a mug.

Green tea tropical – By my own admission I have never been a huge fan of green teas but I live to be disproved, plus the label says organic and that’s good for you, so I went for it. I found there to be an initial dry mouth attack but that quickly made way for a thin, floral fruitiness, akin to warm Um Bongo. It was refreshing and I am sure it carries many wonderful health values but for me it didn’t hit the spot. It was however well received when I asked other people in my office to give it a try.

There we have it. Hardly a culture vultures guide to tea but they have been tested, well and truly, by someone who drinks a lot of hot drinks throughout the working day.

The London Tea Company have the right ethos and many larger companies could take note of their approach but for us, the drinker, it’s not so much about the company. They have produced a set of very fine teas that I would not hesitate to give to my Mum.

If that isn’t a recommendation, what is?

If you want to find out more about the London Tea Company or to order your supplies, please visit: http://www.londontea.co.uk

Many thanks to the lovely people at Story PR