Tea Sparrow May 2015 Review

After loving this sub last month (especially at such a steep discount), I needed to stick with it this month as well :)

For $20 CAD per month (including shipping), Tea Sparrow sends 4 different types of loose leaf tea (so yes, you need some way to brew loose leaf  - tea balls are an inexpensive option) - usually a green, a black, a rooibos and an herbal but sometimes they mix it up.  The teas are separately packaged and are each approximately 0.6oz for a total of about 35 cups of tea per month (less if you use a lot of tea in brewing, maybe more if you're willing to brew twice using the same tea like I am). 

If you want to try Tea Sparrow, check out this 60% off offer and get your first month for only $8! When you click the above link, you will be taken to a password-protected page.  Enter "teas" as your password and you will be offered the promotional discount.  Please be aware that this will start a recurring monthly subscription but Tea Sparrow allows you to skip any month through their website and you can cancel at any time.  Enjoy!

May's teas are "for moms" - not really sure what makes these teas more mom-oriented but no complaints about the teas themselves.

Coconut Cabana (Chinese Milk oolong with pure shaved coconut)

Coconut Cabana:

This is seriously delicious.  The coconut, combined with the oolong tea, makes it taste almost creamy and full without the addition of any milk.  The coconut also adds a little sweetness but not too much - my husband still prefers to add honey to his tea and didn't find it was too much with this one.

Lavender Earl Grey (organic fair trade black tea with organic lavender flowers and essences of bergamot and lavender)

Lavender Earl Grey:

For some people, standard "tea" is orange pekoe.  For my family, it was always Earl Grey.  There's just something special and soothing to me about the flavour of a good cup of earl.  And this is a great one.  I was concerned that the lavender might be a bit much but find that it compliments the flavours of the earl grey really nicely.  Earl Grey is the only tea to which I will regularly add milk and a splash of almond milk really made this for me.  I would buy more!

Red Rose Rooibos (Caffeine-free red and peach rooibos with linden blossoms, rose petals and bits of orange, lemon and apple, with hibiscus)

Red Rose Rooibos:

Rooibos is not my favourite "tea".  While I do appreciate that it's caffeine-free, and that this blend is quite lovely, it's just not the first tea I will reach for.  That said, this is a flavourful blend and the fruit combines nicely with the rooibos flavour.  Tea Sparrow's recommendation to mellow out the citrus with a little milk was a good one.

Spring Kiss (caffeine-free herbal combining lemongrass, peppermint, raspberry leaf, cardamom, licorice, cornflowers and rose flowers)

Spring Kiss:

Tasty hot and would probably be delicious iced as well.  The lemongrass and peppermint are the dominant flavours here but neither is overpowering - this is well-balanced.  While some might be nervous about the licorice and cardamom flavours, they aren't too strong either (my husband doesn't like licorice so much but didn't notice it in this tea to speak of).

Overall Verdict:

Another good month for me and Tea Sparrow.  Although I don't find myself loving all the rooibos options each month, I can't deny that they are well-blended teas and I will drink them when I'm feeling too caffeinated.  Further, the other teas selected usually more than make it up to me! This month, I'm loving the Lavender Earl Grey and the Coconut Cabana most, although I haven't finished either to date - to be fair, Tea Sparrow ships out mid-month and I like to try all of the teas before posting so maybe that's not surprising!