Tea Sparrow September 2015 Review

Well, for better or for worse, the weather is turning decidedly autumnal.  A great time to sleep with windows open (as long as you have a warm duvet) and to hit the pumpkin patch on a school trip (we go tomorrow!), autumn is also tea-drinking weather :) Actually, I drink tea all year round but there's something extra cosy about a blanket, book and mug of great tea.  So it's the perfect time for Tea Sparrow!

What is Tea Sparrow?  A fave sub in my house!  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). 

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 (although why would you want to?) and you can cancel at any time.  Enjoy!

Let's check out this month's teas, shall we?

Ginger Fresh (lemongrass, ginger, citrus peels, liquorice, pepper, peppermint and plant sweetener)

Ginger Fresh:

My fave this month :) This is the perfect herbal to me - a little spicy and, well, fresh! This is exactly the kind of tea I would drink if I had a cold or a sore throat because it's so soothing.  But it probably won't last that long since I'm drinking this like it's going out of style.  I might need more!

Cali Persian Organic (organic black and green teas, organic rose petals, organic orange peel, organic cardamom, bergamot oil, natural rose flavour, organic jasmine flowers)

Cali Persian Organic:

And, not my fave.  This isn't a bad tea by any stretch and I do love the warming flavour of the cardamom (it reminds me a little of chai) but I'm not feeling the rose.  We had a rose tea last month and I liked it okay but I think I'm rosed out right now.  It feels a little perfumey.  Tea Sparrow sends out a newsletter with neat tea-related info and a cocktail recipe for the month.  This month it was a version of a White Russian with this tea and rum in it. . . I liked the tea much better that way :)  That recipe is available here if you're interested.

Organic Sunset Sencha (Organic China green tea, organic citrus peels, organic flower petals, natural extracts)

Organic Sunset Sencha:

This is a tasty green tea.  Again with the flowers but they seem to blend a little better here? Or maybe I just like these flowers better? Who knows? I love citrusy flavours with a green tea so that makes me happy.

Organic Pink Grapefruit (apples, rosehips, hibiscus, citrus peels, pineapple bits, papaya, cornflower petals and natural flavouring)

Organic Pink Grapefruit:

Strangely, no grapefruit in that long ingredient list? It really does smell and taste like grapefruit though so maybe that's the "natural flavouring"? Whatever the case, this one is better iced in my opinion and kind of weird to drink warm.  I think it's because these are summery fruits to me.  Autumn fruits make nice warm teas but anything this fresh and bright makes a better iced tea.  Just me? Anyway, if you've never had iced tea brewed from loose leaf before, it's awesome and super easy.  I just throw some tea in a pitcher with water and let it stand in the fridge overnight then strain it in the morning - done! And it feels so fancy to offer to guests (they don't need to know how easy it is either!).

Coupons!

Overall Verdict:

This was a great month from Tea Sparrow! Even though I'm not crazy about the rosey tea, the others are good. . . and the lemongrass one is great! Also, no rooibos teas - even though Tea Sparrow is changing my mind about them by sending me some good ones, they're still not my faves so it's nice to have a break.  And Tea Sparrow included coupon codes from two of the tea crafters featured in the box.  That's new this month and something I hope continues.  That way if I fall in love with a tea, I have an excuse to buy more :)  Cheers!