Simple Loose Leaf Review December 2017
Simple Loose Leaf is a monthly tea adventure that takes you on a journey to explore four loose leaf teas. Plus each box comes with some fun extras to help get you started brewing your new favorite teas from the first moment you open the box. They kindly sent us this box for review.
Simple Loose Leaf has been shipping since 2013 but this is our first time reviewing it. Tea subscriptions are a must-have around the AYOB office so we were very excited when this fun little box arrived. Tea might be your morning ritual, your nighttime habit, or a way to treat youself. For me personally, it is all of those things, especially this time of year. I make myself a cup of green tea in the morning, a cup of medium caff in the afternoon and a cup of herbal in the evening……is that too much? I think not.
Subscription Details
Amazing Teas Delivered Every Month: Get 4 amazing loose leaf teas monthly or quarterly plus special membership only discounts! All tea boxes ship on the 1st of the month so order before the end of this month to get the next tea box.
Cost: $9 per month
Shipping: Shipping for all US based members is $2.99/month. For Canadian members, shipping is $9.49/month.
Here’s a closer look at the tea we received in the December box….
Russian Caravan Organic
Harmoniously blending the smokiness of Lapsang Souchong, the malty chocolate flavor of Assam with the crisp and smooth Keemun, “Russian Caravan” is a welcome addition to our family of teas. Best when enjoyed hot, this rich and soothing blend of fine black teas will warm your soul and enliven your mind.
Russian Caravan is a classically smokey tea blend due to the Lapsang Souchong tea used in its making. Thought to originate from the Silk Rode trade routes that went through Russian on the way from China to Europe. If it is a bit strong for you add some milk to take a bit of the campfire smoke out of your cup of tea.
This blend sounds so interesting. I’ve never had a tea described as “smokey”. I like that it is paired with a chocolate flavour as I feel like that will complement the smokey flavour perfectly. I’m going to save this one for a weekend, when I can sit down, savour all the flavours and truly enjoy it.
#3 Ti Kwan Yin Oolong
This oolong tea will be less bold than our Red Robe oolong but will still have lovely sweet notes and a hint of nuttiness. When brewing this Ti Kwan Yin oolong make sure to taste the tea at different temperatures to experience how this tea evolves.
Ohh….this one also sounds interesting. I feel like Simple Loose Leaf is really testing my tea skills. Oolong is a tea I need to become more familiar with so this really is the perfect tea to have received. I have a feeling I will like it because I tend to prefer nutty flavours.
Winter’s Elixir
Ginger, Orange, Mint, Oh My! If the weather is getting to you or your family then brew a cup of Winter’s Elixir. The cooling mint and zing of ginger and orange will help take your mind off all that cold wind outside. And with no caffeine you won’t be up all night.
Oh my goodness, this box just keeps getting better and better. This blend sounds amazing!! Mint tea is my favourite to enjoy in the evening and I love that they have paired it with ginger and orange. I’m also really happy to see a caffeine-free blend.
Lychee Green
Lychee, a soapberry, is a fruit native to China that looks a bit like a strawberry before you peel the skin off it. The fruit losses most of its flavor during processing making it common to eat it fresh. We have tried to capture the flavor and appeal of Lychee in our Lychee Green that uses a classic Chinese green tea blended with the scent of lychee. Let us know how it turned out as it is a bit of an experiment.
Here we have a green tea blend which rounds out the box nicely. I like to have green tea on hand at all times. It’s a great substitute for my morning coffee.
Reusable Steeping Bags
Ohhh……..what a great addition to the box! I wonder if this is something they include on a regular basis? I love it when tea subscriptions include some sort of steeping device and I love that these bags are reusable.
Simple Loose Leaf Review December 2017 – Final Thoughts
I am absolutely thrilled with my first Simple Loose Leaf experience. I think they put together a wonderful collection for December. I’m glad they included a winter blend in the mix and that it also happens to be caffeine-free. The box itself is presented very well. They have great branding, an informative product card and a nice mixture of tea blends. Each packet of tea includes brewing instructions and caffeine levels, this is a feature I appreciate because I don’t consider myself a tea expert as of yet and still need a little guidance when it comes to steeping. I’m looking forward to seeing more from this subscription but as of right now I would definitely say it is a contender in the top tea subscription category. It would also make a great Christmas gift or stocking stuffer………
XOXO