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I want to try more samples from Simpson & Vail, but their options are a bit limited in certain respects. The Literary Tea would be a fun box but it’s about $34, I have one of the listed ones already, one of the ones I’m most curious about is not in the box, so even though they are fun sampler, boxes, it doesn’t work for everything. I did cave and get the National Park Tea Box, though. A bit cheaper and I hadn’t tried any. A very cute box and I’m happy to try these before breaking out the advent calendar for December from another company.

I have such mixed feelings about this tea! I liked it, but I also didn’t fully enjoy it. It’s so odd. It stayed pleasant throughout as it cooled. I steeped four minutes with 1 tsp to 4 oz. The smell dry is blueberry for sure and gets a little overwhelming. The smell is smokey in the background. I drank on the porch when playing some of my games last night with it raining, no food with it. Added a little cube of sugar after the first few sips to enhance.

It IS smokey but it has a full blend of other flavors so that is not as predominate depending on the sip. It is strong, but not overwhelming. It is smokey, but fruity. It is fruity, but the smoke elevates that and changes it a bit. I drank the full cup and liked, but it is certainly unusual. They did a good job blending unusual combinations with the right notes. I’ll drink the rest of the bag, but this won’t be a keeper staple I’ll order a large tin of.

It almost reminds me of camping, smoking a cigar with a small glass of some sort of strong alcoholic beverage, while munching on blueberries lol

Bumping up my rating a bit. This one is much better if you add sugar because apparently sugar gets rid of the hibiscus extreme sourness when it’s the main ingredient. Found that tip from Google. Still a potent tasting tea. Did help me sleep a bit.

This tea is not super smokey, but it is calming. Probably will not be a re-order. It is not that strong, as many Russian mild smokey teas don’t seem to be, but it’s relatively pleasant. I do wish my cup did not cool so quickly, though – as this doesn’t work on the tastebuds lukewarm!

I was excited on this one as it smelled scrumptious, but disliked the taste immensely. To me it was weak on the tea – although I tasted it but very mild – and I detected some banana and cinnamon? Sadly not a fan.

I like this for something different when the mood strikes. It’s certainly strong, borderline cloying, so it’s not a daily tea and you need to be in the mood for it. I prefer 3-4 minute steep over 5 for this one.

I drank in my new raven tea cup with some saltines and creamy havarti cheese, which is usually my favorite tea snack other than chocolate. This one doesn’t fully go with the cheese and crackers, and due to the strength and sweetness, it wouldn’t go with chocolate either, so it’s a difficult food pair.

I had a sample of this in their pyramid bag. It turns the cup a delightful red color. I used it with my large Frankenstein themed cup – which I love. Pretty smell and color – but I did expect more. Raspberry is there, but it is not especially strong. Brewed 8 minutes in boiling water. It’s possible it needs to be iced as the flavor did come out a bit more as it cooled. I find it slightly one note, however.

I really liked this one – thank you Carmen for the sample!

Pleasant tea with a small note on Ginger. Left steep up to 5 minutes to get more flavor although it was pleasant at 3 and 4.

The tin is gorgeous and I got this on sale in satchets.

The tea is pleasant but nothing special. Slightly subdued, but still comforting enough. Something to drink, and I’m glad I purchased for the tin, but it’s not something I’d reorder.

The smell is great, though!

So far have had two cups, both boiling / 5 minutes each steep, one 6 minutes, with a cube of sugar each time in 5 oz water.

Found another sample of this while going through samples. Made full 5 min at 210 degrees in small tea cup. Still not too impressed. That artificial sweetener taste strikes me again

I like this tea much better now than my first tasting. In fact, only 3 tea bags left from the lovely tin, so about to have to order more.

Not sure why I didn’t care for it before. It’s a pleasant black tea with some fruit touches and I add a little sugar to brighten it. The tin is gorgeous shape and design and the satchets convenient. It is forgivable to over and under brewing. I brewed this last satchet for four minutes to get a nice dark, non-bitter, cup.