David's Tea, my guilty pleasure.

I've been purchasing from David's Teas for the last 6 months or so, every since they opened a store in a local mall. They've only been open since 2008, so they're still a relatively new company. I figured it was about time I did a post on them, and reviewed some of their products. They sell loose teas, so you will need a tea ball infuser or loose tea brewer. The site is easy to navigate & gives you ingredients for each tea, time to steep, how much to use, and related products. They recently offered shipping outside of Canada, and shipping is free after you spend $75 (otherwise shipping fees are $25, yikes!) I've only purchased online once, but I purchased during the holiday season and it was shipped within two days, and arrived in three.

First off, since a lot of you don't know me in real life, let me start off by saying I hoard teas. I love tea! On an average day I drink about1-2 cups of caffienated tea, and 4-5 decaf teas a day (on top of many glasses of good ole' water.) I have to stop drinking caffiene around 3pm otherwise I'll be up all night. I'll drink the occasional black tea, but since I found David's Teas i've been drinking their matte (an alternative to caffiene.)

Most of their teas are 6.50CAD for a 50g bag. They used to offer free tins with the purchase of 100g, but that offer is available in store only now. With every online purchase, you instead receive three free samples in containers, good enough for 3-5 uses. Since Valentines day is coming up, the company is currently offering V-day gift sets which include chocolate infused with some of their teas.

Love Tea #7

Description: One sip of #7 and you’ll find yourself head over heels. Mysteriously changed. Magically happy. Walking on air. How does it work? Frankly, we don’t know. Our blender came up with it and then just ran off with the girl of his dreams. Maybe it’s the chocolate bits that lower your inhibitions. Or the seductive strawberries. Or the romantic rose petals. Either way, this black tea is seriously lucky.

A 50g bag of tea is 6.50, which gives you many, many uses since the black tea leaves are so small. I've been drinking this the past few days, and it's quickly become a new favorite! I've tried lots of black teas which claim to have such-and-such added flavors, but you mostly get strong black tea. With this, I can taste the strawberries, chocolates and a hint of floral. If you're a chocolate/sweets fan, I would highly recommend trying this tea!

Forever Nuts

Description:  It looks all normal when it’s loose. But steep it and you’ll see that it’s nuts. Within seconds, this tempting jumble of almond slices and chunks, apple bits and cinnamon bark starts turning a crazy shade of pink. Why? Because it contains a hint of beetroot. That’s what gives this rich almond tea its earthy depth and its all-natural signature colour. Deliciously nutty, decidedly addictive.

 

Ahh..... The smell of this alone is delicious. Every now and then when I'm picking a tea to drink, I admit, I will open it just to get a quick whiff. it smells THAT good. But I also like almonds. This tea is 6.50, but since the nuts weigh a lot more, you get fewer uses out of this tea. I think i've gone through three bags since September, using 1 tsp per use and almost daily (or every other day.) It takes a little longer to brew, to get the true taste to come out, and it turns a shade of hot pink. Yumm.

 

Read my Lips

Description: Okay, this is probably the world’s best chocolate tea. Honestly. Better than dessert. More reliable than sex. It’s a totally decadent combination of China black tea, vanilla, peppermint, chocolate bits and spicy red peppercorns. Plus it contains little red candy lips for a kiss of sweetness. In other words, it’s a completely satisfying spring experience with no guilt or strings attached.

Before I picked up Love Tea #7, this was my daily caffienated tea for the last month. It's mostly chocolate mixed with black tea, and the red peppercorns are a nice touch. I don't find them particularly spicy, more sweet. And the little red hearts are adorable!

Glitter and Gold

Description: This deep dark Chinese tea is like a gorgeous starry night, glimmering with gold and silver sugar crystals that shimmer as they steep. Take a sip and the slow suggestion of cinnamon will warm your body. Your toes will tingle and your mind will turn to fireworks, falling stars, late-night seduction. It’s basically magic. (Is it getting hot in here, or is it just the tea?)

This tea goes for 7.50, and it was discontinued earlier this year and brought back again after many requests. I was very excited to try this tea out after hearing all the raves. This is VERY strong black tea, although it tastes delicious. You don't really get "glitter" in your cup, more like a slight shimmer from the gold sugar balls. The cinnamon is a prominent note, and just tastes devine. The black tea is so strong in this, it gives me major GI upset within 20 mins of drinking it. I asked the Facebook group, and no one else has experienced this problem so it could just be me, but I find this tea extremely strong (and I use less than the recommended amt)

Jumpy Monkey

Description:  This brew uses ingredients from the Rain Forest Alliance to give you a tasty boost. It combines freshly roasted peaberry coffee beans with Argentine maté, and laces them with almonds, white chocolate and other roasted barks and roots. The result is deliciously satisfying. And by buying this rainforest product, you’ll be fighting global warming and helping the monkeys. No wonder they say maté makes you efficient.

This is my daily morning tea. I don't particulary like the taste of coffee, but the coffee beans compliment this tea rather nicely. It's not your traditional mate, it smells mostly of chocolate. It is delicious! Mate leaves supposedly contain antioxidants, boost the immune system and metabolism, and give you a boost of energy. I've heard it keeps you going longer than caffiene, and you don't get the crash associated with caffiene/energy drinks. Caffiene in general makes my heart race mad, to the point where I can't control it, and i've never had a problem with mate teas. My mom has various heart complications, and she's been drinking yerba mate for daily energy for a good 5 or so years now.

Mother's Little Helper
Description: Need a little relaxation? Try running for the shelter of this mother’s little helper. It’s got organic valerian (aka “nature’s Valium”) to take the edge off your 24/7 reality. Plus there’s chamomile, peppermint and lemongrass for an added dose of tranquility. And pretty blue cornflowers just to make you happy. One sip and you’ll feel like you’ve spent the day at a spa.

I will tell you, I hate the taste/smell of chamomile and avoid most sleepy-time teas for that reason. It's really not the dominant note in this blend, I get more of the peppermint thank goodness! I drink this on a nightly basis, and 50g gives you a bag filled to the top of the bag so it lasts quite a while. It takes about 20 mins to kick in, but I can honestly say I fall asleep within minutes when I go to bed. It really is my nighttime helper.

What do you think of David's Teas? Did any of the teas peak your interest? If you've taken a peek at the site, are there any others you're interested in that you'd like me to review?