Hi everyone!
I recently found out about a Canadian loose leaf tea company called Cup of Te. Cup of Te is run by Taylor Lindsay-Noel, who started the company with quality, sustainability, and ethics in mind. Taylor used to be a gymnast- a Canadian national team member. Taylor had to re-examine everything after an accident left her with a cervical spinal cord injury.
I like it when a product has an idea behind it. I like it even more when I can connect with the person behind the product. After the order went through, Taylor sent me an email personally thanking me for my purchase. She also made sure to let me know I could contact her at any time with questions.
Now for the products. I purchased an infuser cup and four teas; Cha Cha Chai, Cream of Earl Grey, London Calling, and Golden Citrus. The infuser cup is great, I have no idea why I was using a tea ball with such huge holes. This tool definitely improved my tea game.
The chai (Cha Cha Chai) is quite gingery, which is great for my mom. I personally like a bit more cardamom in mine, but if you are crazy for ginger chai this one is for you. I still enjoy it, but it isn’t my ideal cup of chai. I would not repurchase this blend for me.
London Calling is a black tea in the English breakfast style, with some vanilla in it. London Calling is pretty strong, which is great for the morning. I find that I don’t have to use as much loose leaf with this varietal because it is so strong. I believe that would make this tea a great value, since you don’t need as much for each cup. It doesn’t seem to get bitter though, which is awesome. I would repurchase this blend.
The Cream of Earl Grey is one of my favourites. I love Earl Grey in general with its bergamont flavour, but the addition of corn flowers here makes it extra creamy in a special way. This tea is sort of a medium strength, not weak, not very strong. For a tea with caffeine in it, it’s a pretty relaxed experience. I would repurchase this blend.
Golden Citrus is a herbal blend with turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, lemon, and orange. I usually don’t care much for herbal teas, but this one provides a real experience. The different aromatics feel great on the sinuses, and the flavour is quite nice. This blend also has anti-inflammatory properties thanks to the circumin in the turmeric, and the ginger. Even though the hot tea is great, the cold tea is amazing. This is great at either temperature. I would repurchase this blend.
Compared to some major loose leaf tea retailers, the tea is more expensive. Compared to other artisanal loose leaf tea, it’s about on par. There are sales on several times a year so keep your eyes out! I believe there is a 30% off coupon for Black Friday right now.
Cup of Te also donates $1 from each of their starter kits to The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital.
Overall I’m quite pleased with my purchase, and I would re-purchase 3 out of 4 teas. I really like the personal touch Taylor puts on her products, and I think these would make great gifts. Taylor’s products are quite a luxurious experience, from the branded box and tissue paper, to the streamlined packaging, to the thank you card with Taylor’s story and her beautiful smile on it.
If you are looking for a nice gift for a tea lover, I would encourage you to check out Cup of Te!
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Here are some more links if you want to learn more about Taylor. I think she is a bad ass with a resilience, kindness, positivity, and perseverance that is rare on this earth.
Our Story from Cup of Te, where Taylor introduces herself
Taylor’s Twitter
Taylor’s Instagram
Taylor’s Facebook
Taylor on the Jake Nicolle Podcast
An article about the lack of support Taylor received from Gymnastics Canada following her injury.
An interview with Taylor where she talks about her injury, the pressure she was under that got her there, and how she found new passions.
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*Disclaimer: All of the opinions here are my own, and have not been influenced by quid pro quo in any way. I did not receive any commission for this post, I did not receive any PR, and I paid for my order. This is all my honest opinion, and if there is ever a conflict of interest I will list it in a disclaimer. 🙂
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