Shield Maiden

Quite good, love the peppercorns

Received this as a sample with the most recent order. Not something I'd usually pick up, though I love the theme. Smells sweetly herbal, but that has me expecting it to taste a bit like brewed straw (sorry, a few too many attempts at trying varieties of herbal tea at festivals creates a strong expectation!) The elderberry is a nasal sweetness. Something is juuuust a hair tart in there to balance it. The cacao and dandelion are a subtle earth note in the background and that hint of pink peppercorn really adds interest. I have been picking up more decaf infusions for later in the evening, and this is really lovely for it. And who can't do with a bit of ginko?

This tea has a lovely, subtle smell and flavor; perfect for meditating on as you wind down at the end of a long day. If you were a horsey child (or still are one, at heart), then the shavegrass will definitely get you in the fond nostalgia for the clean-barn smell. It's also excellent for sneaking to your hard-working loved one when it's time for them to put the books down and go to bed: a few cups in and you're so warm and cozy that nap time is coming whether you want it to or not!

"Shield Maiden" was a purchase borne out of both my love of Tolkien and sheer curiosity: I'd never had a tea with these ingredients all alongside, so I wasn't sure how they'd taste in the same cup. The aroma of this tea is unique: heavy on the cacao, but also rich and earthy from the dandelion root. A lighter steep leaves a more grassy finish, but the rich, cozy and bold earth comes out the longer you steep. A pleasant surprise, and I'll get more when it next comes around!