#AD
Oh mes amis, the season of l’amour is upon us! I must admit to being the hugest fan of Valentine’s Day (hi, nice to meet you, have you seen the hearts on my site? I even own a matching jumper.), but whether you’re merrily single or happily entwined, celebrating Valentine’s, Galentine’s or Palentine’s, this time of year is about showing those you treasure the most (this may even include yourself!) how much you value having them in your life, so what better way to show them than with the gift of tea!
What are the best gifts for tea lovers?
My lovely friends over at The Tea Makers of London have really been working to take the stress out of finding the best gifts for tea lovers, and as a new addition to their existing range of Tea Gifts, they’ve put together a dedicated Valentine’s Tea Treats Gift Set – it’s absolutely bursting with gorgeous delights along the traditional theme of a candle-lit evening of flowers and chocolate, but with a tea-twist, and is one of the loveliest tea gift sets that I’ve seen.
The Valentine’s Tea Treat set comes with a set of 5 flowering tea bulbs (you might have seen my review last year for these Great Taste Award winning bundles of joy), a 25g pack of No. 123 Whole Rose Buds, a 50g pack of No. 301 Assam Chocolate Spice loose leaf tea, and a trio of tea-inspired scented candles, featuring Cinnamon Spiced Chai, Ceremonial Matcha and Refreshing Jasmine scents, perfect for creating just the right ambience for your romantic evening (or for your soothing bath as part of a night of self care).
I was so excited to see how much was packed into this beautiful green and gold gift box – and how this is a gift that will definitely last more than just a day, giving your intended something they can enjoy for weeks. The candles alone offer 54 hours of fun (okay, “burn time”) if taken care of well.
As an absolute rose fiend, I had to try out a No. 123 Whole Rose Bud infusion first. These beautifully preserved pink buds of Rosa Damascena are renowned for their gorgeous fragrance, and are the same type used in fancy skin-care. I steeped the blooms for 3 minutes (bang in the middle of the recommended brewing time) with just boiled, filtered water, and what can I say – I’m a fool for floral teas – the light but indulgent scent that takes you away to a beautiful garden.
Next up, a more robust but no less aromatic blend, the No. 301 Assam Chocolate Spice, bold and deep, well, assam tea, as well as 20% cocoa pieces, ginger, chicory, cardamom and black pepper – a little masala twist on the standard chocolate tea, allowing for more depth of flavour which highlights, rather than distracts from, the chocolate notes. A longer brew of 5 minutes to let the whole spices really incorporate, and while I didn’t take any sugar or milk with this tea, I bet it would take beautifully to them both.
The inclusion of not one, not two, but all five of The Tea Makers’ Artisan Flowering Tea Bulbs really elevates this tea gift set for me – they are so delightful to watch unfurl, and produce such a light but flavourful brew – they really are form and function – and I shall let the pictures speak for themselves!
And rounding up the set, we have the trio of tea-inspired scented candles – if you’d like to read an in-depth post around the Cinnamon Spiced Chai, Ceremonial Matcha and Refreshing Jasmine scents, you can do so on this very blog – Tea Inspired, Scented Candle Compendium or at the Tea Maker’s Tea Journal here.
Is tea a good gift?
I may be just a little biased, as I consider myself a lover of the leaf even in a country renowned for how much of our problem-solving process involves “having a nice cup of tea” – but I think tea is a wonderful gift. It can elevate an everyday ritual, meaning a little additional luxury in our daily routine, and as it’s less perishable than other things we may consume, the gift experience is extended for longer – flowers may last a week, but tea will last you for a good few months, and bring the same enjoyment every time. And as The Tea Makers of London are part of both the Ethical Tea Partnership and Carbon Neutral Britain, you can also rest assured that your tea gift is planet-friendly.
The Tea Makers will wrap any gift set for an additional £2.50, and include a very luxurious gold foil gift card for an extra shiny pound, so you can send it directly to your favourite person!
If you’d like to enjoy 15% off your first purchase from The Tea Makers of London, including any of their selection of tea gift sets or new range of tea-scented candles, you can head to their website and scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up for the newsletter (I will not receive any commission for you doing this, it’s simply a bargain!)
(While this blog post is sponsored content, my opinions are my own )
Sources:
https://www.theteamakers.co.uk/collections/tea-scented-candles/products/valentines-tea-treats-gift
https://www.theteamakers.co.uk/products/set-of-3-tea-scented-candle?variant=43447511613696
https://www.theteamakers.co.uk/products/flowering-tea-bulbs?variant=40380086714567
https://www.theteamakers.co.uk/products/rose-buds-loose-leaf-tea?variant=40380338077895
https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/decorating/tips-techniques/how-to-take-care-of-candles
https://ethicalteapartnership.org/our-members-2/
Mrs Radfad Drinks Tea 