Northern Tea Merchants: Earl Grey With Lavender Tea Temples

(Lavender Earl Grey tea temple and the caddy they live in!)

There is no denying that perhaps one of the biggest "new things" that have emerged in the tea world is the tea temple, or, silky pyramid or tea triangle - the names vary depending on brand. In fact, this year is my fifth anniversary since becoming a tea lover and it's hard to think that tea temples where not around when I first started drinking tea.

Tea temples are hugely different from your average teabag because most of them contain a premium quality loose tea, usually a large leaved tea that is infused with flavouring or things like rose petals or pieces of ginger ... you get the picture.

One of the biggest criticisms of tea temples, which I hear through this blog, is you pay a lot for, what does appear to be, not a lot. Some of the highest priced tea pyramids are Twining's Plummy Earl Grey which are £3.50 for just twelve pyramids.  On the surface tea temples are hugely expensive, and yes, I would agree they are, and I use tea temples as a "treat" - not a tea I'd drink daily. However, what you do pay for is you get a higher quality tea that are wonderfully blended and provide you with a luxurious cup of tea and with the convenience of that tea being enclosed in a tea bag.

I am a fan of tea temples and I am not embarrassed to admit it!

When I recently visited Northern Tea Merchants I knew days before that their Earl Grey With Lavender Tea Temples was something I was going to be purchasing. And such is my faith in Northern Tea that I brought two boxes. For months I have had my eye on these cute little packages of tea but didn't have the chance to purchase any, so when I knew I was going to the shop it was on top of the list.

I adore lavender. Whether it be as a perfume, in cooking (such as shortbread biscuits) or in tea. There is just something so wonderful about this brilliant flower that effortlessly adds class and sophistication into any tea that it's used in.

Many years ago my Dad took me and my mum on a day out to Chartwell in Kent. Chartwell was the marital home wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine. Typical of my Dad, upon arriving the first thing he did was to scout out the restaurant to have a cup of tea before we explored. It was a gorgeous summers day and there was a plant sale on. As we sat outside with our drinks the aroma of lavender filled the air. I remember that day as being one of the loveliest of my adult life, and so, when I encounter lavender, I'm instantly taken back to sunshine, warmth, the beautiful Kent countryside and a general feeling of happiness.

Earl Grey with Lavender is wonderfully scented. The feel of the tea temples is gorgeous so I didn't really hang around when it came to actually trying this gorgeous little tea temples. So, I filled up the tea maker and let it take the strain - when I came back into the kitchen after doing some chores during the infusion process, the kitchen smelt glorious.

As I mentioned when recently reviewing Northern Tea's Rose Congou tea, I feel it's extremely hard to get the balance just right when producing floral tea's. If too little of the floral ingredient is used you get a weak, unsatisfying cup of tea. If too much is used, it's overpowering and unpleasant and very hard to stomach, actually. Many a time I've been left nauseous after trying a floral tea which doesn't make for a enjoying experience!

Earl Grey with Lavender is a wonderfully, evenly blended tea that strikes the perfect balance.

The base tea, which is black, is of a exceptional quality (I expect - and get - nothing less then exceptional from Northern Tea). It has a deep, rounded flavour, that takes on a wonderful dark black colour and has a very robust taste.

The lavender is well balanced too. It's easily detectible, and certainly tasty, yet, at the same time does not overpower and does not leave your mouth feeling as though you've gulped back lavender water. I love the fact the lavender lingers in your mouth for quite some time after you've finished the cup, yet, oddly, at the same time, it's not too strong so you can taste the quality of the tea that is behind it.

Thankfully, it also lacks that strange perfume like element that a lot of floral tea's (especially those at the cheaper end of the market) have which leaves a bitter flavour in your mouth and causes my lips to sting.

I also love the fact that I don't have bits of lavender floating in the tea - another experience I once had which was truly awful.

So, what of the price. Well you get 15 tea temples for £4.95. On the surface this looks expensive but, never more has the saying "you get what you pay for" ring true.

As with everything else I've tried from Northern Tea you pay for quality, quality, quality - simple as that. I have been fortunate in seeing behind the scenes and meeting the folk at Northern Tea and I fully understand now the effort that goes into making sure that the tea is of the highest quality possible.

With these temples you don't get bitterness, you don't get half empty temples, you don't get artificial flavouring in this tea. What you do get is a extremely high quality, natural tasting, adorable tea which leaves you wanting more, and more, and more.

I have to be honest, I have to ration this tea. I can't drink cup after cup as I would do with any other tea. I have to make them stretch, but that's brilliant because when something is a treat, to be savoured every now and again you truly do appreciate the tea more.

Earl Grey with Lavender is a perfect tea to serve up for afternoon tea. It will certainly impress your tea loving friends, without a shadow of a doubt. There is something about this tea that makes you feel as if only your finest bone china cup and saucer will do. I felt almost guilty pouring this into my battered old mug.

If this tea was a woman she'd most certainly be lady of the manor! High class, elegant with impeccable manners!

This tea is soothing, comforting and just the cutest tea possible - if you can describe tea as cute.

I will be purchasing more of this tea when I've used up the two boxes that I already have. There is something about this tea that just affects you in a wonderful way. In some ways it's a little too good to be wasted on me - well that's how I feel anyway.

I know, well I'm pretty positive, that you'll love this tea.

For me, it's become a nice little friend, and I hope we'll spend lots of time together.