Tea. The nation’s favourite drink. Offered in times of joy and sadness, shared between strangers and friends alike. Some like it hot, some like it iced. Some like it milky, some like it strong. Everyone has their own idea of what comprises the perfect cuppa, but one thing we agreed on here at The Gryphon was that Teapigs have something to please everyone.

When eight varieties of their finest infusions arrived at our office last week, the editorial team could not wait for the tea (and arguments over which one was best) to start brewing. With flavours ranging from the classic English Breakfast to the more obscure Jelly and Ice Cream on offer, there was something fulfil every need (especially the Clean n Green Detox Tea, favoured by News editor Jonny for its restorative powers in the face of a hangover).

The more serious tea drinkers who favoured the more traditional blends were pleased by the likes of Mao Feng Green Tea which was praised by online associate Juliette for its being ‘smooth for a green tea as some brands can be a bit harsh’. Similarly, the Earl Grey Strong went down like a treat, fragrant as ever but with a more potent flavour for its fans or the opportunity to re-use the bag for those with more delicate palettes (a sin only a newspaper run by struggling students can justify). Lifestyle and Culture editor Jade applauded the Peppermint, championing it as ‘very smooth and tasty without the bitterness that comes with over-steeping it’ and confirming a thumbs up all round for the wider known teas on offer.

Things got less serious too. The Chocolate and Mint tea went down like a treat with Clubs editor Milly describing it as a ‘bit of fun’ (which means it must be good coming from someone whose section revolves around the practice of doing so). Our inner children were released as the nostalgic and delicious scent of Jelly and Ice Cream wafted round the office, while we were curious as to what ‘natural biscuit flavouring’ is after reading the ingredients (is there a biscuit tree we don’t know about?), it was a strong success with Jonny loving its ‘subtle sweetness’.

While the Up Beet Energy Tea proved controversial in the office, I found it warming to the core; combining fiery ginger and fruity hibiscus and beetroot there something about this brew that made me feel like I could conquer the mountain of articles that needed uploading to the website. Features editor Jodie agreed, stating that it was ‘finally a fruity tea with not just a powerful scent but the taste to match’.

The enormous range of teas for every taste offered by Teapigs means this well-loved drink remains a classic with the possibility of being different every time. It would be hard to find a tea you did not love made for every mood you may feel: Teapigs are resoundingly our cup-of-tea!

The flavours we tried were:

• Jelly and Ice Cream
• Mao Feng Green Tea
• Peppermint
• Earl Grey Strong
• Clean n Green detox Tea
• Up Beet Energy Tea
• Chocolate and Mint
• English Breakfast

 

Rose Crees

Image Credit: Escape the City