April 2024 Harvest - Grand Cru First Flush Goomtee Estate Darjeeling FTGFOP1

Yes, all of our teas undergo rigorous third-party testing to ensure they meet the highest standards for quality, purity, and safety. We proudly hold certifications for each blend, so you can sip confidently, knowing that our teas are crafted with care and integrity.

Our teas are cultivated, harvested, and blended from soil to cup with the Magic Hour Rule of Love. The base of our teas is grown in the tea estate where I was married :)! The exquisite buds are grown and harvested by our friends in a garden that touches the sky at the top of the mountains in the high-country of Sri Lanka. The pristine Idulgashinna Bio Tea Garden’s perched above a wildlife preserve. It was the first tea garden to become certified Biodynamic and organic in the world, it’s home to our family of farmers and growers whose respect towards nature and one another has become the gold standard of tea estates all over the world. We also source from small organic family gardens in Taiwan, Rwanda, India, Yunnan, Kyoto and Kagoshima, Japan.

Our formulator, Zhena, is an aromatherapist and was one of the founders of the Organic and Fair Trade movement over 25 years ago. She was crucial in getting rules for organics passed and has had a long-time passion for organics, Biodynamics and pure products. Her blending style is bold and she uses Organic-Compliant extracts of fruits, essential oils, and spices that fall under the “Natural Flavors” broad stroke ingredient description by the FDA. We only use extracts and flavors extracted with non-toxic methods and are 100% natural coming from the fruit or spice or flower that is distilled without chemicals.

Other companies may use “Natural Flavors” that are in a Propylene Glycol base—Zhena fought the label standards on this chemical 15 years ago and is dedicated to NEVER using flavorings with this or any other chemicals. Our flavors are entirely extracted naturally using alcohol or steam distillation. In the blending process, if the extract has alcohol, the alcohol dissipates. If you’ve ever used Vanilla Extract for cooking—you’ve used what Zhena uses in larger volumes.

When we writes, “Natural Flavors” it’s not because we wants to but that’s what the FDA requires. It’s not a great description and we assure you our standards are of the highest using only natural extracts and essential oils.

Please feel free to enjoy most of our teas without worry regarding being vegan compliant.
As of May of 2021, the only tea we have that is not vegan is Quintessence, which contains honey crystals.

You could steep our teas many times. A new flavor nuance will arise each time. If you’re planning to steep more than twice, you might want to add an additional teaspoon or two according to taste and the strength desired.

It's a common misconception that tea ceremony has to take up a lot of time from your schedule. I want to encourage you to take time for yourself, daily, in a simple tea ceremony. Simply naming 3 gratitudes as your water boils will uplift and shift your day!

However, the process only has to take as little as 10 minutes! For example, for most of our teas we suggest steeping 1 heaping teaspoon in water that is between 160--212 degrees (depending on the tea type--check the label!). As you steep your tea for the recommended minutes, take 3 heart-breaths, expanding the emerald green energy of your heart chakra. As you expand that blessed energy, you will activate your true intelligence which is found in the heart.

Then as you steep your loose-leaf magical tea, center into your senses. As yourself the Magic Hour sensory questions:

• What do I hear?
• What do I see?
• What do I feel?
• What do I smell?
• What do I taste?
  

Then sip your tea with newfound presence.

Presence is where heaven is found. We want you to find your heaven on a daily basis!
For more steeping instructions, watch my video found here.