By contributor Megan Wolfe
I am addicted to tea. It’s how I survive daily life, without it, midterms and finals would be impossible. Being asked to create a top-ten list for tea is heart-wrenchingly difficult, so, in no particular order, here are my top ten teas.
Read My Lips from David’s Tea
This is a black tea with chocolate chips and mint leaves. That’s right, chocolate mint tea. This is my go-to for tea parties (totally a thing that adults do) or when I want to be cozy with a book or a new series on Netflix. It’s blended so that neither the mint or the chocolate over power one another, and the black tea base gives you that caffeine boost to keep you going.
Literally any type of English Breakfast tea
With this one, I’m not too terribly picky, because this is usually the cup that gets me going in the morning, and I’m more than likely still half asleep until I finish my cup. Tea Pigs, a UK tea brand that’s now available in Canada, is the one I enjoy the most.
Fancy Shmancy Earl Grey from Thay Teas
I’ve had a lot of Earl Grey tea in my days; a lot. After two trips to England, I know what’s what, and this has to be the best one I’ve ever had. The bergamot is just the right amount so it’s not over powering, it’s also made with premium, ethical, organic tea leaves, and it really makes a difference. If you’re over in Ucluelet, definitely stop by their little shop. Considering one of the owners is a tea sommelier, they know what tea is about.
The Nanaimo Bar from The Tea Port
In my humble opinion, this is one of the best tea shops to go to. Not only is it locally owned and operated, it’s also located right on the waterfront and has some amazing teas. Their Nanaimo Bar tea is a black tea base with coconut and cocoa nibs. The owner created the blend himself and it’s worth a try as a nod to the coast city we live in.
Get Smart from David’s Tea
This tea was made with students in mind. With ginko and goji berries, this green tea is meant to get you thinking. I love how fruity this tea is, and there’s just enough caffeine in it to help keep you focused, without getting you wired.
Pink Flamingo from David’s Tea
This is the best iced tea. Lemongrass and hibiscus in it give it a tart taste, without it making you pucker up. The day it moved from being a spring seasonal to a year-round tea was definitely a great day for me. I can’t get enough of it.
Mint Matcha Tea from David’s Tea
I live at David’s Tea, and I won’t apologize for it. I recently went on a Matcha kick, and the mint has to be my preferred choice. I put it in with my chocolate protein shakes because I’m addicted to the combination of chocolate mint almost as much as I am to tea itself. Also, pour it over some ice and milk, it’s super refreshing.
Forever Nuts from David’s Tea
If there are cashews in anything, I’m in; this tea has cashews, almonds and beet root in it. It’s nutty, and reminds me slightly of mini doughnuts from food trucks, while also being hot pink. This is one of my favourite herbal teas to drink as it pretty much fits any situation, also, you can just straight up eat it, so that’s cool.
Chai Guarana from David’s Tea
Despite it being discontinued, I’m still putting it on this list because it was my hands-down favourite chai tea and I have yet to find one that I love nearly as much. It was spicy. Not only was it a black tea base to give you a caffeine boost, but it also had guarana in it, which they use in energy drinks to help get you going as well. This could raise me from the dead if it had to.
Chai tea from Tea Pigs
In lieu of the beloved Chai Guarana, this has risen to my short list of chai, however, finding it in Canada has proven to be a tricky feat. With a wonderful blend of cinnamon and cardamom that tingle the tongue and warms you as you sip it. I lived on this tea during my days in England and hope to soon be reunited with it.
I hope you give these teas a try and love them almost as much as I do. Follow me, drinking tea and trying new different tea venues on thegreatteaadventure.tumblr.com to read about more tea drinking shenanigans.