What are your favorite teas?

[Garden Kitty]

I'm planning to put together a variety of teas for a gift for someone, and wanted some suggestions on your favorite teas and online tea shops that you like.

I mostly order from Teavana which I like, but I want to do a variety, so any new suggestions would be great. Either loose leaf or bags are fine. Thanks in advance for your ideas.

[skamper23]

I love Stash Chai tea, but have also been on a blueberry tea kick lately!

[attyfan]

I'm partial to mint teas -- any kind, any brand.

[MikiAndoFan#1]

I really enjoy drinking green tea, chamomile tea and lemon tea. Next week my school is organizing some kind of tea samples event, with a large number of different teas. I plan on trying all of them, so I'll tell you some more teas I like next week.

[Cheylana]

Earl Grey with a splash of milk

[IceAlisa]

I had an afternoon tea at the Ritz where they serve a rose petal black tea. I am not sure of the brand but it was so amazing that I drank 4 cups and stayed up all night because of the overdose of caffeine.

I can't find the exact brand they use but here's something that may work: http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Tea-Petal-...f=pd_sbs_gro_2

Also, I love Lupicia but sadly they've closed their store near me. Here's their website: http://www.lupiciausa.com/Green_Tea_s/28.htm

I've never bought a tea of theirs I didn't love.

[Habs]

http://www.davidstea.com/

Davids Tea is my absolute favourite
My favourites are Cream of Earl Grey, Forever Nuts (it tastes like an oatmeal cookie!) and Lemon Bombshell.

[Allen]

I'm really partial to Numi's Lemongrass tea right now!

[BigB08822]

I'm a Southerner! ICED tea, please!

[JILEN]

I'm partial to Teavana but when a friend went home to Peking last year and brought me back blends of Black loose leaves ( lychee flavor I like the best) I got hooked right away. When I ran out, I was happy they were available on line and not that pricey. I also found out that caffeine content of the black is not as high compare to the likes of the teavana, english and more popular grocery brands. I hope your friend you're giving the gift to has no problem with caffeine, these days caffeine gives me serious palpitation I have to avoid even a sip of coke and I'm finding it harder and harder to find a good caffeine-free tea blend. Happy shopping around GK..

[Anita18]

I had Stash tea in Portland (peppermint) and it was so yummy, I got a gift set for my boss because he's a tea fiend.

[AragornElessar]

I love both Celestial Seasonings and Twinning's teas, but tend to favour CS more.

I've *got* to have my Decaf Mountain Chai from CS about an hour before bed. It's a combo of the smell and the taste. To me, it's a Comfort Drink and just makes me feel warm, comfy and winds me down. They also have a Honey Vanilla Chai. but it's not Decaf. I wasn't crazy about it when it was given to me as a gift from Family Friends. Just because on sight it didn't sound that good a combination. Then I tried it and I'll have it during the Afternoon if I'm having a bit of a day. It really is a nice tea.

I love the majority of their Fruit Zinger teas, but am partial to their Acai Berry, True Blue Blueberry and Wild Berry Zinger teas. I was really pleased w/how well the Acai Berry tastes as an Iced Tea when I gave it a try last Summer. I did four bags of it in the pitcher combined w/a Tablespoon of honey for sweetener and will be doing that again this Summer at some point.

They also have an Apple Cinnamon Zinger that I just have to have in the early Fall when it's starting to turn not cold, not warm, but crisp out if that makes sense. I tried it a couple of years ago on the reccomendation of the owner of our little Health Food Store we've got and so glad I listened to her. I swear, it's like you're drinking a Cinnamon Candy Apple and sooooo good!!! It is one of those things that goes hand in hand w/Fall though, but still excellent.

I also adore their Mint Magic tea. That's one of my favourite flavours to begin w/, but they combine four different kinds of Mint and...Sigh!!! Talk about Mint Heaven. They've got a wonderful Decaf White Mint tea too that's just fantastic.

When it comes to what's considered the "Normal" (at least w/my parents and their friends) Teas, I tend to go to Twinnings when I can find them. I do adore their Lady Grey tea. I like Earl Grey tea, but there are times when it is a bit strong for the mood I'm in and the Lady Grey fits in perfectly w/those times.

I just tried the Stash Chai for the first time a few weeks ago. I was out of Chai, my Mom was out, but couldn't find any CS Chai in the Store she was in. She saw the Stash brand of Chai was there and she bought it. I really liked it and would buy it again. As CS's Chai is the only one I've ever found in Decaf around here though, I'll stick w/it for the most part, but I'll have to pick up some more of Stash's for when I want a cup of Chai during the day and the caffeine issue won't be in play as much as it is when I have it at Bedtime.

I also ended up getting a box of their White Christmas tea a few years ago and would get that again in a heartbeat. If I ever saw it again that is. I've only found it that one time sadly. Especially as it was a Tea w/Mint in it, so it worked w/Christmas and was a Speciality Tea my Parents' friends and our older Family Members liked as well. That's rare around here, but I've only found it the once.

Anyway...Those are my suggestions. One thing a friend of my Sister's did for a gift like this, was that she found a nice cup/mug w/roses on it and then chose Rosehip Tea, among other similar teas, to go along w/it in the Basket she made up. So there's another idea to think about for you.

[Aceon6]

I'm partial to Tazo Green Ginger for easy bagged tea. For steeped, I like Earl Grey or Lady Grey.

[KCC]

Looking for a substitute for Lipton's old "Gentle Orange" tea. Most orange teas are not "gentle" (i.e., more spicy).

Favorite iced tea is a combination of chamomile and mint. Had it in NYC once and have served it for guests (and myself) ever since.

No favorite brands, but I'm going to try some of the ones listed here!

[emason]

I'm a Southerner! ICED tea, please!

Shouldn't that be ICED SWEET tea?

[Civic]

My faves are from Twining: Lady Grey and Jasmine Petal. My favorite herbal tea is probably Red Zinger by Celestial Seasons.

[AragornElessar]

KCC, give Celestial Seasonings Mandarin Orange Green Tea a try. They have it both Decaf and Regular and it's got a lovely taste that's not strong at all.

At least it doesn't to me or my Mom.

[vesperholly]

If you don't mind ordering online, Victoria's Teas (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario) is fantastic. They have a lot of specialty local blends, like Niagara ice wine tea. I love their Canadian Breakfast.

http://www.victoriasteas.com/

[Allskate]

I love Good Earth's original tea. It makes really good iced tea, too. You don't even have to add sugar because tea is not at all bitter and has a lot of flavor.

[topaz]

I drink alot of tea and I do shop at Teavana or Teavana.com

I tend to buy mostly black teas, some green teas.

My favorites are: Black Dragon Pearl(My absolute favorite tea, but expensive)
Irish Breakfast(rich, full bodied, its English Breakfast with a huge kick)
Earl Grey Creme(traditional Earl Grey with a hint of cream favor)
Capital of Heaven(you can not go wrong with this tea. Simply delicious and wonderful. When I serve this friends, never a complaint)
Copper Knot Hongcha(full and rich tea, mellow aftertaste)

Assum Breeze(sweet, fruit and nuts) - wonderful tea

I have two teapots a Bodum Glass pot I use at work and Castiron teapot. Castiron really is the way to enjoy leaf/loose teas.

Black teas can handle multiple infusions aka you can steep them again.