Simple Loose Leaf is a loose leaf tea subscription box. Choose from the Original Sampler Box (which contains some caffeinated teas and some herbal teas), Herbal Decaf Box, Green Tea Box, or Black Tea Box.
This is a review of the Original Sampler Box, which costs $9.00 a month plus $2.99 US shipping.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Simple Loose Leaf
The Subscription Box: Simple Loose Leaf
The Cost: $9/month (save with longer subscriptions)
LIMITED TIME DEAL: Use code 3B1TEA to save 33% off your first month!
The Products: four different hand-packaged loose leaf teas; this is a review of the Original Sampler Box and includes a black tea, a green tea, an oolong, and an herbal tea (the types received per month may vary a little – you won’t always get an oolong, for example)
Ships to: The United States for $2.99 and Canada for $9.49
Simple Loose Leaf December 2018 Review
There isn’t a monthly theme, and there is already brewing information on each pouch of tea (as you will see below), but there was a simple brochure this month:
Here is the booklet that came with this shipment.
4 Reusable Linen Tea Filters
If you are new to drinking loose leaf tea, not to worry. Simple Loose Leaf has you covered with these reusable tea filter bags. I used these to brew this month’s teas and they worked quite well. You’ll get a new set of 4 bags every month, too. I am happy to see that these are unbleached.
Fujian Oolong – Buy 2 oz for $6
You won’t receive an oolong every month, but this month we did get one. This one is described as having a bit of a roasted aroma and I actually think that’s accurate (you’ll know what I mean if you have had genmaicha, which has roasted rice in it). This is also one that you don’t want to over-steep or it may get a little bitter. (However, you can re-steep the leaves more than once if that’s something you’re into.) Anyway, lately, I’m really into “plain” (i.e., not mixed with other herbs, fruits, flavors, etc.) teas so I was a fan of this one.
Hathikuli Black – Buy 2 oz for $6
This is from the Assam region of India (and thus it is an Indian-style black tea, so more familiar to the Western palate than East Asian varieties). I will go for a plain black tea pretty much every time over anything else and this one is already gone (I take the teas from this subscription into my office to drink and go through multiple cups per day).
Japanese Kukicha – Buy 2 oz for $17
Wow, this one is expensive! It is interesting, as it is mostly made from stems, stalks, and twigs, rather than leaves (think of it as a byproduct of making sencha or matcha). Oftentimes, stems and such are considered undesirable in tea blends, but here they are considered premium. And, I have to say, I enjoy the flavor of this more than I expected, but it is another one that will get bitter if over-steeped (again, though, re-steeping is recommended). This one is good to have after lunch if you’ve had something with onions or garlic and don’t have the opportunity to brush your teeth. (I find that I can say that about a lot of green teas, though.)
Midnight Herbal – Buy 2 oz for $8
Well, this is probably the prettiest tea to look at this month, with the lavender flowers and rose petals. I was a little sad to see lemongrass, as I just am not a fan of lemongrass at all and it seems to be very trendy lately (in tea and in beauty products). If you steep this for the recommended time and don’t go over, though, the lemongrass isn’t too prominent. There is a warning on the product page that this may need to be sweetened with honey, but I didn’t think so. (Your mileage may vary.)
Verdict: This subscription is only $11.99 (including shipping to the US), so you can think of this as getting four teas for $3 each. There’s enough in each bag to brew about 5 cups (if you measure, which I admittedly usually don’t), which works out to about 60 cents per cup, with the bags thrown in as a nice extra. Since some of the teas can be re-steeped, you are getting even more cups out of the package. These are often exclusive blends and/or hard-to-find cultivars, often not available in retail packaging at these small sample sizes, and it’s a great way to try some new blends before committing to a full-size purchase. As usual, I was a fan of most this month’s selections. I may not be very original, but I think the Hathikuli Black was my favorite.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, boxes ship on the first of the month so your first box would be January’s.
LIMITED TIME DEAL: Use code 3B1TEA to save 33% off your first month!
Value Breakdown: At $11.99 per month, you are paying about $3 per tea.
Check out all of our Simple Loose Leaf Team Box reviews and the Drinks Subscription Box List for more tea subscription boxes!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What did you think of Simple Loose Leaf? Do you get any tea subscriptions?
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