Plum Deluxe Tea Subscription does more than just send you tea every month, they go the extra mile to make sure the tea you are getting is worthy of that stolen moment you take to drink it. I initially came across Plum Deluxe when I received it in an Organic Authority Box, and loved it. The quality is 100% there, all organic, fair trade, small batch, hand blended, and often sourced locally.
Based in Portland, Oregon (my home away from home) they are certainly in the right spot. I had my eyes opened to the world of tea on one of my many visits there and since have been tea tasting along with all the beer/wine tasting that I do! I used to think tea was boring and would just drink generic bags if it was a choice between that or just water.
I remember stopping into a tea shop and being blown away at the different blends and flavors that they had! I had an awesome time sniffing different blends and asking tons of annoying questions. I bought a whole bunch and took it home with me just in time for Lent. Yes, the Lent where I gave up all booze.
Tea. Saved. My. Life.
Since then, I have been super into finding awesome tea that tastes good and is good for me. There is something so calming about a warm mug of good tea in your hands as you think about the day!
Cost: $10/month for one tea blend that makes 15-20 cups and benefits such as 15% tea accessories, access to recipes, instructions, pairings, and more. $16/month for two tea blends that each make 15-20 cups and benefits such as 15% tea accessories, access to recipes, instructions, pairings, and more.
Each subscription option includes a smaller sample of one more tea blend.
Yay it is here! When I opened it I could not believe how good it smelled. I swear they need to start making candles because the room filled with a light fruity scent that said “This place is pretty clean and fancy” while also saying “ignore the dust and cat toys.”
I received both August and Septembers pics for the $10 a month sub.
Peaches N’ Dreams Oolong Tea (August): My birthday month was a fine one for tea! I had this tea both iced and warm. Both were good with just the right amount of fruit flavor but creamy enough to keep me from getting sick of it. Yes, it smells divine!
I looked up oolong tea and there are many origin stories for how this tea came about. It is essentially sun withered tea, and it’s appearance sort of looks like a dragon since it is curled like a dragon’s tail. Another story I got from Wikipedia was about a man whose name over time turned into oolong or something that sounds like it. You see, he was out picking tea and was distracted by a deer and totes forgot about his tea, leaving it to wither in the sun. By the time he remembered to get it, it had turned into the oolong we love today.
Begs the question… “What in the world was that deer doing?!?”
Strawberry Sunset Tea (September): Andy the owner wrote about the most cutest description of this tea ever. I am sort of put out because I don’t think I can do any better… He talks about this seeming like a “kid’s tea” and how it is the moments of being childlike as an adult that are some of the best. I agree, I love acting like kid whenever possible. If that means reaching over and pinching my sister while yelling “No pinch backs!!!” so be it.
The tea is sweet but not overly so. It has a familiar quality to me because it reminds me of sitting with my family and sharing a dessert while my mom complains loudly that I’m just like my dad but still giving me that extra huge scoop of whipped cream because I was forever “growing.”
My mom honestly still says that and at 5’10 I surely hope not… she also thinks I need to watch out for “kidnappers” as if 34 year old women were high on their list… sheesh
*Extras* Ease Herbal Tea and Deluxe Pumpkin Spice Tea: These smell so good! SO GOOD! I wish I could eat loose leaf tea. The Ease Herbal Tea has all the ingredients that Sub Bella would probably put into a beauty product, even lavender! The Pumpkin spice tea smells like the holidays and I am not sure I can go without a huge vat of this for the holidays.
I sort of imagine slipping a little vodka in it and making my own holiday cheer as I watch my sister open gifts and pretend she likes them. She is the worst actress ever. Hands down. It is like her face betrays her emotions as her eyebrows knit together and she plasters on the most fake smile. “Thank you this is… great.” She mumbles through gritted teeth.
And people wonder why I always just give her money!
Verdict: Plum Deluxe has not only a touching origin story (The Founder Andy started the subscription in honor of his mother who passed away from breast cancer and always took time to appreciate special moments while having a cup of tea), but also delivers a quality product. The unique and inventive blends along with the surprising attention to detail are rare in the subscription arena. Plum Deluxe is great for those who are new to the world of loose leaf and for those who have been around the block so to speak. I mean either way, we all deserve to sip something wonderful as we appreciate our own special moments. Something I personally should do a lot more of.
Disclosure: There are no affiliate/referral links in this post. Plum Deluxe sent this to me for my honest review.
Very good review! Hilarious but sweet at the same time. And to have discounts to purchase is awesome! The strawberry tea looks yummy!
Thanks Pnut! I love this subscription because it will actually last the month and the tea is so fresh. I wish more Americans would get into the tea thang. It really is an art!
I love Plum Deluxe – the teas are excellent, and the customer service is even better. Andy is a sweetheart – I didn’t know the origin story before, but that’s really wonderful. I like how you can add on extra teas to your monthly subscription with no additional shipping cost – it makes me more likely to try something new (like, oh, CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT!!!)
ohhhh that sounds so good! I wanna stock up on chai tea’s for holiday dessert drinking. It is a great way to keep the diet in check. Just have a nice tea and it takes care of some cravings. The chai mixes that stores sell pales in comparison to a fresh blend!
The Chocolate Hazelnut may have found its way into my next shipment. I’m not sure how that happened.
Funny how that happens… 😉
Whoops 🙂
I just signed up and already received a welcome e-mail! I’m really excited to try some new teas.
Yay maybe we can live blog a tea party? Would that be fun????
That would be fun! (Welcome again, Cecilia!)
That would be fun!
I know what I’ll be drinking!
I love the review! The teas sound interesting and love the stories. Now I am in a mood for a cup of tea. You almost got the beauty part right 🙂 I can’t use pumpkin because of my rosacea:( Things I never knew until subscription boxes.
The teas are beautiful.
*brews a cup of tea in the morning instead of coffee because of this post*
Pnut your cute I just saw this lol
I’m late to the party… you make me really want to like tea! Actually, I’ve really been wanting to like tea anyway – I try a couple of times per year but no luck. I’ve tried different flavors, I’ve tried it with milk & sugar, I’ve tried honey, I’ve tried Iced tea… I think it’s just the innate “tea” flavor that doesn’t work for me. 🙁
But tea should not be insulted as my taste buds also don’t like coffee, flavored water, most alcohol (I forced myself to eventually tolerate some light beer and red wine – especially “smooth” ones like Pinor Noir… I kinda love those now!), most soda (I like Dr. Pepper – bottled only & fountain Coke from McD but rarely drink either one). My favorite thing to drink plain water – I’m weird I know!! And my taste buds love many, many foods so… not sure why they’re so picky about drinks.
I wish I loved plain water that much! I am trying to drink more water so tea is about the only way I can get it all down!!!