I tried eight flavours of tea from chocolate digestive to mojito and found a cuppa like no other

There are few things we Brits take more seriously than our tea. For generations, debates have raged on the perfect way to make a cuppa, and everyone is sure to have their own ‘correct’ methodology for the brew that’s just right.

For my entire life, I’ve been pretty set in my tea making ways; PG tips always, one sugar, bag out and splash of semi-skimmed milk - beautiful. I’ve never been one to experiment with the wider world of teas or explore the countless loose, herbal and fruit choices that quite frankly overwhelm me whenever I’m in the supermarket.

That was until this week, thanks to the arrival of the first Bird and Blend Tea Co. store in Kent. The business has set up shop in Canterbury and can be found between Claire’s and Mountain Warehouse on The Parade in the city centre.

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Boasting over 100 different tea flavours from the classic to the bizarre, I just knew this was a spot that I had to try for myself as soon as I could. So, I headed down to give some of the most popular and peculiar varieties a try for myself. Surely a cup of tea can’t actually taste like a chocolate digestive?

So many possibili-teas

During my visit, I was guided through the fascinating world of Bird and Blend and tea making by the incredibly knowledgeable member of the team Neve. She presented me with an array of some of the most popular and interesting flavours available for a taste testing experience I won’t soon forget.

First up was sampling a couple of cold brews, starting with the Cookies and Cream flavour. Inspired by the classic Oreo cookies, I was stunned by how much it really did resemble the taste of the real thing, but with a distinct tea undertone that made for a scrumptious drink that was hard to put down.

Next was the Blueberry and Peach fruit infusion, an incredibly refreshing and sweet variety that immediately stood out as an ideal summer drink, perfect for beating the heat whenever the sun ever finally returns to the UK. Now it was onto the hot drinks, and I could not wait to try our first flavour - Chocolate Digestive.

Made with a splash of oat milk, I was genuinely bewildered by how much this little cup tasted exactly like a freshly dunked McVities and found myself quickly addicted. So much so that I kept subconsciously picking this one back up for some quick sips between tasting the next few choices.

Now it was time to move over to green tea, which was a totally new world for me anyway, but now also with the added twist of mojito inspired flavours. A huge fan of actual mojitos, I did quite like the mint heavy sensation that this drink offered, doing absolute wonders for my sinuses, though for me this tea didn’t quite stand out as a favourite.

Stop number three on our journey around the world of hot teas was Dozy Girl, which Neve explained is one of the brand’s best selling varieties. A herbal infusion that combines chamomile, lavender and rose, it had a gorgeous candle-like smell and a floral taste that would make for the perfect warm brew to unwind with at the end of a long day.

Onto the penultimate flavour of our main taste test, Strawberry Lemonade, and this one was an instant favourite. Another fruit infusion, I sampled the tea both hot and cold, each of which was thoroughly delicious and again had a real summer vibe.

For me, the cold brew absolutely stole the show and is a drink I could easily see myself drinking by the pitcher on those rare hot days. Rounding out the main taste test and invoking a completely different season, our final hot tea was the Gingerbread Chai rooibos.

Immediately from the smell alone, I felt like I’d been transported to the middle of December, with the smell of gingerbread and spices pouring up from the cup. Again I tried two varieties; the standard brew and a tea latte, another concept that was totally new to me despite having enjoyed coffee lattes for years.

Here the tea latte was the clear winner, a warming and comforting drink that had me ready to go out and make a start on my Christmas shopping. At the end of it wall, it was clear to me that the Chocolate Digestive flavour was the overall winner and a tea that I can see holding a place in my cupboard for a while to come.

Before heading off, I also learnt about the world of matcha tea, again an area I’m completely unversed, and was fascinated by the intricate brewing process that requires the use of a specially crafted bamboo whisk. Bird and Blend boasts the largest selection of matcha flavours in the UK, and after sampling a cup for myself, I quickly saw the appeal of its rich taste and apparent health benefits that come thanks to its abundance of antioxidants and nutrients.

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