Cascadia Tea Festival 2025

The Cascadia Spring Tea Festival was held on April 11, 2025 in Everett, Washington. This was a successful 4th year for the small volunteer-run event whose focus is to connect with community by sharing tea and its traditions.

The festival returned to Forest Park, a lovely woodland setting, with vendors and focused tea tastings in Floral Hall. New this year were classes and the welcome expansion into Lions Hall which hosted even more tea tastings.

This year there was also a Tea Pet Licensing station and it was vitally important that I get my new tea pet, Beep, licensed by Osmanthus Tea Bunny.

Lions Hall Tea Tastings

Diarmuid Fahy & Sam Culwell shared several teas from their collection.

Ancient Tree Red (Yunnan)

Shan Lin Xi

30 Year Aged Roasted Oolong

Li Shan

Josh Brock (The Empty Tea Cup) was pouring a white tea from Crimson Lotus.

Yunnan Bai Cha

Gabriel Lukeris (Tea Dive) shared several teas from Japan.

Hojicha

Wakoucha (Shizuoka)

Kukicha

Thanks to everyone who made this wonderful community event possible!  I had a fantastic time!

Tea Review: Sunset in Seattle (Everything Tea)

Sunset in Seattle

Everything Tea

Type: Flavored Herbal
Origin: Not provided.
Product Description: 

Getting sleepy in Seattle! Rosehips, vanilla, chamomile, valerian, sassafras, spearmint, strawberry leaves, raspberry leaves, lemon grass, hyssop, wintergreen passion flowers, lemon peel, white cherry, and herbs.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3-5 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes rosehips, vanilla, chamomile, valerian, sassafras, spearmint, strawberry leaves, raspberry leaves, lemon grass, hyssop, wintergreen passion flowers, lemon peel, white cherry, and herbs.

The golden infusion has a sweet aroma with notes of mint, lemongrass, and spearmint at the forefront.  The taste is smooth and sweet with notes of cooling mint, lemongrass and a hint of rosehip tartness near the finish.

This tisane is lovely and light with a refreshing taste and aroma.  While the flavor mellows after the initial infusion, increasing the steeping time after each infusion resulted in three pleasant cups of tea. 

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Licorice Mint (MyNecessitea)

Licorice Mint

MyNecessitea
Type: Flavored Herbal
Origin: Not Provided
Product Description: 

A soothing sweet herbal tisane packed with vitamins.  This is one of Necessitea’s custom blends.  Perfect for fighting off the common cold.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3-7 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes licorice root, peppermint, and rose hips.

The amber infusion has an aroma notes of peppermint, licorice, and a hint of rose.  The taste is sweet with balanced notes of licorice and mint and a long finish.

This was tasty and refreshing with cheerful notes of candy cane and licorice.  I've found comfort in a similar blend that is no longer available, so I was delighted when I came across this blend.  Longer steeping times after the initial infusion kept the flavor lively throughout three infusions.

This tea was purchased by me at NW Tea Festival 2024.

Tea Review: Glow (Matter Tea Company)

Glow

Matter Tea Company
Type: Herbal
Origin: Not provided
Product Description: Not provided.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes roasted dandelion root, burdock root, fennel seed, whole lemon pieces, ginger root, cardamom, calendula, and chamomile.

The golden infusion has a sweet and spicy aroma with notes of fennel, ginger, and cardamom at the front.  The taste is sweet-tart and spicy with an apple-like tanginess that becomes smoother with sip.   

This delicious tisane reminded me of apples and chai spices, similar to apple cider but with more complexity and without the sweetness.  While the color became lighter after the second infusion, the flavors remained full and became even more interesting by the third infusion when the spices moved to the front.

I picked up this tea from the vendor at Tea Fest PDX 2024.  They were not set up for online ordering at the time of this review.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Blended Herbal Tea, Grandma (Yunomi/Nakazen)

Blended Herbal Tea, Grandma/おばあ茶ん
Nakazen/Yunomi
Type: Herbal
Origin: Japan, Okinawa
Product Description: 

Grandma is a tea blended with 8 different types of herbs. With no astringency, the sunny flavor profile has a hint of mulberry leaves, and conjures up images of a tropical rainforest.

Temperature: 208-212° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 5-10 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes sicklepod, Job’s Tears, dokudami (Houttuynia cordata/Chinese lizard tail), kumis kucing (Orthosiphon aristatus/cat's whiskers), safflower, guava leaves, biwa (loquat) leaves, and reishi mushroom.

The golden infusion has a spicy herbal aroma reminiscent of wild rice seasoning and autumn leaves.  The taste is sweet and herbaceous with notes of seasonings, cooked rice, and nuts.

This was a fascinating and surprisingly pleasant blend with a comforting aroma and taste.  The appearance and aroma of the dry blend reminded me distinctly of autumn.  For the purposes of this review, I initially prepared three infusions using 208° F water, 5 grams of leaf, and steeping for 5 minutes with very pleasing results.  I also prepared an infusion following the directions on the packaging, boiling 6 grams of leaf for 10 minutes in 250ml water with similar results, though there seemed to be just a little more flavor in the 5-minute infusions.  

At the time of this review, this herbal blend is not currently available.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Sinus Relief (Friday Afternoon)

Sinus Relief

Friday Afternoon
Type: Herbal
Origin: Not provided
Product Description: 

A gentle herbal remedy for congested and runny sinuses with built-in immune support. Try it with honey and lemon for sore throats, or drink it any time for a delicious decaf tisane.

Temperature: 185° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3-4 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes lemon peel, ginger, peppermint, spearmint, and elderflower.

The aroma of the amber infusion is sweet with bold notes of mint followed by lighter notes of ginger and lemon.  The taste is savory with mint, ginger, and lemon notes.  

This blend was soothing and flavorful without being overwhelming.  While the flavor and aroma mellowed slightly after each infusion, the flavor continued to be comforting and enjoyable throughout three infusions with ginger notes moving to the front by the third.  

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Homemade Lemongrass and Kamairicha Herb Tea (Yunomi/Kajihara Tea Garden)

Homemade Lemongrass and Kamairicha Herb Tea
Yunomi/Kajihara Tea Garden
Type: Flavored Green
Origin: Japan, Kumamoto Prefecture, Ashikita
Product Description:

A unique herbal blend of Kajihara-san's home made refreshing lemongrass and the umami of our kamairicha.

Since it can also be enjoyed cold, this homemade herbal tea is popular year round! A wonderful tea to have amongst your selection of teas.

Temperature: 194° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1 minute

The dry leaf blend includes lemongrass and green tea.

The aroma of the light yellow infusion is rich and savory with notes of butter and lemongrass.  The mellow citrus-like notes of lemongrass make up most of the flavor with hints of green tea in the back and no astringency.

For the purpose of this review I followed the instructions on the package, brewing for 1 minute with 194° F water.  While the first two infusions were slightly savory, the third infusion was notably sweet with a greener liquor color.  It was nice to try something a little different and the results were absolutely lovely and refreshing if you enjoy lemongrass as much as I do.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Northwest Alder Leaf Reserve (Smith Teamaker)

Northwest Alder Leaf Reserve

Smith Teamaker
Type: Herbal
Origin: USA
Product Description: 

Crafted by the hands of Mr. Henger, this is a domestic tea like nothing else in the world. The buds and young leaves are harvested from wild Pacific Northwest Alder trees and processed using Chinese black tea techniques. A true micro-batch innovation with notes of rose, pine resin and sun-dried tomatoes. American teamaking at its finest.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1.5-4 minutes

The dry leaves have a sweet and tart aroma reminiscent of grapes, cherries and prunes.

The orange amber infusion has an aroma of baked cherries, pine, and autumn leaves.  The taste is mildly tart with notes of baked cherries and pine or fir needles and a long finish.

This was truly a unique and pleasant tasting experience.  While the fullest flavor is in the first two infusions, there is still plenty of flavor for a few more.  Shorter or longer steeping times will still provide flavorful results.  I was reminded of the tartness of freshly baked cherry pie and the fir needles that made up part of tea blend I've reviewed before. Autumn is currently in full swing at the time of this review and I've collected a variety of dried tree leaves.  Within that collection, I've noticed that oak leaves have a distinct sweet aroma that these alder leaves seem to share. 

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Tender Loving Care Herbal Tea (Plum Deluxe)

Tender Loving Care (Tea-LC) Herbal Tea

Plum Deluxe
Type: Flavored Herbal
Origin: Not Provided
Product Description: 

Take care of your emotional health - and enjoy a major vitamin C boost - with a cup of our Tender Loving Care herbal tea, or Tea-LC for short.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3-5 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes green rooibos, sea buckthorn berry, orange, and rosehips.

The liquor is orange with a sweet and tart citrus and lemongrass-like aroma.  The taste is sweet and lightly tart with lemongrass notes all the way through into the finish.

This was a particularly tasty tisane that I could happily drink regularly.  I especially enjoyed the long finish.  The aroma of the dry leaves reminded me of a fruity breakfast cereal which delighted my inner child.

This tea review was written in September 2021. This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Tea Review: Silent Night (Smith Teamaker)

Silent Night

Smith Teamaker
Type: Herbal
Origin: USA, India, Sumatra
Product Description:

A caffeine-free candy cane in a cup. Northwest-grown peppermint leaves waltzing in a winter wonderland of cinnamon, ginger, and sweet licorice. Tastes especially delightful when the weather outside is frightful.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 2.5 grams
Steeping Time: 4-5 minutes

The dry leaves are a blend of cassia, peppermint, licorice root, sweet blackberry leaves, Indian sarsaparilla, ginger root, stevia leaves, and cassia essential oil.

The golden infusion has a sweet aroma of mint, licorice, and vanilla.  The taste is sweet and minty with notes of vanilla, licorice and a long mint and licorice finish.

I removed the tea from its sachet for the purpose of this review.  The flavor was reminiscent of candy canes while somehow smoother. While peppermint notes were more pronounced at 5 minutes, this tea was delightful when steeped for 4 minutes, though a 5 minute steep does bring out more pronounced peppermint flavor.  The fullest flavor is in the first infusion, mellowing with each subsequent infusion.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Turmeric Spiced Herbal Tea Tisane (Vahdam Teas)

Turmeric Spiced Herbal Tea Tisane
Vahdam Teas
Type: Herbal
Origin: India
Product Description:

A timeless Indian combination of pure golden Turmeric chunks and top ginger - soothing and smooth.

Temperature: 208° F

Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, lemongrass, and bergamot.

The golden liquor has an aroma of turmeric, sweet cinnamon, ginger, and lemongrass.  The most prominent flavors are of spicy ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and lemongrass. 

This tisane has a pleasantly spicy kick similar to the freshly grated ginger infusion I make when I'm feeling under the weather, which I definitely appreciated.  The flavor and spiciness held up beautifully throughout three infusions with the promise of many more.  

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Winter Cheer (Flying Bird Botanicals)

Winter Cheer
Flying Bird Botanicals
Type: Herbal
Origin: Not provided
Product Description: 

Chocolatey minty spicy goodness to warm your soul. Our Cooperatively grown heirloom cacao nibs and delicious spices combine with refreshing peppermint. Perfect for the Winter season or anytime you'd like to cozy up with a delicious cup.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 2.5 grams
Steeping Time: 7 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes cocoa nibs, peppermint, spearmint, roasted chicory root, carob, ginger, honey bush, rooibos, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, cloves, vanilla bean, and stevia.

The copper orange infusion has a sweet aroma of mint, cocoa, cloves, and vanilla.  The taste is lightly sweet and minty, mildly spicy with a hint of cocoa and a long minty finish.

For the purpose of this review, I removed the tea from its compostable teabag.  The subtle aroma of the dry leaf immediately burst into full life with the addition of hot water.  While brewing for 5 minutes produced nice results, brewing for the recommended 7 minutes allowed the spices to fully develop, adding depth of flavor without becoming overwhelmingly bold.  The fullest flavor was in the first two infusions while subsequent infusions were mellow and minty.  As the name suggests, the pleasant flavor and aroma of this herbal blend evokes quiet, relaxing winter evenings.

This tea was purchased by me.