Collection - Every Cup A Destination Gift Set

A Journey Through Tea's Greatest Traditions

Every Cup A Destination is more than a gift set—it's a passport to the world's most celebrated tea regions, a curated exploration of flavor, culture, and centuries of tea-making artistry. This thoughtfully assembled collection features four exceptional teas, each representing a distinct terroir, tradition, and taste experience that transports you across continents with every sip.

Your Personalized Tea Tasting Guide

Welcome to your curated tea journey! This guide will help you explore each tea mindfully, developing your palate and deepening your appreciation for the artistry behind every cup. Whether you're new to loose leaf tea or a seasoned enthusiast, this tasting experience will reveal new dimensions of flavor, aroma, and cultural connection.

How to Use This Tasting Guide

Prepare Your Tasting Space: Choose a quiet time when you can focus without distractions. Gather a notebook to record your impressions, a timer, and fresh filtered water. Use white or clear cups so you can observe the tea's color.

Tasting Order: We recommend tasting from lightest to boldest to avoid overwhelming your palate. Follow this sequence: Simply Gorgeous (white) → Imagination (green) → Golden Time of Day (oolong) → Gloria, Audre, Toni & Zora's Tea Party (black).

Cleanse Your Palate: Between teas, rinse your mouth with room temperature water and wait 5-10 minutes. Plain crackers or bread can also help reset your palate.

Destination 1: Simply Gorgeous White Tea Blend

Origin: Yunnan Province, China
Ingredients: Premium white tea, dehydrated roses, lavender, hibiscus
Brewing: 175°F | 4 minutes | 4 grams per 8 oz water

Visual Observation

Dry Leaf: Notice the silvery-white tea leaves mixed with vibrant purple lavender, deep pink rose petals, and crimson hibiscus. The contrast is stunning—this tea is as beautiful unbrewed as it is in your cup.

Liquor Color: Watch as the tea steeps into a pale golden-pink hue, like a sunset reflected in water. The color comes from the hibiscus, while the white tea keeps it delicate and translucent.

Aroma Assessment

Dry Leaf Aroma: Bring the dry leaves to your nose. What do you smell? Look for floral notes (rose, lavender), subtle sweetness, and a fresh, clean scent.

Wet Leaf Aroma: After steeping, smell the wet leaves in your infuser. The heat releases different aromatic compounds—you might notice the lavender becomes more pronounced, while the white tea adds a gentle, vegetal sweetness.

Cup Aroma: Hover your nose over the brewed tea. The steam carries delicate floral notes. Can you distinguish between the rose (sweet, romantic) and lavender (herbal, calming)?

Flavor Profile

First Sip: Take a small sip and let it coat your entire palate. Notice the initial impression—is it sweet? Floral? Light?

Mid-Palate: As the tea sits on your tongue, what flavors emerge? Look for: gentle white tea sweetness, rose petal softness, lavender's herbal character, and hibiscus tartness.

Finish: After swallowing, what lingers? White tea typically leaves a clean, slightly sweet aftertaste with floral echoes.

Mouthfeel: How does the tea feel in your mouth? Simply Gorgeous should be light, smooth, and silky—almost like drinking flower-scented air.

Tasting Notes to Record

- Dominant flavors: _______
- Sweetness level (1-10): _______
- Astringency (drying sensation): _______
- Body (light/medium/full): _______
- Mood this tea evokes: _______
- Best time of day for you: _______

Food Pairing Experiment

Try Simply Gorgeous with: fresh berries, lemon shortbread, mild Brie cheese, or cucumber sandwiches. Notice how the food changes your perception of the tea and vice versa.

Destination 2: Imagination Green Tea Blend

Origin: China
Ingredients: Premium green tea, lemongrass, lemon verbena, blue lotus
Brewing: 175°F | 4 minutes | 4 grams per 8 oz water

Visual Observation

Dry Leaf: Observe the vibrant green tea leaves mixed with pale lemongrass and the distinctive blue lotus petals. The color palette is fresh and inviting.

Liquor Color: This is where Imagination Tea becomes magical—watch as it steeps into a tranquil blue color. The blue lotus creates this unique hue. Notice how the color shifts as it steeps.

Aroma Assessment

Dry Leaf Aroma: The lemongrass dominates the dry aroma—bright, citrusy, and uplifting. Can you detect the green tea's vegetal notes underneath?

Wet Leaf Aroma: After steeping, the green tea becomes more prominent, adding a fresh, grassy character to the citrus notes.

Cup Aroma: The brewed tea releases a complex bouquet—lemon, fresh grass, and a subtle floral note from the blue lotus.

Flavor Profile

First Sip: Notice the immediate brightness—this tea wakes up your palate with citrus and vegetal notes.

Mid-Palate: Look for: green tea's vegetal sweetness, lemongrass citrus, lemon verbena's herbal lemon character, and blue lotus's gentle floral notes. The combination is refreshing and uplifting.

Finish: Green tea often leaves a slightly astringent, clean finish. The lemongrass adds a lingering citrus note.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied, crisp, and refreshing—like a palate cleanser.

Tasting Notes to Record

- Dominant flavors: _______
- Citrus intensity (1-10): _______
- Astringency level: _______
- How does the blue color affect your experience?: _______
- Energy level after drinking: _______
- Creative thoughts or feelings: _______

Food Pairing Experiment

Try Imagination Tea with: Asian salads, rice dishes, lemon sorbet, or goat cheese. The citrus notes complement acidic and fresh flavors beautifully.

Destination 3: Golden Time of Day Oolong Blend

Origin: Ilam, Nepal (7,200 feet elevation)
Ingredients: High-altitude oolong, dehydrated bananas, natural hazelnut-amaretto flavoring
Brewing: 200°F | 4 minutes | 4 grams per 8 oz water

Visual Observation

Dry Leaf: Notice the dark, twisted oolong leaves—they look almost claw-like. This is characteristic of high-quality oolong. The banana pieces add golden accents.

Liquor Color: Watch the tea steep into a rich amber-gold color, like liquid sunshine. This deeper color indicates the oolong's partial oxidation.

Aroma Assessment

Dry Leaf Aroma: The dry leaves release nutty, toasted aromas with hints of fruit. Can you detect the hazelnut and banana?

Wet Leaf Aroma: After steeping, the oolong's natural complexity emerges—look for notes of toasted nuts, stone fruit, and a subtle spiciness (nutmeg).

Cup Aroma: The brewed tea is aromatic and inviting—hazelnut, apricot, banana, and a whisper of amaretto create a dessert-like bouquet.

Flavor Profile

First Sip: Notice the immediate richness—this tea has more body than the previous two. It coats your palate with smooth, nutty sweetness.

Mid-Palate: Look for: oolong's natural hazelnut and apricot notes, banana sweetness, nutmeg spice, and the luxurious amaretto essence. The flavors are layered and complex.

Finish: Oolong typically leaves a long, sweet finish with lingering nutty notes. Notice how the flavor evolves even after swallowing.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied, smooth, and almost creamy. This tea has presence and warmth.

Tasting Notes to Record

- Dominant flavors: _______
- Sweetness level (1-10): _______
- Nuttiness intensity: _______
- Body (light/medium/full): _______
- How does altitude affect flavor?: _______
- Dessert-like qualities: _______

Food Pairing Experiment

Try Golden Time of Day with: almond biscotti, grilled meats, roasted vegetables, aged Gouda, or stone fruit tarts. The nutty, sweet character complements rich, savory foods.

Second Infusion Experiment

Oolong teas excel at multiple infusions. After your first tasting, steep the same leaves again for 5 minutes. Notice how the flavor changes—often the second steep reveals different notes and becomes smoother.

Destination 4: Gloria, Audre, Toni & Zora's Tea Party

Origin: Darjeeling, India
Ingredients: FTGFOP Darjeeling black tea, ginger, cinnamon, orange, bourbon vanilla
Brewing: 200°F | 4 minutes | 4 grams per 8 oz water

Visual Observation

Dry Leaf: Observe the fine, tippy Darjeeling leaves (FTGFOP grade means "Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe"—the highest quality). Notice the golden tips mixed with spices and orange bits.

Liquor Color: Watch as this tea steeps into a deep amber-brown, the darkest of your four teas. This rich color comes from full oxidation of the black tea.

Aroma Assessment

Dry Leaf Aroma: The spices dominate—warm cinnamon, spicy ginger, and sweet vanilla create an inviting, almost festive aroma.

Wet Leaf Aroma: After steeping, the Darjeeling's muscatel grape character emerges alongside the spices. The combination is complex and warming.

Cup Aroma: The brewed tea releases a symphony of aromas—black tea's malty depth, cinnamon warmth, ginger spice, orange brightness, and vanilla smoothness.

Flavor Profile

First Sip: Notice the boldness—this tea has the most robust character of your collection. It's warming, spiced, and full-bodied.

Mid-Palate: Look for: Darjeeling's characteristic muscatel grape notes, malty black tea base, warming ginger and cinnamon spice, bright orange citrus, and smooth bourbon vanilla. The complexity is remarkable—each sip reveals new layers.

Finish: Black tea leaves a longer, more astringent finish than lighter teas. The spices linger, creating a warming sensation. The vanilla smooths the finish beautifully.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, robust, and warming. This tea has weight and presence—it's satisfying and substantial.

Tasting Notes to Record

- Dominant flavors: _______
- Spice intensity (1-10): _______
- Astringency level: _______
- Muscatel grape notes detected?: _______
- How does this tea make you feel?: _______
- Literary connections or thoughts: _______

Food Pairing Experiment

Try Gloria, Audre, Toni & Zora's Tea Party with: dark chocolate, pound cake, aged cheddar, spiced cookies, or hearty breakfast foods. This tea stands up to bold flavors and rich foods.

Cultural Connection

While tasting, consider reading a passage from Gloria Naylor's Mama Day, Audre Lorde's Sister Outsider, Toni Morrison's The Song of Solomon, or Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. Notice how the tea enhances your reading experience.

Comparative Tasting: Putting It All Together

After tasting all four teas individually, brew small amounts of each and taste them side by side. This comparative approach reveals:

Color Spectrum: Arrange the cups from lightest to darkest. Notice the visual journey from pale pink-gold (Simply Gorgeous) to tranquil blue (Imagination) to amber-gold (Golden Time of Day) to deep amber-brown (Gloria, Audre, Toni & Zora's).

Flavor Intensity: Which tea is most delicate? Which is boldest? How does processing (white, green, oolong, black) affect flavor intensity?

Caffeine Awareness: Notice how you feel after each tea. White and green teas have less caffeine (5-45mg), oolong is moderate (30-60mg), and black tea is highest (60-90mg). How does this affect your energy and focus?

Personal Preferences: Which tea resonates most with you? Why? Consider flavor, aroma, appearance, and the mood each tea creates.

Advanced Tasting Techniques

The Slurp Method

Professional tea tasters use a slurping technique to aerate the tea and spread it across the entire palate. Take a small sip and slurp air through the tea (it will make a sound—that's normal!). This technique intensifies flavors and helps you detect subtle notes.

Temperature Tasting

Taste each tea at three temperatures: hot (just brewed), warm (after 5 minutes), and room temperature (after 15 minutes). Notice how flavors change as the tea cools. Some notes become more pronounced, others fade.

Multiple Infusion Exploration

All four teas can be steeped 2-3 times. For each subsequent infusion, increase steeping time by 30-60 seconds. Record how flavors evolve:- First infusion: Often brightest and most aromatic- Second infusion: Usually smoother, with different notes emerging- Third infusion: Gentler, more subtle, revealing the tea's underlying character

Building Your Tea Vocabulary

Use these descriptors to articulate your tasting experience:

Aroma: Floral, fruity, vegetal, nutty, spicy, earthy, woody, smoky, sweet, fresh, grassy, citrus, herbal

Flavor: Sweet, bitter, astringent, umami, sour, malty, honeyed, fruity, floral, vegetal, nutty, spicy, smooth, crisp, bright, bold, delicate

Mouthfeel: Light, medium, full-bodied, silky, smooth, creamy, crisp, dry, astringent, coating, refreshing, warming

Finish: Clean, lingering, short, long, sweet, dry, smooth, astringent, warming, cooling

Creating Your Tea Journal

Document your journey with these prompts:

1. Date & Time: When did you taste this tea?
2. Brewing Parameters: Water temperature, steeping time, tea-to-water ratio
3. Visual Notes: Dry leaf appearance, liquor color, clarity
4. Aroma Notes: Dry leaf, wet leaf, cup aroma
5. Flavor Profile: First impression, mid-palate, finish
6. Mouthfeel: Body, texture, astringency
7. Food Pairings: What did you eat with it? How did they interact?
8. Mood & Setting: How did you feel? What was the environment?
9. Overall Rating: 1-10 scale
10. Would You Brew Again?: Yes/No and why

Hosting a Tea Tasting Party

Share your Every Cup A Destination experience with friends:

Setup: Brew all four teas and serve in clear cups. Provide tasting notes sheets and pencils for guests.

Guided Tasting: Lead guests through each tea using this guide. Encourage discussion and comparison of impressions.

Food Pairings: Create a tasting menu with suggested pairings for each tea. Visit www.iftheseboardscouldtalk.com for charcuterie board inspiration.

Cultural Context: Share the origin stories of each tea. Discuss the regions, processing methods, and cultural significance.

Blind Tasting: For advanced tasters, serve the teas without revealing which is which. Can guests identify them by flavor alone?

Deepening Your Tea Knowledge

This tasting guide is just the beginning. To continue your tea education:

Explore Processing Methods: Research how white, green, oolong, and black teas are made. Understanding processing helps you appreciate flavor differences.

Study Terroir: Learn about the regions where your teas are grown. How do altitude, climate, and soil affect flavor?

Try Single Origins: After tasting these blends, explore single-origin versions of each tea type to understand the base tea's character.

Experiment with Brewing: Adjust water temperature, steeping time, and tea quantity to see how it affects flavor. There's no single "correct" way—find what you enjoy.

The Journey Continues

Every Cup A Destination is designed to be the beginning of your tea journey, not the end. Each tea in this collection represents a gateway to deeper exploration:

- From Simply Gorgeous: Explore other white teas like Bai Mudan, Bai Long Xu, or Whispers of Yen
- From Imagination: Try pure green teas like Sencha, Lu Yu's Gift, or Gross National Happiness
- From Golden Time of Day: Discover oolongs like Bai Ho Oriental Beauty, Twilight Talons, or Lạc Hồng
- From Gloria, Audre, Toni & Zora's: Experience black teas like Golden Threads of Nepal, Khumbu Valley Gold, or Silk Road Breakfast

Your Tasting Timeline

Week 1: Taste each tea individually using this guide. Take detailed notes.
Week 2: Experiment with food pairings. Try each tea with suggested foods.
Week 3: Explore multiple infusions. Notice how flavors evolve.
Week 4: Conduct a comparative tasting. Identify your favorite and understand why.

Final Thoughts: Tea as Mindfulness Practice

Beyond flavor and aroma, tea tasting is a mindfulness practice. Each cup invites you to slow down, engage your senses, and be fully present. In our distracted world, the simple act of brewing and tasting tea becomes a meditation—a moment of connection with yourself, with distant tea gardens, and with centuries of tradition.

As you journey through these four destinations, remember: there are no wrong answers in tea tasting. Your experience is uniquely yours. Trust your palate, record your impressions honestly, and most importantly, enjoy the journey.

Welcome to the world of tea. Every cup is a destination. Where will you travel today?

Product Details

What's Included:
- Simply Gorgeous White Tea Blend
- Imagination Green Tea Blend
- Golden Time of Day Oolong Blend
- Gloria, Audre, Toni & Zora's Tea Party Black Tea Blend
- Brewing instructions for each tea
- Origin stories and tasting notes

Perfect For: Tea enthusiasts, gift giving, corporate appreciation, wellness seekers, travelers, mindfulness practitioners, book clubs, and anyone curious about global tea culture.

Sourcing & Values: All teas are ethically sourced from family-owned gardens, supporting sustainable agriculture and fair labor practices. No chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Just pure, premium tea crafted with care and respect for tradition.

Begin your journey. Taste the world. Discover Every Cup A Destination.