Smoked Maple

Cooler weather calls for hot tea cocktails – the ones that warm your cheeks up, sip by sip. Perfect after dinner, or while cozied up by the fire, tea puts a fun twist on the classic slow sipper.

Everybody's feeling a little Irish this month, why not enjoy an Irish cuppa?

The bright, vibrant hibiscus blossom is recognized in many parts of the world as much for its gorgeous petal displays and cultural significance as for the splendidly sweet and tangy taste of the herbal tea it produces. In Hawaii, for instance, a woman who wears the hibiscus flower behind her left ear is indicating that she would like to take a lover, while one who wears it behind her right has already been claimed. One who wears it behind both, however, may present a bit of a quandary to the potential man, or else a laid-back dream come true: she already has one lover, but wouldn’t mind another.

To help you celebrate Hot Tea Month by discovering some new and exciting teas, we asked our Tea Sommelier, Alicja, for her top five picks from the Shanti collection.

It is a rare and special tea that comes from land tradtionally associated with coffee. Los Andes is just such a tea, grown on a Guatemalan nature reserve that rests in the shadows of the volcano of Atitlán. The nature reserve is home to abundant plants and wildlife, including Guatemala's national bird, the Resplendent Quetzal.

Making a concentrated brew allows you to use tea for so many other purposes besides a hot cuppa.

ROY-bus. Though it make not look like it, next time you walk into your favorite tea shop, it’s the right way to ask for a cup of that yummy “rooibos” stuff. But the way you say it’s just the start—Rooibos, that deliciously sweet herbal blend that seems to be cropping up at every tea (and now, coffee!) shop has got a pretty sweet story, too.

If you’re a fan of the London Fog, or Earl Grey tea latte, try this seasonal twist for spring and summer. It’s like an iced London Fog, but with cold froth/foam on top. Before you stir, the cold froth sits on top of the tea, looking a bit like clouds, while infusing your iced tea latte with creaminess.