Make New Friends But Keep the Old. One Is Silver and the Other’s... Plum!
If you’re looking for a new best tea friend – a new “best-tea,” if you will – let me introduce you to Plum Deluxe, a wonderful tea community based in Portland, Oregon and enjoyed everywhere! If you and David have been thick as thieves for ages, then you and Plum will get along famously. All Plum Deluxe teas are hand-blended in small batches using organic, fair-trade ingredients. With their philosophy of “making moments that matter,” Plum Deluxe will always encourage you to enjoy the simple pleasures in life: a great book in a cozy nook, a hearty meal shared with friends, a quiet moment of self-reflection. These are all moments your new best-tea Plum will be there to share with you – while bringing to the table mindfully sourced and deliciously flavored teas every time.
New Best-teas For Black Tea Lovers
David’s Tea Organic Earl Grey: Meet Plum Deluxe Mindful Morning
Earl Grey tea is a classic. It’s one of the most popular teas enjoyed worldwide, and for good reason. In a traditional Earl Grey, the stoutness of black tea is delicately punctuated by a hint of bergamot, resulting in an invigorating beverage beloved by kings, queens, and myself throughout the years.
If you like the addition of blue cornflowers that David’s Tea puts into their blend, then you will love Mindful Morning, Plum Deluxe’s signature Earl Grey. It has everything you love from David’s, with the addition of orange peels and vanilla essence to enhance those citrusy notes of bergamot we all crave in our Earl Grey.
If you just can’t get enough of the Earl, Plum Deluxe has several other Earl Grey-inspired blends to choose from. Start your day with a soothing cup of Delightful Morning, a lavender Earl Grey that totally lives up to its name. Or try a fruity twist with Gratitude Blend, a strawberry Earl Grey that will have you feeling grateful with every sip. For anyone who enjoys a good Earl Grey latte, indulge in the creamiest of creamy Earl Greys with Crème Brulée Earl Grey. Look out, London Fog: you’re about to get even more awesome.
David’s Tea Vanilla Bean Black: Meet Plum Deluxe Coconut a la Crème & Housewarming Blend
David’s Vanilla Bean Black gave you a black tea with vanilla, coconut, and hibiscus blossoms – a decadent blend with just the right amount of depth and a touch of sweetness. A tough act to follow, but don’t worry! Plum Deluxe is entering the stage with two amazing options.
Coconut a la Crème includes coconut pieces, heightened by both coconut and vanilla essences, as well as calendula, so you don’t loose out on that floral note you loved from the hibiscus. Decadent, deep, with a touch of sweetness – déjà vu, anyone? Fans of Vanilla Bean Black will feel right at home.
The Housewarming Blend, also known as Vanilla Crème Brulee tea, takes the idea of vanilla black tea and turns it up to eleven. A velvety base of black tea and vanilla essence is enriched with a bouquet of florals (remember that hibiscus you loved earlier?) including jasmine, safflower, and blue malva flowers, resulting in what one friend described as, “Literally the most delicious tea ever.” From one friend to another, do yourself a favor and give this one a try.
David’s Tea Organic Blueberry Jam: Meet Plum Deluxe Huckleberry Happiness
If you adore the jammy sweetness of David’s Tea Organic Blueberry Jam, prepare to fall in love with Plum Deluxe Huckleberry Happiness. The two blends have a lot in common; both feature a berry medley of black current, elderberry, and, of course, blueberry, along with a vibrant sprinkling of blue cornflower petals.
But where Blueberry Jam rounded off the blend with raspberry flavoring, Plum Deluxe brings you a pop of brightness with huckleberry essence and hibiscus, giving it a pleasantly mouth-watering tartness that perfectly balances the sweetness of the berries. It’s so good, you’d almost swear you could slather it on toast.
David’s Tea Cardamom French Toast: Meet Plum Deluxe Spice of Life & Vanilla Latte
And speaking of toast, who doesn’t love French toast? Warm cinnamon and vanilla mingling together in tantalizing harmony? Throw in a pinch of cardamom and you’ve got yourself a little slice of heaven. For anyone who likes to harness this divine combination in their daily cuppa, rejoice! Plum Deluxe offers two blends that pay homage to those classic French toast flavors.
Spice of Life doubles down on the cinnamon notes with cinnamon chips and cinnamon essence. Cloves add a bit of depth and complexity, and orange peel adds a nice zest. (Have you ever added orange zest to your French toast? Delicious!) Serve with a squeeze of lemon to highlight the citrus and a spoonful of vanilla sugar to compliment the cinnamon, and hear the angel choir sing!
Cardamom Vanilla Crème blend, fondly known as “Vanilla Latte” despite the lack of inherent milk, incorporates the incomparable flavor of cardamom with the ever-comforting taste of vanilla. It’s lovely on its own, but the stuff of miracles when you turn it into an actual tea latte – a frothy masterpiece with a gentle dusting of cinnamon. Serve alongside a peach cardamom scone or a buttery slice of cardamom bread and experience pure bliss.
David’s Tea Organic Saigon Chai: Meet Plum Deluxe Full Moon Chai
The spices in chai are the ultimate in comfort. David’s Tea Saigon Chai and Plum Deluxe Full Moon Chai have it all; the aromatic assortment of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and clove are quintessential to what we in the West have come to associate with chai. Devotees of Saigon Chai know that the traditional spices are augmented by the addition of vanilla crème flavoring. So too with Full Moon Chai; a splash of creamy vanilla butternut extract adds warmth and vibrancy to the tea. It’s everything you want from your chai and more!
David’s Tea S’mores Chai: Meet Plum Deluxe Rainy Day Puerh
If you like your chai with a warming sweetness to it, Rainy Day Puerh will hit you right in the sweet spot.
David’s Tea’s S’mores Chai doesn’t hold back on the sugar, with hazelnut brittle, sugar, marshmallow, chocolate chips, natural and artificial chocolate, and hazelnut and marshmallow flavoring all included in the list of ingredients.
Plum Deluxe Rainy Day takes a more subtle approach. Cinnamon bark, ginger root, and anise provide a spicy base. Orange peel and safflower elevate the puerh with gentle intricacy. Sweet cinnamon oil adds a delicate flavor reminiscent of brown sugar that will satisfy your sweet tooth without giving it a cavity. Drizzle in some honey to bring out the nuances, and enjoy your sweet and spicy treat.
New Best-teas for Green Tea Lovers
David’s Tea Butterfly Jasmine and Organic Silk Dragon Jasmine: Meet Plum Deluxe Hope Blend and Garden Grove Jasmine Teas
Few beverages in this world are as lovely as jasmine tea. Delicate and refined, subtle and alluring, it soothes the soul in a way nothing else can. If you turn to David’s Butterfly Jasmine or Organic Silk Dragon for moments of tranquil serenity, consider Plum Deluxe Hope Blend and Garden Grove for your next moment of peace.
Beginning with a classic base of green tea and jasmine buds, Hope Blend then stirs in a sprinkling of blue cornflowers for a stunning pop of color and an extra dose of comfort. Garden Grove is a nuanced blend of jasmine flowers, rose petals, dried cherries, and vanilla essence. The gentle floral notes harmonize beautifully with the bright cherry and warm vanilla, resulting in an elegant, inviting tea that is equally enjoyable hot or iced.
David’s Tea Zestfully Green: Meet Plum Deluxe Raspberry Revitalizer
Looking for a tea with some zing? Zestfully Green and Raspberry Revitalizer are two sides of a zing coin! (Probably made from zing-c... that pun works better out loud.) Zestfully Green is made with matcha, while Raspberry Revitalizer is made with maté, both of which will give you a nifty caffeine boost without the crash, and both of which lend the tea a gently grassy flavor. Both teas contain apple pieces and citrus elements – orange peel and lemon flavoring for Zestfully Green, and lemongrass and lemon peel for Raspberry Revitalizer, all of which definitely bring the zing.
Zestfully Green adds grounding elements of ginger, licorice root, and blackberry leaves, while Raspberry Revitalizer keeps the zing party swinging with rosehips, hibiscus, and raspberry essence. If you love Zestfully Green, Raspberry Revitalizer might be the perfect tea to shake things up and put a new pep in your step! For all you ginger lovers who might miss that bite, you can always add a pinch of Just Ginger or Rejuvenation Blend to your cuppa.
New Best-teas for Herbal Tea Lovers
David’s Tea Chocuador: Meet Plum Deluxe Chocolate Hazelnut Dessert Tea
Chocolate and hazelnut are a glorious combination. For anyone who happily eats Nutella out of the jar by the spoonful and used to wash it down with a side of David’s Chocuador herbal tea, cleanse your palate with Plum Deluxe Chocolate Hazelnut Dessert Tea. With cocoa nibs and a one-two punch of hazelnut pieces and hazelnut essence, it packs a wallop of flavor and doesn’t knock you out cold from the sugar rush. If you crave that signature cinnamon kick of the Chocuador, stir in a dash of cinnamon sugar, and enjoy!
David’s Tea Trio – Tropic Tango, Mango Fruit Punch & Sparkling Sangria: Meet Plum Deluxe Duo – Peach Bellini & Pineapple Pop
These are a lot of teas to throw at you at once, but when going through the rosters of both David’s Tea and Plum Deluxe, it was impossible to choose the closest match! They’re all delightfully zesty blends that highlight the tangy flavors of the tropics, even on the dreariest landlocked day. Each one is fruity, invigorating, and floral, with so many overlapping ingredients we needed to create a spread sheet just to keep track.
Fans of Tropic Tango will love the apple, mango, and papaya in Peach Bellini and adore the apple, mango, calendula, and cornflower blossoms in Pineapple Pop.
If you go nuts for Mango Fruit Punch, you’ll flip for the pineapple and mango in both Plum Deluxe Blends. Peach Bellini increases the fruit punch action with strawberries, apricot pieces, orange peel, and peach and papaya essences. Pineapple Pop also has apricot and orange peel, then adds a little zip with rosehips and lemongrass and balances it out with the floral notes.
Sparkling Sangria aficionados will fall for the mango, pineapple, papaya, apple, and rose petal combination of Peach Bellini; and be equally mad for the mango, pineapple, apple, cornflower, and calendula blend in the Pineapple Pop.
Seriously, you can’t go wrong. So much tropical fruit, so many teas! Just choose a blend, brew it up, (both Plum Deluxe options are amazing cold brewed), then close your eyes and imagine yourself of a sandy beach with waves lapping against your toes. Maybe stick a tiny umbrella in your drink to complete the illusion. We could all use more tiny umbrellas in our lives.
David’s Tea Magic Potion and Bubble Gum: Meet Plum Deluxe Magic Butterfly Pea Flower Tea
Butterfly pea flowers are seriously like magic. Which you already know if you are a fan of David’s Tea Magic Potion or Bubble Gum. The gorgeous blue Magic Potion blend, which transforms to purple with the squeeze of a lemon, and the already amethyst juicy Bubble Gum blend are both delicious and fruity, adding a touch of magic to any teatime. And what do they have in common with Plum Deluxe Magic Butterfly Pea Flower Tea? To put it briefly: a lot.
Each tea includes apples, rosehips, and butterfly pea flowers. Magic Potion adds an extra fruity dimension with raspberries, blackberries, and kiwi and bilberry flavoring. Bubble Gum leans into the sweetness with pineapple, sugar, and juicy fruit, vanilla, and cream flavoring, then adds an extra touch of floral sweetness with cornflowers. Magic Butterfly tea has all the fruit and flowers in one luscious, magical blend: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, orange peel, lemon peel, blackberry leaves, melissa leaves, blue cornflowers, and hibiscus, balanced with a splash of creamy vanilla. It’s a mouthwatering, nuanced blend that will delight tea drinkers of all ages – the perfect tea to share with kids and teens. Trust me, they’ll be enchanted.
David’s Tea Tulsi Tranquility: Meet Plum Deluxe Daily Love Herbal Tea
Tulsi is another name for holy basil, and it is indeed worthy of praise. This crisp, aromatic herb provides a delicious, healing foundation for both Tulsi Tranquility and Daily Love. Both teas contain a collection of acerbic ingredients balanced out with ripe berry notes. The red current and rosehip shells and seeds in Tulsi Tranquility are mirrored by the sea buckthorn berry (an excellent source of vitamin C) and calendula in Daily Love. Where Tulsi Tranquility follows up with raspberries and strawberries, Daily Love lightens the mood with peach and strawberry essence, along with bits of orange peel (more vitamin C!) for a restorative blend that is the perfect addition to your daily self-care routine.
David’s Tea After Dinner Mint and Organic Bravissimo: Meet Plum Deluxe Wise Council and Cuddle Time Herbal Teas
After Dinner Mint is a bracing blend of peppermint, chamomile, fennel seeds, licorice root, black current, and rose petals. Organic Bravissimo also showcases peppermint, licorice root, and chamomile, but alters the tune with a lively fugue of orange peel, rosehips, and goji berries.
If the earthy, piquant qualities of the teas are what you’re after, try Wise Council. With unifying ingredients of peppermint and licorice root, you’ll enjoy a sense of familiarity while also expanding your horizons with olive leaf, lemongrass, ginger root, and lemon myrtle. The result is crisp and nourishing; a wise choice, indeed!
If you’re drawn to the cozy, relaxing vibe woven by the peppermint and chamomile, curl up with a mug of Cuddletime. The simple, soothing blend of chamomile, peppermint, and vanilla essence is truly like a hug in a mug. Snuggle in and drink up.
David’s Tea Organic Le Degestive: Meet Plum Deluxe Refreshing “After Dinner” Mint Tea
There’s nothing like a warm mug of cooling peppermint tea after dinner to settle the stomach and aid digestion – unless, perhaps, it’s a warm mug of peppermint ginger tea. If you like to tame your tum after dinner with that therapeutic peppermint/ginger fusion and have historically turned to David’s Tea Le Degestive, give Plum Deluxe Refreshing “After Dinner” Mint Tea a chance to cure what ails you.
Like Le Degistive, which includes both peppermint and apple mint, After Dinner Mint features two kinds of mint, peppermint and spearmint, for double the fresh, double the flavor. To promote digestive health, Le Degestive adds fennel and After Dinner Mint incorporates marshmallow root and clove, which deliciously accent the mint duo. Le Degestive finishes with a hint of mango flavoring for a tropical twist, while After Dinner Mint rounds out the mixture with a calming splash of vanilla essence. Between the revitalizing ginger and mints, the fortifying clove, and the comforting vanilla, your taste buds and stomach alike are sure to thank you when you follow up that evening meal with a healthy dose of After Dinner Mint Tea.
David’s Tea Organic Super Ginger: Meet Plum Deluxe Rejuvenation Blend
Ginger gets a lot of love in teas, and some consider it a superfood. Superfans of ginger may have loved David’s Tea Organic Super Ginger, a simple blend of rooibos tea, ginger, stevia extract, and white, black, and pink peppercorns. Plum Deluxe Rejuvenation Blend is a more faceted ginger tea to add to your table. Start with a classic base of ginger and lemon, add a few apple pieces for sweetness, a pinch of licorice root for balance, and top it off with a handful of rose petals for a calming influence. Voila! You’ve got yourself a stimulating ginger blend that is sure to rejuvenate your body and mind with each refreshing sip.
For the purists out there, try Just Ginger, an herbal tea that is exactly what it sounds like: ginger, plain and simple. Why mess with a good thing?
If you miss the extra heat from the peppercorns in Super Ginger, simply toss a few kernels from a peppercorn medley into your infuser along with your Rejuvenation Blend or Just Ginger. Spice is nice!
New Best-teas for the Curious Tea Lover
If you love your old favorite blends but are curious about what else is out there, take the Plum Deluxe tea quiz. It’s simple, fun, and free! Just four short questions could lead you to a new best-tea. It introduced me to my two best tea friends: Reading Nook black tea blend with lavender, rose, and chamomile; and Portland Rose City Chai. I love them both dearly, and I may never have taken a chance on them if it wasn’t for the quiz. So put yourself out there – take the quiz and make a new friend!
Teas lovers of all varieties, you need never feel like you are without tea friends, even if your local David’s is closing. You can always find tea like David’s Tea USA, with the quality of flavor you crave and the ethical standards you value, at Plum Deluxe. A friend in need is a friend indeed. And for our friends in need, Plum Deluxe is a friend with tea.
