Sprudge is a coffee website, this is true. And coffee bars serve coffee—no big surprise there. But increasingly the role tea plays in the modern coffee bar setting has become a source of significant interest (and pride) at many of the world’s best cafes. And the daily consumption of tea here at Sprudge HQ has reached a fever pitch; we’ve been in all-in on tea for several years now, and my own personal tea practice now dominates its own little corner of my kitchen. Tea and coffee get along beautifully, and we’ve gone so far as to memorialize the obsession in t-shirt form.
For tea-curious readers looking for a great place to get started, a brand new, sumptuously designed box set from our partners at Dona Teas & Tisanes has you covered. Dubbed the Dona Tea Library, each box boasts 36 biodegradable sachets, comprised of the very best from Dona’s entire menu of green, white, oolong, black, and herbal teas. Packaged alongside a detailed sourcing map that draws on the source-specific ethos of specialty coffee culture, this box set is a crash course on the diverse and fascinating world of modern tea.
I simply had to learn more, as I steeped and slurped and brewed my way through the box set, so I sat down with the folks from Dona to ask a few questions. Happy brewing!
What’s included in the box set?
Each box has 36 sachets: two of each of our menu of green, white, oolong, black, and herbal teas. Complete with a detailed sourcing map, this project reflects our dedication to complex yet balanced flavors, equitably sourced ingredients, and unparalleled quality
Tell us a little bit about the tea library box set’s design—it reminds me of a multi-disc vinyl album, was that intentional? Who did you work with on design for this project?
It wasn’t intentional, but we love that feedback! Our intention was to make it look like a coffee table book—something artsy, eye-catching, intriguing, and a good display piece. We worked with Fix Studio based in Brooklyn, NY on the box’s design and packaging.
Dona sometimes talks about how your approach to sourcing tea is similar to how third wave coffee companies source coffee, which I find really instructive. The detailed sourcing map in this box set is so interesting—what was the inspiration for including this?
We put a lot of effort into our sourcing practices, prioritizing small farmers, a shorter supply chain, and better growing practice. We wanted to include a component for people to learn about our ingredients.
Let’s talk sachets—why go that route with this box set, as opposed to loose leaf tea? Tell us more about what type of sachets you use.
With our 18 teas that we offer in both loose leaf and sachets, the easiest to sample are the sachets which are made out of 100% Non GMO PLA from sugarcane and sugar beet.
Oolong tea is something I’m passionate about—is there one of the oolong teas in this box you think is really special? Tell us more about it.
While oolong teas are traditionally Chinese, our Palampur Oolong comes from the Wah Tea Estate in northern India. Wah combines Chinese techniques with local terroir and organic growing processes to produce an oolong with strong smokey caramel and fresh pine notes. These distinct flavors are intensified by small batch open air oxidation, the high altitudes and low air pollution of Palampur near the Himalayas.
Herbal tisanes are such an interesting category—what’s your most popular herbal blend currently? Is there an herbal blend in this box you’re particularly excited about?
Most popular: Flirt. It’s really special because it is a hibiscus blend that is not too tart. While other hibiscus based teas are made with fruit flavors to balance the tartness of the hibiscus flower, we use real botanicals that are naturally sweet: chamomile from Nepal, licorice root, our Hari River Mint sourced from Afghanistan.
This box set will look great under someone’s Christmas tree in a few months—will the box set be available year-round for gifting?
Yes, absolutely. The box is available for purchase right now, and in the coming months as well, via our website and Amazon.
Thank you.
Jordan Michelman (@suitcasewine) is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Jordan Michelman on Sprudge.
