The comforting aroma and flavor of spearmint from the Pacific Northwest blends with soothing Egyptian chamomile to make this the perfect cup of tea for bedtime. The ingredients come from all over the world --and all over the world, generations have wound down their day with this classic blend. With herbal ingredients that have been soothing for centuries, Sleepytime helps you relax by blending the best of nature. There's no time like Sleepytime!
Blended in Boulder, Colorado." -Celestial
Ingredients: Chamomile, Spearmint, West Indian Lemongrass, Tilia Flowers, Blackberry Leaves, Orange blossoms, Hawthorn Berries, and Rosebuds.
"Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each." -Henry David Thoreau.
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First things first, if you look at the ingredient list for this tea you will notice that there are no rooibos or Camellia sinensis leaves. That is because this is a herbal tea, not a 'true' tea. It is not made from any parts of a tea plant or tea bush. In truth, even rooibos is considered more of a herbal tea than a true tea. Most herbal teas are made from fruit, flowers, and herbs. These are the kinds most people make when they make homemade teas, mostly because a camellia sinensis or rooibos plant would be rather difficult to grow in your backyard.
Since this is a sleepy time tea, that means it is caffeine free. Also, the great thing about it is that you can drink it during the day. There is no reason not to drink it. Unless you, like many people, find chamomile (or some spell it Camomile) to be sleep inducing. I am lucky enough that it does not do this to me and I can drink this wonderful brew all day long.
Camomile itself is a wonderful plant. For one, I think it's pretty. And if your yard is like mine, then you probably have wild camomile getting ready to poke it's little yellow buds through the ground. Not as attractive as the flowering camomile types, but it works just as well. When it comes to tea...camomile is camomile. Caffeine free camomile teas (whether it's blended with other stuff or not) is great for restlessness in children and flatulent related colic. It's also a good wash for open wounds or sores, though I don't recommend that. In nature, these flowers/buds can be seen blooming mostly in June and July, so keep your eye out.
This is my first bagged tea review, but the instructions are pretty much the same. Instead of 1 tsp of loose leaves, you're going to plop 1 bag of tea into your hot water and let it steep for 4-6 minutes. This tea doesn't really go 'bitter' if you let it sit too long or even if you squeeze the bag, but it does get cold and can give you that dry mouth feel.
The color is really nice for a bagged tea. It's a very lovely golden color. Almost as bright yellow as the camomile flower itself (though not the petals).
As for the taste and smell. Even though I feel the camomile is the real player in it being a sleepy time tea, the biggest scent and taste is the spearmint. Spearmint is, of course, a mint plant. The Mentha spicata plant. Spearmint, like many mints, is very fragrant and aromatic. It is also not very hard to grow. It can grow in full sun shine or the shade and likes wet soil, so if you can get your hands on some, go a head and stick it in your garden. The bright green color is always a nice addition and so is the lovely smell. Drinking this tea is like nibbling on a spearmint leaf (which you can do!). A neat little fact/being proven tidbit about spearmint tea is that it is used as a treatment for hirsutism in women.
The taste itself, other than the spearmint, is actually rather thick. It feels dense on your tongue as it goes down your throat. Personally, I wouldn't add anything to this tea, but honey wouldn't be bad. Also, since it doesn't have any tea leaves in it to get bitter, it does well if you drink it slow or iced.
Over all, this is a lovely tea. Not as good as fresh made or loose leaf camomile and spearmint tea, but a very good substitute and for use in a pinch. It's a nice way to unwind for the day. Sit with a nice, hot cup of sleepytime tea and a good book while cuddled up in a nice thick blanket after a hard day of work or dealing with a cold or rainy day...I can see nothing better than that.
This is a tea that shouldn't be too hard to find at your local grocery store, but if not you can easily get it on Amazon.
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