Twinings Peppermint Tea: a menthol explosion or a bit of a let down... (Twinings Peppermint Tea)

Member Name: theabster

Product:	Twinings Peppermint Tea
Date:	19/12/08 (446 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, good for digestive health, light and refreshing

Disadvantages: Tea bags a little dusty, obscure contents

I really enjoyed my cup of Twinings peppermint tea I had this morning, but in comparison to other herbal or mint teas, I think it falls a little short. I will try and explain why!

So how do you prepare it? Back in the day, when the world was pure, fresh peppermint leaves were steeped in boiling water for 2 minutes anywhere up to 15 minutes, and this soulful elixir drunk to aid stomach upsets. Twinings now offer 20 individual tea bags in an average 40g box and suggest leaving to infuse for 2-3 minutes. You can sweeten as you like, say with honey or sugar, but avoid the temptation to aid milk. Mint and milk? Eurgh! (reminds me of forgetting I have brushed my teeth and drinking orange juice....eww!)

It rather annoys me that Twinings, and other brands, still tout mint tea as a digestive aid, to be drunk straight after a meal. The reason why many people try peppermint tea, get indigestion and then avoid it is probably due to the fact that it is a natural muscle relaxant. A tendency to drink peppermint tea as an aid to digestion is thus a kind of fallacy, even a myth. You would be much better off drinking, for example, this tea between meals (after you have digested a bit) or on an empty stomach as a kind of 'colon cleanse'. I personally don't really think about it and just drink whatever herbal tea I fancy or have in my cupboard, but then, I think maybe my stomach is not as sensitive as some. Then again, I guess as an alternative to coffee after a meal, which is likewise rather harsh on your stomach (though conversely aids muscle contraction!) it could be seen as a more healthy option. It is much more hydrating, anyway.

So how was my peppermint tea drinking experience today? Well, the box is nearly empty, so it really can't be that bad! The packaging is also quite nice- some fresh peppermint leaves looking all frosty and crispy, nested on a surface of water droplets. It breathes hydration. I like the gold banding too, and that familiar Twinings brand that feels so engrained in our British tea drinking culture.

I opened the box, and inhaled deeply to try and get a nasal taste of what I was about to drink. I was rather disappointed- this tea wasn't very minty smelling at all, rather musty infact. The tea inside the bag too looked a little dusty as if the quality was a little lacking. Nevertheless, the box informs me that the ingridients are all natural and the herbs gently steamed to protect their distinctive taste. So I carry on and boil the kettle with anticipation!

The taste? Not too bad, very enjoyable infact. It washes down easily, though is blander than I might have hoped. I really love mint tea compared to some other herb blends and I think it is definately the one to try if you have never tasted herbal tea before. It retails at around £1.20 a box (40g) or around £1.90 for an 80g box with 40 teabags. Not too bad compared to some herb teas, but obviously ordinary tea is cheaper.

But in general, I am not going to rate this a 5* rating as I don't think it achieves or competes with some other mint teas on the market. As opposed to drinking conventional tea, I really want to taste the herbs when I drink herbal tea and feel that it is as fresh as it could possibly be. Twinings have a fabulous range of different teas, some of which are just delicious, but I think their peppermint tea falls short. Their fruit teas though are just wonderful: I particularly like the Blackcurrant, Vanilla and Ginseng one. Check out www.twinings.co.uk for more information.

Perhaps I have been spoilt though! I was bought a box of 'Tea Pigs' peppermint tea bags, which are really pricey but so wonderful: they come in big triangular tea bags that are transparent enough for you to see their big, unprocessed leaves and the taste is much more intense.

But overall, I would say that even though Twinings is a trusted brand, with over 300 years of tea making experience, the slightly more expensive brands (not necessarily tea pigs!) that are available can offer a much better brew. Nevertheless, I will probably continue to buy this product as for the cheap price, it is an all-round tasty, refreshing and hydrating drink.

Summary: A nice flavour, but definately a let down