This tea, Cup of Life White Tea, Blueberry and Acai, was one of those finds I spotted on a trip to TK Maxx. It’s always a gamble, trying a new tea brand. But as my readers know, I like to jump in head first.
White tea in teabags is rarely great. The nuances of white tea are beautiful and delicate, best enjoyed as loose leaf tea. But that being said, there are some bagged white teas that are drinkable and I’m hopeful that the blueberry and acai flavours will shine through and make this a winner.
Unlike many of my tea reviews, I haven’t included affiliate links for you to try this tea along with me as I don’t believe this tea is available to purchase any more. Cup of Life is made by English Tea Shop and I think they’ve discontinued it.
But on with the review.
Cup of Life White Tea at a Glance
- Blend: White tea with organic ingredients and natural flavourings
- Flavour: Watery white tea with odd acai sweetness
This tea is rather plain and unbalanced without any complexity or delicate nuances from the white tea base. It’s not a good example of what a white tea should be, however it is drinkable and has an okay aroma, hence the middling score.
Full Review – White Tea with Acai and Blueberry
- Type: Tagged paper filter teabag
- Tea: White tea
- Additives: Lemongrass, peppermint, rosehip, garcinia leaves, acai berry, blueberry, natural flavourings
- Flavour Notes: Weak, watery, poor white tea, unbalanced sweetness, acai
- Aroma: Sweet, artificial blueberries, soft herbs, grassy
- Milk or Lemon: Lemon, if desired
- Where to Buy: Unknown (or search white tea on Amazon)
These teabags are individually wrapped in paper, which is a little wasteful but it should keep the tea fresh. Just like on Christmas morning, you’ll rip into the paper wrapping and immediately be disappointed. Socks, again? Yes, that’s what this tea is like. The aroma from the dried teabag is of artificially sweet blueberries and soft dried herbs. None of the delicacy you expect from white tea. The disappointment hits you right in the face.
Once brewed into a dusty hay orange tea with a hint of green brown dust at the bottom, the aroma becomes even more bland. There’s a grassy, herbal, and sweet note going on, but no dominant aromas or complexity to detect.
The flavour follows suit. The white tea has no distinct flavours, it’s just there. What’s even worse is the acai flavour which has finally reared its head. It’s overly sweet and a little cloying. The flavours are unbalanced and unappetising.
I could force myself to finish the cup, but I won’t lie and say it will be enjoyable. This tea reminds me of diet culture. It contains organic flavours and antioxidant-rich white tea, but beyond the healthy aspect, it has no allure whatsoever.
How to Brew White Tea
No matter how low the quality of the tea, how you brew it will still impact how good or bad the final cup is. That’s why I’d recommend you take the time to brew these teabags in 80°C water for 2 minutes.
There’s 1.75g of tea per teabag so that’s good for 200-250ml of water (a large teacup or small mug). Anything larger than that and you’ll find it requires longer to brew.
There’s already enough sweetness in the cup, but a slice of lemon could help lift the flavour. This doesn’t strike me as a tea to be drunk alongside food or a meal. White tea is also a caffeinated tea type, so avoid drinking Cup of Life White Tea directly before bedtime. If you want a bedtime berry tea, check my best berry tea list.
Why Cup of Life (Owned by English Tea Shop)?
Cup of Life are a range of teas that are owned by English Tea Shop – one of my favourite tea brands! However, that seems to be where the connection ends. The ingredients list is reminiscent more of a Pukka tea, stuffed full of ingredients that make no impact and reliant on natural flavourings.
Acai berry accounts for 1% of the total ingredients, organic blueberry accounts for another 1% and the white tea accounts for 54%. So, what’s the remaining 44%?
Lemongrass accounts for 18%, peppermint for 8% and rosehips for 8%. I couldn’t detect any of these flavours in the tea. Then there’s 5% garcinia leaves and 5% flavouring, which I imagine is how the blueberry and acai flavours are boosted.
Frankly, it’s disappointing. Most of the ingredients are certified organic by the Soil Association (which is great) but they don’t seem to contribute much to the tea blend. Are they just there to bulk it out?
Summary
You cannot find this tea available to buy anywhere online… which may actually be a good thing, given the quality and flavour of it! Instead of Cup of Life White Tea, I recommend you use the button below to head to Amazon. It will take you to the results page for ‘white tea’ so you can select from some more reputable tea sellers!
Tea Recommendation
For a sweet and fruity tea that’s way more balanced and is beautiful hot or iced, read my review of Whittard Peach Bellini next. It’s one of their best summer teas that they occasionally pull out for the summer season. Whittard usually release a fruity green tea at this time of year, and it’s nearly always good!