Harry Potter’s birthday! I’ve decided to celebrate with my first serious sips of tea in a while (summer’s not the most ideal time for hot tea). The tea is a bit of a distraction from life, a pleasant ritual and break.

The teas I’ve enjoyed, in order of remembrance:

Kusmi Tea’s Bouquet of Flowers

Enjoyable with a strong hit to the nose and thus the taste. It’s not too flowery, and I love variants on bergamot teas—which Kusmi gladly provides in spades.

Churchmouse’s Vanilla Rooibos

Not a pure vanilla rooibos blend, as the vanilla is set off well with a subtle background of almonds. Pleasing as a decaf version of teas such as Might Leaf’s Vanilla Bean.

Simpson & Vail’s Coconut Macaroon Green Rooibos Tea

Damn, this tastes like a slightly spiced version of the dessert. Simpson & Vail does extremely good dessert teas, if you’re looking for something along those lines. They certainly do a better job than any other blender I’ve tried thus far.

Mighty Leaf’s Chocolate Mint Truffle Rooibos

For me, a decaf replacement for Harney & Sons’ Chocolate Mint. It’s sufficient, not wonderful, and one of the few dairy-free chocolate teas that Mighty Leaf advertises. If you’re not dairy-intolerant, I highly recommend their chocolate teas.

Simpson & Vail’s Red Velvet Cupcake Tea

Another rooibos blend. Very much like a cupcake, and they did a better job than Queen Mary’s (now defunct) Sweetheart Tea. Another dessert tea spectacular from S&V.

Ah yes, my C.V. for blenders I’ve tried:

• Celestial Seasonings
• Harney & Sons
• Kusmi Tea
• Lipton
• Mighty Leaf
• Queen Mary
• Republic of Tea
• Simpson & Vail
• Steven Smith
• Twinings

There’s at least one other I can’t recall right now.