Dragonfly Tea

Dragonfly Tea is a 'family-owned, British tea company with a hundred year heritage'. They source 'artisanal and often rare teas', to create a range of teas and infusions, many of which are certified as being organically produced. Their bagged teas - the bulk of the range - are very reasonably priced at around £2 for 20 individually wrapped teabags, and they also stock a smaller range of quality loose leaf teas. Dragonfly sent me six of their bagged teas to try. I followed the specific recommended steeping time for each one, and used a smallish mug that holds around 300ml of liquid. Here are my thoughts as I brewed and sipped...

Golden Himalaya - Organic Darjeeling
This is an incredibly light and floral Darjeeling, soft, sweet, and extremely fragrant. One bag easily makes 2 mugs of tea, and I think it would probably stretch to a pot for 3 people. The tea bag swells as the leaves expand, revealing that these are chopped leaves and not a bad size, and they brew up pretty well. Actually one of the best Darjeelings I've had in tea-bag form.

Green Gaucho - Organic Mate Tea
A blend of mate, green tea, and lemongrass. A highly enjoyable blend, refreshing yet without any harshness. The green tea works well with the earthiness of the mate, giving it a fuller taste, and the lemongrass lifts it to sweetness. Another generous tea-bag, stretching to 3 mugs if you follow the recommended brewing time. I would recommend this as a first-time teabag for anyone who is a bit nervous about trying mate!

Swirling Mist - Organic White Tea
A very light tea with a subtle nutty flavour, perfect as a mild afternoon brew. The recommendation is to steep again for a second cup in order to enjoy all the nuances of the flavour, and although it easily makes two cups it was just too subtle for my taste-buds to pick up any difference.

Moroccan Mint - Organic Green Tea with Spearmint
Fresh and super-sweet, a perfect after-dinner tea.

Moonlight Jasmine - Organic Green Tea
This brews up a pretty yellow tea, heavily jasmine scented, and you'll want to keep breathing it in!

Cape Malay Chai - Organic Spiced Rooibos
Brewed up, this smells like spiced fruitcake - heavenly! The flavours are well-balanced, creating a very smooth-tasting chai, without a hint of harshness. Possibly a little too mild for my taste, (I like my spiced chai to have a bit of a kick) but perfect for someone who wants a lightly-flavoured and naturally caffeine-free tea. Pleasant with or without milk.

Overall thoughts:
I like this company and I like their teas. I love my loose leaf, but I also like to have a selection of quality bagged teas in stock for convenience and speed. I'm not going to like every tea that I drink, but I would happily buy some of the Dragonfly range, as it satisfies in terms of quality and price. They also have the cutest quotes I've ever seen on a teabag tag. Made me smile every time...