Others say...

"Nice teas, but the packaging is ugly. No way I'd have paid full price for this."
I bought this set at the reduced price, and I feel I got no less than what I paid for. I didn't get much more, though, so I imagine I'd be upset if I paid full price for this set.

We were hoping to be able to salvage the boxes for reuse in case the contents were bad, but we're just going to be throwing them out. It is handmade, but the stain is an ugly orange (not mahogany), and there is no laquer finish, so the bamboo splinters. Also, there is a lot of wasted space in the box, so there will be a lot of padding material to throw away.

As for the contents, we tried the dragon lily last night, and it is a very pleasant tea for a quiet evening after dinner with no harsh flavors. I'd never given in to the markup on flowering teas, but at the discount price, I decided to give it a try. It is definitely fun to watch as it unfurls and the swirls of liquor fill the pot. We're very happy with the tea, as far as the tea itself goes.

I see some reviews for people complaining about the flavor of the teas. The instructions say to pour boiling water into your teapot. They even say to bring it to a rolling boil! Most of the teas in this set are either green or white teas. NEVER NEVER NEVER use boiling water on green and white teas. You'll extract awful flavors from the leaves while destroying nice ones and ruin your tea. Boiling water is fine for the black teas, but 175 to 180F is the optimal temperature range for green and white tea. Steep for 3 to 4 minutes as they say (no longer!) and you will have a pleasant tea to drink.

As for the pot, I wasn't actually expecting much. It's a small, thin glass thing with nothing special about it. However, it is quite the right size and shape for watching these teas unfurl. It's an ideal size for two people with 8oz cups. Steep, pour, and start steeping again while you sip.

After we're done with the flowering teas, I'm going to buy a strainer and use the teapot for smaller brews, when I don't want to make a full pot just for myself.

All in all, I'm happy with what I got. I just wish the packaging could have been nicer, as I'm sure a decent fraction of the price tag went towards it in vain. It would be a nice gift for couples, and really embodies "tea for two" as you both sit and watch the flowers bloom.

"GREAT for tea lovers, fans of the unique, or anyone who appreciates art..."
This set is AMAZING. I got it as a gift from my husband AND purchased as gifts for others. The teapot is good for about two mugs of tea at a time (so at most it's a tea for two set) but each 'flower' can be re-brewed two to three times and each are DELICIOUS (very floral and light; I'm not even a fan of green tea but this has got me hooked!). There was a special going on when I got it, a buy one get one half off type thing, but I would gladly have paid $19 for one set. The box is gorgeous and the item was well packaged. I also gave one to my mom for Christmas who loved it as well. The tea is beautiful to look at, I'm almost done with my box and every flavor so far has been great. I can't say enough about this great product, and it's cheaper than on numi.com!!!

"sensual pleasure"
I received this set as a gift, and I am pleased with the whole package; the teapot works beautifully for me, and it's designed with a simple elegance; the box of assorted teas has a little visual menu/description of selections folded up in the box so you know what you are drinking; the process is lovely for all of the senses; the teas smell of flowers and taste light, delicious and complex.

I would certainly recommend this as a gift.



"Bad smell for first "flower""
I got this gift box of Nami flowering tea leaves for Christmas. Sat down to my first cup this morning. No labels on the "flowers" so I decided to choose the darkest leaves as it might be the best morning tea. After pouring water over it a horrible smell came off of it. I had to pour it down the sink. I give 3 stars for a great bamboo box,but so far the tea is not drinkable. Also without labels you don't know if you pour hot water on delicate green tea leaves or boiling water on the black leaves. I wouldn't buy it again.

"The gift for tea drinkers"
This makes a nice gift for a dedicated tea drinker and Stash Tea has tea flowers. Not worth more than the $18.50 I paid.