BEHIND THE CRAFT
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Caffeine-Free

Caffeine-free - it’s a key reason why the western world drinks infusions.

But what is caffeine and why should we be caffeine-free sometimes instead of supercharging?

It's an organic compound. It stimulates the CNS, a cognitive enhancer in fact [& why students drink more coffee at exams]. Proven to enhance physical performance too. But many can correlate insomnia with caffeine taken too late in the day and too much is considered bad for the health.

Here’s a fascinating thing - caffeine's feisty role in nature is unsurprisingly brilliant too - it’s found in leaves, nuts [e.g. cola], seeds and fruits. Why? It can protect a nut from being eaten by a predator. Persuade a bee to pollinate. Stop a competing plant from germinating.

Reason enough to try caffeine-free!

FGTE13305

Nile Chamomile Loose Tea Pouch 50g

Net Weight: 50g

Made with delicate flowers grown in the oasis of the Nile Delta, home of the world's finest chamomile, this Egyptian chamomile infusion features distinctive notes of apple and a golden yellow liquor.

The East India Company - Lifestyle

Tea

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£20.00
We source whole chamomile flowers grown in the lush oasis of the Nile Delta - generally accepted to be, and certainly with our agreement, the home of the world’s finest chamomile.

The ancient Egyptians first cultivated chamomile, using it to honour the gods, embalm the dead and cure many illnesses, including as a cold remedy. Not surprisingly, the Roman used it medicinally too.

As is common with teas and herbal infusions, the scientific evidence is lacking but it is full of active ingredients and hundreds of years of medicinal use across the world can't be a coincidence.
Chamomile, or camomile, is actually a small perennial plant of the daisy family, producing delicate white flowers with a mustard-coloured centre.

Our 50g pouch of whole chamomile flowers will make plenty of pots for sharing.
Rich English mustard-coloured buds.

Deep golden-yellow liquor in cup - we recommend a glass cup to enjoy the cup to it’s maximum.

Notes of apple and honey on the nose and palette.

Naturally caffeine-free, it’s a soft and soothing infusion for the evening and bed time.
Quantity

2G OF TEA LEAVES PER CUP

Temperature

200ML OF WATER AT 85ºC

Brewing Time

3 MINS BREWING TIME

Ingredients

Chamomile Flowers

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place avoiding direct sunlight and strong odours.

Stories

The Tisane - or Herbal ‘Tea’

Many of the modern-day fruit and herbals are drunk from what we commonly call a tea bag. Hence the often described ‘fruit teas’ or ‘herbal teas’.

A more accurate description is ‘tisane’. It’s a catch all term - it simply means a drink made by infusing herbs, spices or other plants in hot water. The origin of the word is routed in the preparation - the word tisane in fact dates back to first use in 14th century Anglo-French, derived from Latin 'ptisana' and from Greek ‘ptisane’, meaning crushed barley – from ‘ptissein’, or crush. The barley would have been crushed in a mortar and pestle and then infused in water.

Today, tisane is the common descriptor for herbal and medicinal infusions in many countries. But the practice of creating tisanes for therapeutic or medicinal benefits dates back centuries to ancient Indian Ayurvedic, Egyptian and Chinese practices.
Ayurvedic is a Sanskrit term meaning ‘knowledge of life’ and Ayurverdic remedies have used the leaves of simple herbs like peppermint for centuries to aid digestion and alleviate other ailments.

The Chinese were the first to use ginger medicinally, possibly 5000 years ago, before it spread from southern China to the Spice Islands - the modern day Maluku Islands in Indonesia, made famous in the 1600s by The East India Company trading pioneers - and beyond.

And it was the ancient Egyptians who likely first used Chamomile to help sleep and even prevent colds. [Our whole chamomile flowers come from Egypt, still the best.]

Today tisanes including chamomile, peppermint, ginger and now ‘newer’ discoveries like rooibos [an African caffeine-free plant] and the moringa plant from Africa are consumed by hundreds of millions around the world daily. Whilst the great taste [of most] is undisputed, actual scientific evidence of the benefits of tisanes or infusions of the multitude of herbs, roots and spices is still surprisingly scant. Billions of people over centuries surely can’t be wrong?

Our spirit delivers no ordinary products

  • FAQ

    I've seen cold brew infusions on the market. Can I cold brew this infusion myself?
    Yes. Cold brew infusions can be wonderful = healthy and great value compared to the cold alternatives. Although the absence of heat means that the particles have less energy, are less agitated and therefore flavour / chemical infusion is a lot slower, they can often develop more complex flavours over this longer period of brewing. We always recommend starting with just a small amount of boiling water - just cover the tea or the tea bag, leave for 30 seconds and then top up with fresh, cold water and leave to develop for a day in the fridge. A spring of mint, a spoon of honey at the finish can be great. We have chosen the Hario Cold Brew Tea makers as part of our range and we recommend them highly for job.

  • Delivery & Returns

    UK Standard Delivery: £3.95
    UK Next Day Delivery (mainland UK only): £9.95 (Order before 12pm)
    International Delivery is available, please see our delivery page for details. For more information and Terms & Conditions, please see our Delivery page.

  • Reviews

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