Name: Calmation

Brand: Tiger Wing

Type: Herbal tisane

Form: Paper bagged tea, individually wrapped

Review: This is a curious blend, even coming from those crazy folks over at Tiger Wing. They blended green mate, a stimulant herb from South America, with lavender and chamomile, two stalwarts of many a “bedtime” herbal blend. According to Tiger Wing’s website copy, their intention was to create a blend that offers drinkers a way to get calm while staying focused. Whether Calmation actually works as intended is anyone’s guess, though I have to admit that it tastes mighty good.

The most significant taste in this blend is that of buttery chamomile, one of my favorite herbs for steeping. Chamomile infuses to the color of melted butter and it doesn’t taste much different. Lavender, on the other hand, is a delightfully sweet, floral herb that can easily overwhelm a blend if not added in correct proportions. Fortunately, Calmation’s blender only used a pinch of the stuff, resulting a delightfully sweet, floral finish. The green mate, interestingly enough, doesn’t contribute much to the flavor of this blend, except, perhaps, to give it a bit of structure.

(I suspect that it was mainly added for its stimulant effect.)

Preparation Tips: Go ahead and make this with water heated to a full boil. It doesn’t take long to infuse, but if you like your flavors more intense, go head and let it sit for awhile. Delicious cold.

Cautions: As always, be aware that some herbals can trigger allergic reactions or interact with other medications. If you drink herbal tisanes on a regular basis, tell your doctor. Chamomile is in the ragweed family and can trigger symptoms in people who suffer from hayfever. Despite this tea’s name, mate is a stimulant, so if you’ve been ordered off caffeine, its best that you find something else to drink.

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