Babington’s Blends UK Review

Reviewed by Deborah Banasko

I am a great believer that tea can solve a hundred problems, so imagine my delight at being offered a review where I have to drink tea! Babington’s very kindly sent me the blend of my choice to try at home.

Babington’s was first established in 1893 Rome, but today they are hand blended and packaged in the UK and Europe. The blends contain no artificial flavourings or colours, and the natural ingredients can be traced to their source. The company are dedicated to using recyclable and 100% biodegradable materials, and promote the use of their re-usable caddies to reduce waste.

Babington’s offer a range of blends, both loose and tea-bags, ranging from black teas, to black scented teas, whilst not forgetting green and herbal tea.

The website is really user friendly as you can find what you are searching for in a couple of clicks, and for each variety you always have the choice of the box or metal caddy in terms of packaging. I did wonder whether a basic refill would be an even more eco-friendly option, removing the need for the box if you used your caddy at home.

The different blends are all colour coded in gorgeous shades, for example the African Nights tea caddy is orange, with the boxed version having the orange label making it easier to identify if you stock a few blends at home. There are some delicious sounding varieties if you want something a little different, as well as the usual favourites.
There are also some gift option bundles available which are great for any tea lover.

I was able to try the breakfast tea, a blend of Darjeeling, Ceylon and Yunnan black teas, and Babington’s kindly sent me the caddy as well as the boxed option. I’m a huge fan of a good cup of tea, and although I prefer loose tea it was nice to try Babington’s pyramid bags. They are made from the lovely biodegradable material which reminds me of little organza bags rather than the white papery high street brands. They’re a posh brew! There is a long string from the bag attached to a Babington’s label, which anyone who likes to leave the bag in the cup for a while will appreciate as the long string prevents it from falling into the hot drink.

The purple caddy really is a gorgeous shape design and makes a great gift idea at a good price point of £12.99, either for an occasion or just to cheer someone up. It is something that I can see myself buying as individual gifts or adding to a little hamper for someone. The box is also an attractive design and would look fab in a home-made hamper. I love the quirky artwork on both containers, as it just gives that impression of a more luxurious gift and puts a smile on your face (particularly the picture of a lady bathing in a teacup).

The caddy did need a blunt knife to prise the inner lid off which took some effort initially, but after the first “pop” of the lid I could then remove it with the little knob on the inner lid with ease.

The tea itself had a really pleasant taste, although I did have to leave the bag in a little longer than the recommended 3-4 minutes to achieve the desired strength. Some teas can be a litter bitter or leave an aftertaste, but this was not the case with Babington’s. It was a lovely, satisfying cup of tea. I do like a stronger brew so I think that I would opt for loose tea next time so that I have more control over the strength and taste.

Babington’s offer a subscription service to take the hassle out of making repeat orders which is so handy, and avoids the disaster of running out.

These teas do cost more than the high street brands which is a factor to consider, although if you are particular about your tea then this would not be too great a concern. As a gift I feel the price is justified as you have the gorgeous packaging and the fact that you are getting a “posh brew”.

I would award these luxury teas 4 stars out of 5.

Rating overall: 4/5 stars

RRP: Breakfast Special Blend 18 pyramid bags in caddy £12.99
Breakfast Special Blend 18 pyramid bags in box £7.99

You can purchase this product from Babington’s Blends UK here.