This Cretan herbal blend brings together six ingredients drawn from the mountains of Crete and further afield. Cretan Dittany (Origanum dictamnus) and Organic Mountain Tea (Sideritis syriaca) form its backbone, both sourced from a herbalist working in Crete's White Mountains, where the two plants grow wild among the rocks. Lemon Verbena leaves add a bright, lemony aroma and taste — the plant is a perennial shrub native to South America, nicknamed "Lemon Beebrush" for how much bees favour its flowers, and it has long been brewed on its own as a herbal tea. Rose petals contribute the floral fragrance and flavour most people already associate with rose, while Vana Holy Basil leaves bring a note that's unusual for a herbal blend. Helichrysum microphyllum, also known as the dwarf curry plant, rounds things out with something harder to place among the more familiar ingredients.
In the cup the liquor runs a pale, light yellow, and the taste is herbaceous and citrusy with a faint minty edge underneath. It's naturally caffeine-free, so it works as a late-day cup as easily as a morning one. Sideritis, the mountain tea component, has long featured in Cretan herbal tradition and is traditionally associated with easing blood pressure and taking some strain off the heart, though that's folk use passed down through generations rather than a medical claim.
Tea & Coffee packs this blend fresh to order at its Kent-based factory, where it's made up on demand rather than held in stock. Brew it with freshly boiled water and let it steep for five to ten minutes; it's best served plain, without milk, sugar, or other additions, so the citrus and herb notes stay clear.
