Alexandria

Nice Moroccan mint-y sort of tea. Can’t really taste the vanilla, but the balance of green and mint is very pleasant.

Our last “tea house” stop in Victoria was the Pendray Inn.

This one was a little different because we actually went for breakfast service instead of afternoon tea, but I’m counting it in my comparison of places because it was essentially the same as an afternoon tea service. We got a pot of tea, the three tiered tray, and scones but just fresh fruit and French Toast instead of finger sandwiches and sweets – which is arguably maybe better? Also, it was cheaper than both other afternoon tea services for essentially the exact same quantity of tea and food.

One thing I really liked about Pendray was their they tea menu actually listed the companies that their teas were from (mostly Westholme and TWG), whereas the other two places we went were ordering wholesale catalog blends and rebranding them under their establishment names. Just a small quirk that made this place stand out to me!

I ended up getting TWG’s Alexandria, which is a spin on a classic Moroccan Mint, just because I wanted something a little more “fresh and perky” to start the day and I was a little sick of pots of black tea after the last two places. It was very nice and smooth with a pleasant smoky grassy note with the sweet snap of spearmint!

Butchart was probably my overall favourite experience, but this was a SUPER CLOSE second. We had an absolutely charming view of their courtyard with some stunning vines wrapping over the windows – but glancing around their seating area it seemed we were just exceptionally lucky to get one of the best tables in the space. For the most part, it was a tightly packed room with not necessarily the greatest overall seating.

Food was excellent though, and I liked our server a lot too!

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs9DIT9rRYC/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxDMNfdoyos

There’s quality in this tea no doubt which justifies the premium price I paid. When I first drank it, I thought the mint was strong to my taste (I’m not a “mint” person and) leaving strong minty after -taste. But a after a few sips, I got used to it and eventually liked it. Very rich in flavour, not watery and that’s one of the reasons I like it – premium quality.

A refreshing minty tea that is heavy on the spearmint with just a hint of creamy vanilla. I found a canister on sale at Dean & Deluca for 50% off, which is a bargain for the quality of the product. I probably wouldn’t have purchased it at full retail price ($30 USD) but at $15 for three ounces of lovely tea, I’m very satisfied.