I've been collecting loose-leaf tea for years, and I'll admit the 'tea disc' format made me skeptical at first. Compressed discs feel like something you'd expect from pu-erh, not a curated sampler box. So when I ordered the House of iLOLA Tea Disc Sampler, I went in expecting a gimmick.
The set arrived well packaged, with each disc individually wrapped and labeled. That labeling mattered more than I expected, since compressed tea discs can look nearly identical once unwrapped. I appreciated not having to guess which was which halfway through the week.
Brewing a disc takes a little more patience than loose leaf. You break off a portion, let it rehydrate for a few seconds in hot water, then steep as normal. Once I got the ratio right, the flavor came through clean, with none of the muddiness I half-expected from a compressed format.
What I liked: convenient portioning, easy to travel with, no measuring spoons needed, and the packaging kept everything fresh.
Worth noting: the compressed format takes a bit of practice to brew right the first time, and it won't feel as 'traditional' as loose-leaf tea to purists.
Right now the sampler is listed at $80, down from $120, which brings it in line with what I'd expect to pay for a curated tasting set like this. If you're tea-curious and want variety without committing to full tins of each blend, check out the current House of iLOLA sampler deal here.
#review #tea #houseofilola #teasampler #dealalert
