I normally don’t like Celestial Seasonings. It isn’t their teas I don’t like – their blends are absolutely exceptional for a bagged tea. But that’s the problem, they are bagged teas. And normally speaking, I don’t have much of a problem with bagged teas, I don’t feel they are inferior to loose teas necessarily, some teas are just as good bagged as loose. However, Celestial Seasoning is the only company I know of that doesn’t package their tea bags individually. I see this as a huge negative point for the company overall.

The teabags in a box of Celestial Seasoning tea are all laying loose and together in the box, sealed inside a bag that’s reminiscent of the inside of a cereal box. This allows for the teas to loose their freshness and flavor much more quickly, and any type of contaminant (a fly or moth in the package, mold, dampness) spreads through all the bags almost immediately, making the entire package contaminated. For this reason, I only buy or drink Celestial Seasonings teas on very rare occasions when I really think I will enjoy the tea inside, and be able to go through the box quickly before the bags lose their freshness.

On the Celestial Seasonings FAQ at their website, they state:

Our unique pillow–style tea bag is the result of our commitment to doing what’s best for the environment. Because these natural fiber tea bags don’t need strings, tags, staples or individual wrappers, we’re able to save more than 3.5 million pounds of waste from entering landfills every year!

Celestial Seasonings, let me say that I would MUCH rather you use recycled materials to create individual packaging for your tea bags than know that I’m saving the environment. Better yet, make your teas LOOSE teas and be responsible for bringing the wonder of loose teas to the public and available at most supermarkets.

Celestial Seasonings describes this tea as:

Vanilla lovers, rejoice! We’ve added the creamy, nutty flavor of rich vanilla to Sleepytime’s beloved blend of floral chamomile, cool spearmint and lively lemongrass. With its comforting aroma and perfectly balanced flavor, Sleepytime Vanilla is an exquisitely soothing new way for you to wind down your day.

100% Natural
This product contains all-natural herbs and flavors, and no artificial colors or preservatives.

Ingredients: Chamomile, spearmint, West Indian lemongrass, natural french vanilla flavor, tilia flowers, blackberry leaves, hawthorn, orange blossoms and rosebuds.

Now, although I truly dislike their packaging, this particular tea is worth it in my opinion. I have always been a fan of their “Sleepytime” tea, as it is a light and relaxing herbal tea blend with highlights of mints and chamomile, with a background of floral delights. When I saw this “NEW” Sleepytime® Vanilla from Celestial Seasonings, I knew I had to buy the box, even though I normally don’t buy any teas from the supermarket, let alone from Celestial Seasonings, because it sounds SO GOOD!!

I wasn’t disappointed. This tea brews up very quickly and can be enjoyed at almost any temperature, with or without added sweetener. This is the PERFECT children’s tea, as it is not only caffeine-free, but also very delicious, with a unique flavor that both kids and adults will enjoy. The vanilla is both prominent and realistic…it tastes like real vanilla bean, not cheap imitation vanilla. The sweet creamy vanilla flavor complements, but does not overpower, the “Sleepytime” herbs, including a strong chamomile and spearmint character, with lemongrass, tilia (aka limeflower) leaves, along with a burst of citrus in the background.

A perfect hot tea before bed, or serve iced to relax during hot summer days, in fact I almost like this blend better iced than hot – even though it is an exceptional tea served either way. A truly outstanding tea that suffers only from inferior packaging!