Mocktail Adventures: A Hero's Journey in Tea!

7,000 miles in 3 weeks! Crazy, right?

Growing up, all my heroes went on what’s called a hero’s journey, and I had the rare opportunity to embark on mine. I had three weeks off between graduating college and starting my Big Boy job!

Everyone told me I was crazy to go alone, but as I sit here reflecting over a cup of tea, I realize—that trip was the beginning of my hero’s journey.

Heroes always have their signature thing. James Bond has his martini. Jack Sparrow has his hat and rum. Indiana Jones has his whip. I always wondered... what would my thing be?

Do you know what your drink is? What your thing is?

On Day 3 of my journey, I met someone who became my Obi-Wan—a mentor. He shared a story from his younger days in the army, about a time when he was on a special assignment in Berlin. A Brit introduced him to a special drink, telling him to add cream and sugar.

I was captivated. Searching for something to make my thing, I knew—before even trying it—that if I were the hero in an epic story, this would be it.

And then, I took a sip.

The smoky flavor hit first, deep and rich, but the cream and sugar softened the edges, balancing out the boldness. This was it. My signature. Like Bond’s martini. Like Indiana’s whip. Like Sherlock’s pipe.

Mine would be Lapsang tea with cream and sugar.

Over the next ten years, I traveled, exploring different teas. But Lapsang was always my thing.

Fast forward: I was in Alaska, celebrating a friend’s 30th birthday. We were at a bar, and I ordered a smoky Old Fashioned. The first sip took me back to that moment—when I first discovered my thing.

So, when I had the chance to start Happy Valley Tea, I knew I wanted to create unique teas that people could connect with—teas that could help people find their thing.

Right now, we have five unique flavors, but this one? This one is special to me.

I wanted to incorporate Lapsang into one of my blends, and that smoky Old Fashioned in Alaska became the inspiration.

In this blend, you'll find bold black tea with hints of smoke, balanced by smooth honeybush, adding rich depth to this whiskey-inspired tea.

I highly recommend adding a sugar cube or two and a freshly peeled orange twist—for the full experience.

I’m inviting you to go on this journey. Find your thing.

Enjoy it solo or with friends. Grab yours here and use discount code “MyThing” for 20% off.