Thompson’s Scottish Blend Tea

On a recent trip across our northern border, a minister-friend and I were lodged in a delightful cottage overlooking the mountains of Dumfriesshire. It was a late autumnal afternoon: the stove was lit and stuffed with logs, dinner was in the oven and I began to brew up. We had been to the local shop in Creetown to obtain supplies, and brought back a small box of Thompson’s Scottish Blend. Its corporate motif features four members of the family, from 1896 to the present day, all standing together, in appropriate modes of dress. Curious, I read the small print. I was a little bemused to read that it was made by Ulstermen, not Scotsmen, but the webpage explained this:

Our grandfather, James Thompson, frequently visited Scotland. He fell in love with the beautiful landscapes, wonderful wildlife, and the welcoming, down-to-earth people. It was his love of these trips, with so many happy memories that inspired him to create this unique Thompson’s blend, perfect for Scotland’s softer water, fed by its abundant lakes and reservoirs.

Specially selected teas from the foothills of Mount Kenya have been perfectly partnered with North India’s finest growth to produce an award-winning tea with a rich and satisfying flavour. The perfect cup of tea at any time of the day.

From our hired abode, we were afforded a great view of Cairnsmore of Fleet, above, and it was beautifully illuminated by the setting, orange sun, which helped me to imagine those lush foothills of Kenya, and the accompanying blue sky reminded me of east Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Furthermore, the soft Scottish water, unbemired by excessive quantities of magnesium and calcium like that suffered by the southern English, was a pleasure to imbibe. Thompson’s Scottish Blend proved to be a welcome brew ahead of, and after, our evening meal.

I would not generally buy this tea back home, for it is meant to be taken in Scotland. In general, our location affects our behaviour; where we are helps to form our habits. We both shape our surroundings, and our surroundings shape us; we are the product of the environment in which we dwell. So in as much as you can control it, choose well the places you go, and choose wisely the cups from which you sip. Not every place is profitable, and not every tea suits every tap.