Questions we hear often
What is Greek Mountain Tea, and where does My Land's come from? +
Greek Mountain Tea is made from sideritis, a Greek herb also called ironwort or "tsai tou vounou," the tea of the mountain. My Land's is grown on the slopes of Mount Olympus in northern Greece, at about 1,000 meters above the sea, on small family farms in that single mountain region. The whole flowering top is used: stem, leaves, and the small yellow flowers.
Why does altitude on Mount Olympus matter for mountain tea? +
Sideritis grown at about 1,000 meters faces colder nights, a shorter season, and stronger sun than lowland herbs. The plant responds by producing more essential oil, which is where the gentle, earthy, slightly honeyed flavor and aroma come from. Lower-grade mountain tea, or tea blended from many sources, often brews thin and flat. The altitude is why the cup has real flavor instead of tasting like warm water.
Is this loose tea or tea bags, and what is actually in the pouch? +
Loose, whole dried stalks, not tea bags and not cut dust. Each stalk carries the stem, the leaves, and the small yellow flowers, which is how real Greek mountain tea is sold and the part that gives the cup its flavor. You break a stalk or two into the pot. There are no fillers, no flavorings, and no other herbs, only dried sideritis.
Does Greek Mountain Tea contain caffeine? +
No. Sideritis is naturally caffeine-free, so Greek Mountain Tea has no caffeine at all. It is not a green or black tea and is not made from the tea plant. Many people drink it in the evening for that reason. It can be enjoyed plain, or with Greek honey and a slice of lemon.
How do I brew Greek Mountain Tea, and what does it taste like? +
Place a small handful, about 3 grams, in a pot with roughly 12 oz of water and bring it to a gentle simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, then let it steep for 3 to 5 minutes and strain. The flavor is mild, earthy, and slightly honeyed, smooth rather than sharp, and it is not bitter when brewed this way. Enjoy it plain, or add honey and lemon. It is also excellent served cold as iced tea.
Why is My Land mountain tea priced the way it is? +
The sideritis is hand-harvested, not machine-cut. It comes from small family farms on a single mountain, not a blended commodity supply. The whole flowering tops are kept intact, and the resealable pouch blocks light to protect the oils after opening. A pouch brews many cups, so the per-cup cost is low. This is real single-origin Greek mountain tea, not a generic blend.
Is the mountain tea hand-harvested? +
Yes. The sideritis is hand-harvested at peak season by the family farms that grow it on Mount Olympus, then gently dried at low temperature. Hand-harvesting keeps the flowering top whole, with the flowers intact, instead of cutting it into broken pieces. That is what keeps the flavor in the cup.
Is My Land Greek Mountain Tea certified organic? +
Yes. My Land Greek Mountain Tea is certified USDA Organic and EU Organic, verified through CCOF, which audits the supply chain from farm to packaging. Organic certification means no synthetic pesticides, no GMO seed, and verified handling. CCOF puts it simply: organic is non-GMO and much more. The product is not certified by the Non-GMO Project, which is a separate, narrower program.
Will it actually have flavor, or be weak and tasteless like some herbal teas I have tried? +
The most common complaint about herbal tea is that it brews weak or tasteless. My Land mountain tea is single-origin sideritis grown at about 1,000 meters on Mount Olympus, where the plant makes more essential oil, so the cup has a real, gentle, earthy, honeyed flavor. Use one or two whole stalks per pot and steep for about five minutes. If it ever brews like warm water, it was under-steeped.
Is Greek Mountain Tea bitter? +
No, not when brewed correctly. My Land mountain tea is smooth and mild, with a slightly honeyed, earthy flavor rather than a sharp or bitter one. Bitterness in herbal tea usually comes from boiling it too hard or steeping it too long. Bring the water close to a simmer, steep for about five minutes, then strain. Honey or lemon can be added but are not needed to cover bitterness.
Will what arrives look like the photo? +
Yes. The pouch contains whole dried sideritis stalks, with stems, leaves, and small yellow flowers, the same as shown in the listing images. It is loose tea, not bags, and it is one herb only, with nothing blended in. A reviewer described it as all-natural dried flowers, not just leaves and stems, which is exactly what real Greek mountain tea looks like.
How much tea do I get, how fresh is it, and how should I store it? +
The pouch holds 1.76 oz (50 g), which is about 17 cups of tea at the 3-gram serving on the label. The best-before date and lot number are on the back. The resealable, light-blocking pouch keeps the tea fresher after opening than a clear box or jar. Store it closed in a cool, dry cupboard, away from light and heat.
