Year of the Horse · Western Cape Rooibos

Year of the Horse Edition

Curated exclusively for our Patron of the Arts members

A limited Lunar New Year release honoring strength, endurance, and intentional movement.

Created to mark the Year of the Horse, this edition brings together Western Cape Rooibos and a curated set of ritual accompaniments—each chosen for its symbolic warmth, continuity, and depth. Rooted in South African terroir and guided by Lunar New Year tradition, this offering is designed to be experienced slowly, with presence.

Naturally caffeine-free and rich in body, Western Cape Rooibos unfolds with notes of vanilla, gentle caramel warmth, and a soft honeyed finish. The cup is grounding and steady, rewarding patience over haste and inviting reflection before momentum.

This Year of the Horse Edition includes:

• Western Cape Rooibos Tea
  Presented in Upland Tea House’s signature evergreen, tall tin, created exclusively for the Year of the Horse

• Two Glasses of Western Cape Rooibos (Prepared)
  Designed to highlight the tea’s natural clarity, warmth, and depth

• Vanilla Bean Pods
  Whole, aromatic pods displayed on a glass dish—symbolizing continuity and warmth

• Caramel Cubes
  Artisan-cut, offering a soft sweetness and grounding richness

• Honey
  Selected to complement the rooibos’ natural notes and represent sustained sweetness and care

• Year of the Horse Ritual Card
  A guided brewing and reflection prompt to mark the beginning of the year with intention

Together, these elements form a complete Lunar New Year ritual—one that honors quiet strength, measured progress, and enduring elegance.

This is not a celebration of excess, but a moment set aside.
An invitation to begin the year with steadiness, warmth, and resolve.

Playlist Theme

"Steady Strides: Lunar Tea House Sessions"

Expect the soulful voices of H.E.R., Snoh Aalegra, and Kali Uchis, weaving through Chet Baker’s delicate trumpet lines, Bill Evans’ meditative piano, and the textural soundscapes of Nils Frahm. Layers of ambient world fusion by Bonobo, Thievery Corporation, and Anoushka Shankar bring a sense of spaciousness and worldly elegance, while the sultry, downtempo intimacy of Sade, Massive Attack, and Zero 7 grounds the experience. Play it at a gentle volume as you sip slowly, letting the music mirror the measured, confident rhythm of the Horse, guiding you to move through the year with intention, grace, and steadiness.

Curated for sipping something rich and letting the world wait. ---

Mood

Settle into a moment of quiet elegance with the Year of the Horse Western Cape Rooibos, and let the music guide your pace. This playlist is warm, reflective, and intentionally slow, embodying strength without haste—the perfect companion to the rituals of tea, candlelight, and contemplation. It blends soft jazz, neo-soul, ambient world fusion, and downtempo lounge, creating a sonic landscape that rewards patience and invites mindfulness. Each note complements the tea’s gentle aroma of vanilla, caramel, and honeyed depth, encouraging a state of presence and reflection.

Steeping Instructions

1 tsp | 8 oz water | 200°F | 5–7 minutes

Consider joining our monthly ritual club — Upland Luxury Crate! 

The Ritual Crate pairs seamlessly with any Upland tea subscription and can be added or removed monthly—though most members choose not to. Once you experience the ritual, it becomes difficult to imagine your month without it.