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Colonial Tea Contraband Collection

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Oliver Pluff & Company

Choose Their Tea Flavor
Not sure which tea to choose?
See the Oliver Pluff tab for details.
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Oliver Pluff & Company

Choose Their Tea Flavor
Not sure which tea to choose?
See the Oliver Pluff tab for details.
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Awckland's Honey

Choose Their Honey Flavor
Not sure which honey to choose?
See the Awckland’s tab for details.
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Awckland's Honey

Choose Their Honey Flavor
Not sure which honey to choose?
See the Awckland’s tab for details.
1

Rebellion Coffee Mug

Optional Add-On Rebellion Mug

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Description

Long before Prohibition sent America searching for back-room indulgences, the colonies were already steeped in secret rituals of resistance — many of them beginning with a humble cup of tea. The Colonial Tea Contraband Collection celebrates that heritage with an irresistible pairing of authentic Colonial-period teas and small-batch artisan honey, packaged together like a treasure quietly passed from trusted hands behind a closed door.

Each tea in this collection is inspired by blends enjoyed in 18th-century America — the very leaves that accompanied rebellion, conversation, and courage. Paired with rich, locally crafted honey from passionate modern beekeepers, every sip becomes a nod to the past: smooth, warming, gently sweet, and full of history. In the spirit of the speakeasy, this is a collection meant to be savored slowly — discreetly if you must — as a reminder that the best pleasures aren’t mass-produced… they’re handcrafted, heartfelt, and maybe just a little rebellious.

The Sweet Side of the Speakeasy

Awckland’s Honey brings a sweet touch of local craftsmanship to every gift set. Their honey is more than a pantry item — it is a reminder of the fields, flowers, and hardworking bees that help create something simple, natural, and full of character.

Carefully selected for both flavor and presentation, Awckland’s Honey fits perfectly into a gift that is meant to feel thoughtful and memorable. Whether paired with tea, biscuits, breakfast mixes, or fruit butter, it adds warmth, sweetness, and a story rooted in American tradition.

From the first spoonful to the last drop, Awckland’s Honey turns an everyday treat into something worth slowing down for.


Honey Flavors

  • Basswood Clover Honey – Light, floral, and delicately sweet, Basswood Clover Honey offers a smooth, buttery finish with subtle herbal notes straight from summer blossoms.
  • Blueberry – Rich and fruity with natural blueberry undertones, Maine Blueberry Honey captures the essence of wild coastal blooms in every spoonful.
  • Japanese Knotweed Honey – Dark, bold, and molasses-like, Japanese Knotweed Honey delivers a rich, earthy sweetness with deep caramel notes.
  • Lanternfly Honeydew – Dark and complex, Lanternfly Honeydew offers a smooth, malty sweetness with rich molasses and earthy undertones. Harvested in Pennsylvania from honeydew produced by lanternflies feeding on native trees.
  • Orange Blossom – Bright and citrusy with a fragrant floral aroma, Florida Orange Blossom Honey delivers a smooth, sun-kissed sweetness in every drop.
  • Tupelo Honey – Exceptionally smooth and mild, Florida Tupelo Honey features a buttery sweetness with hints of vanilla and a clean, lingering finish.
  • Vanilla Infused – Smooth local honey infused with warm vanilla beans, offering a rich, comforting sweetness crafted in Pennsylvania’s Upper Perkiomen Valley.
  • Wildflower – Golden and floral, this wildflower honey captures the natural sweetness of diverse blooms from Pennsylvania’s Upper Perkiomen Valley.

Spreadable Honey Flavors

  • Bourbon – Spreadable bourbon honey Spreadable Alfalfa honey finely crystallized and blended with Sam’s Organic Bourbon Barrel.
  • Brisket – Alfalfa honey finely crystallized and blended with Sam’s BBQ RUB Brisket
  • Butter Bean – Smooth, creamy spreadable honey with a light, buttery sweetness; perfect for toast, biscuits, and baking
  • Chile – Alfalfa honey finely crystallized & blended with 100% Pasilla Chile Powder
  • Chocolate – Alfalfa Honey finely crystallized and mixed with 100% Pure Cocca Powder
  • Cinnamon – Alfalfa honey finely crystallized & blended with cocoa powder
    & espresso powder
  • Curry – Alfalfa Honey finely crystallized and mixed with 100% Curry Powder!
  • Elderberry – Alfalfa honey finely crystallized & blended with 100% Dried Elderberries. Elderberries from South Carolina.
  • Espresso – Alfalfa honey finely crystallized & blended with espresso powder.
  • Everything Bagel – Introducing a unique twist on traditional honey; our 12oz Everything Bagel Spreadable Honey! Blended with the delicious flavors of an everything bagel seasoning, this spread is the perfect blend of sweet and savory.
  • Japanese Knotweed
  • Habanero – Alfalfa Honey finely crystallized and mixed with 100% Habanero Powder. The Habanero Powder is US sourced.
  • Hot Chocolate – Alfalfa Honey Blended with Chipotle Peppers (smoked jalapeno) & Cocoa Powder.
  • Jamaican Jerk – Alfalfa honey finely crystallized and blended with Sam’s BBQ RUB Jamaican Jerk
  • Lavender – Alfalfa honey finely crystallized & blended with 100% Lavender Extract Powder.
  • Lemon – Alfalfa honey finely crystallized & blended with 100% Lemon Juice
  • Main Blueberry – This is Maine Blueberry honey finely crystallized. So, it can be used a spread.
  • Nashville Hot Honey – Spreadable Nashville hot honey – Alfalfa honey finely crystallized and blended with Sam’s Nashville Hot
  • Pomegranate
  • Pumpkin – Seasonal Pumpkin Spice Honey is an Alfalfa honey finely crystallized & blended with Pumpkin Spice Blend
  • Tropical Island
  • Wildflower – This is our local wildflower finely crystallized. So, it can be used like a spread.

Steeped in History. Served Under the Table.

Oliver Pluff & Company brings history to the table through teas, coffees, and traditional beverages inspired by early American life. Their blends are made for people who enjoy more than just a cup of tea — they enjoy the story behind it.

From colonial tea traditions to the beverages once enjoyed in homes, taverns, and gathering places of the 1700s, Oliver Pluff & Company helps turn an everyday drink into a small taste of American history. Their products are a natural fit for Gift With a Story because each one carries a sense of place, tradition, and heritage.

Whether paired with honey, tucked into a gift set, or enjoyed slowly on its own, Oliver Pluff & Company adds warmth, character, and a meaningful historical touch to every gift.


Flavors

  • Cacao Shell – Martha Washington enjoyed steeping the shells of roasted cocoa nuts from the cacao tree for the interesting flavor and health benefits.
  • Colonial Bohea – Bohea tea, (pronounced “Boo-hee” – Ukers 510), was by far the largest tea import during colonial times. Sometimes called Bohea Souchong or Lapsang Bohea, the blend originated in China with trade to the British and Dutch East India Companies. It was so popular that the word bohea became the slang term for tea. The blend varied wildly, consisting of broken orange pekoe, pekoe, and souchong dumped in a pile and then sifted, typically the scrap tea of lower quality leaves, but was considered high quality by the colonists.
  • East Indies – A brisk and malty black tea. When the ship Britannia arrived in Charles Town in November, 1774 with seven chests of East Indian tea, Charles Town tea merchants were “induced” to destroy their own tea by breaking open the chests and dumping them overboard into the Cooper River, an event now known as the Charleston Tea Party.
  • Gunpowder – Lightly roasted and tightly rolled green tea. Named due to its similar appearance to actual gunpowder. Refreshing lemon and light vegetable flavor of green tea. An excellent green tea for everyday brewing. Witness the “agony of the tea leaf” as the tightly rolled leaves fitfully unfurl to fully expand in hot water. In 18th century British America, tea was an expensive, exotic import, first popular with more wealthy colonists, then with the middle classes as well. According to mercantile records, various grades of gunpowder tea were a common import to America.
  • Whiskey Rebellion – In the summer of 1794, President George Washington called out 12,950 militia to subdue violent protests by so called ‘Whiskey Rebels’ in Western Pennsylvania. The Rebels were farmers and whiskey distillers protesting taxes imposed on distilled spirits. The call out of the militia dispersed most of the protesters, and secured the new government’s authority.

Gift with a Story

Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, anniversary, graduation, sending sympathy, saying “get well soon,” or just letting someone know you’re thinking of them, every gift from us becomes a fully curated experience. You choose the occasion, and we pair it with a custom Prohibition-inspired narrative that turns your gift set into a story—complete with themed language, era-style details, and a touch of 1920s mystery and charm.

Instead of a standard gift message, your recipient receives a personalized “secret delivery” note written as if it came from the hidden corners of a speakeasy…the backroom of a bootlegger’s shop…or a hush-hush courier who knew how to keep things quiet during the dry years of Prohibition.

During checkout, you’ll have the option to choose the letter that best fits the occasion, helping turn your gift set into a true “Gift With a Story.”

More Than a Gift — A Story Worth Opening

At Gift With a Story, every gift set is designed to be more than a collection of products — it is meant to feel like an experience. Each set includes a custom letter written around the occasion, turning the gift into a personal story for the recipient. We also include product history cards because we carefully choose American-made products that have their own story to tell, whether it is rooted in family tradition, local craftsmanship, or a piece of American history.


Some of our gift sets also include in-house recipe cards, giving the recipient another way to enjoy the items inside. From the occasion letter to the product stories and recipes, every detail is meant to make the gift feel thoughtful, personal, and memorable.

Still Browsing the Speakeasy?

Not quite the right gift? Head back to the full Gift With a Story collection and find another set with its own story to tell.

View All Gift Sets

Psst… More Gifts from the Backroom

A few other story-filled gifts worth sneaking a look at.