Guricha Kama-Tenka by Chado Tea House

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Chado Tea House

Tea Description:

Premium Guricha-‘Kama-Tenka’. The given name of Tenka in Japanese refers ‘the best’ in English. In general, Guricha stays in casual side, does not show luxury feeling like Gyokuro,or Sencha. This premium Gyokuro ‘Kama-Tenka’ proves Guricha is another sophisticated tea. Sweetness as expected and the richness remain in your mouth.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I love the color of the infused tea. It is such a pretty pale green. It is so pale that through my glass teapot, it looked almost like it hadn’t been brewed at all. Only when I poured it into my white teacup did I notice the beautiful green color.

When I first opened this pouch, I was surprised with just how fresh it smelled.  The aroma reminded me of the smell of freshly cut grass … or … imagine mowing the lawn one early spring afternoon, and then that night, it rains.  The next morning, the rain has cleared, and the sun is shining brightly.  That fresh, spring morning smell with the fragrance of rain and grass still lingering in the air.  That’s the smell.  It’s vibrantly “green” smelling.  Very fresh and exhilarating.

After it’s been brewed, the aroma softens somewhat, but it still smells amazingly fresh and sweet and grassy.  One would expect the flavor to be just as grassy as the scent, but it’s not.  Sure, I taste a vegetative note here, but it isn’t an overpoweringly bitter grassy taste.  This is a lightly grassy, very sweet taste in a delicate broth.

It reminds me a bit of a very high quality Japanese Sencha … just a bit.  It has a vaguely similar flavor, but I find this to be somewhat lighter.  Not quite as aggressive.  Not that I find Sencha to be aggressive, but this one is more nuanced.  It is less broth-y, not quite as thick in consistency as a Sencha, but the broth-y quality is still there.  It’s just a little lighter and cleaner on the palate.

I love the sweetness to this, it’s very pleasant and it doesn’t overwhelm the palate.  It’s really quite refreshing.  It’s one of those quiet teas that you can enjoy while reading a good book or enjoying conversation with friends.  It doesn’t require much of you except a thirst and this will quench it with lovely flavor.

Another excellent tea from Chado Tea House!  They have really impressed me with their selection of Japanese teas!

Hong Xiang Luo Keemun from Wan Ling Tea House

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Wan Ling Tea House

Tea Description:

Hong Xiang Luo Keemun tea otherwise known as QiMen Red Tea. This 2011 China black tea is a superb example of a quality black tea. Combining great aroma, fine hairy, elegant leaf, which produces a deep, impressively bright and clear liquor. Refreshing, whilst being robust and balancing a complex blend of delicate flavours. A refined tea that offers a true taste of premium black teas.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

When it comes to Keemun, I typically brace myself for a bold, robust cup that will get me energized and ready to go.  This isn’t that Keemun.

This is a gentler, more refined Keemun.  It doesn’t have that “heft” that some Keemun teas possess, but I think that is what I’m really liking about this one.  This one is quite different from most others.

It has an exquisite complexity to it.  Sweet, but not overly so.  Fantastic set of spice tones in the background – this is what I noticed first.  It reminded me almost of a Yunnan, but without the malty tones.  A delicious, rich peppery tone that really took me by surprise.

It is remarkably smooth and well-rounded.  It has light smoked tones in the distance that seem to move closer as I continue to make my way toward the bottom of the cup.

It is a strong tea, but not so much a “bold” one, if that makes sense.   This isn’t the tea I’d reach for first thing in the morning when I need to shake the “sleepy” but it IS the tea I’d reach for when I want a delicious, contemplative cup … something to ponder over and simply relax … and enjoy.   Very nice… and very good.

Shan Lin Xi Winter Harvest from Camellia Sinensis

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Oolong

Where to Buy:  Camellia Sinensis

Tea Description:

Initial impression from this taiwanese highland wulong is an aroma of ground-cherry and wheat-grass which evolves into fresh vanilla and flowers. Rich creamy texture with sweet final notes of coconut.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

The aroma of this tea is intense!  Dry, the leaves have a fresh, exhilarating scent that reminds me of the smell of the mountain air and wildflowers.  The brewed infusion has more fruit notes than the dry leaf, but the floral tones are still there, although they are a bit softer than that of the raw leaf.

The tea infuses to a light amber color, and the flavor is sweet and creamy.  “Buttery” is often a term I use to describe greener Oolongs and even some green teas, but I don’t think it would apply to this particular tea, because while it is creamy like butter, the flavor is more like the creaminess of a coconut, it is fruit-like and sweet.  The description above pretty much nails it – I do taste notes of coconut as well as notes of vanilla, and crisp floral notes.

The later infusions seem to focus more on the floral tones than the fruit notes.  The creaminess in the first infusions subsides, making way for a more floral taste with sharp orchid notes.  A hint of almost grassy vegetation begins to emerge as well, and the fruit tones become more mellow.

A delightful cup – a little different from the typical “green” Oolong – but every bit as enjoyable, if not more so!

Island Coconut Tea from Bernideen’s

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Brand:  Metropolitan Tea

Available from:  Bernideen’s

Product Description:

Wonderful Flavor releases tropical memories of secluded beaches with palm trees bending to the sea.

Taster’s Review:

I received a tin of this tea in a recent swap in a tea group that I co-moderate.  The lady who was my swap partner is the proprietor of Bernideen’s in Historic Old Colorado City:  Bernideen!  Now, I’ve not been to Bernideen’s but, if I ever have the opportunity to travel to Colorado City, Bernideen’s will definitely be on my list of places to visit!  It looks like such a wonderful shop, full of charm!

This is a somewhat persnickety tea, but I discovered that it was worth the effort to figure out the right way to brew it.  The first time I steeped it, I steeped it for a little too long; the tea was bitter.  The second time, the water was too hot; the tea was bitter.  But the third time I steeped it, using extra care to make sure I not use too much leaf, too much time, or water that was too hot, I ended up with a pretty amazing cup of tea.  It may seem like a lot of work… but in the end it was worth the effort.

So, let me share with you my recommended parameters for this tea:  Water should be no hotter than 200°F; if you normally use a heaping teaspoon of loose leaf tea per cup of tea, I recommend using a bit less … say a level teaspoon as opposed to the heaping?  Steep for 2 minutes; 2 1/2 minutes is really pushing it.  Your diligence will be rewarded with a deliciously brisk black tea that is brimming with delightful coconut flavor.

The black tea used here is most likely a Ceylon as most of the flavored black teas in Metropolitan Tea’s catalog possess a Ceylon base.  When brought together with the coconut notes, the Ceylon seems rather sensitive, more sensitive than with other flavored black tea blends that I’ve tried from Metropolitan Tea (as a former tea purveyor, I can say that I’ve tried quite a few of their offerings over the years).  That doesn’t make this a bad tea, just one that requires a little patience and attentiveness to prepare it properly.

The black tea is pleasantly strong – not really what I’d call “bold” but, more of a crisp tasting black tea that has a fair amount of astringency toward the tail.  The astringency leaves the palate clean, which is especially nice as the flavor of the coconut lingers a bit, making a very enjoyable aftertaste.

The coconut is strong but not overdone.  It isn’t as strong a coconut essence as some teas I’ve tried, but I think that the level of flavor works well here.  It is sweet and creamy without being cloying.  Very nice.

Thank you to Bernideen for sending me the wonderful package, it was a joy to be on the receiving end of one of your swap packages!  What a lovely cup of tea!

Chiran Sencha (White Label) – Kagoshima from Chado Tea House

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Chado Tea House

Product Description:

NEW Product! Chiran is located in Kagoshima pref. in Kyushu island. Chiran area is the biggest Japanese tea producing center of Kagoshima pref. Very Clean aroma and mouth feel. Deep steamed Sencha so rich but bitter less mild mouth feel and clean after taste. This tea can be changed by choosing different setting of temperature and the amount of leaves use.

This is one of our supplier’s signature products so nicely packaged Sencha tea. Recommend for gift item.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

Very nice!

When I first opened this pouch of tea and took a whiff of it, my first reaction was “wow!  Now THAT’S vegetative!”  Yes, it has a very strong, grassy/vegetative fragrance.  It reminds me a bit of how my kitchen smells when I’ve steamed broccoli for dinner.  It is a very strong, yet deliciously savory kind of aroma.

The leaves look very much the way I’d expect them to, thin – almost slivers! – leaves that are a deep, bright green color.  It is a very vivid, beautiful color.  The liquor produced is almost what I’d call Chartreuse, with equal amounts of yellow and green, creating a pale, beautiful golden green-ish hue.

And it tastes really wonderful.  Yes, that strong vegetative smell does translate into the flavor, but it is certainly not off-putting to me.  However, if one is sensitive to that bold, grassy flavor you might want to go a little lighter on the leaves when measuring out this tea to brew.

Along with the vegetative flavor comes a light “brothy” kind of texture, giving this tea a very savory and satisfying quality.  Even with the stronger vegetative taste to this tea, I am finding that the sweetness to this tea evens out the flavor, giving it a nice balance for the palate to enjoy, and making the tea neither too savory nor too sweet, instead … I’d say this is just right.

A wonderful Sencha – this would make a fantastic addition to any tea lover’s cupboard.