My eyes are bugging out of my head with how much I like this tea. I just thought I’d let you know that, straight away, without preamble — you know, how a newspaper article puts the most important bit first.
This is a malty, malty, malty rich black tea. It was plucked from an old tree in Vietnam that’s apparently hundreds of years old. I cannot verify the age of the tree, but this cup does have a throaty wisdom about it. It’s a Gandalf/Dumbledore tea. It has a good spirit about it.
If it were possible for a cup of tea to have a nice chuckle, this tea would. “Kids these days. Chasing rings and riding brooms into the whomping willow. What malarkey. What can you do?”
I feel like this is the archetype of what a black cup of Asian tea might be. This wild black tea thing might be my new favorite straight tea. It’s gaining momentum in my heart.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea Runners
Description
This majestic and highly unusual black tea brews to a rich and hearty cup dripping with notes of molasses and malt. This tea gets its name from the wild, ancient tea trees bearing its leaves in the north Vietnam province of Yen Bai.
These trees have been tended for hundreds of years, and you can taste the expertise and care that goes into the harvesting of these beautiful long, dark leaves.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Coconut Warrior from Wise Ape Tea Company. . . .
Wise Ape Tea company has some hella-cool branding.
Its logo is a three-eyed ape. The site says things like “Wise ape is more than just a tea; it’s a tribe of like-minded individuals who are focused on self-motivation and an altruistic attitude.” The pop up-ad asking you to subscribe to their newsletter says: “We welcome you to join our growing community of health hackers, zen warriors, and legendary tea drinkers. We require nothing but an open mind. Drink healthy and stay wise.”
I mean, like, HECK YES. Was that MADE FOR ME, or what?
When I spotted the samples the SororiTea Sisters received on Instagram , I begged for a few. (This is also a plug for our Instagram. We have one! Follow us!)
Here’s my first sample. . .
Coconut Warrior is a perfectly-balanced mix of sweet (coconut) and a little bit spicy (tumeric/bark). The flavor is a bit like a chai — one that doesn’t have that runaway spiciness that I find exhausting. It helps that the base is assam, not darjeeling, which is a bit spicier by its very nature. Assam is a good “straight man” companion to hold up a flavored black tea.
It’s good, y’all.
I can’t really tell you if it’s going to reduce your inflammation, “repair,” or “regenerate.” But it WILL “revitalize.” This sweet & lightly spicy little number will put a little pep in your step. It might even open your third eye to exciting new possibilities of the day.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Wise Ape Tea Company
Description
A revitalizing blend of assam black tea, coconut and turmeric, combined with wildcrafted pau d’ arco bark to heal your human temple. This legendary elixir is designed to mitigate inflammation and defend your body from the inside-out.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Moongold Oolong from Tin Roof Teas. . . .
One of my coworkers brought this to work specifically for me to try! What a blessing of a day!
This blend, from Tin Roof Teas, contains “sweet, succulent golden orange apricots and a floral green oolong.” It’s the perfect compliment to the day.
Like, wow: this pops. It’s juicy and green and vibrant. Like you’re just gobbling your way straight through an orchard.
Peaches, oranges, and berries are done all the time, but an apricot is kind of rare to me. I love the flavor of apricot. When I was a kid, my mom used to give me apricot-flavored baby food until WAY too late for me to be eating it*, because it was one of the few healthy things I’d eat.**
* (I’m talking teenage years.)
** (I have been told this is gross. I don’t think it’s gross. Baby food is just fruits in a blender. It’s a smoothie.)
So this tea brings me back to our kitchen table with a crack in it. There are cross-stitches on the wall. I’m picking at lunch. My family’s around. It’s warm there.
But now, in the present, I’m a sophisticated adult. I don’t eat baby food. Instead, I drink teas like this.
Nobody will ever know my secrets.
Except, perhaps, the entire internet, now that I’ve posted this.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tin Roof Teas
Description
Our Moongold Oolong is a delightful paring of sweet, succulent golden orange apricots and a floral green oolong.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Jasmine Pearls from Silk Road Teas. . . .
These charming, tightly-wound light-and-dark green balls unfurl dramatically into curls that Shirley Temple would be proud of. Watching them expand is like watching a slow-motion figure skating performance.
The resulting flavor is a delicious, buttery, almost nutty green. Its flavor is subtle. The light touch is not to be confused with weakness, however. It manages to leave a lasting impact that’s the epitome of a warm afternoon in a sunlit window, watching trees wave in the breeze. The perfect pillow upon which to meditate.
Speaking of which, my meditation practice has stalled, and this reminds me: I need to get back to that. It felt really good. I’d like to get back to that state of mind. Until then, there’s this tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Silk Road Teas
Description
Jasmine Pearls is a delight to watch unfold as well as to drink. This tea is certainly one of China’s finest quality jasmine offerings. The quality of the Pearl rests with two key attributes: a high-quality, spring pick green that is hand rolled then kept in cool place to await the jasmine harvest. Secondly, the number of scentings the pearls receive is key to the quality of their jasmine taste. The best quality pearls are scented up to 20 times but more typically 7-8 times for today’s “high-grade” pearl. The resulting jasmine flavor should be smooth and naturally sweet building on the sweet notes of the green tea pearl. Lot is 2018 crop and is made to EU Standard. Lot # JP-1.
Why we selected this particular lot. The white downy color that wraps our pearls indicates an early spring green tea harvest. This indicates the pearl is higher grade and the base green tea taste is sweet. Our source for this tea is in Fujian Province where we believe the best jasmines teas are made. The leaves unfurled and showed two leaves and a bud and a rich green color. The scenting of this lot is natural, soft on the tongue and lingering. The jasmine flower petals are minimal, again indicating a higher grade. Once rolled, the pearls wait until the jasmine flowers are harvested later in the summer. For a high-grade pearl such as ours, the flower petals are introduced and then removed after imparting their fragrance.
Tasting notes. The aroma of this tea is exquisite. With water, the pearl releases a sweet and delicate green tea redolent with the fresh scent of jasmine. The taste is very natural, smooth and clean. The jasmine will soothe. It goes very well food as well.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Blood Orange Black from Prestogeorge. . .
As a profoundly shallow person, I enjoy a nice-looking tea. And this Blood Orange Black is a stunner.
If that tea walked by on the street, I would whistle at it.
I bought this blend because it was pretty. I’ve enjoyed several cups of it so far because it’s tasty. It’s a Darjeeling paired with orange peel, rose hips, apple pieces, safflowers, rose petals and orange, vanilla and lemon flavors. It’s sweet, creamy, and citrus-y.
The citrus doesn’t thwack you over the head with a two-by-four; it’s part of a medley.
The vanilla notes make you think there’s cream in this, even when there isn’t, which is really nice, especially first thing in the morning, when I tend to want something fairly sweet. This goes down easy.
If you’re ever in Pittsburgh’s historical Strip District, you should check out Prestogeorge. It’s very pretty in there. You can look at all the blends and choose them according to appearance, like I did; and possibly luck out, like I did.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Prestogeorge
Description
Fine Indian black tea paired with reviving orange peel, rose hips, apple pieces, safflowers, rose petals and orange, vanilla and lemon flavors. Invigorate your senses and stimulate your mind. One of our most popular flavored teas.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!