Nakamura-en Tea Shop Kyoto Karigane Hojicha is a premium green tea that is made of roasted stems filtered from kabusecha which is a shaded green tea.
The tea shop itself is a quaint, 100+ year old shop near Ryogoku station on the JR Sobu line. The owner is Mr. Nakamura who speaks a bit of English, and selects some amazing teas from around Japan….including this one. The promoter of this wonderful tea is Yunomi Life and it’s available for purchase on their website.
The harvest is spring and the region is Kyoto Pref, Japan which contributes to the overall experience of this tea. The aroma is intense – right out of the bag! The flavor on the tongue is smoky and roasted up front with a sweet end sip.
The layers of flavor have you craving more. This is certainly a tea that you will take your time with. One to contemplate and appreciate. One that you will remember long after the cup is finished. A mighty fine roasted and toasted green!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Yunomi
Description
Roasted leaf stems filtered from the production of gyokuro (the most premium form of leaf green tea with lowest level of catechin) in Kyoto, Japan.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Hibiscus Twist from The Cozy Leaf. . . .
I know I’m not the BEST person to blog about a tea called Hibiscus Twist. That’s because I’m not the biggest fan of the flower. But when I read the other ingredients of this herbal offering from The Cozy Leaf – I thought I would give it a whirl.
Officially described on The Cozy Leaf website as an Artisan Loose Leaf Herbal Tea (Caffeine Free) – Organic – offering – the flavor of this is tangy-tart and fruity with a delicate touch of spearmint. I will not tell a lie…the spearmint is what drew me in.
As the loose contents steeps a beautiful crimson color fills the cup!
I do prefer this offering ICED over the hot cuppa option but each person is different and this is one of those herbals that can easily please the masses!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Cozy Leaf
Description
A tangy tart herbal blend that is sure to add a smile to your tea time and has been bringing a healthy smile to my face since May of 2010! This brews a beautiful crimson cup that is excellent hot or cold! One of my favorite summertime treats is to add some lemonade or fresh berries to a delicious brew of Iced Hibiscus Twist (excellent paired with blackberries and fresh spearmint)! Another easy treat is to make an extra strong brew and freeze the concentrate in ice cube trays. Then pop the frozen crimson ice cubes into fresh made lemonade! The crowd goes wild!! This is also a fabulous tea to have premade in the refrigerator for the unexpected guests. Nothing like having a premium and healthy beverage right at your fingertips to leave an impression!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
China White Tea from Capital Tea Limited. . . .
Sometimes…I just want a plain, simple white tea. Don’t get me wrong…that doesn’t mean that it’s inferior. That could not be further from the truth when I’m sipping and jotting down tea tasting notes for this White Tea from Capital Tea Limited. The more specific, lengthy name of this lovely white tea from china is called…Bai Hao Yin Zhen – Yunnan Da Bai Silver Needle 2016.
A Yunnan Silver Needle? Yes please!
Bai Hao Yin Zhen – Yunnan Da Bai Silver Needle from Capital Tea Limited features gorgeous, pure, long shiny silver buds that give off a notably sweet floral aroma.
Unopened – these leaves are STUNNING and produce an incredibly sweet and smooth nectar-esque tea liquor with complex flavor and aroma notes that fondly remind me of both apricots and melons…two of my favorite fruits from the time I was a tike!
Sometimes you can just lose yourself in simplicity but isn’t that what is needed from time to time? Especially after a long, stressful day, week, month, or YEAR? This tea whispers ‘YOU TIME’. Listen to the whispers…and enjoy a cuppa!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Capital Tea Limited
Description
| Gorgeous pure long shiny silver buds with a notably sweet floral aroma. These stunning unopened leaves produce an incredibly sweet and smooth nectar-like tea liquor with complex flavour and aroma notes reminiscent of apricots and melon. – 50g package |
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tie Guan Yin from Origins Tea . . .
One cold and wintery evening I decided to dive deep into my loose leaf stash and randomly choose one I hadn’t had in a good, long while. The one I choose from the heap was this Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea from Origins Tea which I haven’t been able to locate online for a long time.
Some tea lovers say it’s a perfect middle ground to a black tea and a green tea but it’s actually an Oolong! Tricky, tricky…little fellow…but oh-so-comforting and satisfying!
Other tea fans say that Tie Guan Yin is arguably the most famous oolong tea with an aroma of baked bread with a floral, buttery finish.
I agree with both stances. It’s a little bit green, a little bit black. It’s not too weak and not too strong. It offers that semi-bakey, yet somewhat creaminess, too!
Could this be the Jekyll and Hyde of Oolongs? Perhaps! But for now…I will just call it a solid cuppa and enjoy it for what it is…Tie Guan Yin…a marvelous Oolong!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Origins Tea
Description
Grown in the high mountains of the A Li Shan region of Taiwan, this tea is also known as the “Iron Goddess of Compassion”. This tea will almost certainly become your favorite roasted Tie Guan Yin. Nice deep roasted fragrance, comes off a bit nutty with the charcoal aroma, along with a bit of floral in the background. Really nice mix of floral notes, fruity/herbal terpene complexity, and underlying roasted aroma.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Apple & Fig from TeaLeafs. . . .
Apple & Fig Black Tea. How could you go wrong? You can’t…with Apple & Fig Black flavored tea from TeaLeafs based out of Western New York. But it’s more than just a black flavored tea. It’s also an Oolong Tea. And a Rooibos Herbal…all wrapped up into one! That’s right…were talking about a blended tea here folks…not one…not two…but three bases…meshed into what you see here!
The origins of this trio tea blended base is from both India and China. To expand on the ingredients it contains Black Tea, Oolong Tea, Organic Rooibos, Apple pieces, Flavors, Fig, Clove, and Star Anise.
The tart apples and sweet jammy figs are what bring this to life! The hints of clove and star anise draw out the natural sweetness of the tea – according to the tea company’s website and I completely agree!
I have to say that the Fig Formosa Oolong from TeaLeafs is still my favorite of their offerings but this has to be in my top 10 from them. And that says a LOT because they have LOTS and LOTS of offerings! If you haven’t checked them out yet – make sure you do!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: TeaLeafs
Description
Tart apples and sweet, jammy figs. Hints of clove and star anise draw out the natural sweetness of the tea