It’s been a while since I have sipped on an impressive Puer. It seems like this one was calling me. The one I am writing about today is 2017 Old Reliable from White2Tea.
The puer was in solid but pieced-up form in the package and the package had Abraham Lincoln on it with the word SPIN placed upside-down.
Old Reliable was pressed in 2017 and according to the company website this is their infamous house blend…so it has to be pretty darn good, right?
As for my own personal findings…upon opening the package I was delighted to sniff a hint of dry berry aroma hiding among the more stereotypical puer smell. Once I infused my first cup I noticed the liquid smelling more like Earthy and that of damp wood. The sip was gentle and woodsy yet creamy and sweet.
The follow-up, second infusion was much darker, bolder, and the aftertaste was woodsy yet minty.
Both infusions were impressive and memorable. If I were to suggest a solid puer to keep on hand to please the masses – 2017 Old Reliable would be it. And in closing…it certainly lives up to its name!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Puer
Where to Buy: White2Tea
Description
Our infamous house blend; a solid daily drinker ripe Puer tea that you can count on. An excellent combination of value and quality, the Old Reliable is a blend of several years of material, so despite being pressed in 2017, it is ready to drink now and will only continue to improve over the next few years. A smooth, sweet, thick ripe Puer tea with a classic Menghai character.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Socklatinga Green Tea 2nd Flush, 2017 from Tea Swan. . .
I don’t recall if I have ever had a Green Assam from Socklatinga so I was thrilled to have it in front of me recently.
According to the Tea Swan website – Socklatinga Green Tea is a variant of whole leaf green-tea collected during the second flush of Assam and makes a cup of warm golden-green tea.
Tasting the charming fruity flavor of this tea was a pleasure but I also found it to be a bit grassy-green with a hint of helpful bitterness, too! What kind of fruity notes? Pear – possibly!
As I continued to sip on this tea I wanted to learn more about the tea estate, itself. A brief recap in my research found that the Sockieting Tea Estate produces 4,00,000 kgs of tea in a year and is a HACCP accredited estate. The property was procured from Andrew Yule & Co Ltd and spreads across 223 hectares of land.
This was a tasty tea. I would suggest it for those who enjoy a grassier-green with hints of pear-like-fruit hidden underneath.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tea Swan
Description
Socklatinga Green Tea whole leaf green-tea collected during the second flush of Assam makes a cup of warm golden-green drink.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
London Tea from New English Teas. . . .
I know you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover but I have to confess that sometimes I try a tea based on the tin or packaging. All-in-All this really doesn’t have any sway on the outcome of what I think of the tea inside but I have to say clever and colorful packaging grabs my eye!
This London Tea from New English Teas did just that. The tin is lovely! It’s a deep red with 3 different faces of authority (for lack of better words) on the sides. They are in full uniform, too. On the 4th side of the tin you can read about the location of the tea company.
This is a standard black tea that I’m sure is what they use for many of their bases but it’s bold and dark and just about everything you look for in a hearty morning tea or afternoon pick-me-up. This could very well please the masses!
And I’m not going to lie…I’m going to keep and prominently display the decorative tin!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: New English Teas
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
San Lin Xi Oolong from Harney & Sons. . . .
San Lin Xi Oolong from Harney & Sons is an overly comforting tea that I have been enjoying as of late. I know I have said that about other teas in the past but with as much tea as we drink here at SororiTea Sisters it has to be something REALLY special to wedge it into that ‘overly comforting’ category.
It’s just one of those teas that you verbally let out an “ummmmm” or ‘yummm’ as soon as it hits your tongue and swishes around in your mouth. It instantly put a smile on my face.
Harney & Sons San Lin Xi Oolong is a Taiwanese high mountain (Gao shan) oolong. It’s from the middle of the Nantou District, between Li Shan to the north and Ali San in the South. It’s lightly oxidized yet sweet and buttery. It has a medium strength for an oolong and works well with multiple infusions.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Harney & Sons
Description
We are pleased to expand our offering of Taiwanese high mountain (Gao shan) oolongs. This tea is from the middle of the Nantou District, between Li Shan to the north and Ali San in the South. It is a lovely lightly oxidized oolong.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Assam Tonganagaon from Simpson & Vail. . . .
While searching for some pretty unique yet powerful black teas – one MUST try the offerings of Simpson & Vail!
If you have been following the Sororitea Sisters for a while you probably aren’t a stranger to that company and for good reason…they have some pretty fantastic teas!
This time around I would like to share with you Simpson & Vail’s Organic Assam Tonganagaon. It’s not a tea that stayed in my tea stash for long – that is for sure! I sipped it up pretty quick – it’s just that good!
S&V state on their website that – In the northeastern state of Assam in India, along the Brahmaputra River grow the hearty, malty Assam teas. The heavy rainfall and hot, humid day time temperatures in this area create the perfect green house like environment for growth, as well as helping to create the unique taste found only in Assam teas. Their distinct flavor can be enjoyed “as is”; however, Assam teas are often used in conjunction with other teas to create numerous blends, specifically breakfast teas. This small estate is located in Northeast India near the Namdapha National Park, which is recognized as one of India’s richest areas of biodiversity.
I fully agree with their assessment that this is a delicious Assam! The medium-black, slightly tippy leaves brew to a medium amber cup with a delightful, well-bodied malty taste…just what I look for in an Assam!
Yet another WIN for S&V and for ME as I continue to sip!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Description
In the northeastern state of Assam in India, along the Brahmaputra River grow the hearty, malty Assam teas. The heavy rainfall and hot, humid day time temperatures in this area create the perfect green house like environment for growth, as well as helping to create the unique taste found only in Assam teas. Their distinct flavor can be enjoyed “as is”; however, Assam teas are often used in conjunction with other teas to create numerous blends, specifically breakfast teas.
A delicious Assam! This small estate is located in Northeast India near the Namdapha National Park, which is recognized as one of India’s richest areas of biodiversity. The medium-black, slightly tippy leaves brew to a medium amber cup with a delightful, well-bodied malty taste.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!