It’s been muggy lately. Don’t get me wrong…I LOVE the heat…paired with the mugginess…not so much. In times like these I enjoy a lighter type tea. Yellows, sweeter Greens, and White Teas hit the spot. That is why I went with Doke Silver Needle, 2nd Flush, Bihar from TeaSwan.
Doke Silver Needle, 2nd Flush, Bihar from TeaSwan is a hand made organic white tea. It’s a 2nd flush of the 2017 year.
In case you ever wondered about the tea process with silver needle – it’s processed from the youngest leaves collected during the 2nd flush. The leaves are hand-picked and hand-rolled to preserve the original taste; the zero oxidation formula of white tea retains the natural tenderness of the leaves, which is reflected in the flavor.
The soft and light liquor produces the finest creamy aroma. This exquisite, hand-made white tea is the epitome of delicate luxury. Experience the light sweetness of peach blossoms and apricot that overlays a subtle backdrop of marigold. The pale yellow brew feels as luxurious as it tastes. You’ll want to indulge in this cup again and again. Enjoy with wild rice and tender vegetables.
That last paragraph was from TeaSwan’s website and I have to agree that it would, indeed, pair well with rice and veggies.
I also agree that it had a glorious creamy-sweet flavor about it…and that, for me, is what makes this tea TASTE very memorable.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Tea Swan
Description
The Doke Silver Needle white tea is processed from the youngest leaves collected during the 2nd flush. The leaves are hand-picked and hand-rolled to preserve the original taste; the zero oxidation formula of white tea retains the natural tenderness of the leaves, which is reflected in the flavor. The soft and light liquor produces the finest creamy aroma. This exquisite, hand-made white tea is the epitome of delicate luxury. Experience the light sweetness of peach blossoms and apricot that overlays a subtle backdrop of marigold. The pale yellow brew feels as luxurious as it tastes. You’ll want to indulge in this cup again and again. Enjoy with wild rice and tender vegetables.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Golden Osmanthus/Perkse Coffee & Tea
Confession…Golden Osmanthus Oolong is the first tea I have tried from Perkse Coffee and Tea…and if this tea is any indication what their other products are like…I will be looking into a purchase soon! This tea was delightful!
Golden Osmanthus (also known as Huang Jin Gui) is an Anxi oolong whose name means “Golden Flower.” A lightly roasted oolong our “Bolero” reveals an intensity with hints of honey and flowers you will find enticing and seductive.
That is straight from their website and I have to say that I agree! This tea was flowery-sweet with a gentle roast oolong flavor. The first infusion was out of this world and follow up infusions were out of this galaxy! Full of flavor, naturally!
It’s refreshingly-sweet like honey or agave, even. The leaves are vibrantly green and aromatic from start to finish! A real treat!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Perkse Tea
Description
Golden Osmanthus (also known as Huang Jin Gui) is an Anxi oolong whose name means “Golden Flower.” A lightly roasted oolong our “Bolero” reveals an intensity with hints of honey and flowers you will find enticing and seductive.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
High Mountain Oolong/Qi Aerista
This just might be the first tea I have ever tried from Qi Aerista. More specifically, High Mountain Oolong from Qi Aerista, that is.
First I want to talk about their website. It’s pretty fantastic when it comes to individual information about each one of their teas and products. Very few companies describe the process of each tea to the degree that Qi Aerista did. With this oolong, they said it went thru the traditional process, but went one further to describe it step-by-step which included Plucking, Withering, Bruising, Kill-green/Fixation, Rolling & Shaping, and Drying & Roasting with special emphasis on the ‘bruising’. Bruising is a critical phase as it involves rounds of shaking and resting of the leaves to obtain the right amount oxidation that delivers the optimal flavor and aroma.
Going beyond the process, they told more secrets of this tea including the tea type being a Semi-oxidized Oolong and what other names it could go by which were Xiyan Oolong and West Rock Oolong. Cultivar was listed as Local oolong cultivar and the region it hails from is Dapu County, Guangdong Province, China.
What I find even more exciting is that the age of the plant in which this tea came from was over 60 years old and grew at an altitude of 1250m/4100ft from their April 2017 harvest.
I took about 2 or more teaspoons of this loose leaf and infused for about 3 minutes. It was the perfect cuppa outcome! It offered a gentle roasted flavor but it was also sweet. Smooth, crisp, and a bit nutty on the end sip! A really lovely flavor. I can’t want for another cup! Next time you are looking for a tea to buy or try – make sure you look this one up!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Qi Aerista
Description
This tea is no longer on the website but click below for more information regarding Qi Aerista’s offerings.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Simmer Down/The Random Tea Room & Curiosity Shop
I’m not sure where this lil diddy has been hiding but I found it in my personal tea and tisane stash and knew that it was calling my name during our most recent snow storm!
Simmer Down from The Random Tea Room & Curiosity Shop. How could you go wrong from a store situated in Philly and has a lovely Etsy shop to boot!?
If you are looking for relaxing and calm in a cup you have come to the right place! The ingredients in this blend of herbs include: chamomile, lemon balm, motherwort, peppermint, lavender, and passionflower. It says it’s designed to assist the body in alleviating stress and worn nerves. Since I hate winter weather AND snow…I thought I would put that to the test!
First and foremost I could smell the chamomile. Full disclosure? I’m not a chamomile fan…but…I won’t let that stop me from trying a tea or tisane at least once.
Upon first sip? I was pleased! It was more than ‘just chamomile’. It was nicely paired with the peppermint…and I’m a HUGE fan of peppermint, folks!
At this point…I’m a instant fan! The peppermint saved the day! The lemon balm helped with the follow thru on to the aftertaste of this herbal. I thought it was nicely played. The motherwort, lavender, and passionflower all played a small part and seemed to help round out the overall flavor but those three didn’t seem to be the starting players…more like 2nd strings…if you are into sports analogies.
Yup! I could see myself sipping on this tisane most evenings. It’s probably one of the top herbals I have tried in the past several months! Highly recommended!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: The Random Tea Room & Curiosity Shop
Description
A blend of chamomile, lemon balm, motherwort, peppermint, lavender, and passionflower. Designed to assist the body in alleviating stress and worn nerves.
Very relaxing. This is calm in a cup!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
(Pure Indulgence) Lavender Oolong/Palais des Thés
Palais des Thés doesn’t get over the top with the explanation or product description of this one. Not because it isn’t wonderful but because it IS wonderful and they don’t need to go on and on about it.
Pure Indulgence Lavender from Palais des Thés. Simply put is…the pure sensation of lavender with tea.
This is an Oolong Tea with Lavender. It’s doesn’t get more straight forward than that, folks!
The sweet Oolong used in this offering hails from China and is combined with that stereotypical flower that ‘girly girls’ and ‘grandmas’ adore. I, for one, am neither of those types but I have to give credit where credit is due and say this one really surprised me. There was ‘just enough’ of the flower aroma and flavor to be noticeable and take this tea to the next level but it wasn’t overly loud about it either.
This is a classy tea. It’s comforting and warm. It doesn’t leave a bitter floral aftertaste like some flowery flavored tea tend to and for that I’m extremely grateful!
Don’t assume you will know what this tastes like. Try it before you label it. This isn’t your Grandmothers lavender! This is something really special. It should be shared and celebrated!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Palais des Thés
Description
The pure sensation of lavender with tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!