Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tea Chai Te
Tea Description:
This high mountain oolong is truly a must-try. Gaba teas are unique in that they are fermented in nitrogen-rich environments making them very complex, with both rich and subtle flavors that change over time and differ with each steeping. Unique with its gentle sweetness giving it hints of yam. Also a natural relaxant.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is the first GABA oolong that I have tried, and if any are similar to this GABA oolong from Tea Chai Te, I can definitely get in on it!
First off, what does it mean to be a GABA tea? I’ve heard that phrase thrown around a few times by many different companies. So what does it do? GABA is just an acronym for Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid. It is known for having a calming effect on the nervous system. GABA is also in other types of foods, such as . It occurs naturally in this low elevation Taiwanese oolong. To amp up the glutamic acid goodness in the leaves, farmers partially shade the leaves for two weeks before picking the leaves, which sounds oddly similar to how sencha is made. Both are also high in L-Theanine, which gives tea it’s energy. While the oolong is being shaded, nitrogen is added to the air, which makes the levels of GABA go crazy. It does sound crazy when I word it like that, but to put it in simpler terms, what the nitrogen gas does to the glutamic acid in the tea, really nice conditioner does to your hair. It makes it lovelier, smoother and gives it a nice fragrance.
I was having a rough day all around, and drinking this tea made it all better. It was quite aromatic, throwing in a good amount of the forest green oolong pellets into my teapot. I had to stop myself from doing nothing but sniff the leaves! When it got time to brewing, I was distracted by all the annoying e-mail and text messages that I almost forgot all about my tea! But I took a deep breath, turned off all electronic devices, and closed my eyes as I sipped. The warming and sweet aroma of milk caramel candies and rich clover honey unfolded from each inhale and came to life at each sip. Thanksgiving came to mind when I discovered a lingering taste of candied yams at the finish. I did feel less stressed after drinking this tea, although I cannot tell that it was the act of drinking the tea itself or the phytonutrients in the GABA. Either way, this is a delicious and fascinating tea, good for many, many steeps.
Annapurna Amber Oolong Tea from Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong Where to Buy: Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Description:
A stunning Himalayan massif, Annapurna is Sanskrit for “Goddess of the Harvests.” One leaf and a bud, plus a mature leaf are plucked. The tea is oxidized slowly, in cold air, then double fired. An exceptional Darjeeling-sytle oolong, Annapurna Oolong is infused with apricot and muscat grape flavors. Its liquor is full bodied, revealing a beautiful red-amber hue distinctive to our teas. Subtle notes of malt and caramel linger in the finish.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
My heart goes out to the people of Nepal. The recent earthquakes in that timeless, beautiful country is astronomically devastating. I can’t imagine what I would do if it was safer to sleep on the sidewalk than in my own home. I have always been entranced with the Himalayas and every single tea that I have had from that region is flawless. This Annapurna Amber oolong is no exception.
I tend to steer clear of darker oolongs, at once point I even avoided them like the plague. This one is more along the lines of Darjeeling when it comes to taste. None of that burnt ash taste in my mouth. I had to double check may gaiwan, I thought I was drinking a high quality dian hong! I get the same mouthfeel on this tea as I do for that classic Chinese red. Notes of brown sugar coat the tongue and insanely delicious notes of sweet potato fries and cocoa follow around each sip. The aroma of apricots and roasted peaches waft up into my nose as I steep the tea. This true amber liquid is quite exquisite, I am surprised at how deep and clear it is. An excellent and unexpected darker oolong that I would recommend to any Darjeeling or even Chinese red lover!
On a side note, I saw this company’s tea at my local Whole Foods! I can now buy this tea as well as a selection of sachets in the same trip as my late-night ice cream runs! I like that grocery stores near me are really upping their tea game. I didn’t know that this was a local company until I found a small selection of their teas on the shelf. Sweet!
Editor Note: To assist with the efforts to restore Nepal in the aftermath of the earthquakes, Nepali Tea Traders recently launched their Nepali Tea Restoration Fund. Here are more details:
Many of you have inquired about what can be done to help. As you likely know, funds are needed for this urgent and critical relief effort, and for massive rebuilding. We have been touched by the expressed support and concerns, and in response, we have decided to launch the Nepali Tea Restoration Fund. In order to seed this fund, Nepali Tea Traders will donate the greater of (1) all profits for the remainder of the year and (2) 20 percent of sales. We hope that you will join us by contributing to rebuilding this beautiful country for these wonderful and gracious people.
The Last Dodo’s Mega Matcha Comparison Showdown!
I think my arms are sore. I have been whisking away for two days, testing matcha for it’s various quality. Red leaf tea has graciously asked me to put their matcha to the test. So, how does their matcha compare to the rest? Let’s find out! To make things as fair as I can make it, I used a consistent 1/2tsp to 1/4 c of water. The water I used was filtered and heated up to 80C/175F. Whisk and repeat.
First off, when I was doing the testing, I was unaware of the brands and the prices. I was shipped 12 little sample bags labeled simply, Sample 1, Sample 2, and so forth. It was so much fun, even if it got to be a bit overwhelming at times. Needless to say I am writing this comparison totally wired.
Sample #1:
Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder
Price per bag: $24.95
Price per oz: $6.24
Color: 6
Flavor: 6
Sweetness: 5
Notes: Woah. I had to shorten the name for this one because it was about 15 keywords too long. But hey, first matcha out of the gate! This one had the exact appearance as a bag of steamed asparagus color to me and was bold and grassy.
Sample #2:
Tradition Pure Green Tea Powder
Price per bag: $10.75
Price per oz: $1.22
Color: 4
Flavor: 5
Sweetness: 5
Notes: Much clump I sense in you, matcha sample #2! This sample is a Taiwanese product, so can it be considered true matcha? This one has much more umami going on. There was some graininess to this one, I was not very impressed.
Sample #3:
Price per bag: $24.00
Price per oz: $6.00
Color: 9
Flavor: 9
Sweetness: 10
Notes: This was quite good! I was glad to finally have hit a sweet spot with these matcha samples. The color was of an unripe pear, and the bright spring green was fresh and smooth in execution. The sweetness was much more prominent than the past two.
Sample #4:
Price per bag: $19.99
Price per oz: $2.27
Color: 6
Flavor: 6
Sweetness: 6
Notes: this one was very fluffy! Too bad the green, vegetable broth-like brew was a yawn for me.
Sample #5:
Price per bag: $21.99
Price per oz: $5.50
Color: 6
Flavor: 6
Sweetness: 5
Notes: the ever so grainy army drab matcha was muted, like iceberg lettuce. Very forgettable, unfortunately. The 100 keyword Amazon listing is a bit of a turn off as well.
Sample #6:
Price per bag: $29.99
Price per oz: $8.52
Color: 9
Flavor: 10
Sweetness: 10
Notes: The pistachio colored powder was a bit harder to whisk than the last, it had mad clumps. But where it lacked in whiskablity, it made up in the sweet, fresh and bright brew.
Sample #7:
Price per bag: $16.99
Price per oz: $1.93
Color: 3
Flavor: 5
Sweetness: 5
Notes: Smooth, but bitter and much more gritty than the others. I almost felt bad for this matcha, considering how this one fell short when the previous one was quite good.
Sample #8:
Price per bag: $24.71
Price per oz: $2.47
Color: 5
Flavor: 6
Sweetness: 5
Notes: a bit astringent and rough to drink. Not my favorite.
Sample #9:
Price per bag: $25.00
Price per oz: $6.25
Color: 9
Flavor:7
Sweetness: 8
Notes: this one was not bad, but I did get a little fishy note in the body somewhere, albeit a fleeting one. This would have been great matcha if it wasn’t for that.
Sample #10:
Price per bag: $24.99
Price per oz: $6.25
Color: 6
Flavor: 6
Sweetness: 7
Notes: this was a mild one, it was not bitter, but the flavor fell a little flat.
Sample #11:
Starter Matcha from Red leaf Tea
Price per bag: $14.99
Price per oz: $0.94
Color: 5
Flavor: 7
Sweetness: 7
Notes: I think I was getting a little matcha high at this point but, I remember how smooth this one was, the flavor was nothing to write home about, but there was no harshness, nor muted flavor. Just fresh greens.
Sample #12:
Deluxe Matcha from Red Leaf Tea
Price per bag: $24.99
Price per oz: $1.56
Color: 10
Flavor: 10
Sweetness: 10
Notes: Hands down my favorite. I was surprised at how floral this one tasted, I remember writing in my notes that it tasted like one of my favorite things, my city’s Botanic Gardens. Which is high praise coming from me! There was not bitterness to this one, only sweet, smooth goodness!
So there you have it! To break it down, here are some charts to help break down the information into more chewable bites. And who doesn’t love charts?
By looking at this one, Sample 6 and 12 were all around favorites for me. The only one that got close was Sample 3. I may have had higher expectations of the samples that came after each matcha that I really liked, cause the rating dropped a bit!
This chart definitely tells a better story. Looks like I can usually tell a good matcha when I see it! The biggest difference is the last two, in price and quality. They were smooth and whipped up really smoothly. Both of which can be obtained from Red Leaf Tea. The ratio is great, comparably. I was blown out of the water by the contrast in price vs. how much I liked it. Wowza!
No. 23 Kandy Black Tea from Steven Smith Teamaker
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Steven Smith Teamaker
Tea Description:
Named after one of the most beautiful cities in Sri Lanka, Kandy brings together full and flavory Dimbulla with highly aromatic and intense Uva and lightly scented high-grown Nuwara Eliya. A tea made for sipping with pleasure all day.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I got Kandy no.23 black tea from a friend recently, and with the recent news of Steven Smith himself passing I wanted to pay homage to him by drinking one of his creations. He had many successful companies, one you might have heard of too. If anyone has had any of Tazo’s teas while they were still at Starbucks, raise you hand. If you want to read more about his legacy, there is a great article here.
Kandy is a blend of three different Ceylon teas. I’m going to disappoint anyone who thinks that this tea is going to tastes like actual candy; this tea is named after a city in Sri Lanka, not after a sweet treat. However, I am convinced that there is something sweet about this tea. In the large square sachet, smells of malted milk balls and raisinets waft into my nose. Smells like classic movie theater candy. Yum. Let’s get this started!
Now, I am not one to follow directions on packages, but reading the one on the outside of the sachet I just had to pay attention. The directions are as follows:
“Bring filtered water to a roiling boil. Steep 5 minutes, while googling the ornate Palace of the Sacred Tooth.”
Now you have my attention.
So google I did. According to Wikipedia, The Temple of the Tooth is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. In that temple is contained the sacred tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because whoever holds the tooth holds the governing power of the country. Kandy was the last capital of Sri Lanka, so it gets the tooth. Huh. Quite a history lesson for my daily cuppa.
Whilst ruminating on this, I sipped this tea in silence. I got the classic malt notes, as well as bright citrus and raisin notes. It’s smooth without having any trace of astringency. While this is not the most interesting and unique blend on the market today, there is something just so nostalgic about black tea from India and Sri Lanka. It tastes like a hot summer day with a refreshing cup of sweetened sun tea with lemon. It’s a cool rainy morning with a dash of milk. This would make for a great daily drinker for anyone who loves the mellow yet rich profiles of Ceylon teas.
The thing I like the most about this tea is the history that this company wants you to know about this tea. I really enjoy getting to know everything I can about the leaves in my cup. What are it’s hobbies? What music is it into? Is it named after a city who is famous for owning a tooth? This tea demands to be understood. And Steven Smith Tea maker is sure to get it’s point across.
Dragon Lychee Pearls Black Tea from Tealyra
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tealyra
Tea Description:
Well rounded, sweet, mellow and flavorsome, our Lychee tea is an exotic and enticing taste sensation! Ripe, fruity and aromatic, Lychee is delicious either served hot, or chilled and served over ice with a sprig of mint or a slice of lemon.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have some fond memories of lychee throughout my childhood, and these Dragon Lychee Pearls from Tealyra (known to my Canadian friends as Tealux) intrigued me, and for the price, I figured it couldn’t hurt.
I decided to take this to work with me, but conveniently forgot to bring any type of brewing vessel along with it. No problem! This type of tea is perfect for Grandpa Style brewing. Any kind of tea rolled into balls, cones or compressed into coins, bird nests, or squares make excellent lazy brew teas. It’s these types of visually entertaining teas that I like to show off to my coworkers. sure most of them think that there is some kind of sea urchin living at the bottom of my cup, but hey, it gets them talking about tea! I threw in 6 little pellets of deliciously scented black tea into a pint glass and poured hot water over it. It didn’t look like that much tea in the glass, but the flavor was not lacking in that department.
The fruit flavoring is pretty true to a fresh, juicy lychee. It’s exactly like any lychee jelly candy you can pick up at your local Asian market. The black tea base is lighter than I was expecting, but I still get that nice, fresh baked bread and cocoa powder notes I was hoping for. The leaves popped open almost immediately after I doused them in water, revealing long and sturdy brown leaves. I was able to refill my glass three times before the leaves gave up the ghost.
This was a great tea that takes to any method of preparation really well. I liked how the tart perfume of the lychee notes persist through many steepings, and the base black tea is mellow but defined. I’m hard pressed to find a better lychee tea, and this is the most unique one yet. This tea is like entertainment for your mouth!