If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. This little phrase can be used time and time again with tea.
If you don’t like it the first time you try it, try it again. I was not impressed with my first session, so here we are trying again.
The dry aroma is better this time around. Somewhat floral, somewhat earthy.
The first time around is the best but I’m finding subtle floral notes that are nice in later steepings as well. The mouthfeel is smooth and refreshing.
While using my aroma cup I encountered I very briefly encountered some intense fruity notes with woodsy notes but couldn’t find it again after that. The leaves are a unique dark color but when wet they are outlined with lighter brown shades.
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Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Verdant
Description
贼王 or “King of Thieves” got its name from the famous story of a thief stealing this valuable tea tree in the middle of the night over 200 years ago, but leaving some of the roots and trunk in their haste to cut it down. King of Thieves growing today is said to have regrown from that little remaining root stock. This tea was hand picked and hand processed over 24 hours of intense labor to bring out its rich nuanced dessert-like flavor and spiced tropical undertones.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
2003 Aged Ben Shan/Verdant Tea
Have you ever judged a book by it’s cover? Looked at a tea and thought, meh? I confess I did that with this one. I’m not a big fan of pu er and some other aged teas I’ve had were okay. But I figured let’s give this a try anyway.
I only have a 5g sample so I’m going to do everything right with this one. Using the gongfu method I’ll be trying to steep as many times as I can. (Ended up with around 5 or 6 steepings).
The dry aroma is very woody, dried wood with other earthy notes. When wet, the minerality immediately comes forth along with some clean earthy somewhat roasty notes. It is a unique aroma that is rich and deep but not overwhelming.
The flavor, likewise, is mineral. Soft on the palette. The second steeping has revealed interesting milky notes. Also with the second and third steeping, unique rye notes came out. Like rye bread without the bread. Heavier roasted notes towards the end.
If you guys are able to give this tea a try I highly suggest it. Just make sure you give yourself a good half hour to enjoy the tea as it should be. No tea mugs for this tea.
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Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Description
The Ben Shan cultivar has a big, strong flavor that is full of all the fruit and sweet florals we love in Tieguanyin. Ben Shan is so rich that it is often sold as Tieguanyin or blended with Tieguanyin to make Tieguanyin taste more like Tieguanyin. Some of the oldest tea bushes on Master Zhang’s high mountain plot are Ben Shan varietal, planted by his grandparents. Ben Shan is used by Master Zhang in many of his Wulong revival experiments for its versatile nature and big, deep texture. Careful aging and roasting bring out unexpectedly tropical florals paired with a taut cooling minerality.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Strawberry Crepes with Cilantro Cream/A Quarter To Tea
There is a new craziness in my life and it is called law school. Yay! But also boo! One step closer to my dreams but a whole lot of miles farther from my friends and family. I do have one great comfort from home though and that is my tea. My tea and (almost) all my teaware which is now proudly displayed on a bookshelf for all to see.
With this new chapter of my life beginning, I have been thinking about the past chapters and I think that’s what made this tea, A Quarter to Tea’s Strawberry Crepes with Cilantro Cream, stand out to me. Crepes have always said Montreal to me, my home for so many years during one of the best times in my life…my undergrad. Here’s hoping this tea is as delightful as the crepes I remember…and also that law school ends up being as amazing as my undergrad.
Drinking the tea, it is definitely a tasty tea however it is hard to discern any particular flavor at first. As I continue to drink, I am picking up some of the strawberry, sweet like a puree you’d find in/on a crepe. Though cilantro isn’t fully clear, there is a savory note at the end of the sip that is different but I can’t decide if I like it or not. The oolong seems to be bridging the gap between the sweet strawberry and the savory end note. At the top of the flavor is baked goods that is light and could be crepes but it could also be a puff or a bun or whatever bakery concoction I am told to look for by A Quarter to Tea.
This is a good tea but I don’t know if this stands out. A Quarter to Tea has made some outstanding blends but this seems to be more middle-of-the-pack. I am enjoying what I have and I am glad I have another cup worth of leaf remaining but at the end of the day, I don’t think I would reach for this tea over another tea.
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Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
It appears A Quarter To Tea is taking a short break but check out their FB page for updates.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
High Mountain Oolong/Qi Aerista
Qi Aerista is probably best known for their “smart” tea brewing system. But they also sell tea!
Their selection is broad and consists exclusively of loose leaf teas including greens and whites and puerh, you get the idea. Go look at the pictures and drool.
So how about this one? The one that started it all for me? It is exactly what they describe. It is lightly roasted, smooth, and sweet, and the flavor starts out light, but the more you drink, the more it builds. There is just enough gentle briskness to keep you reaching for your cup over and over, plus who can resist that building intensity? The first sip was as soft as a sigh but now a roasty, lightly woody taste fills my head.
I had this at breakfast and tasted it before tucking in to my everything bagel with cream cheese. It was so light and smooth, but I knew the bagel was going to overshadow it. Next time I will choose something heavily roasted or a black tea to combat the garlic and onion, and I will reserve this to go with something that is more delicate or just drink it by itself.
This was good enough to make me return and try some of the rock oolongs and maybe that gorgeous Shou Mei, but I really want the adorable Dianhong Pagodas!
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Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Qi Aerista
Description
This tea looks to no longer be availble but click below for teas that are.
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!
