Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Aftelier Perfumes
Tea Description:
This delicious full-bodied tea is flavored with Aftelier Chef’s Essences: the perfect marriage of mouth-watering blood orange and the spicy warmth of cardamom. Organic Red Pearls Black Tea, a rare tea from Fujian, is fully-oxidized Mao Feng tea leaves that have been rolled into small black pearls. They are then pan-fired where they develop a burnished sheen, toasty caramel-like aroma, and spicy, assertive — yet wonderfully sweet — flavor.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Orange Cardamom Black Tea from Aftelier Perfumes is a truly unique tea offering from a company that started making natural perfumes over 30 years ago! Here at Sororitea Sisters we’ve posted other reviews about Aftelier Perfumes Tea offerings and have enjoyed our past experiences with their teas. Orange Cardamom Black Tea from Aftelier Perfumes certainly stands up to Aftelier’s quality and creativity that we have come to learn and love.
Mandy from Afterlier Perfumes uses Organic Red Pearl Black Tea which is a Mao Feng rolled into tiny black tea balls. The tea itself is slightly caramelly and sweet. She pairs that with luscious blood orange and spicy cardamom in a fascinating way!
The flavor combination is very nice and perfectly done. When I first heard that Mandy was sending us some of this new offering to try I was hoping the cardamom wasn’t going to over power the actual tea. After one sip I knew that she took a good amount of time to get the orange and cardamom ratios ‘just so’ and for that I am truly grateful. I will never question her brilliance of evening out flavor levels again! This was a remarkable offering that’s for sure! If you or someone you know are into trying different flavors of teas don’t pass this one up!
Organic Frankincense GABA Oolong Tea from Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Tea Description:
This organic oolong tea, from Nantou, Taiwan, has gorgeous fruit and honey notes. These leaves are especially rich in GABA, a natural enzyme that calms and relaxes. Mandy uses finest hojary frankincense, with its balsamic notes and citrus undertones that marries beautifully with this full-bodied tea. These tightly rolled leaves unfurl during the first steeping, and may be re-infused up to 4 times, retaining their fragrance.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Yes, I’ve sampled this Organic Frankincense GABA Oolong Tea from Aftelier Perfumed Teas before. I’ve written a review about it before. But I want to revisit it because as I near the end of my time as a tea reviewer, I want to take some time to acknowledge some pretty fantastic teas. This tea was in my stash and I thought that this one was certainly worthy of reviewing again!
I steeped this the way I typically steep an Oolong – in my gaiwan, of course! I did a 15 second rinse and then steeped it for 45 seconds for my first infusion. For each infusion that followed, I added 15 seconds onto the steep time. My first cup is a combination of infusions 1 and 2 while the second cup is infusions 3 and 4.
What I notice first about these teas from Aftelier is the exquisite aroma. This one in particular has a very pleasant aroma that makes me think of what I might smell if I were to walk into one of those exotic import type of shops in the mall with the beautiful tapestries hanging on the walls.
With my first sip I noticed a floral note that reminded me a little bit of rose. Then I started to pick up on notes of orange. There is a pleasant undertone of caramel and the Oolong has a slightly toasty flavor that nicely complements the notes of caramel and the orange notes. There is a gentle warmth to the cup. Delicate notes of spice.
My second cup was more subdued. I still tasted the aforementioned flavors: spice, orange, soft caramel-y notes, hints of toast and even a slight buttery flavor that tastes more of browned butter than of a fresh, creamy butter. The floral notes are still there too, although I can’t say that I’m tasting rose any more. It’s just a gentle flower note that has softened since the first cup. It’s a sweet and beautiful flavor.
This tea is quite unlike any Oolong I’ve ever tasted. That’s what impresses me so much about the teas from Aftelier is that the teas are very fine quality and that they’re different from teas you’ll experience from any other purveyor. This is NOT your standard issue.
Ti Quan Yin Oolong with Fresh Ginger and Turkish Rose from Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Product Description:
Monkey-picked Tie Guan Yin oolong tea starts with a roasted-rice aroma and finishes with a fruity taste, blending beautifully with the refined Turkish rose and warm fresh ginger. These rolled leaves provide up to 4 infusions.
Taster’s Review:
Oh … WOW! This tea is absolutely dreamy! Like some sort of euphoric dream that’s been scented with roses and ginger and even a hint of smoke. That’s not only what it smells like, it’s what it tastes like too!
It’s amazing! The sip begins with an introduction from the rose. It is a sweet and almost intoxicating rose flavor that is not bitter, it’s not even what I would consider to be sharp. It is a distinct rose flavor, but, at the same time, it is unlike the rose flavors that I’ve experienced in teas before.
Shortly after your palate has become acquainted with the rose, a smooth yet smoky note from the Ti Quan Yin Oolong comes through and imparts its silky texture. The smoky flavor is not at all off-putting, rather, it seems to unite perfectly with the rose and the ginger to create a complete flavor experience.
The ginger comes in next, and this is not a strong, peppery kind of ginger, but rather, an almost sweet note of warm spice. It doesn’t taste hot or spicy, just mildly warm and enchanting. The sip finishes with a slightly drying astringency, and the aftertaste lingers with the perfumed flavor of rose and whispers of ginger.
This tea is absolutely lovely. Words cannot even begin to adequately describe just how lovely it truly is! It is a tea that must be experienced to appreciate fully. What a delight!
Ti Quan Yin Oolong with Fresh Ginger and Turkish Rose from Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Tea Type:
Oolong Tea
Where To Buy:
Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Product Description:
This organically grown tea starts with a roasted rice aroma and finishes with a fruity taste, blending beautifully with the warm fresh ginger and refined Turkish rose.
My collection of perfumed teas grew out of my love for oolong tea — its complexity and beauty is like a perfume in itself. Essential oils and absolutes are layered onto this exquisite base of first-quality leaves to create a beautiful, subtle taste and scent experience.
Tasters Review:
This is so PRETTY!!! You’ll have to see it or SMELL it for yourself to believe it! Everything about this tea shouts CLASSY! 
Ti Quan Yin Oolong with Fresh Ginger and Turkish Rose from Aftelier Perfumed Teas is a truly unique sipping experience! But the fun doesn’t stop there! This tea awakens ALL of the senses!
The Before Infusion Aroma is very fragrant and beautiful. The first thing that came to mind was…A Rose is a Rose is a Rose!
The Post Infusion Aroma was that of a Rose and Ginger Combo.
The Taste was a nice flavored oolong! The rose and ginger flavors seemed to have met in the middle which I really appreciate.
The Aftertaste was even floral!
This was brilliantly done and very enjoyable -not to mention – memorable! It holds up well to multiple infusions, too!