Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Product Description:
Hand picked in high altitude, naturally mist-shaded tea gardens, withered in the shade fanned for several hours before being hand pressed into spears in a wok over low wood-fire.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I first tasted this tea, I was surprised, and checked the label again. I could have sworn it said Dragon Well on the label… and it does! But it says Dragon Well style, not Dragon Well (or Long Jing). And yes, the dry leaf does look quite similar to a Dragon Well tea. The leave are long and appear to have been flattened similar to a Dragon Well. The color seems to be a bit brighter green than many Dragon Well teas that I’ve encountered, and there is a little something more to the aroma of the dry leaf with this tea. There is something warm, toasty- perhaps nutty? – and slightly spiced to the dry leaf fragrance, and these are not scents that I typically experience with a Dragon Well. It sure smells interesting, though!
With the combination of the first two infusions in my cup, I notice a sweetness that reminds me immediately of brown sugar. Like a raw brown sugar … not a caramelized sugar or processed brown sugar – but that pure, molasses-y flavor that you only get when you taste raw brown sugar. The vegetative notes are softer than expected, and remind me a bit more of a baked bean than a “green” kind of taste. I also detect a nutty flavor, as well as a banana-ish kind of taste to it (the tasting notes on the website suggest a bananas foster flavor, and I get that, except that the warm cinnamon flavor is missing).
With a taste this good, you know I had to take the tea out for another infusion or two! The combination of the third and fourth infusions actually produced a flavor that reminds me of butter rum lifesavers. I took a few sips just to see if my mind was playing tricks on my palate, like it might have been telling it “now, you’re supposed to taste butter rum lifesavers.” I don’t know if that is actually happening now, but, I can tell you that I taste butter rum lifesavers (a flavor I’m very familiar with, because every year, my daughters give me their butter rum lifesavers from their “Lifesaver Storybook” which is a traditional stocking stuffer on Christmas).
There is also a faint vegetative note in these next two infusions, but it is fainter than in the first two infusions … which was faint to begin with. This is the kind of green tea I’d recommend to someone who finds other green teas to be too grassy, because this one would win them over.
This has to be one of the most intriguing green teas I’ve ever tasted. Bananas and Butter Rum Lifesavers? Weird? Maybe. Delicious? Absolutely!
Diyi Cornfields Shu from Verdant Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Product Description:
Year: 2008
Workshop: Diyi Workshop
Region: Xishuangbanna
Flavor: True to the smell, this tea really does taste like corn, but with an impressive complexity. The spearmint comes through as a tingling sensation, more of a a minty texture than anything else. Despite the sweet corn flavor, the tea is weightless on the palate and almost refreshing like an iced drink.
Taster’s Review:
This month’s Steepster Select Package theme is “Migration.” My first thought when I saw the card insert in the package was “Migration? What an odd theme.” But I don’t mean odd in a bad way… I happen to think odd is a compliment. I mean, why settle for ordinary when you can have something a little odd?
The card insert explains the theme like this:
Autumn brings bodies in motion – animals and people alike – savoring the final wisps of warmth. Stroll through the park and you’ll find empty nests, scattered branches and crisp, fallen leaves, all proof of the impending frost.
Some take flight, migrating to warmer climates, but those more observant recognize Autumn is merely the beginning of many tea-soaked months.
Rather than fly away, we choose to nose-dive in wholeheartedly. We bring you 3 teas inspired by everything the migrating birds left behind.
I really like this explanation and how it fits with the three teas chosen for this month. This particular tea is the “empty nest”!
And I really am liking this tea!
If you are a frequent reader here, you may know that I am not as fond of pu-erh as I am other types of tea. But I am gaining an appreciation for it with each new tasting. This Shu (meaning “cooked” pu-erh) is full of surprises!
My first surprise was the aroma of the dry nest. It is earthy, yes, but, the earthy notes are not as strong as I usually find with a Shu. I can also smell notes of corn and even a hint of mint nestled in the mini tuo cha. The brewed liquor has a stronger corn scent. Earthy notes are still present, but, they are significantly softer than the dry leaf.
The second surprise is in my gaiwan. Usually, when I steep these little nests, the tea remains in a little mass at the bottom of the gaiwan… but this pu-erh seems to be very loosely packed into the nest, as it fell apart. And what it revealed to me was not only the deep brown and almost-black colored leaves, but also green leaves in there.
The flavor … is like WOW! Corn! I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a tea that has such a profound corn flavor as this. It tastes like roasted corn to me … like when you go out to the fair … the roasted corn on the cob? Yeah, that is what I’m tasting. I LOVE roasted corn on the cob, and I have tried my hand at roasting my own corn on the cob but with very little success. I can never seem to capture that same flavor of the fair. But… interestingly enough, this tea has!
The sweetness is a corn-like sweetness, reminding me a bit of sweet corn cakes. The mouthfeel is remarkably light and has a crispness to it. It feels cleaner on the palate than any other pu-erh I’ve ever tasted.
This is a remarkable pu-erh. I recommend this to all tea enthusiasts out there, especially to those who want to gain a stronger appreciation for pu-erh, and have had some unfortunate experiences with it in the past. This pu-erh is unlike any other I’ve ever tried, and certainly one that you should try!
Autumn from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Product Description:
I may have mentioned last week that spring often puts me in mind of fall, which is really my favorite-est season of all. There is something magical about the leaves turning to gold and rust and carpeting the lawn, the smell of woodsmoke as people get their fireplaces going again and the autumn harvest the last of the fresh honey for the year. I tried to come up with a blend that screamed “Autumn” this week, and I think, well, I’ll let you tell me if I’ve succeeded or not.
I started with a nice caffeine-free rooibos base for that tinge of woodiness it has which I associate with leaves crackling underfeet and old trees battening down the hatches for the approaching winter. I added some fresh, organic cinnamon chips, and bits of organic vanilla beans, because what is fall without a little spice? Then I finished everything off with natural honey, vanilla and cinnamon flavors, in that order. The result is autumn in a cup, as I see it. I look forward to hearing what you think.
Taster’s Review:
I am so happy Autumn is here! Autumn is not only Frank’s “favorite-est” season of the year, it is mine too. That being said, I wasn’t as enthusiastic about trying his tea-ribute to the season. Rooibos? Not my favorite.
But I’d like to clarify that I was not enthusiastic to try this tea, but now that I have tried it, I am really liking it! I guess the old saying is true: don’t judge a book by it’s cover … err… don’t judge a tea before tasting it.
This is really quite tasty. The woody-nutty flavor of the rooibos melds with the flavors of cinnamon, vanilla and honey perfectly. The sip starts out with a zesty kick of cinnamon, with the vanilla arriving just after the cinnamon to smooth things out. The woody undertones of the rooibos are there throughout the sip, but they do not overwhelm the flavors. At the finish, the honey-esque tones emerge, and impart a sweet aftertaste that is lightly sprinkled with cinnamon.
Yes, I do think that Frank has successfully captured the essence of autumn with this blend. And as an artist, I can appreciate the many flavors of autumn as they come to life in my teacup; I liken it to watching the colors of autumn come to life as the season progresses. It is truly beautiful!
Glenburn Autumn Oolong (Darjeeling) from KTeas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong Darjeeling
Where to Buy: KTeas
Product Description:
We received 8 pouches of the 2010 harvest (still the current year, as 2011 has not been harvested yet). Each pouch contains 4oz (113.5g) of the marvelously huge leaves constituting this ultimate whole-leaf tea. At Glenburn’s recommendation of 3-4g in 200ml (7 fl-oz) water, the pouch yields from 28 teacups (4g tea) at 88¢ per teacup to 37 teacups (3g tea) at 66¢ per teacup–if only one infusion is made. Keep in mind that oolongs stand up famously to multiple infusions of the same leaves, so you may get twice to three times as many bright reddish cups of this lightly-oxidized Oolong!
Taster’s Review:
This is exquisite!
The photo above is accurate as far as what the leaves look like. They’re long and curly, green with lots of silvery tips. The aroma of the dry leaves is light and evokes thoughts of the cool, crisp air of autumn. It’s a clean and invigorating scent with notes of grass and flower. The brewed liquor has a very Darjeeling-esque kind of fragrance. I can smell the grape-y, wine-like tones.
But what really blows me away is how it tastes. What I am tasting is what might be the love child of a fine Darjeeling brimming with muscatel notes and a smooth green Oolong. The mouthfeel is soft and velvet-like. The flavor is sweet with notes of grape and black currant, finishing off with a wine-like sweetness, but without any bitterness. There is very little astringency to this cup, which is another surprise. It is incredibly smooth and very pleasant.
As I sip this, I consider myself so very lucky to be amongst the few to whom this tea has been made available. If you are a fan of Oolong or Darjeeling, I strongly urge you to grab some of this tea while it is still in stock at KTeas. This one is great for multiple infusions – each subsequent infusion just as lovely as the first.
So good. So very, very good.
Autumn Cranberry from Mark T. Wendell
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Mark T. Wendell
Company Description:
A rich, whole-leaf black tea with cranberry pieces and flavoring. It is an exotic twist on your favorite beverage. Easy to make into your favorite iced tea.
Taster’s Review:
When I first received this tea, I thought it would be like a lot of other autumnal cranberry teas that I’ve tasted in the past. Now, mind you, that wouldn’t be a bad thing, because I have quite enjoyed them. But, I wasn’t prepared for something different!
And this is different – deliciously different!
The black tea is delicious and strong without being overpowering or bitter. It has a very smooth, well-rounded flavor that is very satisfying. It is full-bodied with a very pleasing taste and a light, drying astringency. The tea is definitely the star of this show.
The cranberry, on the other hand, is more like the supporting actor. It has a very nice berry taste that is neither too sweet nor too tart. Delicious!
But what makes this tea so surprisingly different is the floral notes! When I saw some rose petals tossed in the blend, I suspected that they were there merely for aesthetics, but, I can taste the rose, and it is very nice! It adds a very enjoyable charm to this already delicious tea. I also like that the sharp, sweet tones of the rose curb the sometimes too tart taste of the cranberry. It’s a very harmonious union.
This is really a delicious tea. If you like cranberries I would recommend trying this one. I would also recommend this to the rose tea enthusiasts out there!
While this is delicious hot or cold, I recommend it hot – especially for this time of year. It’s so comforting!