Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
This Golden Buds Puerh Cake made in 2005 is the high-end products from Fengqing Sanning Tea Company. There’re plenty of highest quality tender buds with white tips. The buds which turned to be golden color after fermentation were combined with other levels Puerh maocha which contain much flavor content so that this Puerh cake has the characteristics of pure aroma, mellow taste and quick sweet aftertaste. This puerh cake is produced in Fengqing, Yunan. Fengqing is the original place of the world-wide famous Dian Hong Tea. And it is also a classic place of Yunnan Pu-erh. It is a place in Lingcang which is one of the four famous Pu-erh production areas. It can be said that this Puerh cake is the most representative and highest quality one. It is quite good for the Puerh enthusiast who has much experience of drinking Puerh tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was a little hesitant with this Pu-erh, because the aroma of the dry leaf is very earthy. And the fragrance doesn’t soften all that much once it’s brewed either … so I was a little scared, to tell the truth. It’s that strong earthy flavor that I am usually puts me off when it comes to Pu-erh, but I remained hopeful and decided to give it a shot! And I’m glad that I did. This Fengqing Golden Buds Ripened Pu-erh Cake Tea 2005 from Teavivre is really quite nice!
The flavor is not nearly as earthy as the aroma suggests. Yes, there are earthy tones, but they’re really quite mild, and evocative of a mushroom-y kind of taste rather than of peat or other less-than-appealing earthy tastes. It also has a really delightful sweetness to it, that reminds me of a cross between molasses and caramel. Nice!
I also taste notes of flower in the background, and these flavors seem to develop as I continue to sip. It never becomes a really strong, pronounced flavor, but, I like how this note sort of teases the palate.
I brewed this Pu-erh the way I usually would, with a quick 15 second rinse, and brewing the first infusion at just 30 seconds, and 45 seconds for the second. The first two infusions were then combined into one cup, and it created a surprisingly dark brew! Darker than most black teas that would be brewed for 3 minutes or more! And like most other Pu-erh, this one is good for many more infusions, I spent all afternoon with this tea and it was a delightful experience.
The flavor is rich and complex yet delightfully mellow, and I appreciated that the earthy tones were much more subdued than the aroma suggested to me. While it does possess some of the flavors that I would expect from a Pu-erh, I found myself happily surprised by this one. If you are one who appreciates a really lovely, lightly earthy Pu-erh – one that’s sweet and pleasantly floral! – this is one you should put on your MUST TRY list!
Holiday Crumb Cake Tea from The Tea and Spice Exchange
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where To Buy: The Tea and Spice Exchange
Tea Description:
Come home to the Holidays! Indulge and wrap your senses around this cozy cup of tea. Orange,raspberry, ginger, and cinnamon combined with black tea creates a flavor worth celebrating! Contains Black Tea, Orange Peels, Ginger, Cinnamon, Raspberry Leaves,Cranberries, Safflowers, Natural Cranberry and Chestnut Flavors.Learn more about this blend here.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is one of three teas that I received in my holiday stocking. Granted, I had to buy these teas myself to stuff in my own stocking, but, my husband DID take me to The Tea and Spice Exchange knowing full well that I had teas on my shopping list, including this Holiday Crumb Cake flavored black tea.
What can I say? I’m a sucker for limited edition teas! I think this has something to do with the fact that I’d categorize myself as a “taster” … I like to try teas, but, I rarely find a tea that I’d want to drink every day. I might like a tea … even love it, but, there are so many teas out there to try, and who knows what I might discover next! There have been some teas that I have enjoyed enough to want to keep stocked in my cupboard … but this is a rare occurrence.
This tea is really good! It’s a really tasty spin on the classic cranberry orange cinnamon holiday blend. The addition of chestnut flavors gives this tea a real cake-y kind of taste: warm, nutty, and sweet. The cranberry is tart and offers a nice contrast to the sweeter flavors. The cinnamon gives the tea the delicious warmth of spice, and the orange – as well as the raspberry leaves! – give this tea a burst of brightness. It’s a really nicely rounded cup of tea.
And what I like best here is that the black tea is not overwhelmed by all that’s going on. It is a sturdy black tea, robust, and even has a hint of smoke to it, which sort of plays to the idea of crumb cake … that browned crumb topping that tastes of caramelized sugars. There is some astringency to this tea, I’d classify it as a moderate to medium amount of astringency – nothing overwhelming.
A very enjoyable blend – around for just a limited time!
Butter Brandy Cake from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
I’m having a glass of this week’s Tea of the Week as we speak. I think this is probably going to be a great comforting hot tea, but to anyone who knows me, I almost always drink my teas iced. The brandy flavor is the most prominent, with the buttery, cakey goodness coming through in the aftertaste. It’s a very unique and soothing flavor pallete. It seems well-suited to cold nights indoors under an afghan or (if you are lucky enough to have a fireplace) in front of a roaring fire.
In the interests of full disclosure, I’ve never had butter brandy cake. In fact, I was thinking that we have butterscotch and butter rum, why not butter-brandy, but when I went to Google it to see if such a confection existed, what I found was butter brandy cake and here we are. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am. My big tumbler is empty now.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is not my first cup of this tea, I have been drinking it about every other day for about a week now. However, I did have a bit of a head cold over the past week, so, I felt my taste buds weren’t quite up to snuff … at least, not enough to offer an adequate tea review on this tea.
The first time I tasted it, I wasn’t exactly sure what I thought of it. I didn’t even rate it numerically on Steepster, because I wasn’t sure about it. I knew I liked it, but, it was just so different from anything that I’d tasted before. I don’t know if that has anything to do with the fact that I’ve never tasted Butter Brandy Cake, I just knew it was delicious, I was enjoying it … but it was … different!
The first flavor that I notice is the brandy, it has a strong, fruity/sweet/almost-wine-y kind of taste to it. Then I notice a caramel-y undertone … a sweet, luscious, buttery caramel-y taste. Toward mid-sip, a buttery, freshly-baked cake-y kind of flavor comes through. Throughout the sip, the black tea base is present, it isn’t a strong, overwhelming presence, but it is there enough so that you know you’re drinking tea and not some weird, space-age, liquid cake that’s been doused with brandy. (Note: In this case “weird” is good … definitely good!)
In the past, 52Teas’ black tea blends had a problem with astringency, that is to say it was really quite astringent to the point of coming across as bitter. Since that time, Frank at 52Teas changed its black tea base to a smoother, more satisfying black tea blend … and I don’t think I’ve noticed much astringency in any of the black tea blends that 52Teas has offered until now. Somehow the flavors here bring out the astringency … but I don’t find it off-putting. Instead, the astringency works well with the flavors … it seems to complete the brandy notes quite nicely.
This is a very compelling blend by 52Teas … I like it quite a bit! It also makes a remarkably tasty latte!
Orange Spice Cake from sTEAp Shoppe
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black – Darjeeling and Yunnan
Where to Buy: sTEAp Shoppe
Tea Description:
Organic Yunnan Black TeaThis is a wonderful citrus tea with subtle spice notes playing through it. This Organic Yunnan Black Tea with it’s rich orange liquor in both color and flavor make the perfect vessel for creating a warm inviting orange spice cake tea. With notes of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg to give this tea depth and warmth inviting you in to take another slice of cake.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a really nice tea. Maybe it is the cold weather and the holiday season but it makes me feel festive. I am sure this tea would also be amazing in the summer, cold brewed.
On first sip it reminded me a little bit of Constant Comment but trust me there is no comparison! This is by far and above better and has far more layers to it than a simple orange spiced tea.
The spice is balanced so perfectly and does not take over the wonderful citrus.
Often a tea will be named with “cake” in the title, or something indicating it should taste like cake, but this one really does and you won’t be disappointed in the bake-y goodness of this cup.
On the other hand, the sweetness is not over done and the cocoa nibs offer a perfect amount of chocolate goodness. I really love the way that sTEAp Shoppe handles the chocolate flavor in their teas, it tastes like good chocolate.
The aroma is intoxicating and the color of the cup is delightful to look at.
A tea that could be served at parties to please everyone.
All of the ingredients in this tea blend perfectly to make a well balanced delicious dessert or any time tea.
Apple Cinnamon Coffeecake from Simpson & Vail
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Tea Description:
A new addition to our flavored tea line and already a huge hit with all of us here! This slightly sweet, scrumptious blend has a lightly toasted flavor with the delicious taste of apples and cinnamon. Sipping this tea reminds me of the Sunday morning breakfast treats of my childhood. Now that I’m all grown up I could have those treats every day of the week; however, I think I’ll stick to this tea blend instead. It’s full of the sinful tastes of childhood but, with no calories, it suits my adult metabolism!
Ingredients: Black teas, organic cinnamon chips, apple pieces, orange blossoms and flavoring.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This tea from Simpson & Vail is all things a flavored tea should be! There is no artificial flavor, the after taste is lingering and delightful, the flavor elements are perfectly bleneded. An all around excellent cup!
The aroma of this tea is something I can’t leave out of this review. It smells so good both in dry form and when steeped! The aroma fills the home and is a great way to scent your home without incense or candles, or that nasty artificial air freshener! My home smells like the holidays which is a lovely aroma anytime but especially this time of year!
I also want to mention the cinnamon in this blend. Often times cinnamon takes over a blend or is simply too spicy for some, the cinnamon in this tea is reminiscent of a cinnamon sugar cookie, sweet, not spicy. I love the way the cinnamon works in this tea.
The mouthfeel is slightly creamy and full. The color is a lovely festive orangish, brownish, red color.
Overall the flavor is sweet but not overly so, delicate on the spice notes, the apple is lovely in this tea, its quite fresh and delicious without coming over as a cider like tea. There is a wonderful baked goods flavor to the tea that again reminds me of cookies, christmas cookies. I think it is the toasted almonds that give off the baked goods flavor.
One could add some sugar or sweetener to this tea and it would hold up very well and give it an added dessert flavor.
I have been impressed thus far by Simpson & Vail teas although I would love to try more from them. I have only had their teas due to the generosity of others in tea trades but I look forward to making an order soon, perhaps after the holidays! For now, this sample is a wonderful treat for me while wrapping holiday gifts for others!