Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
As for this blend, well, despite the silly name, it’s a refreshing blast of tropical fruits and sweet green tea. Chun Mee reportedly means “Precious Eyebrows” and is so named because of the shape of the leaves, hence our “Tropical Eyebrows” name.
I’m not sure if persimmon qualifies as a tropical fruit, but I felt the need to include it here, so I did along with mango, banana, kiwi, pineapple and coconut. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh yum! I find that I am usually “hesitant” to try new tropical fruit flavored teas – so I wasn’t really ~overjoyed~ when it was time for me to try this Tropical Eyebrows Green Tea from 52Teas. And it isn’t even that I dislike tropical fruit flavored teas … I actually quite enjoy them. I think it’s just that it seems like all the tea companies out there have some “tropical oasis” type of tea, and it just seems a little overdone.
Then again, that may sound a bit contradictory coming from me because I’ll try any Earl Grey you put in front of me and really, when it comes to flavored tea, there is no flavor that is more overdone than the tried and true, traditional bergamot, is there?
But, this tropical flavored green tea is different from the rest. Perhaps it’s the addition of the persimmon … or perhaps it’s that its made with Chun Mee green tea. There is something about this that is very unique – while at the same time familiar – and whatever it is, I’m liking it!
The Chun Mee has a lovely earthy quality to it that I think contrasts with the sweet, tangy tropical flavors quite nicely. The result is a nicely round, flavorful, fruity treat for the palate.
The tropical flavors present a seamless taste that is a little bit pineapple-y, with hints of kiwi and mango and persimmon. There is a creamy undertone from the coconut and banana. No fruit note is really standing out from the rest, except for perhaps the pineapple, which is the first flavor I really noticed when I took a sip. They all meld very nicely to create a tasty fruit-y flavor.
This one tastes good hot … but its a real winner when it’s iced!
Lemon Cardamom Chun Mee from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
I love the buttery Chinese sencha we use to create most of our flavored green teas with, but occasionally I like to try starting with different base teas. This week, we’ve blended Chun Mee green tea with organic green cardamom pods, lemon peel, lemon myrtle, lemongrass, lemon balm and lemon verbena for a delicious lemony citrus treat with a nice cardamom kick. The aroma of this blend alone is at once soothing and invigorating. As a beverage, it seems to walk that line brilliantly. It’s amazing hot or iced. Be sure to get yours today. Like all of our weekly teas, this is a limited edition.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
As most of you are probably well aware, I’m a big fan of 52Teas. They are one of my very favorite companies, and I’ve probably done more reviews of their teas than any other company. Which makes sense since I get a minimum of 52 teas per year from them.
But, that’s not to say that I absolutely love every blend I’ve tried from them. There are times when I come across something that is sort of just alright from them, and there are times when I’m even a little disappointed. Although I don’t think I’ve actually had something that I just didn’t like from them. But more often than not, I really like what I try from them.
This tea, though, this tea qualifies as one of the best. And that’s a bit of a shocker for me, given that it seems a bit simple. Lemon and Cardamom. Chun Mee. Ho-hum? No. From the moment I opened the pouch I knew this was going to be an amazing tea. It smelled so deliciously lemony, but with a distinct cardamom note to it too.
In most of their green tea blends, 52Teas utilizes a Chinese Sencha tea, but, I think that the Chun Mee base here is a perfect choice. It has less of that buttery taste, and a bit more of an astringency to it, which seems to work very well with the flavors here. It stands up well to the strong lemon notes here, allowing the lemon to taste more… lemony. A buttery lemon would have given this a creamier taste, and while that might have been nice, I really like the clean crispness of this cup.
The lemon has a tartness to it, of course, but it isn’t a pucker-up type of tart. It has a sweetness that sort of balances that out a bit. And the cardamom is what really brings this all together. Cardamom has a bit of a citrus-y tone to it, which marries well with the blend, but, it also tastes just a little warm here. Not spicy, but, warm, like a gentle hug. And what I especially like is the way it all comes together. The astringency of the tea, together with the zesty flavor of the lemon, and the slight spice of the cardamom deliver an aftertaste that is just slightly peppery. Again, not spicy, but you know that sort of “tickle” that pepper sometimes imparts on the tongue? It is subtle, but it is enough to keep the palate interested.
A very refreshing, delicious blend! This is one I think anyone might enjoy, even those who don’t usually go for flavored blends. This has such an invigorating quality, and it’s AWESOME iced!
China Moon Palace (Chun Mee) from Tea Frog
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tea Frog
Tea Description:
This popular green tea is also known as Chun Mee, which translates to “Precious Eyebrows”, so named because of the shape of the rolled leaves. After being rolled, the tea is pan fried to halt the oxidization process in the leaf. The flavor of this tea is slightly sweet, with notes of plum, and a fragrant scent. The liquor is a pale yellow, and the tea is produced in the Anhui province of China.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a very pleasant Chun Mee.
The flavor is consistent with other Chun Mee teas I’ve tasted. No big surprise there; however, I seem to be noticing more of a fruity tone with this Chun Mee. In other “Precious Eyebrow” green teas, I usually notice the vegetative flavors immediately – and yes, those vegetal notes are here as well – but, the first thing that really stood out for me was a very appealing fruit-like flavor. The description above suggests plum, and I get that … for my palate, I taste a cross between plum and apple, complete with a hint of tart green apple flavor that weaves its way in and out of each sip.
It has an earthiness to it as well, not an extraordinarily heavy earthy tone, but a light, musky kind of earthiness that provides a compelling contrast to the sweet fruit tones. It’s one of those teas that keeps me sipping for the interesting layers of flavors it presents.
And as I continue to sip, I notice the thick, smooth texture of the tea. It is a mouthfeel that is similar to a broth, and it is very satisfying. I am finding that not only is the flavor soothing but this texture is incredibly comforting to sip as it is cold and rainy outside.
Of course, this would also make a very pleasing iced tea – I’d recommend serving it with a thin slice of your favorite citrus fruit! If you enjoy a good Chun Mee, I’d recommend visiting the Tea Frog website and trying this one!
Precious Eyebrow (Chunmee) from Shanti Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Tea Description:
This Precious Eyebrow tea originates from Anhui Province, China. Also known as Chunmee, it is the most popular green tea in China, consumed by millions every day. Our Precious Eyebrow is the highest grade of ‘eyebrow’ tea available. The eyebrow-shaped leaves yield a pleasantly aromatic and refreshing yellow infusion with a slight astringency and a provocative plum-like aftertaste.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Precious Eyebrow is one of those teas that I don’t often drink, but, when I do finally get around to having a cup, I wish I had made time for it sooner.
This is one of the nicer Chunmee teas I’ve tasted. It has a light vegetal tone to it – not so much “grassy” as it is like steamed spinach, perhaps with a bit of melted butter on top. It has a very mellow, smooth taste to it, with nutty undertones and a delectable fruity note in the background.
There is very little astringency to this tea, and no bitterness. Just a sweet, roasted nut flavor with mild “green” tones and a sweet, juicy finish. The aftertaste is a mellow nutty flavor with hints of smoke.
Chunmee is one of those teas that every green tea drinker should keep on hand for when they want a delicious, easy-going tea. It’s delicious served hot or iced.
Eight Oasis Blend from Praise Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green, White & Pu-erh Teas
Where to Buy: Praise Tea
Tea Description:
Our combination of Sencha, Gunpowder, Mini Tuo, Chun Mee, Pai Mu Tan, Lung Ching, Snow Bud, Pi Lo Chun, candied pineapple and strawberry takes you to an oasis of delight. Delectable both hot and cold. Try some with white crystal sugar. Indulge your taste buds.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
After a quick glance at this tea’s ingredient list, I thought that this tea may just have a little too much going on. It smelled intriguing, though, with its delicious notes of strawberry and pineapple, so I decided to give it a try.
And somehow, this massive list of ingredients works together very well! While it is next to impossible to pick out each individual tea’s characteristics, I can taste the fresh, vegetative flavor of green tea, a light earthy quality from the tuocha, and I can even taste notes that are very much like white tea – notes of hay and that crisp, airy quality that is often noted in white tea.
The strawberry and pineapple notes are less distinctive than the flavors of the tea, but, that’s alright. In fact, I find it to be quite refreshing to have the tea as the center focus in this cup, and have the fruit flavors to serve as accent notes to enliven the overall flavor. The place where the fruit really stands out is in the aftertaste, where I can taste the flavors of both the pineapple and the strawberry.
This tea does have a natural sweetness to it, so I would recommend tasting before you sweeten. I did end up adding just a pinch of sugar which helped to enhance the fruit notes more than sweeten the cup. Without the sugar, the fruit notes fall a little flat … they’re still present, but, just not as lively as with a pinch of sugar.
This one makes a nice iced tea too. I recommend steeping it at least twice, as it is even tastier with the second infusion.