Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Golden Moon Tea
Tea Description:
For Sinharaja we use rich, dark loose leaf tea leaves that are nourished by fertile rain forest streams in the hills of Ceylon. It has a toasty, molasses-like character with ripe berry notes and a caramelized finish. Serve with a touch of raw sugar and cream for a taste that is smooth, full-bodied and warming.
WHY IT’S SPECIAL:
A sweet, full bodied Ceylon Tea
Natural notes of cocoa and honey with a finish of molasses
A personal favorite of our Owner, Marcus Stout
Pairs excellently with milk and honey
Grown at the basin of a rainforest giving it a wonderfully rich flavor
WHAT TO BE CAREFUL OF:
Sinharaja has a touch of astringency, which is great for first thing in the morning
A bold flavor that is heavier than most Ceylon Teas
While good as an iced tea, it actually tastes better hot
Not as malty as other Black Teas (like Assam)
If you drink the tea without milk and sugar/honey, then the second infusion is better than the first
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The aroma of Sinharaja from Golden Moon Tea is delightful. It smells rich, robust, sweet, and full of molasses. Yet to balance out this sweet tea we have an almost spicy, woodsy flavor. It is quite delicious. Now I can’t say it is the most robust black tea, nor the heaviest in the mouthfeel. Actually I have had teas with far more depth of flavor than Sinharaja, however I do love this tea. I like the subtle astringency indicative of a breakfast tea, without the ability for it to easily become bitter when oversteeped. Let’s face it, if I am going to over steep a tea it is going to be when I am barely awake, in the mornings. Well in honesty my mornings are more early afternoon, but you get the idea.
If you like to add creamer, milk, sugar, etc to your tea this is an excellent one to do it with. Although I find this tea to have plenty of flavor on its own and does not need additives, I have to admit that the milk and sugar do bring out new and exciting qualities in this tea. It enhances the richness and makes the tea a bit more robust, rather than drowning out the flavors. I also only added a slight hint of milk, and sugar.
There is a earthy yet sweet balance in this tea that keeps drawing me back. Chocolate notes that seem almost creamy as the cup cools some present. Bright berry notes do liven up the cup giving an almost sparkly like sensation to the palate. The berries taste more red berry, perhaps even a slight cherry or perhaps raspberry note to the cup. Based on the sparkly sensation I am going to have to go with very sweet raspberry.
I particularly love the after taste and while I know that Golden Moon says this is better hot I can’t wait to try it iced. I feel like this is one of those teas that can really match any weather. I can see this being so comforting on a dreary day, or really refreshing on a hot day. I need to get my hands on some more of this.
Organic Energizing Chai Blend from Zen Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh Tea & Yerba Maté
Where to Buy: Zen Tea
Tea Description:
Velvety, mellow and deep, this chai is an enticing blend of energizing pu-erh tea, shade-grown yerba maté, and cacao. Made even more inviting by creamy vanilla, nutty coconut and fruity, pungent and uplifting Ayurvedic long pepper. It is the most sophisticated take on hot cocoa.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was skeptical. A chai blend with a pu-erh and yerba maté base? Sounds way too earthy for my liking! But, this Organic Energizing Chai Blend from Zen Tea is really quite smooth and tasty!
I don’t know if its really “fair” to call it a chai, because the only “chai” spices it has is pepper (and this is long pepper, not the usual black pepper) and cardamom. But OK, since, chai technically means “tea” and not spiced tea, I’ll accept that this is a chai.
But, that criticism notwithstanding, this is still really tasty. It’s not overtly spicy, and not nearly as spicy as I would like a “chai” to be, but, I like this for what it is. And what it is is a smooth, sweet, warm blend that brings together the flavors of chocolate, coconut and vanilla in a really exciting way.
As I mentioned before, the base of this chai is a pu-erh tea and Argentinian Yerba Maté. Both of these ingredients contribute to the earthy notes of the cup, and this is a very prominent taste to this drink. But, I am not finding it off-putting, and I’m not sure if it’s because the coconut and vanilla give it a pleasant smooth, creaminess that seems to soften the earthy tones or because the earthiness complements the chocolate notes so well (or perhaps a bit of both of these reasons!) The Pu-erh is more pronounced than the Yerba Maté, but I can taste both in this cup.
The chocolate is really nice here. It has a deep, rich, almost toasty flavor to it, and this is nicely accented with the sweet, creamy notes from the vanilla and coconut. Overall, this is a really tasty cup – certainly different from the typical chai! But, I like this one for its differences. This is not one I’d recommend to someone looking for a good, spicy chai, but, rather, someone who was looking for something that is a departure from that spicy chai. This is not spicy … but it is tasty!
I like it!
Yunnan Golden Strand Spring 2011 from Stone Leaf Teahouse
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Stone Leaf Teahouse
Tea Description:
Jinggu, Spring 2011
Smooth, velvety, nutty
The most delicate combined with the robust; a skilled harvest of just the tips of the tea plant, exposed to the outside world for one day, then processed as black tea. Features characteristic earthy tones of Dian Hong, yet yields an incredibly soft, sweet cup. Notes of grape, slight pepper, and olive.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Yunnan Golden Strand Spring 2011 from Stone Leaf Teahouse has the sweetest bready flavor. It reminds me of raisin bread, or fig cake. There is even a yeasty quality to the sip that makes it even more like a true gourmet baked good.
While it is sweet, very sweet, there is something interesting about this tea that brings it toward a savory note as well. I do get the olive note that is mentioned in the description, and just a light taste of black pepper, which is very nice, but I also taste bulgar wheat, and milo.
The mouthfeel of this tea is heavy but not thick. It fills the mouth and has a near creamy feel, but with all the sweetness it finds a way not to become syrupy. It has a clear finish.
The leaf itself is beautiful, one of the lightest colored Golden Strand teas I have encountered.
Other notes worthy of mention are caramel, cocoa, fruit, hay, cane sugar, indeed it is a strange brew, but quite delicious.
Stone Leaf Teahouse never fails to provide tea of the highest quality.
Mexican Cocoa Rooibos Blend from Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos & Honeybush
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Description:
Mexican Cocoa Rooibos is a Trail Lodge exclusive herbal tisane. You’ll feel like you’re having a Mexican Fiesta when you sip this tea. It’s a rooibos and honeybush blend with the perfect amount of cocoa and chilli. There’s just enough chilli to give it a little kick, and it will help warm you up an a cool day. Add milk for an extra special treat. Ingredients: Organic Rooibos, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Honeybush, Organic Cacao Bits, Chocolate Seeds, Organic Safflower, Organic Chili Flakes and Natural Flavor.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This Mexican Cocoa Rooibos Blend from Trail Lodge Tea is seriously YUMMY! I’m not always big on rooibos, but, I find this blend to be very good, and I attribute this to a couple of factors: first, the rooibos used in this blend is organic rooibos, and I’ve found that there is a notable difference in taste between organic rooibos and conventionally grown rooibos. Second, the base of this tisane is crafted not just of organic rooibos but organic honeybush as well, and I find that tisanes created using both of these South African herbs are very tasty.
And … let us NOT forget about the CHOCOLATE! This blend has lots of chocolate-y flavor, enough to bring a big smile to this chocoholic’s face. I also love the fact that there is a touch of spice from the chili pepper flakes in this blend. There is just enough of the pepper flakes to add a gentle warmth that gradually increases, offering a very soft “burning” sensation in the throat without becoming too spicy or hot. I like that gentle warmth that radiates in the throat, and I LOVE the contrast of the spicy notes with the sweet, rich chocolate flavor.
The spice is further accentuated with the addition of cinnamon … adding a touch more warm spice but also a nice hint of sweetness to the cup. I like the way the cinnamon is represented in this tisane … there is a pleasing cinnamon note that gives the overall cup a very satisfying “Mexican Cocoa” kind of flavor … but they didn’t go overboard with the cinnamon. Cinnamon can often be a selfish spice in blends – but it’s not like that with this blend, and I applaud Trail Lodge Tea for managing to keep this tisane so nicely balanced.
I also applaud Trail Lodge Tea for going the extra mile with this tisane, and turning it into a “charitea” – for every 2 ounces of this tisane that is purchased, a dollar is donated to the “Ninos of Mexico.” Here’s what Trail Lodge Tea says about this charitea:
Trail Lodge Tea now has a new “charitea” that is also are own exclusive blend. It’s called Mexican Cocoa Rooibos. You will feel like you are having a Mexican Fiesta when you sip this tea. It is made of a blend of rooibos and honeybush with just the right combination of chocolate, chili, and flavoring as well as other high quality ingredients. Trail Lodge tea is donating a portion of every sale of this tea to Ninos de Mexico. That’s why we call it a “charitea”. Ninos de Mexico is a wonderful Christian Mission that’s main purpose is to help orphaned and at-risk children living in the Mexico City area. They do this by raising children in loving Christian homes and providing the children with medical care and education. The mission currently runs four homes for children, a medical clinic, and a private school. So you can enjoy some delicious tea and help disadvantaged children at the same time. Click the link below to learn more about Ninos de Mexico or go to the herbal tea page to order some Mexican Cocoa Rooibos.
I like this tisane … not only for its amazing chocolate flavor and warm spice notes … and not only because its all ORGANIC … but also because when I sip it, I know that there are children who are benefiting from this charitable organization.
Darjeeling Second Flush Rohini Black from sTEAp Shoppe
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Darjeeling. Black
Where to Buy: sTEAp Shoppe
Tea Description:
Rohini Second Flush Black Tea delightfully smooth full bodied mouth feel. Cocoa notes with highlights of almond and spice delivered in a baked bread. Warm and inviting gliding over the palate pleasing your every whim. As with all of the high quality Darjeeling teas this tea remain inviting for several steeps.
Rohini is a well established Tea estate, though the estate did remain closed for a period of 30 years the Saria family revived it in 1994. The garden is divided into four; the lower Jaberhat, mid elevation of Kotidhara and Pailodhora, and Tukuriya which is the highest in elevation. Tukuriya division which is located at an average elevation of 4400 FT and stretches right up to Kurseong town. The teas from Tukuriya are made from tea bushes that have remained there for more than 100 years.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Darjeeling Second Flush Rohini Black from sTEAp Shoppe offers a lighter darjeeling with a deep lurking presence.
Upon first sip you will get a sweet raisin note, a light grape essence, not nearly as muscatel as some Darjeeling, and you may even think that it is a rather light, bright, tea with a clean finish. But wait… sneaking upon your unsuspecting taste buds is a rich, full mouthfeel, almost creamy, velvety, with a nutty, woodsy, backdrop of flavor.
There is a honeyed sweetness to this Darjeeling, and while my palate does not detect cocoa notes as in the description it does offer a wonderful hint at almond, and fig.
The more the tea cools the fuller and more robust it becomes, almost as if it thickens.
I could see this tea being quite excellent iced, but it requires no additives and I feel adding any thing, even sweetener, would ruin this perfect cup.
Janet at sTEAp Shoppe offers up another winner in this Darjeeling Second Flush Rohini Black.