Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Butiki Teas
Tea Description:
Foxy Roxy’s Banana Walnut Treat utilizes our Congou Keemun as the base which provides an interesting contrast with the sweet banana flavor. We also added a touch of walnut which melds nicely with base without overpowering the banana flavor. One of our customers, Foxy Roxy, contacted us to suggest a banana Keemun blend. Since we were already working on a banana tea, we decided to test it out and we were quite surprised by the deliciousness of this combination. For a short interview with Foxy Roxy on how this tea came about, please click HERE.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
WOW! This Foxy Roxy’s Banana Walnut Treat Black Tea Blend from Butiki Teas is fantastic! It exceeds any expectations I had of the tea … and since it’s a blend from Butiki Teas, my expectations were very high. This tea is really delicious.
The banana flavor here is probably the best tasting banana flavor in a tea that I’ve yet to try. It doesn’t taste candy-like … it tastes true to the fruit. The walnut is also an authentic tasting walnut taste, and it complements the flavors in this cup perfectly.
But my favorite part of this tea is the Keemun itself. It is rich and smooth and slightly astringent, and provides a very satisfying ‘canvas’ for the flavors of banana and walnut. There is a certain bake-y kind of flavor to the tea that accentuates these flavors and elevates them. It tastes like someone liquefied a slice of fresh banana walnut bread and added it to a rich, delicious Keemun tea.
If you are a fan of banana nut bread … this is a tea you really MUST try. Butiki Teas did this one just right! It is so yummy!
Rose Congou Emperor Tea from Culinary Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Culinary Teas
Tea Description:
Congou is a general name for non-broken Chinese black teas. Rose Congou is layered 5 times with rose petals, which give the tea a delicate ethereal rose character.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Until today, I had never tried a Rose Congou tea iced. I had heard so much about how good Rose Congou tea is iced, but, I had not tried it. So when it came time to try this Rose Congou Emperor Tea from Culinary Teas, I figured it was high time that I try it iced!
And WOW! All that I’ve heard – all the hype and praise of Rose Congou as an iced tea – it’s all true! This tea is absolutely DELIGHTFUL iced! It’s a little sweeter, and there’s a tangy quality to it that is … it’s not quite what I’d call “tart” exactly, but, it offers a really pleasing contrast to the aforementioned sweetness. It is actually a little reminiscent of a Baklava that’s been flavored with rose water … at least, that’s what memories it evokes for me.
I really like this Rose Congou … having tried it first hot before allowing the remainder of the pot to cool enough to chill in the refrigerator, I found that this particular rose tea was very pleasant. The rose is soft and delicate and doesn’t taste perfume-y or overly floral.
The rose is nicely balanced with the Chinese Congou black tea, which provides a smooth, rich backdrop of flavor for the rose notes that play on the foreground. It tastes sweet and exotic. A very enjoyable cup hot … made even more enjoyable when served iced!
So, if you’re like me, and haven’t taken the time to stash a pitcher full of Rose Congou Tea in the icebox, do that now! You won’t be sorry. This makes an incredibly refreshing, unique and surprisingly delicious cold drink.
Rose Congou Green Tea from David’s Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tea Description:
Is there anything prettier than a rose-scented tea? This classic blend is just as romantic as a bouquet of flowers – and a whole lot tastier, too. Rose Congou teas are traditionally made with black tea, but we love mixing rose petals and rosehips with the subtle grassiness of Chinese green tea. The result is deliciously floral and delicately fruity, like walking through an English garden after a spring rain. No umbrella required.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve tasted quite a few black Rose Congou teas. And I’ve even tasted a few green teas that have been scented with rose. But I don’t think I’ve ever actually tasted a green tea that calls itself Rose Congou before … until tasting this one from David’s Tea, that is!
Maybe because it is my understanding that “Congou” is actually a grade of Chinese black tea, and I really didn’t know that there was such a thing as a green Congou tea. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t … it just means that even after studying, learning about, and working with tea for more than ten years, I still have much to learn about the subject.
Anyway … let’s talk more about this tea. This is really quite delightful. The green tea is sweet and smooth and very refreshing to sip. The vegetative tones of this tea are somewhere between “grassy” and vegetable, leaning more toward the grassy than the vegetable. There is a slightly dry astringency to this cup.
The rose is flavorful! Sweet and floral – let me just say this, if you’re not a fan of the flavor of rose … this is NOT the tea for you. I happen to enjoy rose scented teas so this one is right up my alley. But even though it does have a strong rose essence, it isn’t overbearing or perfume-y. There is a careful balance between the lush notes of the green tea and the notes of flower.
This one tastes great hot or iced! And it looks like this is the right time to order this one online – there’s a web special going on right now!
Sichuan Zao Bei Jian Black Tea from Upton Tea Imports
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Upton Tea Imports
Tea Description:
An extremely well made special tea from Sichuan (Szechuan) province. One of the finest black teas available today. Reddish liquor, clean taste, mellow flavor. Exquisite!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
What a lovely black tea – this Sichuan Zao Bei Jian Black Tea from Upton Tea Imports. It is so well-rounded … so full of flavor. It is smooth and mild, but, it also has a certain heartiness to it.
I love the flavor of this tea … it is smooth from start to finish, with minimal astringency. No bitterness whatsoever. As I mentioned at the start, it is very nicely round, it seems to fill the palate with flavor without overwhelming it, providing a good, strong flavor without being overly aggressive.
There are lovely notes of fruit to this tea, reminiscent of sun-ripened stone fruit … a sweet plum, perhaps, and sweet currants, but without the hints of sour that often accompany a plum or currants. The sweetness is somewhere between fruit and caramel. As I continue to sip, I notice a drying astringency beginning to develop, but it is a very slight dryness, reminding me of the dryness that might accompany a dry red wine.
In fact, that is what this tea reminds me of … a sweet, dry red wine. Robust and full, but mellow and sweet. Just a very enjoyable cuppa – a nice afternoon tea.
Organic Keemun Congou from Two Leaves and a Bud
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Two Leaves and a Bud
Product Description:
Keemun Congou tea is a crisp black tea with a slight smoky character it is often used as one of the main base teas for English breakfast tea. Our organic Keemun Congou has a thick reddish brew and clean finish with a smooth sweetness.
Taster’s Review:
How about a cup of pure deliciousness?
There is something that is just so rewarding about a cup of Keemun tea. It is so rich and flavorful. And this Organic Keemun from Two Leaves and a Bud is top notch!
The cup possesses a delicious malty note that rivals some of the best Assam teas I’ve tasted. There is also an intriguing note of smoke – not a strong one – but enough to give it a certain depth and character.
The tea tastes biscuit-y and smooth – a very well-rounded cup with an irresistible “chewiness” to it that keeps me sipping. There are notes of savory cocoa in there too, as well as a delightful undertone of sweetness to this cup that tastes a bit like molasses to me!
The aroma of the brewed tea is worth experiencing too, so I do recommend inhaling the fragrance of the tea before you take a sip. It has such a rich, inviting scent!
This is a tea that I could drink every day, and at just $8.75 per 3 ounces, it is certainly an affordable luxury! This tea has the gusto to get me going even on one of those sluggish days when I’d rather stay in bed, curled up under the covers. This tea warms me up and gets me ready to face the day!
I love it!