Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Spire Tea
Tea Description:
The perfect blend of chocolate with the right amount of orange.
Learn more about Spire Tea on their website.
Taster’s Review:
Even though it’s just before Thanksgiving as I sip this tea, I am scheduling the review for about a week before Christmas eve, because this tea reminds me of the joy of Christmas and the Night Before! You know those chocolate oranges? Those have become one of my favorite Christmastime treats, and I like them so much that I’ve decided to add them as a “tradition” to my daughter’s stockings every year (other traditions are 2 pieces of fruit and a Lifesavers storybook). The chocolate orange tastes so much like Christmas to me … and this tea has captured that flavor perfectly!
The chocolate is a dark, rich tasting chocolate and the orange is sweet and juicy. The orange is slightly lighter than the chocolate, just enough to add a touch of brightness to the cup without overwhelming it.
The black tea base tastes like a high grown Ceylon to me, it is brisk and tastes very pleasant, but it isn’t an overly aggressive tea. It holds it’s own, and doesn’t allow itself to be overpowered by the flavors, but, it doesn’t attempt to intrude upon the flavors either. I’m really enjoying the balance of tea and flavor, although, you wouldn’t find me complaining if there was a bit more chocolate in it. (More chocolate is always better)
A very enjoyable cup of tea – one you WANT to have this time of year to serve to your guests. It is so delicious and one of those “welcoming” kind of teas – your friends will feel like family when they drink it, and your family will feel all the more special.
Acai Tangerine from The Whistling Kettle
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White & Pu-erh
Where to Buy: The Whistling Kettle
Tea Description:
Inspired by Dr. Oz and Canadian natural health guru Bryce Wylde, our pu-erh/white tea blend is designed to shrink fat, burn deposits, and prevent new fat from depositing. Tastes excellent hot or iced. The rich smoothness of pu-erh is contrasted with delicate notes of white tea, and accentuated with flavors of acai, tangerine, and chrysanthemum.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
According to the description on The Whistling Kettle’s website, this tea was inspired by Dr. Oz and health guru Bryce Wylde. To tell the truth, I don’t know who Bryce Wylde is, and I don’t really put a lot of stock in what Dr. Oz says. I don’t drink tea because it’s healthy or because it is supposed to enhance weight loss. I drink tea because I like the way it tastes. If it is also good for me, that’s a bonus, but not one I allow to influence me one way or the other.
And this tastes good! I’m not usually a big fan of the tart Acai berry, but, when combined with the sweetness of the tangerine, the tartness mellows somewhat, making this a very enjoyable drink, indeed.
There is so much flavor in this cup. From the deep, mellow, earthy tones of the Pu-erh, to the crisp sweetness of the white tea… combined with the sweet-tart notes of fruit and the hint of floral taste from the chrysanthemum, this cup has a taste that is very palate pleasing. These different flavors all come together in a way that is very well-balanced. Nothing competing with anything else, nothing overpowering the cup. Just smooth, mellow, delicious flavor.
The Pu-erh is what I notice first, but what stands out about this Pu-erh from some others that I’ve tried is that it doesn’t taste overwhelmingly earthy. It does have an earthiness to it, it is somewhat peaty with a woody note. It is very mellow, and the softness of the white tea curbs the flavor so that the earthy tones of the Pu-erh do not come across as too strong. The white tea is not as prominent a flavor, but then again, it shouldn’t be. White tea has a delicate taste. But I can taste it: light, fresh, almost hay-like. The flavor is slight but where the white tea is primarily noticeable is as a softening agent to the Pu-erh.
The tangerine and acai seem pretty evenly matched. In one sip, I seem to notice more tangerine, and in the next, I’ll taste a little more berry. It’s quite lovely the way these two flavors play with one another, very enjoyable, especially for this taster who often finds the tartness of acai to be a bit much. When paired with the sweet taste of tangerine, it becomes much more palatable.
I’ve tried a couple of blends from this company – The Whistling Kettle – and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve tried. And I’m liking this blend a lot! It’s also really good iced!
2003 Reserve Four Seasons Oolong from Butiki Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Butiki Teas
Tea Description:
Our aged oolong is sourced from the Dong Ding tea growing region of Nantou County in Taiwan and was harvested in the spring of 2003. The varietal is Si Ji Chuan also known as Four Season. Our aged oolong was crafted by blend master Chen Pei Wen and is re-roasted every 2-3 years to minimize moisture content. 2003 Reserve Four Season Oolong is a rich full-bodied silky tea. The charcoal-colored leaves of this smooth oolong produce notes of honey suckle, bark, and grass and has a natural sweetness with no astringency present. This tea is also low in caffeine.
Ingredients: Taiwanese Oolong Tea
Recommended Brew Time: 4 minutes
Recommended Amount: 1 1/2 teaspoons of tea for 8oz of water
Recommended Temperature: 180 F
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
As soon as I took my first sip of this tea I knew I needed to order more of it right away, and I did!
This has such a depth to it, it would make a wonderful substitute for coffee. The flavor does in fact have some coffee notes so if you are trying to convert anyone, give this a try!
The dry leaf is tightly rolled nuggets of well roasted oolong. It is one of the darker oolongs I have ever laid eyes on. The aroma is reminiscent of a campfire, or an old library, slightly musty, with a hint of leather.
When you drink this tea some of the notes you may find, like I did are, leather, dried leaves, tree bark, carob, rock mineral, coffee, brown sugar, and cream.
The after taste is quite deep and full, with a very fine roasted coffee bean flavor. Yet it is no where near bitter or astringent!
I am a huge oolong fan but have never experienced an oolong quite like this.
The only down side, if there is one, is that it has a lower caffeine content. So if you are trying to please a coffee drinker they may not get the jolt they desire. However as a tea drinker who used to love her coffee, I am in love with this oolong! It reminds me of what I used to appreciate so much in finer coffee yet it has plenty of caffeine for my late morning tea!
Now, if you are not a person who ever enjoyed a good coffee, don’t fear, this is a complex tea that deserves appreciation for its multiple layers of extraordinary flavors!
I find this tea to be very autumnal – it makes me feel like running out and jumping into a pile of leaves. With the change of season coming in my area, being able to do this is not too far off! As people begin to stoke their fireplaces I will be savoring this tea until the last snowfall!
Cinnamon Wood Tea from Le Palais Des Thés
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Le Palais Des Thés
Tea Description:
Delicately scented Golden Triangle tea in a cinnamon wood caddy
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ll be honest, I bought this tea because I loved the packaging! No, not the cardboard box that you see above, but for the spectacular cinnamon wood cylinder box/caddy that is tucked inside that cardboard box. 
I’m a sucker for unique packaging anyway, and I collect tins. And while this isn’t a tin as it isn’t metal, the idea of storing tea in a caddy made of cinnamon wood box which acts to not just scent the tea but also adds a pleasing cinnamon scent to my kitchen was just so appealing to me.
And this box definitely DOES smell incredible. It reminds me a lot of this time of year, when I visit my local grocery store, as they sell bags of cinnamon infused pine cones. The smell is so amazing, that we buy at least one bag every year. (They also make nice fireplace fodder once the fragrance has waned)
I made the mistake of thinking that this was a black tea rather than a dark tea (Pu-erh) when I bought it and when I tried it the first time. The result was less than pleasant with the first sampling, as I didn’t take the time to rinse the leaves nor did I use my gaiwan to infuse the tea. I have found that the rinse and the utilization of the gaiwan have led to much more enjoyable Pu-erh experiences.
But, now that I’ve re-read the box information (in my defense, most of it IS in French!) I realize that this is indeed a Pu-erh and should be treated as such when brewing. And I’m now able to fully enjoy this tea!
And I am, indeed, enjoying it. The cinnamon flavor – which can sometimes be a very aggressive flavor – is surprisingly subtle. Perhaps this is because it is cinnamon scented as a result of the wood caddy, rather than blended with cinnamon chips or doused with cinnamon flavoring. I really like the lightness of the cinnamon, as it allows me to enjoy not just the warmth of the spice but also the exotic sweetness of it. The Pu-erh is earthy, but not overly so, and I think that the cinnamon tones bring out the best in the Pu-erh.
A really lovely tea – and because of the unique presentation it would make a really wonderful gift to your favorite tea lover on your gift giving list (that time of year is just around the corner, you know!)
Aged Traditional Anxi Tieguanyin from Verdant
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Tieguanyin Oolong
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
A rich warming Tieguanyin with chocolate barley notes and traditional creamy floral aftertastes. . . .
The early steepings of this tea are surprisingly more delicate than the aroma would imply. There are subtle notes of lime and the thick saffron qualities of a green Tieguanyin. The mouthfeel is buttery like flaky pastry with a slow nuanced build-up of warm caramel notes. A velvety texture starts to come through with orchid-like floral undertones, and sweetness that extends long into the aftertaste.
The early steepings use the deep caramel qualities that the aging and roasting process introduce to truly accentuate everything that is wonderful about green Tieguanyin. The later steepings move into new territory with warming sensations particularly suited to cooler weather. The chocolate notes of the aroma come through as flavor like thick creamy Italian hot chocolate that unfolds into a warm in the chest like that of a great red wine.
Notes of puffed rice and barley start to build up and act as a contrast to the lingering floral qualities. The alternation between deep warming sensations and tingling florals creates an intriguing mouth watering juiciness. This is a very satisfying brew that balances the traditional charcoal-roasted quality of Anxi Tieguanyin with the best elements of the new greener style of processing.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a body and soul warming temptation of a tea. It delights the taste buds but also the mind in its calming and wonderful way. This is one of those teas who’s layers are complex yet not trying to evade your senses. Each and every element of this tea comes forward and presents itself to you and does not make you work to figure it out. The layers of the flavor within this tea are so delightful and one at a time they evolve, sometimes melding together, other times, standing alone, but each flavor in the profile provided by Verdant Tea is noticeable without any effort.
At first it is lightly smoky and roasty, a well done toast taste, the barley gives it a full mouthfeel and makes you feel you are drinking something good for you like a hardy warm breakfast cereal! But then it becomes caramelized in your mouth like a french dessert. Just then you will find that the light lime zest comes forward and does a gentle sweep of your palate to cleanse it for the next layer of flavor to come but before that hits your taste buds you get a quick tease by the flavor of saffron and just as you are thinking “oh please give me more saffron” the floral notes come dancing onto your taste buds leaving this lovely delicate yet intoxicating lingering flavor of orchid!
The result – a taste that is robust and toasty yet very fresh and springy as well. This is one of those tea profiles that could do well any month of the year as it makes you feel warm and cozy yet wakes you up with those fresh salad like notes of spring and summer.
The after taste is mostly of a roasted toasted oolong however when you breath in with your mouth open you get that fresh spring like flavor with the floral notes dancing about. Leaving you thinking your breath must certainly smell like flowers haha. While this is a roasted Tieguanyin I can’t help but think about country roads lined with wildflowers and the warm sunshine all about wide open fields so if this would be more of a “winter” tea it sure would make you feel like its summer time so that is not a bad thing at all!
This tea is exquisite! I love it and I am a huge fan of oolongs but honestly I feel that many people, even perhaps those who are not oolong fans really should try!
I really enjoy that the notes are so easily to distinguish! Sometimes “complex” teas can be complex to the taster. This one is not pretentious at all.
Now on the downside, currently Verdant Tea is sold out. It happened in the blink of an eye. On the positive note, Verdant is currently looking to refurnish their stash of this tea:
“We will be going to China to personally track down a larger cache of aged Tieguanyin in October. Stay tuned…”
I trust that this will happen! I have to, I want more! Verdant also now offers a Rewards Point System! Be sure to check that out and keep your eyes peeled for more of this tea so you can get some once it is back in! A tea like this won’t last long once restocked so be sure to get yours before I get it all.