Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Rare Tea Republic
Tea Description:
At Wah Estate, some of India’s oldest China variety tea plants are tended by one of India’s oldest tea producing families. The result is the classic China character expressed in this first flush selection. Complex sweet notes and dried herb undertones.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is definitely one of the most unique and curious teas I’ve ever come across. The package did not indicate to me whether this might be a black or green or other type of tea, so I checked out the website before opening the package. It was on the black tea so I decided to enjoy it as an early afternoon tea (I like to refrain from drinking black teas as it gets later in the evening because I don’t want to be bouncing off the walls at bedtime!)
But then when I opened the package and looked inside, the leaves looked like green tea leaves. They looked green to me! I double checked the website and saw that it was, indeed, a black tea, and since this tea had already thrown me for a loop I decided to follow the steeping parameters: 1.5 teaspoons of tea per cup, water just below boiling at 190°F, and steeping for 4 minutes.
The flavor is amazing. It does not taste like a green tea, but it does have a mild freshness to it that is vaguely reminiscent of a green tea. Very lush, herbaceous and flavorful. But that is where the similarities to green tea ends, because the primary profile of this tea is very Dian Hong-esque. It is rich and full-flavored, but I wouldn’t really call it bold. Instead, it is very well-rounded, and has a lightness to it that is extraordinarily delightful. And as the tea cools, I find the Yunnan-like notes continuing to emerge – offering a very velvety smooth texture and taste. Sweet with chocolate-y notes and hints of caramel.
Rare Tea Republic is always surprising me with what they come up with next … every tea has been of exceptional taste and quality, and every tea has really thrown me for a loop – I’ve come to expect the unexpected with Rare Tea Republic!
Indonesian Tea from Mark T. Wendell
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Mark T. Wendell
Tea Description:
An exquisite tea sourced from Indonesia’s Kertasarie Estate, this is a favorite of those who love a strong and stimulating flavor in their cup. Indonesia’s high altitudes, volcanic soil and tropical climate produce a dark and rich tasting tea that is truly unique.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a delicious black tea – one that is strong enough to serve as that all-important first cup of the day, and it also would make a lovely tea to serve with breakfast (or brunch!) or to guests in the afternoon.
This full-bodied tea is bold and slightly malty, but, not as astringent as other teas with these characteristics. It is remarkably smooth from start to finish. There are fruity tones within the sip with an undertone of sweetness that melds deliciously with the malty notes, giving it a rich, almost-caramel-y kind of taste.
Overall, the flavor is really delightful – offering much of what you’d expect from a high-quality black tea, but with far less of the astringency and absolutely no bitterness detected. It would also make a delicious iced tea – try serving with a sprig of fresh mint or perhaps a thin slice of citrus.
This is one of those teas that really “grows on you” – I find that I really enjoyed my first cup, with with each subsequent cup, I found myself enjoying it more than I did before. I think what I’m liking best is that it is uncommonly smooth and well-rounded.
A thoroughly satisfying and delicious cup of black tea.
Castleton Autumn Oolong from Rare Tea Republic
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Rare Tea Republic
Tea Description:
This rare terracotta-toned oolong has lightly worked leaves that offer a wide range of sweet and woody notes including chestnut, parsnip and Autumn leaves. There is a satisfying mineral quality in the finish suggestive of a Wuyi Rock Oolong.
Castleton Estate’s altitude and specific location in southeastern Darjeeling keeps this garden constantly veiled in mist. It is the resulting slow leaf growth that makes Castleton’s teas some of the most flavorful in the region.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is an exceptional tea. I find myself savoring every sip … and while I find it difficult not to raise my cup to my lips immediately for another sip, I want to wait … linger over the deliciousness of it, relishing every moment this tea has to offer. Yes … this tea is that good.
The flavor is remarkable. It starts out very Darjeeling-esque: a crisp muscatel, sweet grape notes mid-sip with a dry wine-like finish. Woody tones throughout the sip. As I continue to sip, the Oolong notes begin to reveal themselves, reminding me of a very fine Formosa Oolong or perhaps a Wuyi. It has a lovely sweetness, peach-like, with a light earthiness and a soft mouthfeel that starts out very light and develops as I continue to sip.
The astringency is remarkably light. It starts out a bit stronger, but as I continue to sip, the softness of the Oolong notes curb the edge of the astringency, making it almost non-existent. The finish is clean, with lingering grape notes in the aftertaste.
Rare Tea Republic continues to impress me with their amazing teas. This one might just be the most impressive yet.
Organic Makaibari Estate Green Tea from Arbor Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Arbor Teas
Tea Description:
This Fair Trade Certified organic green tea is another example of the wonderful offerings coming out of the Makaibari Estate in India. Biodynamically farmed in India’s Darjeeling district, this organic loose leaf tea exhibits many of the same qualities of the black teas of this region, but with an unoxidized leaf. The varying leaf colors (ranging from green to brown to white) produce an easy-to-drink cup. This organic Indian tea also exhibits slightly lemony, vegetal and earthy qualities akin to other Darjeeling teas. Established in 1859, Makaibari is the oldest estate in Darjeeling, where a strong commitment to sustainable farming prevails.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This tea is indeed very easy to drink! It is quite smooth and flavorful, with pleasing citrus notes, and a light vegetative quality. Not what I would call “grassy,” it is more like steamed vegetables.
According to the above description (from Arbor Teas’ website), this tea was grown in the Darjeeling region, and I can taste some similarities to a Darjeeling tea. It has a lemony note that is quite similar to a Darjeeling tea as well as some of the woodsy tones of a Darjeeling.
However, I find that this green tea lacks that “crispness” of a Darjeeling, instead, this one has a smoother flavor to it. It also does not have the same astringency that I would normally expect from a Darjeeling, the astringency here is quite soft … so soft, in fact, that if one wasn’t paying attention, one might not notice it at all.
Overall, I find this tea to be very pleasant: sweet, smooth, and seems to promote a sense of tranquility as I sip it, while at the same time, restoring me. A very enjoyable cup!
Mountain Kenya Tea from Mark T. Wendell
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Mark T. Wendell
Tea Description:
Mountain Kenya is an exciting and highly invigorating tea, appropriate for those who like a strong cup of tea. For many years, we have offered this small leaf tea sourced from the Tindret Estate in Kenya. Unique in appearance and overall taste, this is one of the finest small leaf teas grown on the African continent.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I am very impressed with this tea. It is strong and flavorful – just what I need this morning when I’m finding it difficult to rev up the engine and start the day.
The cut of the leaf is very small – like tiny grains of black sand! Because of the cut, I chose to steep it for a shorter time (smaller leaf bits means more surface area exposed to water, which means it brews faster), and I found that 2 minutes in my Breville made a perfect cup of tea … even though it is a CTC tea!
Bold and invigorating, this tea has a flavor that rich and well-rounded. It has a sweet, caramel-y undertone that melds wonderfully with its malty character. The closest comparison I can come up with is an Assam; it has that rich, malty quality that is very Assam-like. But, this is sweeter and without an Assam tea’s bitterness. There is some astringency to the cup, slightly dry and cleansing, and the aftertaste is lightly sweet.
This tea has got GUSTO!