Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: KTeas
Product Description:
picked 30 May 2011
Direct from the Glenburn Tea Estate in Darjeeling, India!
This second flush Darjeeling is plucked during the early summer months of May and June. Shoots of the bush which draw their succulence from the late spring rain showers are selected to make the stylishrolled leaf. The cup is clear amber to the eye, nonetheless full-bodied with a mature flavor compared to the First Flush that preceded it. Glenburn’s unique growing conditions imbue the very select clonal plants with a special character in their liquor all its own, yielding a complex layer of maltiness with musk and nutty undertones.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve hung on to this sample for a while, waiting for that moment when I really wanted a Darjeeling … and I didn’t bother to really read the label. This tea was picked on my birthday!
Anyway… today seems like a good Darjeeling day. I’m not in a particular rush to get anything done (at least not for the next hour or so), and so I’d like to just sort of slowly ease into the swing of things. Darjeeling does that for me with it’s crisp, light nature. Or so I thought!
These Darjeeling teas from Glenburn Estates are so unique – quite unlike any other Darjeeling teas I’ve encountered. It is as though these Darjeelings want to be an Assam, but couldn’t quite get there. They are a bit lighter, of course, than a typical Assam, but, they are a bit heavier than a typical Darjeeling. Where Darjeeling tea tends to be quite crisp and light (somewhat reminiscent of a white wine), this Darjeeling has some body to it, with a thicker, smoother texture, and even a hint of malt in the background. It also has a toasty flavor in the background, providing a slightly nutty taste. Nice! Different, but nice!
But that is not to say that this Glenburn Second Flush Darjeeling is not at all like a Darjeeling because it does possess many of the characteristics that you’d expect from a Darjeeling as well. A fruity overtone – muscatel grapes! – providing a nice sweetness to the overall cup. Pleasantly sweet and delicious.
The astringency here is quite unusual as well. Astringency is that sensation that either leaves your palate feeling clean, or sometimes sort of dry, and still other times it imparts a slightly tangy sensation. But this astringency isn’t quite like any of those … instead, it is more like a tingly, almost prickly kind of effect on the tongue. Interesting.
I am so very pleased to have had the opportunity to try this Darjeeling. It is one of the best that I’ve tried yet. If you’re a fan of Darjeeling teas, you should definitely try this one… it will surprise you! It would also be a great Darjeeling for those who are new to them … although, be warned, after you try this one, other Darjeeling teas just may not satisfy. This one is a keeper!
Right now, through December 11, KTeas is having a BIRTHDAY SALE! Be sure to check out their homepage for details on how you can save 20% off the subtotal of your order! The only thing better than ordering tea is being able to save money when you’re doing it!
Morawaka Ceylon Pekoe-1 from KTeas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: KTeas
Product Description:
Curly, leafy tea of a slightly smaller size (hence the “1”) produce a good, basic cup of tea that has a light liquor, a delicate taste, and a pleasantly memorable finish.
Taster’s Review:
I think that with this sampling, I’ve had the opportunity to try six of the seven Ceylon teas that KTeas offers from the Morawaka estate in Sri Lanka. And of the five different teas that I’ve tasted and reviewed, this Ceylon Pekoe-1 is perhaps the best example of what I think of when I think of a high-quality Ceylon tea. This tea tastes like Ceylon to me.
The dry leaves resemble small, curly pellets that almost look like a greener Oolong (only the leaves here are, of course, black). After infusion, they open up a bit, but they are still curly. The one thing that stood out to me most when looking at the infused leaf is just how uniform in size they are.
And the flavor that these leaves produce is delightful. Smooth yet rustic, this tea evokes thoughts of curling up under a blanket, in front of a roaring fire in a log cabin in the woods. I’m not sure why that thought came to me as I sip this tea; all that I can come up with is that it has that kind of comforting flavor that you’d want to curl up with in front of a fire in a log cabin …rich and flavorful, while at the same time maintaining that mellow evenness to it that I expect from a good Ceylon.
I detect no bitterness to this cup, although there is some astringency at the end that I’d classify as a tangy sort of astringency. There is also a somewhat citrus-y finish to this cup that seamlessly melds with the astringency. The aftertaste is caramel-y sweet, somewhat floral and slightly tangy.
With so many Morawaka estate teas to choose from at KTeas, you might wonder which to choose. Maybe this will help steer you in the right direction: For a good, strong Ceylon that almost rivals a hearty Assam, you should try the FBOPF Ceylon or the FBOPF-1 Ceylon. If you want a bold, hefty Ceylon, try the BOP-1 Ceylon. If you’re looking for that familiar Ceylon flavor, try this Pekoe-1 Ceylon, or for a crisper, brighter take on the familiar Ceylon, try the OP-1 Ceylon. Finally, if you want the convenience of teabags, but still want a high quality Ceylon in those teabags, try the BOPF Ceylon Teabags.
What ever you might be looking for in a top-notch Ceylon, KTeas has you covered!
Glenburn Estates Khongea Chai Assam (2nd Flush) CTC-BOP from KTeas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: KTeas
Product Description:
Freshly picked 8 June 2011.
“Chai” is a word meaning “tea” in many parts of the world. In addition, these CTC black tea leaves are called “chai” because they make a popular base to which to add those luscious spices that turn the tea into the deliciously spicy beverage we call “Chai”. These CTC leaves of second-flush assam can certainly steep into a thoroughly enjoyable cuppa all on their own … well, okay, maybe add some sweetener and milk or cream (yes! this tea will stand up to cream!).
Taster’s Review:
If you’re like me, when you first saw the name of this tea, you thought this would be a spiced tea blend. It is not. Here, “chai” is used as it was originally intended: to mean “tea” and not “spiced tea.”
By now, I’ve tasted several of the Estate teas offered by KTeas, and I’ve been impressed with every single one of them that I’ve tried. And this brilliant cup of CTC-BOP Assam from the Glenburn Estates is no exception.
One thing that impresses me about these Estate teas from KTeas is that it says – right on the package! – the date this tea was harvested. So I know the tea that I’m drinking is very fresh. And one sip tells me that the tea I’m drinking is very delicious!
This Assam is bold and full-flavored. It has a very bright flavor with a prominent malty flavor. It has a very strong character: this tea can get you GOING in the morning; even on those mornings when you’re feeling sluggish and really need a boost. This tea will give you that boost you need.
This tea has a sweetness to it that is quite like burnt sugar caramel. The sweetness is enhanced by the aforementioned malty tones, and these two qualities linger long into the aftertaste. There is a fair amount of astringency here, but I don’t mind it. If you want to curb it a bit, add a splash of milk to the cup – this tea takes it quite well.
Because this is a CTC-BOP, the leaves are granular – about the size of a grain of couscous! – and you’ll want to take this into account when you steep the tea. Use a little less tea when you measure the tea and do not infuse quite as long as you might steep a whole leaf tea; otherwise you may end up with a somewhat bitter brew. With this tea, it is definitely worth the extra thought and effort to steep it correctly, because the reward is a delicious cup of Assam.
Morawaka Ceylon OP-1 from KTeas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: KTeas
Product Description:
Fresh from the Grower!Direct from the Morawaka Tea Estate in Ceylon (Sri Lanka)!Orange Pekoe leaves tend to be long, thin, and wiry. It may seem counterintuitive, but these larger grades of leaves produce a lighter or paler liquor–but this is due to the fact that the leaves are whole, not broken and bruised to expose more of each leaf to the water. The taste is also lighter: more delicate than that of the Ceylon leaf’s broken compatriots.
Taster’s Review:
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’ve been reviewing a lot of the Morawaka Estate Ceylon teas sold by KTeas in the past few months. We (the SororiTea Sisters) had a very unique opportunity to each of the grades of tea from the Morawaka Estate, and I have really enjoyed them. It is nice to be able to not just try a selected one of the grades, but each of them so that I can really taste the difference between the grades.
This is Orange Pekoe-1, which means whole leaf, not a broken or cut leaf. And what is interesting here is that of the Morawaka Estate Ceylon teas that I’ve tried thus far (I still have the Pekoe-1 to try) is not how similar they tend to be, but how different they are. This OP-1 is much lighter in taste than the others that I’ve tried. It doesn’t have that malty taste that I noticed in the Morawaka Ceylon FBOPF, or the robust quality of the Morawaka Ceylon FBOPF-1. It doesn’t have that same “burnt-sugar sweetness” that I noticed in these other two varieties.
But what this does have is a true Ceylon taste. What I’m tasting now is true to the flavor that I’ve come to expect from a Ceylon, only better. It has a freshness to it that I don’t typically experience from a Ceylon. It is light, mild and even-toned. It tastes crisp and bright. There is a sweetness to this as well, but it is more like honey than burnt-sugar or caramel. While this doesn’t have the same bold body of the broken leaf, it has a briskness to it that is very refreshing.
So which do I prefer? I like them all! I think that this particular Ceylon would be best suited for an afternoon tea, while the smaller, broken leaf Ceylon teas would make a very pleasing breakfast tea. I could see having several varieties of this estate Ceylon on my shelf depending upon the occasion.
Another excellent Ceylon! Cheers!
Kilauea Forest (Hawaiian Grown) White Tea from KTeas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: KTeas
Product Description:
Hand-plucked Single-Estate tea: Volcano Village – Home Grown Estate FarmGrowing elevation: 4000′, Volcano Village, Hawaii USAThese leaves are long, loose, downy. The flavor of this shade-grown tea remains delightfully floral throughout multiple steepings.
Taster’s Review:
LOVE!
I really love this tea. This is definitely my favorite (thus far) of the Hawaiian-Grown teas that KTeas offers (although I haven’t yet tried their Oolong, that one is next on my list!) This white tea might even be my favorite white tea I’ve ever tasted. Yes, it’s that good.
The leaves are long and slightly curled and covered with white fuzz. They brew to a light, clear amber color that smells fresh and somewhat earthy, with hints of flower in the background. The aroma does not reveal what is about to be experienced by the palate, though.
The flavor is amazing. At first sip, I noticed many similarities to a high quality Bai Mu Dan. But, after a couple of sips, the complexity of this white began to reveal itself: a lush sweetness and hints of a grassy flavor. A floral quality that begins ever-so-quietly and develops as I continue to sip – and develops even more as I steep these leaves for a second and third time.
The tea has a rather hearty flavor and is surprisingly rich for a white tea. This is not a delicate white tea! If you love tea – try this one! If you have tried white teas in the past and found them to be too softly flavored for your liking – try this one! Everyone should really try this tea!