Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Driftwood Tea
Tea Description:
Organic Oolong 17 is considered to be Thailand’s finest tea. Oolong 17 was developed from imported Taiwanese stock and, given Mae Salong’s similar altitude and climate, is highly comparable to the quality and taste of high mountain teas grown in Taiwan.
Key Flavours: Oriental flora, edges of soft cream and a delicate tropical fruit aftertaste.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Organic Oolong 17 from Driftwood Tea brings us an oolong that is for the faint of heart. That’s right, IS, rather than isn’t. This is a very delicate, soft, gentle, oolong that does not pack a powerful punch. It is lilting, and lovely. This is the perfect oolong for those that typically do not like oolong’s rougher edge.
There is a slight resemblance to a Dong Ding, but more like Dong Ding’s well-mannered female cousin. She is younger, more playful, and less intense, yet has enough of that robust nature that you know your drinking a tea of quality. Yet on the other side you get her floral breath that beckons you to come out and play with her in the sunniness of her color, and she makes everything feel cozy and smooth with her creaminess.
I detect a hay like essence, but the lingering after taste is that of the bouquet’s companion of baby’s breath. A light mineral note also plays a key role. As for fruity, perhaps, but not as much as I had expected from the key flavors listed by Driftwood Tea. Perhaps a light touch of starfruit juice, maybe a tiny splash of not yet ripe pineapple, but only very slight.
I feel this would be an excellent beginners oolong, or an oolong to try if you have not yet found an oolong you enjoy fully and want something a bit lighter than those you have tried before.
I can see why this is considered Thailand’s finest tea though, with it’s polite mannerism I can easily see this being a tea sipped in many households.
Dong Ding Oolong from Far Leaves Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Far Leaves Tea
Tea Description:
A classic Taiwan Oolong, grown high above lugu valley this summit tea has a soaring floral opening and a rich lasting finish.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Getting some of this Dong Ding Oolong from Far Leaves Tea to sample from my SororiTea Sister Anne was such a lovely surprise! Not only do I love a good oolong, but I have never had a tea from Far Leaves Tea, so this is a real treat!
I love the cute canisters the tea comes in and while I did not find anything regarding this on the website, yet, I am almost certain that the container is fully recyclable, that is if you do not choose to reuse it!
The dry leaf is typical for a green Dong Ding oolong and has a lovely light floral aroma. I am getting a bit of a white lilac aroma from the dry leaf.
Once steeped the liquor smells of vanilla, cane sugar, and lilac. The color of the liquor is golden yellow, or a very light amber tone.
The taste in the first steep is more toward the floral side with just a hint at nuttiness, not as buttery or creamy as some Dong Ding, but there is a slight vanilla undertone to the taste. If you swish the tea around in your mouth you will feel more of the creaminess and richness. The resulting aftertaste is floral.
The leaf holds up well to several steeps, at least four, with each steep releasing the flavor notes at different intensity levels.
The astringency in this tea is the perfect level for this type of tea.
I generally prefer a dark roasted oolong but this is quite lovely and the quality of this tea makes me want to explore more of Far Leaves options.
Fruity Pebbles Green Tea Blend from Tiesta Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tiesta Tea
Tea Description:
The 2008 World Tea Champion is a smooth and sweet blend of flowery fruit and sencha with a fantastic base that no one can resist. The synchronization of pineapple, passion fruit, and strawberry form a perfect fruity triangle.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh wow … this Fruity Pebbles Green Tea Blend from Tiesta Tea smells AMAZING! The dry leaf is very fragrant with floral notes and strong fruity tones. It smells like something you’d want to set out as potpourri to freshen your home!
I kind of chuckled when I read the name of this tea … of course, my thoughts turned to the popular rice cereal (which I LOVE but try to avoid because it isn’t the healthiest item in the cereal aisle, is it?) As I waited for the tea to brew, I found myself wondering just how similar it would taste to the cereal.
OK, so it doesn’t TASTE like the cereal. But, I can see the connection. The cereal is sweet and fruity … this tea is sweet and fruity too. But I like that I still taste TEA in there. There is a balance.
The green tea is soft and buttery, with subtle notes of vegetation that meld well with the notes of fruit and flower. I don’t notice quite as much of the white tea notes in this … the Pai Mu Tan is very subtle here, but, this blend would not be the same without it. It adds a lightness and a certain earthiness that directs the palate toward the “tea” notes, if that makes sense. The earthiness is what makes this taste more like tea than of a fruit drink.
The combination of pineapple, papaya and strawberry is delectable! It is definitely tropical-ish because the pineapple and papaya are strong here, but they do not overwhelm the delicious, sweet-tart notes of the berry. I like that I taste elements of each fruit in this tea.
The rose is a little less apparent, and its contribution is definitely seen and smelled more than it is tasted … but, there are very subtle floral tones to the taste and it really heightens the overall experience by adding just a hint of SOMETHING, you know? Just that subtle touch … makes a big difference to the cup.
I really enjoyed this tea immensely … I look forward to trying more of Tiesta Tea’s green tea offerings too … their Jolly Green Kiwi looks intriguing!
Caribe from Harney & Sons
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Green Teas
Where to Buy: Harney & Sons
Tea Description:
Breathe in the sweet aroma of Caribe, a light fusion of green and black teas enhanced by tropical flavors. The exotic tea mellifluously fuses hibiscus, guava, coconut and strawberry, accented with marigolds and cornflowers. The first sip tastes of green tea, trailed by an impressive array of fruit and floral surprises, revealing endless tropical notes tucked into each sip. A favorite for many, Caribe is an inventive and exotic blend softened into a serene escape.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I really, really need to start checking up on teas before I try them blindly without knowing a little bit about them. Case and point: this Caribe blend from Harney & Sons, which is a blend of black and green teas. I thought it was a straight black tea blend with no green tea … so I brewed it as such, using boiling water.
Fortunately, this tea is pretty forgiving, because I didn’t get a scorched green tea leaf taste in my cup – no bitterness, no foul or off taste. Just deliciousness.
I noticed the hints of green tea and guava right off the bat, with a earthy black tea that provided a solid background of flavor. After a couple of sips, the strawberry notes really came through nicely, and this became a tea that was mostly about the strawberry! Nothing wrong with that, I love strawberries!
But that doesn’t mean I couldn’t taste the tea. The black tea is … quite obviously … the strongest tea note of this cup, but the green tea is certainly noticeable. I find myself wondering how this tea might have tasted with a slightly lower brewing temperature … if I would taste more green tea flavor, how the strawberry and guava would present themselves … but of course, I only had enough for one pot of tea, and so, I’m left to wonder. (Fortunately, if curiosity gets the better of me, Harney does offer this in generous loose leaf sample packages for just $2.00!)
The coconut is not a well-defined flavor, I notice more of its texture than its taste here, providing a slick coconut texture that is supple and slightly creamy. And I’m glad to say that the hibiscus does not have a strong presence in this cup either … it does offer a slight tartness to the overall cup, but this seems to accent the berry notes quite nicely. The floral notes are faint to this cup as well, but, the flower petals certainly do add charm and color to the dry leaf.
Overall, not a bad cup of tea. I enjoyed the combination of flavors, and the way they presented themselves. If you do get around to trying this one, and have a chance to brew it at a slightly lower temperature, do let me know how it fairs! I’m interested to know!
Alishan Charcoal Fire Medium Roast 2012 from T-Oolong Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type:
Where to Buy: T-Oolong Tea
Tea Description:
This quality Alishan Charcoal Fire Medium Roast Oolong is handpicked, handcrafted and produced from Alishan oolong. Use only the charcoal made of either Taiwan Longan wood or Taiwan Acacia wood to roast the tea (NOT by electric roasters), and follow old traditional method. This tea has a strong charcoal aroma and taste mixing with flavors of Alishan oolong. The aftertaste is enjoyable and long lasting. It tastes very smooth, sweet, rich and complex, and stands up very well to multiple infusions.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Today I reached into my grab bag of teas to review, and was thrilled when I pulled this, Alishan Charcoal Fire Medium Roast 2012 from T-Oolong Tea! Not only has my tasting from T-Oolong Tea been sorely underdone, but an oolong, Yes! Not only an oolong but a fire roasted oolong, yes again! This sounds so good that I hope it meets my high expectations!
I sneak a sniff as it steeps. I smell roasted fruitiness, and the aroma of a very clean spring from the mountains. Granted I do use good bottled water, but this aroma is not simply the water I use, its different, and reminds me of the natural stream I used to sip from with friends when I was younger, back in the days when I rode horses, daily. We knew of a stream – the best tasting water I have ever had, that we would ride to when we were parched.
So I have taken my first sip and oh my goodness, this is delicious! As I taste fruity notes, smokiness, and mineral notes. There is a wonderful sweetness to this tea, a brown sugar or German rock sugar sweetness, somewhere in between the two. I am not getting as deep of a sweetness of a brown sugar, but there is something a little more to it, like a caramel perhaps.
I also get a lovely white flower note as well as a green note, but not green like vegetal, more green like greens themselves, almost like dandelion leaves.
The after taste is clean, clear, and very refreshing! The sweetness gives way leaving a wonderful rock mineral note, floral, and that green bite, not bitter but tart.
The sad thing about this tea is that T-Oolong Tea is currently out of stock, I assume waiting on the 2013 batch, I am going to have to keep my eyes peeled for this one, this is absolutely a reorder worthy tea, and permanent stock worthy as well!
This tea is a must try for anyone who loves oolongs, especially darker roasted oolong tea.
Yes it certainly did meet my expectations, soared over them! I love this one.