Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
Although Taiwan originates from Fujian, China, its flavor is quite distinct with Fujian Oolong tea. Like this Taiwan High Mountain Oolong Tea, it is recommended for beginners of Taiwan oolong. Different from the high aroma of Fujian Oolong, this tea has light floral fragrance. When sip the liquid, you can feel the sweet taste. If you want to taste new flavor, or try Taiwan Oolong, you can start with this Taiwan High Mountain Oolong Tea, by experiencing its flower scent and sweet flavor.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Based on the description above, this Taiwan High Mountain Oolong Tea from Teavivre sounds like it’s a “beginner” Oolong. But that doesn’t mean that those of us who are more acquainted with Oolong teas can’t enjoy it too! This is a lovely Oolong.
I brewed this the way I would ordinarily brew an Oolong: in my gaiwan, of course! I added 1 bamboo scoop to the bowl of the gaiwan, added water heated to 180°F and allowed the tea to “rinse” for 15 seconds. I strained off the liquid and then steeped the leaves for 45 seconds. I strained the tea into my teacup and then resteeped the leaves for 1 minute. (For each subsequent infusion, I add 15 seconds.)
My trusty gaiwan is one that I’ve been using for years now, it has suffered a minor ‘chip’ on the spout (it’s one of those “easy” gaiwans and looks a lot like this one.) But the gaiwan is still quite functional and since I don’t have to drink out of the gaiwan, the little chip doesn’t bother me.
As I said before, this is a lovely Taiwan Oolong. It’s not as creamy as some Oolong teas and certainly not as floral as many greener Oolong teas I’ve tasted in the past. But I like the delicate qualities of this tea.
It’s sweet but it isn’t a heavy or overwhelming sweetness. The tea is soft and subtle. The flavors are more delicate. And I get what Teavivre meant by saying that this is a good starter Oolong, because the floral notes of some green Oolong teas can be rather overwhelming for a palate that isn’t familiar with those flowery essences. The floral notes are beautifully gentle here.
It’s a mildly sweet Oolong with a nice, silky texture. The vegetal notes are subdued, the floral notes are mellow, and there is a hint of sweet melon in the background.
My second cup (infusions 3 and 4, combined) is a little creamier than the first, but it still isn’t a heavy creamy note. The floral notes are slightly stronger than in the first cup, but they are not sharp. This cup is still quite smooth and sweet and pleasant.
The third cup (infusions 5 and 6, combined) is very much like the second cup. This still has a pleasant, light creamy note. The floral notes are a wee bit stronger than previous cups and I notice just a hint of sharpness. Still a remarkably smooth, light and refreshing cup of tea.
As I said at the start, this is a really lovely Oolong. It is one I’d recommend to those who are new to Oolong teas, definitely, and also to those who are familiar with Oolong teas for a refreshing change of pace. It’s almost like cleansing the palate, drinking this Oolong!
GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!
Teavivre has offered us several $5. gift cards to give away to our readers! Yay! These are just the thing for Black Friday and I’ll be giving the next five away just in time for Black Friday Shopping! Here’s the fine print on the gift cards:
- It can be used to purchase any teas or teawares on the Teavivre website.
- By using this particular gift card, the customer can also get an extra sampler pack which includes 2 kinds of our premium grade flower teas.
- The card can also be used to pay the shipping fee.
- One gift card per order, please.
- It can be applied on international.
- No minimum purchase required.
By now you’re wondering, COOL! What do I have to do to enter? Am I right?
Well, we like to make things easy around here, so, you can earn your first entry by simply commenting on this review/contest announcement post. Just post a comment and be sure to include a way to contact you if you’ve won. If you’re already registered with TeaTra.de – cool! I can contact you via PM on TeaTra.de If you prefer a Steepster PM, that’s fine too, just tell me who you are on Steepster. If you prefer a private email contact, then you need to register when you comment and be sure to include your email with the registration and tell us that’s how you want us to contact you.
Well, that’s the first entry, but, how about bonus entries? You can earn them too! Here are a few easy ways to earn more entries:
- Like Teavivre on Facebook.
- Follow Teavivre on Twitter.
- Post the contest information on Facebook *Be sure to give us a link!*
- Tweet about this contest! *Be sure to give us the link of the tweet!*
See that? That’s five easy ways to get a cool five bucks off your next purchase from Teavivre! How awesome is that?
This contest is over. Please check with our giveaway link to see what’s next!
Kiwi Cheesecake Flavored Oolong Tea from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
Here’s a special treat–Fujian oolong blended with real freeze-dried kiwi, marigold petals and organic kiwi- and cheesecake flavors. A little tart, a little tangy, a little sweet, and all delicious!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I can’t say that I’ve ever had a kiwi cheesecake. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen a kiwi cheesecake except for the photo on the label. But I love kiwi (and it’s a fruit flavor that is not often used in a tea!) and I love cheesecake … and I love Oolong so I felt fairly confident that I’d enjoy the tea created for the week of August 25.
The aroma that filled the kitchen when I opened the pouch was a sweet, fruity scent. I could smell the kiwi and I could smell the sweet, creamy notes. To brew this, I didn’t grab my gaiwan as I normally would with an Oolong because I figured I didn’t really need it with a flavored Oolong. Instead, I used my Kati tumbler. I measured out 1 bamboo scoop of tea into the basket and heated the water to 180°F. I debated with myself on whether or not I should do a rinse, ultimately, I decided to go ahead and try rinsing the tea for 15 seconds and then discarded the liquid. Then I steeped the tea for 3 minutes.
The brewed tea has a much softer scent than the dry leaf. I barely smell the kiwi and I worried for a moment that maybe the rinse rinsed the flavor right off the leaves! Fortunately, it didn’t! I may not be able to pick up on a strong kiwi fragrance but I can definitely taste the kiwi.
I can also taste the cheesecake! There is a creaminess to it which is probably not just because of the flavor but because of the natural creamy notes of the Oolong tea. I get a light, tangy cream cheese flavor. The only thing I find myself missing here is a note of pastry or graham cracker crust. There is a light buttery tone but I attribute that to the Oolong and not so much to the flavor of the pastry. I find myself searching – in vain – for the crust of the cheesecake. Normally, when I am trying one of 52Teas’ cheesecake blends, I can pick up on that crust taste. This one, I’m not.
Perhaps it’s because I did the rinse. Next time I brew this, I think I’ll try it without the rinse and find out if that improves the overall cheesecake-y-ness of this tea.
But really, the flavors of creamy, sweet, tangy cheesecake and sweet-tart kiwi are both represented very well here, and I like that while I do taste these flavors, the flavor of the Oolong is not lost. It’s a sweet and smooth Oolong. I am picking up on light floral notes from the Oolong and I like the way these delicate flowery tones play in the cup. The Oolong seems to add depth to the kiwi notes and it was the right choice for the base for this blend.
This is a really unusual but very enjoyable cup of tea.
Buckingham Palace Garden Party Tea Blend from English Tea Store
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Green
Where to Buy: English Tea Store
Tea Description:
The Buckingham Palace Garden Party tea loose leaf blend from English Tea Store is a delicate medium tea with a hint of Earl Grey and Jasmine. This is a lighter afternoon tea.
Every May, the Queen holds a garden party at Buckingham Palace, a lovely English springtime tradition. The tea that is served is a long time favorite, a delicious Palace medley specially selected for this occasion. Intriguing hints of high-grown pure Ceylon Earl Grey blend effortlessly with the soft jasmine from Fujian Province. Couple this with malty Assam (from the estate of Borengajuli) flavory Dimbula Ceylon (from Hatton), brisk and golden cup East of Rift Kenya (from Kambaa and Kagwe) and you have one of the most flavorful teas to come from the British Isles. Each cup is a cup of mystery – the flavors all come to the fore at separate times – one minute you taste the Earl Grey, the next second you can almost feel the soft floral notes of jasmine and finally you get the satisfying fullness of the Assam Ceylon and Kenya blend. Enjoy this tea and be a part of the annual tradition in the west gardens of Buckingham Palace, without having to dress up.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Buckingham Palace Garden Party Tea is an example of a tea that I should have read the description of before I brewed it, because by simply looking at the loose leaf, it is difficult to tell that it’s a blend of black and green teas. I should have used a slightly lower temperature to steep this tea! And there is some bitterness as a result. I steeped this for 3 minutes using boiling water, and I think I should have used water that was closer to 180°F. Even with the bitterness, it isn’t a bad tasting tea, but I think it could be better. Unfortunately, I don’t have more of this tea to experiment with it.
The aroma is lovely! I can smell the bergamot and the jasmine, but neither offers an overpowering fragrance. This seems to be nicely balanced between the two classic ingredients of jasmine and bergamot.
The black tea is rich and flavorful. I can taste the malty notes of Assam and the aforementioned bitterness may be a result of the Assam’s presence in the blend. The bitterness is not something that I find off-putting as it’s not an intrusive flavor. It doesn’t get in the way of me tasting the other flavors of the tea nor does it get in the way of the enjoyment of the overall cup. I’d rather the bitterness not be there, of course, and if I had a little more of this tea, I’d experiment with it a little to figure out a better way to brew it so that the bitterness wasn’t present.
The green tea is a little less discernible than the black tea. This isn’t surprising, as green tea tends to have a lighter flavor than black tea. However, that isn’t to say that the green tea can’t be tasted because I definitely taste it’s softer, somewhat vegetal taste and a silky texture that is unmistakably green tea-ish.
The jasmine is a sweet, exotic note that compliments the tangy bergamot. The bergamot it not as strong as I typically like a bergamot in an Earl Grey blend, however, since this is a “garden party” blend (for Buckingham Palace, no less), I can let the softer bergamot slide because a stronger bergamot essence may very well overpower the delicate notes of jasmine and a good balance between the two has been achieved here. It’s a pleasantly floral, tangy cup that is very satisfying.
Overall, an enjoyable cup that I’d suggest as an afternoon cuppa. It’s not quite robust enough – in my opinion – to serve as a breakfast blend or that first cup of the day when you need that jump start. This is ideal to serve to guests though, and makes a lovely cup of tea to enjoy in the afternoon, even if your garden party is a party of one.
Green Pekoe Tea from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf here.
Tea Description:
Green tea from the Fujian province of China. Green Pekoe is famed as an everyday tea, and is among the most popular teas consumed in China. Its thin, wavy leaves appear almost black when dry. Once infused, however, our ‘Green Pekoe Blues’ reveals its true color. And produces a light cup with a smooth, mellow taste and a gentle, soothing aroma.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Receive 25% savings on the Selection Club from Simple Loose Leaf. Just type in SISTERSELECTION25 in the coupon field and save 25%! This discount is applicable only to the monthly Selection Club subscription and not the retail selection of teas.
Taster’s Review:
Oh wow! This is just what I needed today. As I write this (which is a few days before it will actually publish), I am feeling kind of drained. Everyone in the household is getting sick! Ugh! I don’t feel it yet … except for that weak, sort of drained kind of feeling that I feel. Lackluster … no energy. You know what I’m talking about, right?
Today, my box from Simple Loose Leaf arrived, and it came just when I needed something to pick me up and bring a smile to my face. (Receiving these boxes from Simple Loose Leaf every month always DO bring a smile to my face!) And this Green Pekoe is the first tea that I’m trying out of this month’s box.
The dry leaf smells very vegetal and a little earthy – like something between freshly cut grass, kelp and the leafy green section of the produce market. It’s a green tea, so I brewed it at my “go to” temperature for green tea, 180°F. I measured two heaping bamboo scoops of tea into the basket of my Breville One-Touch.
Well, I sort of “guessed” that it was about two heaping scoops. These leaves are long and curly like a bunch of tangled up wire! So, it’s difficult to actually get a heaping scoop out of the package. You either get more than a heaping scoop … or you get less, as in much less. Like a few leaves. This is usually the case. These leaves are very *independent* and don’t want to hang with the crowd on the bamboo scoop – they want to do their own thing!
So I measured out enough leaves to where it looked like two heaping scoops in the basket. Then I poured 500ml of freshly filtered water into the jug (fortunately the water is not as independent as the tea leaves and just goes with the flow), finished assembling the jug and set the timer for 2 minutes at 180°F.
And we have green tea deliciousness!
The flavor is sweet and mild. It’s not an overbearing “green tea” taste – it doesn’t taste too much like vegetables of any sort, nor does it taste bitter or grassy. I do pick up on hints of steamed artichoke, but it’s not an overwhelming flavor.
It’s smooth and feels soft on the palate. It has a very satisfying, soothing kind of taste – just the pick-me-up that I needed on this afternoon that was starting to feel kind of down-and-out! This tea got me out of that funk.
I like the light flavor here, it’s sweet with delicate notes of flower and fruit. The finish is slightly dry but not overly astringent. The aftertaste is pleasantly sweet. This would make an excellent everyday sort of green tea because it has a very enjoyable flavor and it is very relaxing to sip.
This tea helped turn my whole day around! Thank you, Simple Loose Leaf!
Picnic in the Park Oolong from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
This week has been crazy. I can’t believe it’s Friday night and I’m just posting the Tea of the Week. Well, better Nate than lever… Here’s a fun new blend inspired by a suggestion from my wife. It’s a nice Fujian oolong with freeze-dried strawberries and watermelon, strawberry and champagne flavors.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Every year when my birthday comes around, I send a message out to Frank that I expect a really exciting tea for my birthday. Unfortunately, I don’t think ahead enough to give him enough time to really THINK about the exciting tea that he’s going to create for my birthday.
So the tea that ended up being released during the week of my birthday was the Strawberry Banana black tea … and while I ended up really enjoying that, I wasn’t all that excited about that tea, so when this tea was announced for the week following, I considered THIS to be my birthday tea.
Next year for my birthday, I hope that Frank will be releasing a new tomato tea. Right, Frank?
This tea is simply YUM! And … it really does taste like a picnic in the park! I taste the strawberry and the watermelon and the champagne notes, as well as the soft, creamy notes of the green Oolong tea. There is a really good balance of flavors – the Oolong isn’t overpowered, and I taste about equal parts of strawberry and watermelon while there is just a hint of champagne “bubbly” dancing around on my palate. Nice!
It tastes really good hot … but I like it even better as an iced tea. And because it’s an Oolong, a little bit of the tea goes a long way – a couple of teaspoons produced a half gallon pitcher of delicious, flavorful iced tea! Seriously yummy refreshment!
Before I forget … Frank (the chief Zoomdweebie at 52Teas and Southern Boy Teas!) is trying to raise funds to attend the ASD Trade Show in Las Vegas in a matter of weeks. This will boost his visibility and potentially put his product into the hands of those who can get his business off the ground! Please consider helping fund his Kickstarter campaign so that he can set up a display at the retail trade show!