Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
Being the first one among Fujian’s three best Gong Fu Black Teas (Bai Lin Gong Fu, Zheng He Gong Fu, Tan Yang Gong Fu), Tan Yang Gong Fu Black Tea has tight and thin leaves, looks glossy, which could be seen from TeaVivre’s product photo. When looking at this tea, the golden pekoe is particularly eye-catching, strongly connected to its high quality. Under the effect of photosynthesis, fresh buds contain the largest amount of beneficial substances than other parts. Moreover, the traditional making method of black tea has retained the nutrition in the most volume.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Having tried several different Fujian Gong Fu Black Teas, including Teavivre’s stunning Bailin Gongfu Black Tea, I was looking forward to trying this Superfine Tan Yang Gong Fu Black Tea from Teavivre. But, my previous experiences with Fujian black teas did not prepare me for what this tea had in store!
This is simply different!
It is still quite similar to other Fujian black teas in that it has the sweet, satisfying flavors of chocolate and caramel. But whereas most of the Fujian black teas with which I’ve had experience would be vaguely reminiscent of say, an Assam in its rich, malty tone, this Superfine Tan Yang Gong Fu Black Tea is much more reminiscent of a Ceylon. It has that bright, brisk tone to the cup that reminds me of a very high-quality Ceylon, but with the sweet, chocolate-y and caramel-y tones that I love from a Fujian black. With this tea I get the best of both of those teas in one cup!
This tea is not quite as rich and not quite as full-bodied, in my opinion, but that isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes, a crisp, exhilarating cuppa like this is just what you want! This would make an exceptional afternoon cup – it makes a great pick-me-up for those times when you’re starting to feel yourself wind down but you still have stuff to get done. This will help energize you without causing you to start bouncing off the walls!
This is a pleasantly sweet tea, as I mentioned before, with notes of chocolate and caramel, but there is also a sweet fruit note to this as well. I think that the lightness to this tea allows the fruit notes to express themselves a little better than in a typical Fujian black tea. Hints of a flower seem to float in the far-off distance.
A really enjoyable cup of tea – courtesy of Teavivre – a name that has become synonymous with fine teas!
Black Oolong Tea from Lu-Lin Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Lu-Lin Teas
Tea Description:
A Fujian Oolong which has been fermented for longer than our normal Fujian Oolong tea. It brews a golden yellow and has a slightly smoky taste with a full bodied, sweet long lasting finish with a cinnamon aftertaste.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
As you may have guessed by the name of this tea, this single estate Black Oolong Tea from Lu-Lin Teas is a very dark, deeply fermented Oolong. The dry leaves are a dark, chocolate-y brown, and possess an aroma that is sweet with notes of fruit.
The flavor is rich with hints of smoke. There is a fruity background note that reminds me of a ripe plum: sweet with just a hint of sour. The mouthfeel is soft, not creamy like some Oolong teas, instead, this has more of a smooth … almost silken kind of mouthfeel.
There are lovely notes of spice to this cup. The above description suggests a cinnamon-like aftertaste and I get where they’re going with that. I taste a certain “warm spice” note … maybe not a distinct cinnamon-y note, but it is warm and comforting and reminiscent of cinnamon.
There are notes of oak to this cup as well. As this is my second time enjoying this tea, I can say that the tea offers quite an adventure. The first time I brewed the tea, I was conservative with the leaf, and discovered hints of chocolate and caramel to the cup. This time, I added a little extra leaf to my gaiwan and I am noticing more of a fruit/wood/spice kind of taste going on.
Subsequent infusions allowed the spice notes to become a little more defined, and in my third cup, I began to notice more definition to the aforementioned “cinnamon-like” taste. The fruit notes became smoother with subsequent infusions, becoming less sour and more sweet. It is definitely worth the effort to infuse this tea multiple times!
Having tried a few Lu-Lin teas now, I can say that I’m very impressed with this company and especially pleased with their high quality Oolong teas, like this one. This is a really delightful Oolong – a definite must try for Oolong enthusiasts who are looking for something a little different … as well as those who want an Oolong that is less “floral” – this one might be to your liking!
Silver Needle White Tea (Bai Hao Yinzhen) from Enjoying Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Enjoying Tea
Tea Description:
This white tea with a white downy appearance comes from the province of Zhejiang. The Silver Needle, highest quality white tea, is picked during the spring before the buds open to preserve its tenderness. Exquisite and delicate, Silver Needle has a fresh, sweet fragrance and produces a pale yellow brew. Brewing with a Yixing teapot can best show the aroma of Silver Needle. This tea has high concentrations of polyphenols (antioxidants that help fight against cancer-causing radicals and heart disease)
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a LOVELY Silver Needle White Tea – also known as Bai Hao Yinzhen – from Enjoying Tea. It is so deliciously sweet and beautifully delicate.
The aroma is sweet and reminiscent of hay. I’ve compared the fragrance of other Silver Needle teas that I’ve tried to the scent of the air that would surround a field of hay after a cutting, and that is true of this Bai Hao Yinzhen as well. It smells fresh.
The flavor is also fresh tasting. Sweet, mellow vegetative tones. It is certainly delicate, and I have heard that some people tend to avoid white teas because of their delicate quality. I would say don’t let this detract you! It took me a while to allow my palate to adapt to the lighter characteristics of a white tea … but once my palate became accustomed to the softer flavor, it was so rewarding! I love white tea!
This Silver Needle from Enjoying Tea is an absolute delight!
Wuyi Oolong Organic Dark Roast from Samovar Tea Lounge
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Samovar Tea Lounge
Tea Description:
Origin: Wuyi Mountans, Fujian, China
Flavor Profile: Deep and complex…with a rich body, a roasted aroma, and sweet finish of raisin sugar, honeysuckle, and roasted barley. Warm and earthy notes of bittersweet chocolate and peat moss. Expertly dark roasted, the Wuyi oolong has very little floral notes. If you are a coffee lover, this tea will steal your heart away.
Tea Story: This long rolled oolong tea harks from the remote and ancient cliffs Wu Yi Mountains in Northern Fujian province. Produced in China since the 18th century, our dark-roasted Wuyi is also know as Wuyi Qi Lan, Wuyi’s Profound Orchid.
Our Wuyi’s nutty, dark-roasted flavor profile has won over many a coffee-drinker. If you’re someone who’s trying to wean themselves from coffee, this Wuyi is the perfect step into the world of tea. Trust us, we’ve seen many stave off coffee-withdrawal with a smile, sipping the Wuyi.
Samovarian Poetry: A climactic eruption of tea intoxication. Hauntingly ambrosial, with an evolving complexity of carmelized raisins, roasted barley, smoked bittersweet chocolate, & aged peat moss.
Food Pairing: This is the best oolong for pairing with deserts. The roasted, nutty flavors pair excellently with dark and milk chocolate, sweet creams, and the dense sweetness of baked figs or juicy dates stuffed with chevre.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Wuyi Oolong Organic Dark Roast from Samovar Tea Lounge is a good starter Wuyi but at the price for this specific tea may not be worth it to those just starting out. This is a good tea, with notes of honey, cocoa, rock mineral, peat, salt, and lingering floral after notes, but with that said there are many other Wuyi Oolong out there at a much more affordable price tag, that are just as good, if not better.
Please don’t take this wrong, as I do enjoy this tea quite a bit but there is a slight bitter note left behind when I recall what I paid for this tea, which leaves me a bit disenchanted with Samovar.
On the good side of this Wuyi Oolong Dark Roast from Samovar Tea Lounge, there is a hardy, robust, flavor that would be excellent to serve to your coffee drinking pals. There is absolutely depth to this cup and some really wonderful flavors to explore. I also can detect some nuttiness and a creamy mouthfeel within the sip.
I feel this is an excellent tea to introduce your non tea drinking friends to as well as a great place to begin a tea journey. While there may be less expensive options out there to explore, this tea does provide one with a great starting place and a baseline to compare all others to. It has the elements one should expect and require of a good Wuyi however perhaps lacking in some elements it has all of the base notes one would need to start their knowledge from.
I do not regret this purchase, it was one of my first purchases back when I got into loose leaf tea and I do absolutely feel it set the parameter for what to expect from a good Wuyi.
Golden Monkey from Adagio Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Tea Description:
Black tea from the Fujian province of China. Golden Monkey tea is hand-processed each spring with careful plucking of only one leaf and one bud. The name comes from its unique appearance: the leaves resemble monkey paws. Sweet and very ‘nosy’: savory roasted apples, cocoa and spice notes that linger as you sip. Rich, coating texture and very smooth, soft mouthfeel. Delicate, almost indistinguishable astringency.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
A beautiful golden tea, the dry leaf has colors that range from a pale gold to a warm chocolate tone. And … if I were to describe the flavor, I might offer the same description: golden notes of apple, warm notes of spice and a lovely, lingering cocoa note. And it is those chocolate-y notes that makes golden teas like this Golden Monkey from Adagio Teas a treasure.
This is deliciously sweet. When I read the description, I wondered about the apple note … I don’t think I’ve ever had a golden monkey that I tasted a distinguished apple note … or perhaps I just didn’t identify it as such, instead I labeled it as a fruit note. But as I sip this, yes, indeed, it does have an apple note, and it’s quite a clear apple-y flavor. Quite nice.
The spice tones are subdued but warm … it doesn’t really taste “peppery” or “vibrant” or any of those other grandiloquent words I often use to describe teas. It is really quite a mellow spice note, but, it adds an interesting dimension to the overall cup.
But it is the chocolate note that I love … and it is the chocolate note that will make this Golden Monkey memorable. It lingers sweetly on the palate, and as I allow myself to enjoy the cocoa flavor, I also notice a hint of caramel hiding just beneath the bittersweet chocolate. Lovely!
I am not always overly excited about Adagio Teas, but this one is definitely worth trying. One of the best teas I’ve tried from this company.