Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Whittard of Chelsea
Tea Description:
A truly superb robust Oolong from the Fujian Province with a honeyed sweetness.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have loved Oolong teas since my very first encounter with an Oolong tea. I even remember that very first Oolong experience! It was a Formosa style Oolong, with leaves dark and curly like these, and the flavor was sublime! Sweet with peach-y notes and the most amazingly soft mouthfeel. I think it was at that moment that I realized that I truly loved tea.
Since that time, I’ve tried many teas, and many Oolong teas … and some that I enjoy even more than a delicious Formosa Oolong. I’ve tried many Oolongs from many different regions in the world. This Organic China Oolong, while it does look a lot like my beloved Formosa Oolong, it possesses quite a different flavor.
The tea starts out soft, with hints of stone fruit in the front of the sip. But as the sip progresses, the flavor develops. Nutty tones reveal themselves at about mid-sip, and by the end of the sip, I’m noticing a deep, woodsy, almost charcoal-y kind of flavor. Very roasty-toasty, and this complements the nutty tones very nicely, and gives the light fruit tones some depth. There is an undercurrent of honey-like sweetness throughout, and the sip ends with a moderate amount of astringency. The aftertaste is slightly smoky and sweet.
This tea has a very autumnal taste and feel to it – like the early days of autumn, as the weather begins to cool and the dry leaves crackle as you walk along the sidewalk. The air is filled with the smell of wood burning in the fireplaces. That is what I think of as I sip on this deliciously toasty tea … it is very comforting and wonderful.
Bailin Gongfu Black Tea from Teavivre
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
Bailin Gongfu is the highest quality Fujian black tea. This Bailin Gonfu is a premium quality tea produced at Mt. Taimu in Fujian, and is crafted from Fuding DaBai and Da Hao trees. This delicious tea has a great refreshing sweet taste and fragrance.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have enjoyed many different types of tea. When it comes to pure black teas, there are many that I consider “favorites” – but if I had to narrow it down to one pure black tea that I could have – that and only that for the rest of my life, I think I would ultimately end up choosing a Fujian black tea like this Bailin Gongfu Black Tea from Teavivre.
Fortunately, that is not a choice I’d have to make… and don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed many different pure black teas and I hope to continue to do just that. But a good Fujian like this one – well, it’s hard to beat.
This has all the qualities that I want in a black tea, and none that I don’t want. It comes as close to perfection in a black tea that one can get! It is rich, smooth, a little malty with pleasant baked good kind of notes throughout. It has a very luscious caramel-y undertone – sweet and unlike some other teas that have this caramel-y tone, it is a strong, unwavering kind of flavor that stays with you from the first sip right through to the last sip.
But there’s more. What really draws me in to with this tea is the cocoa notes. This tea tastes as though it has been coated with the highest quality dark cocoa powder. Of course, it hasn’t been, but it tastes like it. It has such a pleasing dark chocolate flavor. Of course, for those who prefer milk chocolate, you can remedy this by adding a splash of milk or cream and this tea takes that addition quite nicely.
I happen to prefer this tea straight up, it doesn’t really need sweetener, it doesn’t really need anything other than the brewing process to make a perfect cup of tea. And that is what I have before me right now. I love this!
White Twist from Tea Horse
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Tea Horse
Tea Description:
An antioxidant rich white tea blended with herbs for a citrusy immune boost.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I am not a big fan of Echinacea, but I realize that it is a helpful herb, especially when feeling under the weather. So, I like to find teas with Echinacea that I can drink and actually enjoy. Something that doesn’t taste overly herbaceous or medicinal, something that isn’t off-putting.
This tea fills the bill! I don’t know if it’s because there isn’t very much of the Echinacea or if it’s because the combination of the ingredients melds together in a very pleasing way, but I’m inclined to believe that it’s because of the combination of ingredients. The lemongrass and lemon verbena offer a soft, smooth lemon-y taste that is sweet with a slight tingly tart note. Together with the white tea, it tastes creamy and is a bit reminiscent of the flavor of a lemon curd.
Overall, I find the cup to be a very pleasant experience – soft, sweet goodness, hints of spice (think white pepper), with prominent citrus and creamy, buttery notes. A deliciously different tea that helps support a healthy immune system. Sounds great to me!
Pineapple-Blueberry Green Tea from Ovation Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Ovation Teas
Tea Description:
Panfried green tea with a flat leaf from the Fujian province in China blended with diced pineapples, whole blueberries, marigold petals and cornflowers, with pineapple and blueberry flavoring.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I came across this tea on the Ovation Teas website, I knew I wanted to try it. The flavor combination is one that I don’t see often, but I thought it would make a really refreshing and delicious iced tea. I wasn’t wrong!
The flavors are a bit subtle when its served hot, but allow it to cool for a while and you’ll notice the flavors really come to life. When it’s chilled, the flavors are at their best!
The pineapple and blueberry are pretty well-balanced. The pineapple is present throughout the entire sip, from start to finish and lingering well into the aftertaste, although it is somewhat more subtle than the burst of blueberry flavor that hits the palate just after the start, but then begins to subside and disappear by the end of the sip.
The green tea is sweet and flavorful, with hints of vegetation and a crisp, fresh taste that adds a very pleasant flavor to the overall tea. This tea is sweet and tart, but not too tart. It doesn’t need sweetening, but, a little bit of sugar won’t hurt it (but don’t go overboard!) This is a tea I think the whole family will enjoy!
Ti Kuan Yin from Adagio Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Tea Description:
A legendary oolong tea from the Fujian province of China. Ti Kuan Yin is one of China’s most beloved oolongs and is extremely time-consuming to produce (well over a dozen distinct steps in the processing are observed). The cup is warm, soft and soothingly mineral in texture. Notes of toasted walnut and tender collard greens. Intriguing lingering floral aroma, lightly orchid, and gentle astringency. A meditative cup.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have been drinking tea for a long time, and the one tea type that never ceases to amaze me is Oolong. There are so many different varieties, depending upon where it’s grown and how it’s harvested and how long it’s oxidized. And even when I think I know a certain type of Oolong – like Ti Kuan Yin – I taste a new one and I’m amazed all over again.
This is a truly lovely Ti Kuan Yin. It has a pleasing nutty flavor to it with hints of mild vegetation that weave their way in and out of the sip. A delicious creamy taste that is reminiscent of browned butter. It has a smooth texture that is almost velvet-like, and a light astringency toward the tail of the sip cleanses the palate so that the buttery taste and velvet-y mouthfeel do not overwhelm.
At the start, I did not taste a strong floral quality to this tea, but at the point where I nearly finished my first cup, the floral notes began to come forward. They were still quite delicate at that point, but they offer a lovely contrast to the nutty sweetness, and with the infusions that followed, I found that the orchid notes that Adagio promised emerged.
And like most Oolong teas, this one is indeed good for multiple infusions! I managed four from the same measurement of leaves, however, I probably could have gotten a solid six infusions … unfortunately it was getting quite late in the evening and so it was time to stop.
A must try for those who love a good Oolong!