Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Jennifer’s Tea Garden
Product Description:
Ingredients: Green Tea, White Tea, Mint, Jasmine, Natural Flavorings
Taster’s Review:
My oldest daughter has just recently started drinking tea. Before that time, she would avoid tea – and I think it was more about her trying to rebel against my passion for tea than her disliking it. One of her favorite teas is mint green tea, so I have been sharing this tea with her. Truth be told, she’s consumed most of this tea … this is my first cup!
The mint here is crisp and refreshing. Usually with mint teas like this one, the mint is the strongest note and it often overwhelms the cup. But that is not the case with this tea. While the mint is a strong flavor here, it is not the strongest flavor. The green tea edges the mint out, providing a pleasant vegetative taste with just a hint of smoke in the background.
Not surprisingly, the white tea is a delicate flavor with this blend, but I can taste the distinctively clean, fresh taste of white tea. The real surprise of this tea is the jasmine! I love the way the sweet, flowery taste of jasmine lingers in the background – every once in a while it peeks through.
This is a delicious twist on the classic mint green tea – and I think I might just like it better than that classic combination of mint and green tea. This is delightful!
Supreme Gongfu Black Tea from Bird Pick Tea & Herb
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Bird Pick Tea & Herb
Product Description:
The term Gongfu is a term used to describe the Chao Zhou and Min Nan way of preparing tea in a skillful manner. Rather than focusing on symbolic hand gestures like Japanese tea ceremonies, Gongfu focuses on accomplishing a great taste of tea to satisfy the soul. This tea is characterized by fine, unbroken twisted leaves.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf has a very interesting aroma. I can smell notes of cocoa, but I can also smell a distinct licorice note. I don’t recall ever smelling a licorice-y smell in a tea that didn’t actually contain licorice root (or anise or fennel). But, I don’t find this off-putting in the least; I adore licorice. I was actually quite excited to try it after smelling it. This licorice-y fragrance disappears when brewed and does not translate into the flavor.
That might be a little disappointing if the tea didn’t taste as fabulous as it does! This is a remarkable tea!
The flavor is quite rich and smooth. There are faint savory cocoa notes in the background as a sweet caramel-like note approaches the palate. There is an earthy quality to this tea as well although I do not find this to be overwhelming.
I can also taste intriguing notes of spice which seem to perk up the palate just as the sip finishes and they linger well into the aftertaste. There is a light astringency to this tea and even a faint hint of bitterness that contrasts nicely with the sweet tastes that I described a moment ago. I like how this tea seems to tempt all areas of the palate. A full-flavored, full-bodied, and fully pleasurable tea!