Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Description:
After a lot of sampling and mixing various teas, we have come up with our very own “house” blend (or maybe I should say “Lodge” blend). The most inspiring places I have ever visited is the Rocky Mountain National Park and the High Country of Yosemite. The mountain springs and lakes were sparkling and the views were magnificent and serene. Visiting these places filled me with tranquility. We can’t often get away to places like this, but you can relax with a simple cup of tea that hopefully can bring some tranquility in your life. That is the inspiration for High Country Tea. It has a clear brisk taste, great for ice teas. The Yunnan gives it a smooth, creamy taste that is perfect for a latte. This tea is a mixture of three Fair trade certified black teas and has a medium body and several golden tips. It is the perfect tea to keep on hand since it is so versatile.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have tried a few teas from Trail Lodge Tea and have enjoyed what I’ve tried, so when they contacted me recently to try some of their new blends, I was only too happy to do so!
I’m liking what I’m tasting with this tea. It is a really nice, well-balanced blend. It has a certain ruggedness to it, something that would serve one well as a first tea of the day – it’s robust and even a little bit hefty. But, it isn’t too heavy, it has a certain, crisp, brisk lightness to it too, which makes it a nice choice for afternoon sipping as well. It’s especially nice served hot when it’s chilly and windy outside (like it is right at this very moment). It’s got a that cozy factor to it that I need right now!
This is a blend of three teas – Ceylon, Yunnan, and I suspect possibly Assam? There is a rich malty character to this that makes me think Assam … but it could also be a Nilgiri, because I’m not tasting that typical bitter note that I sometimes get with an Assam. Either way, it’s a pleasantly rich and smooth tea, with notes of malt, hints of a peppery backdrop and it is crisp and vibrant. Invigorating!
And as smooth and rich as it is, I also suspect that the evenness of the flavor here would make this an excellent iced tea too (it’s just a little too cold for iced tea for me though!) It would hold up well to the additions of milk and sugar if you want a sweet latte, but, I’m liking it just fine served straight with no additions. (When served iced, I’d try this with a little bit of mint, I think that the crispness of the mint would accent the brisk tones of the tea quite nicely).
An excellent tea from Trail Lodge Tea – I’m really happy I got to try it!
Organic High Mountain Oolong from Fong Mong Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Fong Mong Tea
Tea Description:
Growing from organic natural ecological management tea plantation, with intentional nonintervention, being eaten by destructive insects, coordinating traditional Taiwanese heavy-fermented skill of tea-making, the natural tea leaves increase their individual flavor. The liquor it produces with bright and amber hue, containing a light honey sweet, is the super enjoyment best close to the Nature.
Taster’s Review:
I have tried several different Oolong teas from Fong Mong Tea and I’ve been very impressed with everything that I’ve tried. This Organic High Mountain Oolong is equally as impressive!
The flavor is sweet with strong honey-esque tones that remind me of clover honey. There are hints of flower as well as a slight nutty tone to this cup. In the first couple of sips, I noticed a charcoal-y kind of flavor, but after those initial sips, this charred wood kind of taste made way toward a more mineral-y kind of taste and texture that hits the palate toward the end of the sip. The sip ends with this texture remaining on the palate … it’s a very interesting sensation.
The start of the sip is kind of creamy … but just in texture, not really in taste. It doesn’t taste milky or creamy or buttery, really, but there is a very soft, silky/creamy kind of mouthfeel that seems to soften the floral notes. This tea lacks any real sharpness, it is quite soft and mellow … and very enjoyable! Definitely one you want to relax with and enjoy the many infusions it offers.
You might have noticed that I didn’t provide a direct link to this tea, that’s because I didn’t see this one in the eBay store at the time that I wrote this review. But do yourself a favor and keep checking in … this tea is certainly worth the effort!