I have actually written a previous review about On Wisconsin by A Quarter to Tea, the tasty honey cheesecake tea. For that reason, this review is more about a tea experiment I did with On Wisconsin as opposed to the tea itself.
For a while I have been obsessing over iced lattes. I have tried and tried but can never get my iced tea lattes to be as rich and creamy as the ones you get at places like Starbucks (though I think that because Starbucks uses whole milk loaded with syrup). Instead mine are almost watery. As a result, I have been searching the internet, reading recipes and watching YouTube videos, trying to get new and inspiring ideas for iced lattes. I came across one video by The Domestic Geek called 5 Fave Iced Coffee Hacks which has 5 tasty looking ideas that could easily be adapted for iced tea lattes.
One hack that really caught my attention was the third hack for Inside Out Lattes. For this hack, The Domestic Goddess made ice cubes out of coffee and chocolate syrup. She filled a mug with the coffee ice cubes and topped it with milk. Since I don’t drink coffee, I followed her lead but made my ice cubes out of a concentrate of On Wisconsin tea. I made the cubes by steeping the tea per the recommended parameters but using about 3-4 times the amount of leaf suggested. I then poured the concentrate into the ice cube tray and left them to set in the freezer overnight.
Once the cubes were set, I took the hack a step further and decided to blend my tea ice cubes with the milk. I used about 5 cubes to about a 1/2 a cup of milk but it was too thick so I added about another 1/2 a cup of milk. Then something weird happened as the icy milk foam separated to the top of the glass and the milky tea separated to the bottom. After some aggressive stirring to combine the foam and the tea, I was still surprised at how loose the tea tasted. I expected a smoothie-like or iced Aroma type consistency and instead it tasted like cold, milky tea. Personally I blame my ratio of cubes to milk but also the use of the On Wisconsin tea which has a strong honey flavor that competes with the milk as opposed to mixing with it.
Ultimately the experiment turned out good but not great. I think next time I need less cubes but also I think a different tea would improve the results drastically. My guess is a chocolate tea would suit this type of thing better. Though this is definitely an improvement from other iced lattes I have tried in the past as milky tea in an iced latte is better than watery tea in an iced latte so at least I am working in the right direction.
Oolong Mi Lan Dan Cong from Canton Tea Co
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Canton Tea Co.
Tea Description:
Dan Cong is the champagne of oolong tea: ripe with intense fruit and sweetness. The first time people taste this tea they are astonished by the arresting honey and floral notes – all completely natural. The tender leaves are thoroughly fermented and baked to produce a rich liquor bursting with peach, lychee, honey and orchid flavours. Grown on a plantation on the lower slopes of Wu Dong Mountain, Chao Zhou, this high-grade Chinese tea can be enjoyed through multiple infusion.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Canton Tea Co. is another company that I have always wanted to try but never did. I don’t have an answer of why I never ordered from them or swapped with a fellow Steepster friend, but I just seemed to stay in the realm of flavored teas. I lived a sheltered tea existence. . . until recently when I started devouring straight teas.
This tea delivered everything single flavor that is mentioned in the description. This particular oolong is sweet and full of flavor. Honey like with floral notes all the way. Hints here and there of a baked taste that just makes you want more. I can’t describe this tea to the level it should be. I’m actually in awe of how much I love this tea.
I was able to get several more infusions out of this tea even to the point of getting more of the peach notes that are described in the description. Just so delicate so light. The right amount of floral and the right amount of sweet. I have a crush on this tea.
I prepped this up using water heated from my One Touch Breville and I swear I was brewing up tea every 2 minutes. My tea cup seemed to be perpetually empty. I know. #First World Problems here.
This tea is a most for me when I start ordering teas again. I’m on a slight hiatus with the upcoming nuptials in all. (AH! I’m getting married in November!) But as soon as we get back from the honeymoon, Canton Tea I’m coming for you!
Da Hong Pao from Cha Ceremony
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Cha Ceremony
Tea Description:
This tea is medium roasted with a subtle earthy, mineral taste, it possesses fruity notes along with a distinct crispness that is unique to rock grown tea such as this offering.
Depending on how you prepare it the tea will take on different notes, we urge you to experiment and take your time enjoying each infusion.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Cha Ceremony is a new company founded by one of our Steepster friends, Marcus Reed. Cha Ceremony specializes in rock grown oolong, also known as yancha. Marcus’s vision for Cha Ceremony is full what he calls a niche market by providing quality tea with great customer service. I think he is on the right track. .
My first tea I am trying from Cha Ceremony is a Da Hong Pao. This tea is beautiful to look at. The long leaves really give this tea a gorgeous presentation. I steeped this up in my teapot and sat down at the table to get to “business”.
This tea was fabulous and so giving. My first infusion was sweet with a mineral like finish. Very smooth and slightly roasted. Very rich and full bodied. I could have drank this tea all night if the flavors would have stayed in this vein. I really really liked it. The different flavor profiles contrasted with each other providing this gorgeous balanced flavor that I just can’t get over. I haven’t had a tea like this in a long time.
My second infusion so still just as gorgeous but there was more of an earthly flavor and -the roasted flavor a bit less. The contrasting flavors still there, all just a bit more subtle.
Third infusion, so fantastic. Earthly roasted goodness. Just heaven. Hints of sweetness creeping back in and this time there are more fruity notes instead of just being sweet.
After the third infusion, I decided to try this as a cold brew so we will see what I am greeted with in the morning. I’m sure this tea would have given more, but it was bedtime and I had my herbal tea still to drink for the night to help relax me.
For my first foray into the world of Cha Ceremony, I’m a happy camper. I want to dive more into what Marcus has to offer and really spend time with his teas.