Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tea Mania
Tea Description:
This Oolong from Doi Mae Salong is a Oolong # 17 Jade Pearls which was flavored with the Osmanthus flower. The sweet, honey-like aroma of Osmanthus flower harmonizes wonderfully with the mild flavor of the Oolong # 17 Jade Pearls. The beautiful fragrance of Osmanthus complements the mild flavor without masking the taste of Oolong. Due to the intense floral aroma and its honey-sweetness, the osmanthus flower is often used in Chinese desserts.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Having previously reviewed Tea Mania’s Oolong #17 Jade Pearls and enjoying that tea, I was pretty confident that I’d love this one – Not only do I like the base of this Oolong Osmanthus Jade Pearls from Tea Mania, but, I also love Osmanthus and the flavor that the flower imparts on Oolong teas.
And I am really enjoying this tea. The Osmanthus notes in this particular tea are a little different from some other Osmanthus Oolong teas that I’ve tasted, in that I taste a little less of the “peach-like” notes of the Osmanthus (although I do taste those notes too), and more of a honey-esque tone that is almost pollen-y, it’s so honey-sweet!
I think that this may be due in part to the dry leaf, which has quite a bit of “powder” from the Osmanthus flower, and it kind of looks like the pollen from the flower. But that’s not a bad thing in this reviewer’s estimation, because I’m enjoying the sweetness from the Osmanthus and how those honey-like tones meld so beautifully with the floral notes. It’s like a flower garden in the early spring … right in my teacup!
But let us not overlook the Jade Pearls – because those are not at all overpowered by the Osmanthus. There is a really delicious balance going on here. It’s sweet, lush, and slightly vegetative. The natural floral notes of the Oolong are enhanced by the Osmanthus flowers. There are some buttery notes to this as well, and I think that Osmanthus helps bring that out too, because I don’t recall as much a buttery flavor in the pure version of the Jade Pearls. The Osmanthus and the Jade Pearls work together in a really harmonious way to create a very pleasing flavor.
My first cup (infusions 1 & 2) was very smooth and buttery, with a strong pollen-y, honey-nectar type flavor that was a pure joy to sip. My second cup (infusions 3 & 4) became a little more focused, the flavors were less “fuzzy” and soft, and while this cup is different from the first, it was no less delicious! I like being able to now taste the notes of peach a little more distinctly, as well as the floral tones which are so beautiful. My third cup (infusions 5 & 6) was a little softer in flavor than the second cup, but still very enjoyable. The tea is a little less creamy and buttery now, and a little more focused on the fruit and floral tones.
This is a really good Osmanthus Oolong. If you are an Oolong enthusiast and haven’t yet tasted the joy of Osmanthus Oolong tea, well, why not? You’re missing out, and this one from Tea Mania is a really good place to start exploring Osmanthus Oolong and how much the Osmanthus flower brings to a cup of tea.
Oolong # 17 Jade Pearls First Flush from Tea Mania
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tea Mania
Tea Description:
Oolong # 17 Jade Pearls First Flush is picked by hand and rolled. It’s well known for its distinctive flavor and fragrance notes: a little bit orchid and a hint of lily of the valley. Oolong # 17 Jade Pearls First Flush is only picked in the winter. The slow growth in the winter helps to develop the complex flavors.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh … NICE! This is a truly LOVELY Oolong from Tea Mania! The second tea that I’ve tried from this company, This Oolong #17 Jade Pearls First Flush is solidifying my opinion of this company which is – quite simply: they offer great teas!
This Oolong has a lovely floral quality to it – it is both flowery in aroma and in taste. I taste notes of orchid and hints of honey that evoke thoughts of honeysuckle. It’s a very gentle tasting tea … and while some floral tasting Oolong teas can come across as sharp, that’s not the case with this tea. It has a very subtle, soft approach, and it’s smooth from start to finish. Very little astringency.
The texture is also smooth and soft, and it has a delicate broth-y character to it – think of a comforting bowl of chicken broth when you’re feeling under the weather … that’s the kind of texture I get from this tea: soft, warm, comforting.
And because this is a top-quality Oolong, I was able to get a whole lot of infusions out of one measurement of leaves … this is the kind of tea that you want to spend all afternoon with, just allowing the teas to slowly unfurl as you enjoy the soothing liquid they produce. I found that the flavors became stronger with the third and fourth infusions, and then by infusions number five and six, I noticed that the flavors seemed to become more unified and seamless. Every new cup of tea became a new adventure … each cup lovely and delicious … but presenting itself in a new way for my palate to explore it’s complexity.
Really, this is a top-notch tea. If you like floral Oolong teas … this one should be at the top of your MUST TRY list!
Floral Focus Oolong Blend from Bird’s Eye Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Bird’s Eye Tea
Tea Description:
Ingredients: jade oolong, osmanthus flowers, and codonopsis
This is a really special tea and I am really excited to give it to you. Osmanthus flowers have a scent and flavor unlike any other that perfectly compliments the slightly floral nature of jade oolong. This jade oolong comes from the Nantou region of Taiwan, the farm is high up in the mountains. It was harvested in the spring and after light oxidation leaves were dried and rolled by hand. Codonopsis (dang shen) is referred to as “poor man’s ginseng” in many parts of China. It’s effects are milder than ginseng and it is much less expensive. This is a great herb for folks with mental fatigue, slow digestion, and poor immune function. It also increases milk production in nursing mothers. As with most adaptogens, it reduces stress, is anti-inflammatory, and also boosts mental and physical energy.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about subscribing to Bird’s Eye Tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Photo from Wikipedia
Click on the pic to go there
Wowza! I’m really liking this Floral Focus Oolong Blend from Bird’s Eye Tea. I don’t always fancy flowers added to my Oolong teas only because Oolong teas tend to already have a very floral attitude to them. Then again, I do like Oolong teas that have been scented with magnolia and jasmine … and even osmanthus as this one has been. I guess what I wasn’t so sure about was the Codonopsis.
But, I like the way everything comes together in this cup. The natural floral qualities of the Oolong are accented nicely by the osmanthus and the codonopsis, but the other characteristics of the Oolong are not overwhelmed. I can taste the lovely creamy notes of the Jade Oolong. It tastes sweet and feels really soft and smooth to the palate.
The Oolong also has a slight vegetative note that seems to meld seamlessly with the floral tones … like they were made for one another. The osmanthus also brings out some of the natural peach-like tones of the Oolong. The overall taste is strongly floral … it tastes sharp without tasting soap-ish or perfume-y, with sweet fruit notes and a creamy overtone.
Another very enjoyable – and unique! – blend form Bird’s Eye Teas.
Lime Blossom from Jade Monk
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Jade Monk
Tea Description:
Some Japanese believe a fox can live for 100 years or more, acquiring additional tails the longer he roams the countryside. The faithful also say foxes can assume the shape of humans, playing tricks on friends and family. These mythic spirits-the Kitsune-possess supernatural powers, but luckily for you the Jade Monk
®matcha Kitsune are only interested in seducing your taste buds with the unexpected tang of lime and aroma of spring flowers, fortifying your body with enhanced matcha polyphenol potency, and calming your mind with clarifying effects of our shade-cultivated Jade Monk®matcha green tea. Phew!
Learn more about this product here.
Taster’s Review:
When it came time for me to sample this packet of Jade Monk, I was very thirsty and feeling a little too warm. Outside it’s 95°F and while that may not seem very hot to some of you … it’s hot for me. And it’s humid. Maybe not as humid as it is in Minnesota (my husband is from Minnesota, and when I complain about the humidity he says “It’s not humid!”) but for this girl who grew up in Northern Nevada where there was next to no rainfall and even when it was raining the humidity was still zero… It’s uncomfortably humid to me. I wanted something to quench my thirst and hopefully re-energize me a little, while cooling me off.
So, I decided to get a little adventurous. I put a small amount of freshly drawn and filtered water in the pitcher of my blender, along with several ice cubes and the contents of this packet, and I blended it until I could no longer hear the rattling of the ice particles inside the pitcher. Then I poured it into a glass to enjoy some ice cold, lime flavored Matcha.
And I am enjoying it! It is really good like this. It ended up being a bit like a slush … the ice part did, anyway. There is still a good amount of green colored liquid to this too, kind of like when you get a slush and it starts to melt a bit … the liquid that forms at the bottom … that’s what I have in front of me.
Of the three Jade Monk offerings that I’ve tried thus far, this one is my favorite. I don’t know if it’s because I prepared it in the blender, or if it’s just that I like this flavor better. But this is cool and refreshing. The lime tastes tart and sweet … but not too extreme on either end. It isn’t too tart or too sweet. It’s a bit like a limeade, but with a hint of Matcha in it.
The Matcha is not real distinct, just as it has not been in the other Jade Monk flavors, and I’ve come to expect that. This is definitely a drink mix that has been designed with a broader customer base in mind, appealing to those who might find green tea to be a little too vegetative or not quite to their liking. This one is also sweetened with stevia, like the other two were, but I’m finding that the colder the beverage, the less funky the stevia tastes. In fact, with the first few sips … I didn’t really notice the stevia at all. I notice it now that I’m nearly finished with the glass, but, it does not interfere with my enjoyment of this cool, refreshing homemade slush … in fact, I think I’d take this over a slush from the convenience store, any time!
Gyokuro from Tea Licious
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tea Licious
Tea Description:
“Precious Dew” Japan’s pampered child of green tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Do you like green tea? Have you ever tried Gyokuro?
Gyokuro – which translates to “jewel dew” – is the gem in the Japanese green tea crown. It’s so sweet and delicious! It has a vegetative note, but, it is unlike a typical green tea “vegetative” taste. It doesn’t taste grassy, exactly, nor does it taste like vegetables – steamed or otherwise – but, it has hints that lean toward a sweet grassy taste and a vegetable broth without tasting quite like either one.
I know that I’ve probably said this before about another Gyokuro that I’ve tried (or maybe more than one other), but this is one of the nicest Gyokuro teas that I’ve tasted. I say that often, I think, because Gyokuro tea is one of those outstanding teas that taste so remarkable every time you try it, it is almost like nothing you’ve ever tried … even though you’ve tasted Gyokuro before … if that makes sense! (And by “you” … I mean me.)
The flavor is sweet with a lovely fruit note to it that is almost plum-like, but without the tartness of a plum. Instead, this is just juicy and sweet. The texture of the tea is broth-like (thick, smooth and almost even creamy!), which kind of gives it that vegetable broth essence that I mentioned earlier.
I do think it’s important to brew a Gyokuro correctly. The tea leaves are extremely delicate, and they should be brewed at a low temperature. The suggested parameters on the Tea Licious website are 185°F but I think that may be too hot. I prefer to steep Gyokuro at 160°F for just 1 minute and 30 seconds. This produces a clear, light jade colored liquid that is a pure delight to sip.
If you’ve not tried Gyokuro before (or even if you have), I highly recommend trying this one from Tea Licious! I think you might fall in love with it just like I have!