Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Steepster Select
Tea Description:
Our Long Jing (or Dragon Well) is produced by one of the most respected organic growers in Anhui.
Read other Steepster thoughts on this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve tasted and reviewed a lot of Long Jing (also known as Dragon Well) green teas over the years. And while many of those that I’ve tried taste very similar to others, every once in a while I’ll taste one that sort of “stands out” among the others that I’ve sampled. This Organic Long Jing #03 from Steepster (from my January Steepster Select box!) is one of those Dragon Well teas that stands out.
And what makes me say that? Well, for one thing, just a few moments ago – after allowing the tea to cool slightly – I took a sip and I lightly slapped my lips and murmured “mmm!” Now … I do that from time to time when I taste teas. But, I can’t recall the last time I did that after taking a sip of a Dragon Well.
Like I said, many of my Dragon Well memories sort of melt into one another, like one big Long Jing conglomerate. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy those other Long Jing/Dragon Well teas – because I did. I enjoyed them immensely. However, as I said in the previous paragraph, every once in a while one just stands out.
What I’m trying to say, very simply, is this: this Long Jing ROCKS!
This is sweet and nutty, and there is a roasted note to it that reminds me of sweet, toasted chestnuts. One of the things I look forward to when the holidays approach is roasting some chestnuts over my roaring fireplace, and eating the shelled chestnuts while they’re still warm. Yum!
Well, that lip-smacking “mmm” moment I mentioned a while ago was from the warm, creamy chestnut taste that I get from this tea. The tasting notes from Steepster state:
Nutty and vegetal with hints of baked earth.
And yeah, I’m getting that “baked earth” sort of flavor, as well as the vegetative tones that are reminiscent of lightly buttered lima beans. But it’s the nutty flavors of this tea that really does for me. So sweet and delicious.
A really, REALLY good Long Jing!
Lapsang Souchong from Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden
About This Tea:
The story goes that Lapsang Souchong was first created when the Wuyi region’s annual tea drying process was interrupted by army movement. To compensate for the missed drying period, tea farmers hung their tea over pinewood fires, consequently imparting a distinctive smoky flavor and aroma. Our Lapsang Souchong is sourced by Mark Ukra, co-owner of Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden, who comes from a family of Middle Eastern tea merchants dating back 400 years. Drink Lapsang Souchong plain or try it as a spice or rub for cooking.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
January’s Steepster Select box brought teas that to help warm us up from Winter’s Chill. The first tea that I tried from the box was this Lapsang Souchong, which is a little unusual for me since it’s one of my least favorite teas (well, not this Lapsang Souchong, but Lapsang Souchong in general is one of my least favorite teas).
But this is no ordinary Lapsang Souchong. This is easily the best that I’ve ever tried. Now, I can’t say that I’ve tried a lot of Lapsang Souchong teas, as it is one of those teas that I tend to avoid, but I have tried a few, and I’ve even managed to – slowly – get my palate more accustomed to the unique flavor experience of Lapsang Souchong. While I am slowly gaining an appreciation for this strong, smoky tea, it is still sometimes difficult for me to get past it.
This Lapsang Souchong from Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden has been a real eye-opening experience for me. I am not just “appreciating” this tea … I’m LOVING it!
The first couple of sips are quite smoky. But once I get past those first sips, I find wonderful flavors await me. I can actually taste the pine here, and that is something that I didn’t really experience in previous Lapsang Souchong tastings. I may have tasted mere hints of pine in the distance, but, mostly what I tasted was smoke and the caramel undertone. Here, the pine is quite distinct and it is lovely.
The caramel undertones are there as well, giving a very pleasant sweetness to the smoky overtones. But what I find especially enjoyable is the way that the caramel undertones meld with the pine notes. The flavors here are deep and intriguing.
A very unique Lapsang Souchong, and I have Steepster Select for bringing it to me!