Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: KTeas
Tea Description:
This Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe consists of semi-leafy pieces with some tips. You may notice a more mellow liquor with a mild, fresh flavor, an inviting bouquet to your cup, and a finish that lingers attractively.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I thought I had completed my series of Morawaka estate Ceylon reviews, but I came across this sampling the other day as I was sorting through my stash (in an effort to get it organized … an effort, I fear, that is futile, and yet, I continue on!) I am happy, though, to have found this Ceylon as it is quite enjoyable.
The flavor is mild and bright, with hints of floral notes in the background. There is a fair amount of astringency that is more tangy than it is dry. That tangy note lingers into the aftertaste, imparting an almost citrus-y taste on the tongue. As I continue to sip on the tea, a sweetness develops that gives the cup more of a smooth, well-rounded character, and helps to soften the astringent finish. This particular grade of the single estate Morawaka Ceylon seems to be a bit more floral in taste than the others … assuming I am remembering correctly.
This has that brisk flavor that one might expect from a Ceylon. It makes for an excellent choice for a lighter breakfast tea, or a mild afternoon tea. It goes wonderfully with chocolate. (Then again, there aren’t many things that don’t go wonderfully with chocolate.) It also makes a wonderful iced tea, and takes additions well – try serving this with a thin slice of citrus for a glass of iced refreshment!
A very nice offering from KTeas!
Mauka Oolong Tea (Hawaiian Grown) from KTeas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: KTeas
Product Description:
Single-Estate tea: Volcano Tea Garden – Farm Collective; Growing elevation: 3600′, Volcano Village, Hawaii USAArtfully consistent leaves are vibrantly colored with slightly oxidized edges. Elusive and complex flavor in the cup with a sophisticated, delicate, pale yellow infusion.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
One of the things I love most about Oolong teas is that I’m always surprised by them. Just when I think I might know what to expect from an Oolong, something like this Mauka Oolong from KTeas comes along and surprises me with it’s unique flavor profile, and it is quite unlike anything I’ve tried before.
I steeped this in my gaiwan, using short steep times to extract multiple infusions. My first cup – the combined result of the first and second infusions – was intensely flavored. There was a pungent fruit note that was both sweet and sour. I could also taste a resinous pine flavor. The flavor was very crisp and almost sharp, but not in an off-putting way. It was very intriguing, and like I said previously, it was quite unlike any Oolong I had tasted before.
The second cup (infusions three and four) had become smoother, and I noticed that the sweet and sour fruit flavor that I tasted before was still present, although the sweet and sour tones had mellowed and sort of morphed into a unified flavor. Still sweet and still sour, but, more seamless this time. The resinous pine note has dissipated, and has been replaced with a woodier note.
The third cup (infusions five and six) is smoother still, with a honey-esque sweetness emerging that I had not experienced in the first and second cup. That sweetness has washed over the aforementioned sour notes and softened them. There is a crispness to this cup, but not so much a sharp note as before. Everything is softer … silkier. As I near the end of the cup, I begin to recognize notes of papaya.
An interesting Oolong, indeed. If you love Oolong, you must try this one! You’ll be happy you did.
Glenburn Second Flush Darjeeling Summer Leaf Tea FTGFOP1 from KTeas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: KTeas
Product Description:
picked 30 May 2011
Direct from the Glenburn Tea Estate in Darjeeling, India!
This second flush Darjeeling is plucked during the early summer months of May and June. Shoots of the bush which draw their succulence from the late spring rain showers are selected to make the stylishrolled leaf. The cup is clear amber to the eye, nonetheless full-bodied with a mature flavor compared to the First Flush that preceded it. Glenburn’s unique growing conditions imbue the very select clonal plants with a special character in their liquor all its own, yielding a complex layer of maltiness with musk and nutty undertones.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve hung on to this sample for a while, waiting for that moment when I really wanted a Darjeeling … and I didn’t bother to really read the label. This tea was picked on my birthday!
Anyway… today seems like a good Darjeeling day. I’m not in a particular rush to get anything done (at least not for the next hour or so), and so I’d like to just sort of slowly ease into the swing of things. Darjeeling does that for me with it’s crisp, light nature. Or so I thought!
These Darjeeling teas from Glenburn Estates are so unique – quite unlike any other Darjeeling teas I’ve encountered. It is as though these Darjeelings want to be an Assam, but couldn’t quite get there. They are a bit lighter, of course, than a typical Assam, but, they are a bit heavier than a typical Darjeeling. Where Darjeeling tea tends to be quite crisp and light (somewhat reminiscent of a white wine), this Darjeeling has some body to it, with a thicker, smoother texture, and even a hint of malt in the background. It also has a toasty flavor in the background, providing a slightly nutty taste. Nice! Different, but nice!
But that is not to say that this Glenburn Second Flush Darjeeling is not at all like a Darjeeling because it does possess many of the characteristics that you’d expect from a Darjeeling as well. A fruity overtone – muscatel grapes! – providing a nice sweetness to the overall cup. Pleasantly sweet and delicious.
The astringency here is quite unusual as well. Astringency is that sensation that either leaves your palate feeling clean, or sometimes sort of dry, and still other times it imparts a slightly tangy sensation. But this astringency isn’t quite like any of those … instead, it is more like a tingly, almost prickly kind of effect on the tongue. Interesting.
I am so very pleased to have had the opportunity to try this Darjeeling. It is one of the best that I’ve tried yet. If you’re a fan of Darjeeling teas, you should definitely try this one… it will surprise you! It would also be a great Darjeeling for those who are new to them … although, be warned, after you try this one, other Darjeeling teas just may not satisfy. This one is a keeper!
Right now, through December 11, KTeas is having a BIRTHDAY SALE! Be sure to check out their homepage for details on how you can save 20% off the subtotal of your order! The only thing better than ordering tea is being able to save money when you’re doing it!
Morawaka Ceylon Pekoe-1 from KTeas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: KTeas
Product Description:
Curly, leafy tea of a slightly smaller size (hence the “1”) produce a good, basic cup of tea that has a light liquor, a delicate taste, and a pleasantly memorable finish.
Taster’s Review:
I think that with this sampling, I’ve had the opportunity to try six of the seven Ceylon teas that KTeas offers from the Morawaka estate in Sri Lanka. And of the five different teas that I’ve tasted and reviewed, this Ceylon Pekoe-1 is perhaps the best example of what I think of when I think of a high-quality Ceylon tea. This tea tastes like Ceylon to me.
The dry leaves resemble small, curly pellets that almost look like a greener Oolong (only the leaves here are, of course, black). After infusion, they open up a bit, but they are still curly. The one thing that stood out to me most when looking at the infused leaf is just how uniform in size they are.
And the flavor that these leaves produce is delightful. Smooth yet rustic, this tea evokes thoughts of curling up under a blanket, in front of a roaring fire in a log cabin in the woods. I’m not sure why that thought came to me as I sip this tea; all that I can come up with is that it has that kind of comforting flavor that you’d want to curl up with in front of a fire in a log cabin …rich and flavorful, while at the same time maintaining that mellow evenness to it that I expect from a good Ceylon.
I detect no bitterness to this cup, although there is some astringency at the end that I’d classify as a tangy sort of astringency. There is also a somewhat citrus-y finish to this cup that seamlessly melds with the astringency. The aftertaste is caramel-y sweet, somewhat floral and slightly tangy.
With so many Morawaka estate teas to choose from at KTeas, you might wonder which to choose. Maybe this will help steer you in the right direction: For a good, strong Ceylon that almost rivals a hearty Assam, you should try the FBOPF Ceylon or the FBOPF-1 Ceylon. If you want a bold, hefty Ceylon, try the BOP-1 Ceylon. If you’re looking for that familiar Ceylon flavor, try this Pekoe-1 Ceylon, or for a crisper, brighter take on the familiar Ceylon, try the OP-1 Ceylon. Finally, if you want the convenience of teabags, but still want a high quality Ceylon in those teabags, try the BOPF Ceylon Teabags.
What ever you might be looking for in a top-notch Ceylon, KTeas has you covered!
Glenburn Estates Khongea Chai Assam (2nd Flush) CTC-BOP from KTeas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: KTeas
Product Description:
Freshly picked 8 June 2011.
“Chai” is a word meaning “tea” in many parts of the world. In addition, these CTC black tea leaves are called “chai” because they make a popular base to which to add those luscious spices that turn the tea into the deliciously spicy beverage we call “Chai”. These CTC leaves of second-flush assam can certainly steep into a thoroughly enjoyable cuppa all on their own … well, okay, maybe add some sweetener and milk or cream (yes! this tea will stand up to cream!).
Taster’s Review:
If you’re like me, when you first saw the name of this tea, you thought this would be a spiced tea blend. It is not. Here, “chai” is used as it was originally intended: to mean “tea” and not “spiced tea.”
By now, I’ve tasted several of the Estate teas offered by KTeas, and I’ve been impressed with every single one of them that I’ve tried. And this brilliant cup of CTC-BOP Assam from the Glenburn Estates is no exception.
One thing that impresses me about these Estate teas from KTeas is that it says – right on the package! – the date this tea was harvested. So I know the tea that I’m drinking is very fresh. And one sip tells me that the tea I’m drinking is very delicious!
This Assam is bold and full-flavored. It has a very bright flavor with a prominent malty flavor. It has a very strong character: this tea can get you GOING in the morning; even on those mornings when you’re feeling sluggish and really need a boost. This tea will give you that boost you need.
This tea has a sweetness to it that is quite like burnt sugar caramel. The sweetness is enhanced by the aforementioned malty tones, and these two qualities linger long into the aftertaste. There is a fair amount of astringency here, but I don’t mind it. If you want to curb it a bit, add a splash of milk to the cup – this tea takes it quite well.
Because this is a CTC-BOP, the leaves are granular – about the size of a grain of couscous! – and you’ll want to take this into account when you steep the tea. Use a little less tea when you measure the tea and do not infuse quite as long as you might steep a whole leaf tea; otherwise you may end up with a somewhat bitter brew. With this tea, it is definitely worth the extra thought and effort to steep it correctly, because the reward is a delicious cup of Assam.