Generally not much of a pu er drinker but every once in a while I stumble across an interesting name like this one and find it difficult to not want to try.
This one definitely looks interesting, bundled as it is. But once taken out of the bundle it just becomes another large leaf tea. Kinda. Unlike some other teas this one has the longest stems I have ever seen.
The initial aroma is very woodsy (when the hot water first hits the leaves).
10 second rinse. Now the wet leaf aroma is medicinal with a touch of…. vaseline.
After the first steep the aroma changes to hay and barn. The flavor begins with bits of stone fruit but then changes to hay.
On my fourth steeping here I am starting to find more wet woods flavors. Cedar.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Puerh
Where to Buy: New Mexico Tea Company
Description
A bizarre and wonderful tea. This aged green puerh tea is made up of extraordinarily large tea leaves that have been gathered into small bundles that resemble traditional brooms, hence the name. It has a marvelous flavor and delivers a light, woodsy aftertaste. We recommend six to eight leaves per cup with multiple steepings.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Wild Monsoon/teakruthi
In one year you probably couldn’t taste all of the different types of tea. I would be highly impressed and maybe a little worried if you did.
The differences that one can find from one plant is astounding.
Even the region of Ceylon, which is generally known for its black teas, has a variety of different types. Take a Ceylon green, a Japanese green, and a Chinese green and you will get many different flavor profiles! It’s amazing!
So far in all of the Teakruthi samples I’ve tried I have discovered most to have astringency but this one doesn’t have a bit. There is a bit on the second, though I am also using a smaller steeping vestibule.
A unique mix of woodsy and earthy notes. Some nutty notes here and there. Wet forest floor in the wet leaf aroma after steeping but the most amazing smell as soon as the water touched the leaves. (There needs to be a term for this)
Instantly my nostrils were filled with wet warm jungle. Like I wasn’t standing in my kitchen anymore. What an amazing feeling that was.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: teakruthi
Description
We harvested our Wild Monsoon tea from the Southern province of Sri Lanka in the Ruhuna tea district. This tea grows in an area nourished by high humidity and monsoon season, and surrounded by diverse wildlife. The forests of Ruhuna are home to elephants, leopards, bears, wild boar, deer, giant flamingos, and of course, the finest teas. The area is teeming with life; it is never dull. Dark gold in colour, this tea is mild, malty, and fine, and delivers to your pallet a lively flavour that tastes like adventure.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
East Frisian/Harney and Sons
I purchased this tea to use as an enrichment lesson for some young ladies to whom I am teaching elementary German. Tea and cookies make for a fun lesson! And who knew that if East Frisia was a country instead of a region, they would have the highest per capita consumption of black tea in the world?
I wanted to be as authentic as possible and did a test run today. Their “Teetied” is different from any other.
First, a large piece of rock sugar (Kluntje) is put into a porcelain or china cup. Then the rich tea is poured over it and the rock sugar should crackle. After the tea is poured, a small ladle of cream is added to the tea gently, pouring along the side of the cup so that the cream makes a cloud (Wolkje) in the tea. You must never stir!
It is considered polite to drink at least three cups of tea, although more than that is fine. When you finished, you place a spoon (the one you definitely did NOT use to stir your tea!) in your cup or you can turn your cup over on the saucer.
The tea is usually a strong Assam blended with a bit of Darjeeling and some Ceylon. This one is very dark, earthy, and bready. It is a tad brisk but less so than I expected.
The cloud in the tea fascinated me and really made this Teetied a mindfulness session as I watched the cloud roll and change shape after each sip. The cream coats your lips and takes the edge off the strong tea, then the tea dominates, and at the last you get a small sip or two that is incredibly sweet. The rock sugar should be large enough to last through all three cups of tea and each cup that you drink should be finished completely so that the subsequent cup doesn’t look muddy when you add the cream.
I think this lesson will be a success, and I can hardly wait to try it again with some cookies or pastries!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Harney & Sons
Description
Fortify yourself with East Frisian, our popular full-bodied black tea blend of Darjeeling, Ceylon and Assam. It’s named for East Frisia, Germany’s cold, wet, and dreary North Sea coast – the ideal spot to drink hot tea, and the East Frisians do! They consume more black tea than anyone else in the world. They do drink it with cream and crystalized sugar.
(Credit- Harney & Sons)
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
