Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Crimson Lotus Tea
Tea Description:
“A world of flavor in the palm of your hand!”
Don’t let their small size fool you. These tiny spheres of puerh are made from 300yo Gushu/Ancient Tree material from Jingmai. They were picked and processed in Spring of 2014. They have been aged loose as maocha in Jingmai until now. They are fantastic. The aroma is thick with honey. The flavor is smooth and floral with just enough bitterness and astringency to keep your palate interested.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! OK, so I say that a lot when it comes to tea. But I don’t often say it when it comes to Pu-erh! At least, not so you – our readers – can “hear” it. But this “Planet Jingmai” Ancient Tree Sheng Pu-erh from Crimson Lotus Tea has earned the “mmm!”
This tastes more like honey than Pu-erh. (When reading the word ‘honey’ in the previous sentence, you should hear it the way that Mr. Wonderful aka Kevin O’Leary says “money.”) It is sweet and delicious and so honey-like, you’ll wonder why you’re not all sticky after drinking it.
My second cup is even more honey-esque. I’m still searching for something that reminds me of a pu-erh. It doesn’t taste earthy, it doesn’t have a mushroom-y taste. Just beautifully sweet. Perhaps a hint of vegetation and a light touch of floral notes. But mostly, honey is what I taste this time too.
And this pearl of tea takes quite a while to unfurl too! It wasn’t until after my third infusion that the orb looked more like a tea and not a ball of yarn. After my fourth infusion, I noticed that the leaves were beginning to settle in a heap rather than staying wound in the ball.
The flavor of the honey notes begins to wane by the fourth infusion. It was with this infusion that I started to pick up on more floral notes with hints of earthy vegetation than a strong honey-like flavor. I’m still tasting honey notes even in my fifth infusion, but, they continue to soften with each new infusion.
By the end of the sixth infusion, the leaves had fallen away from the ball shape and had become a pile of wet leaves. There is still plenty of flavor to them though, and I kept on going until I finished my ninth infusion. I probably could have gotten even more from this tea!
This tea is a PLANET of flavor! I highly recommend the journey.
2005 Changtai Yun Pu Zhi Dian “Top of the Clouds” Sheng Pu-erh from Crimson Lotus Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Crimson Lotus Tea
Tea Description:
This is a very special puerh prepared by the Yunnan Changtai Tea Industry Group. The blenders who work for Changtai are true masters of their craft. The leaves in this puerh are a blend of 15 mountains, Spring picked in 2005. The name for this cake “Yun Pu Zhi Dian” means “Top of the Clouds”. Since Yunnan means “Southern Clouds” this name has a double meaning. It refers to the heavenly experience and also that this puerh contains the best from Yunnan.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve often thought of pu-erh as a cooler weather type of tea because it’s a tea that I prefer to be served hot. As the tea cools, I find that the flavors begin to mute and become lost.
And yes, I do drink hot tea even in the summer months, in fact, I drink more hot tea than I do iced tea in the summer months, but, I don’t drink as much hot tea in the summer as I do in the cooler months.
So when I drink a pu-erh, I’m often reminded of the cooler days of autumn and winter, but as I sip this 2005 Changtai Yun Pu Zhi Dian “Top of the Clouds” Sheng Pu-erh from Crimson Lotus Tea, the tea seems to be evoking thoughts of late spring and early summer.
Perhaps it’s the lovely notes of fruit that develop throughout the infusions, starting off with a soft hint of apricot and in later infusions, I notice that the sweet apricot notes are accentuated with a contrasting sour note of tart apple.
Perhaps it’s the lovely background note of flower that seems to bring to mind thoughts of floral aromas filling the air in the spring. Or maybe it’s the delicate woodsy notes and hints of vegetative earthy tones that remind me of the trees as signs of their springtime foliage begin to grow.
This tea is beautifully smooth and sweet with notes of fruit and honey. In the earliest infusions, the fruit notes are strongest, but as I continue to steep, the honey develops and the fruit begins to wane somewhat.
Meanwhile, the woodsy notes are developing. These aren’t musty wood notes, but clean, vibrant woodsy tones. The tea has a sweetness to it that is balanced with the aforementioned notes of sour apple.
I’ve only just been introduced to this company – Crimson Lotus – but I am quite impressed with this tea. They specialize in Pu-erh teas. Those new to Pu-erh will find this a fantastic resource of teas that are good ‘starting out’ Pu-erh (and since they specialize in Pu-erh, they’ll be a great resource of knowledge for you too!) And for those of you who are more experienced with Pu-erh, I think you’ll find that Crimson Lotus has an amazing selection of intriguing teas.
As for me, I highly recommend this Top of the Clouds Sheng! It’s delightful!
Lotus from The Persimmon Tree
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: The Persimmon Tree
Tea Description:
A unique combination of hand-harvested fresh lotus blossoms blended with green loose leaf tea in an ancient scenting method comprises our Lotus tea. Prepared in small batches by Vietnamese traditional artisans, the unique essence of these spring-harvested flowers is released and absorbed directly into the tea. The Lotus tea brews a pleasant, slightly sharp flavor similar to star anise, with a subtle vanilla finish; be sure to steep multiple times to fully appreciate the flavor of these sweet, aromatic lotus blossoms infused in our Lotus Flower tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
My first experience with Lotus from The Persimmon Tree was almost a year ago from a sample The Persimmon Tree sent me. I am so glad that they did because this is not a tea I would have selected for myself. The main reason is because I detest anise. Actually had I remembered that Anise was in this tea I may not have even tried the sample, but one day I grabbed the first thing from my sample drawer and steeped this up, without reading the description. I am glad that I did! It was a happy mistake. The anise in this tea comes over more as a black pepper taste on my palate, but it is like a flowery black pepper! Then at the end of the sip this lovely creamy vanilla note comes creeping over, leaving behind a lovely floral after taste. As I sat there enjoying the floral note, the pepper creeps back in! This tea makes you do a double, no, triple, then a quadruple take!
The green base is perfectly lovely. The leaf in dry form looks a lot like an oolong, but in the flavor you get that fresh green taste. Yet there is a slight mineral note like a Wuyi oolong.
This tea is spectacular, completely different from any tea I have experience before including other lotus teas. I have noticed the reviews on Steepster.com and it appears that this is a love it or hate it tea. I really suggest getting at least a sample size to try for yourself. I know how much I despise anise, yet this tea is so yummy. Every time I get ready to prepare it I brace myself to dislike it, just because I know how much I dislike anise, yet every time I sip it I sit back and smile thinking how good it is.
Get a sample for yourself when you make your next order with The Persimmon Tree! Samples only cost 1.25 each even on their most expensive and rare teas such as Jasmine Ancient Beauty which you can find here.
Also you can check out their blog here, which is updated regularly with some really valuable tea information and amazing photos!
Lotus Green Tea from The Persimmon Tree
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where To Buy: The Persimmon Tree
Tea Description:
A unique combination of hand-harvested fresh lotus blossoms blended with green loose leaf tea in an ancient scenting method comprises our Lotus Green tea. Prepared in small batches by Vietnamese traditional artisans, the unique essence of these spring-harvested flowers is released and absorbed directly into the tea. The Lotus green tea brews a pleasant, slightly sharp flavor similar to star anise, with a subtle vanilla finish. Be sure to steep multiple times to fully appreciate the flavor of these sweet, aromatic lotus blossoms infused in our Lotus Flower tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Lotus Green Tea from The Persimmon Tree really is a lovely cuppa!
Both the aroma and the taste is delightfully floral. I think that the above description describes the flavor perfectly – it is sharp, with notes that remind me of the licorice-y notes of star anise, and as the sip nears the tail, there is a hint of vanilla. It is sweet, exotic and creamy, and makes for a truly lovely tea time experience.
I like also that this tea offers multiple infusions! The first cup was sharper than the second infusion, which was a little softer, but still so sweet and creamy! I think that the second infusion was my favorite. The third infusion was also quite nice, the flavors became more unified with my third and final cup, making for a more refreshing, lighter taste, but still really flavorful.
This tea needs no additions … I think that sugar would overwhelm it. It is one of those teas that you want to spend a leisurely afternoon with … infusing and infusing again … experiencing the many layers of flavor that the tea has to offer.
The more I get to know the teas of The Persimmon Tree, the more I like this company. I have recently been checking out their blog and found some yummy recipes and lots of other fun things! And you can keep up with their happenings on Twitter or Facebook.
Lotus Nut Green Tea from Nature’s Tea Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Nature’s Tea Leaf
Tea Description:
Lotus Nut Green Tea leaves are fine and tender dried leaves that are noticeably striped with many white downy tips. Lotus has long been a symbol of vitality and purity in Buddhist culture. While in traditional Chinese medicine lotus is believed to be beneficial to the heart and helps to calm the nerves. This tea has a tenuous shape with a strong, bitter aroma that is a common feature of the lotus nut. When infused the tea has a strong scent with its characteristic aftertaste. Whether served hot or cold, this tea is a cool and refreshing way to ease the heat of summer.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m not sure exactly what it is that drew me to this Lotus Nut Green Tea from Nature’s Tea Leaf … but I am glad that I decided that I wanted to try it. This is really good.
I’m not very familiar with the flavor of the lotus nut. The only time I’ve tried lotus seeds is in a paste that was the filling of steamed buns that a friend of mine brought me from one of his favorite Chinese restaurants in California … and since trying those amazing steamed buns, I’ve been SEARCHING to try to find something like it. I haven’t been able to … yet, but I’m still looking!
This tea is definitely reminiscent of the sweet flavor of the lotus seed paste that I tasted in those steamed buns. The flavors are there – sweet, nutty, even a hint of creaminess. The green tea has a light flavor that is crisp and refreshing. Thee is a slight hint of bitterness to this as well, but it isn’t an off-putting bitter taste. Instead, it offers a contrast to the sweet notes that I find very appealing.
This is really an enjoyable tea, one I’d highly recommend to others.