Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Chi of Tea
Tea Description:
New! Organic Royal Golden Yunnan! Delicately twisted leaves with a high concentration of golden tips distinguishes this tea from other black teas. A full-bodied infusion deep red with a honey-like sweetness, a subtle milkiness and light coppery finish.
Yunnan tea, also known as Dian hong steeps a reddish brown after brewing. Golden Yunnan is characterized by a bright red color, a subtle flavor and a sweet taste. Lychees, rose and longan are mixed with the tea leaves and left to ferment. This combination contributes to the final aroma of the tea brewed from the leaves. The taste is sweet and features a subtle aroma.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a superb Yunnan! One of the very best I’ve tried.
I brewed this in my gaiwan using short steeps, starting with 1 minute for the first infusion, and adding 15 seconds with each subsequent steep. I think that the first infusion could have actually gone just 45 seconds or perhaps shorter, because this is a strong infusion, but still, I do not find it too strong.
It is certainly full-flavored and aromatic. I can taste the notes of fruit and rose that were added during the fermentation process, the rose is especially noticeable at the finish and just a moment or two into the aftertaste, and it’s really quite a lovely moment when that flavor reveals itself.
There is a beautiful undertone of spice to this tea. It is not a dominant flavor but, always present. Chocolatey tones are also present as well as a delicious caramel-like sweetness. This is a wonderfully complex Yunnan that stands up to multiple infusions (I extracted four full-bodied infusions from this tea!)
After a visit to the Chi of Tea website, I find that this – as well as most of their other teas – are out of stock. I didn’t take the time to check them all, but the ones that I did check were out of stock. I hope this does not mean that this company is closing, because not only is this Yunnan one you should try, but they also happen to carry my favorite yellow tea. If anyone knows anything more about the status of this company, do please let me know!
Lychee Coconut White Tea from Tea Forté
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Tea Forté
Product Description:
Rare white tea with the exotic tropical notes of sweet lychee and the intoxicating fragrance of fresh cut almond.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve had quite a few different lychee flavored teas, but I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a lychee and coconut flavored tea until now. And that’s a shame, because these two tropical fruits go so well together!
The base of this tea is a delicate white tea. It is light and crisp, with a fair amount of astringency, which I think seems a little more distinctive because of the lychee flavor. The finish is dry with a sweet, musky aftertaste.
I think that the lychee and coconut are pretty evenly matched in this cup. The result is a sweet, creamy, tropical-tasting cup that is deliciously different from other tropical flavored teas.
This particular blend is part of the new Skin Smart collection from Tea Forté, a line that has been crafted to work with the body to keep the skin healthy and youthful. Personally, I don’t think I’ve ever purchased a tea for it’s purported health benefits, I drink tea because I love the taste of it. But, if it’s good for me and helps my skin in the process… I consider that a bonus!
Iced Tea Series II (Tropical Fruit Series) from 52Teas, Part 4: Lychee Flavored Black Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
About this series:
Here are FIVE unique iced tea blends we’ve created from high quality Nilgiri CTC teas. These are uber fine teas, so they are not as pretty as our whole leaf teas, but they steep up a bold, rich, flavorful iced tea.
Taster’s Review:
Tasty!
Lychee isn’t what I’d consider a favorite fruit flavor. Hey, I like it alright, but there are many fruits I’d prefer. You probably wouldn’t catch me putting a lychee-flavored tea on my shopping list. There are just so many other flavors out there that I prefer over lychee. So, I was not really excited about this tea being part of this series. I mean, why lychee? Of all the tropical fruits out there, why lychee? Why not banana or pineapple or passion fruit?
Anyway, I still decided to order the full series, and you know what? I like this. It is really tasty.
The lychee fruit is sweet and pungent. It has a somewhat sharp, tart flavor that is especially noticeable in the aftertaste. It is a little bit floral and it tastes… well, it tastes like a lychee fruit. It’s one of those fruits that is truly it’s own distinct taste.
The black tea is the same, strong Nilgiri tea that is used in the other iced tea blends, and it works really well with the lychee flavor. It is bold enough to hold its own with the rather intense flavor that is lychee. The astringency of the tea melds well with the lychee, cutting through some of the more pungent tones.
I like this much better than I thought I would. It is very refreshing.
Matcha Lychee from Teaopia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Teaopia (although this product appears to have been discontinued)
Product Description:
Our lychee Matcha gives a sweet-fruity flavour to this traditional powdered Green Tea. Those new to the art of drinking Matcha may find this tea a good place to start.
Taster’s Review:
I have had this Matcha for a while now, and it has been my go-to Matcha when I want a smoothie. I love the hint of lychee that it adds to my smoothies!
But this Matcha isn’t only good for smoothies… it’s really quite delicious on its own, whisked in a chawan just like a typical Matcha. The flavor is sweet and the lychee fruit adds a wonderful dimension of flavor to it. The Matcha is vegetative and smooth. It coats the palate with a creamy, sweet taste of fruit and grassy taste. Delicious!
Matcha can be somewhat of an acquired taste and for those of you who want to acquire a taste for it, I recommend starting with a flavored Matcha. The vegetative flavor is not quite as intense with flavored Matcha, and it will help ease you into the experience.
Once you do acquire a taste for it, though, I guarantee you will not want to turn back. Matcha is better for you than other tea types because you consume the whole leaf. But, honestly, I don’t drink Matcha for the health benefits – they are a bonus! I drink it because I love the taste! It’s really delicious!
A Special Offer
PLEASE NOTE: THIS OFFER HAS EXPIRED.
This is a special offer from Daily Gourmet, Naivetea and The SororiTea Sisters!
We have TEN promotional codes (aka coupons!) for $5.00 off of this fantastic deal from Daily Gourmet.
This offer includes two tins of Naivetea’s Taiwanese Oolong teas – Wen Shan Bao Oolong and Lychee Oolong – for just $23.00 (including shipping!) This is a $35.00 value, for just $23.00.
BUT… if you are one of the first ten people to comment to this post with your email address, we will send you a special promo code via email for an additional $5.00 off – making your total just $18.00!!!
That’s $28.00 worth of tea plus $7.00 shipping charges – for JUST $18.00!
WOW!
I have tried several of Naivetea’s Oolongs in the past and I can tell you that they are of outstanding quality and flavor. If you love Oolong – they offer some of the best Oolong teas available anywhere!
But you should HURRY because this offer is only good through Saturday (April 9th) night. After that, the carriage turns back into a pumpkin and this amazing deal is GONE!