Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: What-Cha Tea
Tea Description:
An incredible black tea made entirely of young buds, the smoothest black tea we have tried with a refined malty taste and no bitterness or astringency.
We are proud to source all our Nepal teas direct from Greenland Organic Farm, who are very much at the forefront of a burgeoning Nepali tea industry dedicated to producing high quality artisanal teas. Greenland Organic Farm are completely pesticide and chemical free farm dedicated to producing tea in an ethical and fair manner. Greenland Organic Farm is located in East Nepal in the shadows of Mt. Kancghenjunga at an altitude of 3,000m.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh my goodness, these Golden Tips from Nepal are so lovely!
The dry leaf is visually stunning. The coloration of the leaves vary from a chocolate brown to a golden brown. The tips are golden (as the name implies!) It’s very fragrant, smelling of fruit and flower with notes of earth. The brewed liquid smells much like the dry leaf.
I steeped this tea in my Breville One-Touch using 500 ml of freshly filtered water and 2 bamboo scoops of tea. I steeped it at 205°F for 2 1/2 minutes and … the tea tastes simply amazing!
Honey! Malt! Cacao! Caramel! Sweet notes of fruit! Hints of flower!
The mouthfeel is pleasant. Thick and smooth, it feels a little bit like thinned honey as the tea glides over the palate. And it tastes like honey too. This tea is rich and full-flavored.
The malty notes marry beautifully with the caramel-y undertone to create a rich, satisfying sweetness. The notes of cacao are bittersweet. As I continue to sip, I start to pick up on warm notes of spice. This is a cozy tasting tea and as the weather has finally begun to cool the warmth from this tea is certainly welcome. It’s a cozy, comforting cup of tea to enjoy.
Many of the Nepalese black teas that I’ve tasted are more reminiscent of Darjeeling but not so with this one. This doesn’t have that crisp, lightness of a Darjeeling, instead, this is richer, reminiscent perhaps of a Golden Yunnan or a Fujian Black.
This tea is also good for two infusions, so be sure to re-steep those leaves and get all the flavor you can out of them! The second infusion is just as delightful as the first!
This is not a tea that I would reach for on the mornings when I need to get up and go. Instead, this is the tea I’d want to reach for on the mornings when I can curl up under a fluffy blanket and just relax a little. The kind of tea that you want to linger over for a while because it tastes so good that you don’t want the cup to end!
It is as I said at the start: this is oh-so-lovely!
Organic Sencha Green Tea from Shi Zen
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Shi Zen
Tea Description:
Our organic green tea are from the family farms of foothills of Mount Fuji. This organic green tea will be the teas that are harvested in summer, perfect for green tea to be used daily. We recommend this tea as an entry level that has a very well balanced taste of sweetness and bitter taste.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
After trying Shi Zen’s Organic Superior Sencha, I wondered how this tea experience would differ from my experience with the Organic Superior Sencha. And while they are definitely two different teas, I have to say that I’m finding both to be quite enjoyable. It would be difficult to choose which I prefer!
I like the balance of flavors in this cup. There are some soft bitter notes to this that balance the sweet flavors. This is a little lighter in texture than I remember the Superior Sencha being – it seemed much more “brothy” than this one, whereas I find the mouthfeel to be softer … not quite as thick. It’s still really pleasant though.
This tea is a little less sweet than the Superior Sencha. The vegetal note is reminiscent of a lightly buttered, steamed vegetable. Almost like very young and tender lima beans. The light bitter tone offers a slightly savory contrast to the sweeter notes that are introduced at the start of the sip.
I like this Sencha quite a bit. I find it to be an ideal beverage to serve with a meal because it has a pleasing flavor that doesn’t intrude upon the flavors of the food. It tastes great served hot and I also like this one served iced too. It’s really refreshing and it’s perfect for these hot summer days.
Mount Gray Tea (Earl Grey Tea) from Damn Fine Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Damn Fine Tea
Tea Description:
Long a cherished landmark, Mount Gray is truly monumental. Since its discovery in the early 19th century, generations of adventure-seekers have been drawn to the dense woods which blanket its gentle slopes. Breathtaking heights abound with lush, fragrant vegetation, and scenic trails offer surprises for even the most frequent visitors. Mount Gray was formed by a geological process involving black tea from Asia and citrus oil from southern Europe, a remarkable combination which continues to delight visitors of all ages.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Whenever Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea comes out with a new blend, you know I’ve got to have it. Like GOT to have it! I love receiving tea from Damn Fine Teas, it’s always an adventure! The delivery is super fast, and the tins are beautiful, and there always seems to be something a little extra. Something that goes along with the theme of the tea. For example, with the Double Knit Blend, there was a little plastic, black comb … kind of like you might find in the pocket of the nerdy types that would wear double knit shirts.
In the package with this Mount Gray Tea from Damn Fine Tea (an Earl Grey Tea!), there was a souvenir magnet that says “I survived Mount Gray.” Now, see, these little extras … they might not seem like a big deal, right? But I like these little extra touches. It’s just that little bit of fun and cleverness that makes it so much fun to receive a package from Damn Fine Tea. I don’t buy the tea for the extra – of course! – but it makes the receiving of the package all that much more enjoyable.
But what really sold me on Damn Fine Tea is their quality tea! Their teas always prove to be top notch. And I’m loving Mount Gray! This is a subtle take on Earl Grey. The bergamot is on the softer side here, and I’m tasting the fruitier quality of the bergamot. Yes, of course I know that bergamot IS a fruit, however, it tends to have some floral qualities to it that make it taste somewhat “perfume-ish” sometimes. But with this particular Earl Grey, the bergamot is on the citrus fruit side … not the soapy/perfume-y side! BONUS!
The black tea is right on par with the bergamot here – with this tea, I can’t say that the bergamot is the strongest flavor … the black tea definitely plays its part well here. It’s a good, strong black tea … rich and flavorful, and the bergamot brightens the cup, giving it a sweet, acidic taste that is very lively!
Normally, my favorite Earl Grey teas tend to be those that have a hefty bergamot presence … a strong bergamot flavor that manages to taste strongly of bergamot without tasting strongly of Uncle Arnold’s Cologne. This Mount Gray is different … I like it because the flavors are so well balanced. It doesn’t taste off or chemical-y or perfume-ish, it just tastes like tea and citrus! (And yes … this one is definitely right up there with my favorite Earl Grey teas!)
If you’re a lover of Earl Grey teas … this one should be next on your list to try!