Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Nature’s Tea Leaf
Tea Description:
Dandelion Leaf White Tea is our own blend of Dandelion leaves with select white tea leaves. White tea is well known for its significant levels of antioxidants and is becoming more popular in weight loss programs by helping to block the absorption of fat. The Dandelion has been used for food and as an herb for much of its long history. Among the many benefits of the dandelion is its ability to aid in weight loss by acting as a mild diuretic and reducing excess fluids in the body. Other valuable benefits include acting as a stabilizing agent against extreme high and low blood sugar levels, stimulating the production of digestive juices, and aiding in reducing inflammation in the liver. Dandelion leaves contain significant numbers of vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, C and K, and are also a good source of calcium, potassium and iron.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I saw Dandelion White Tea from Nature’s Tea Leaf I nearly squeed and I KNEW I HAD to have it!
I love dandelions, yes that’s right love them! I will not turn this review into the myriad of reasons why I love them but lets just say this, I love them so much I have a tattoo of one on my ankle with the dandelion roots going right onto my foot. Dandelions are wonderful gifts of nature.
With that said … This tea … it tastes just like buttery sweet simmered veggies. It reminds me of my veggies from my stir fry before I add one of the many sauces I usually add.
This tea is not bitter as one may fear or think.
It really tastes just like a succulent green tea! Buttery, savory in some ways with herbal type flavors throughout. There is also a slight taste of fenugreek as well. The lingering after taste is reminiscent of avocado. Specifically the part of the avocado that is very close to the skin, a little earthier than the heart of the avocado.
I am so happy to have found that Nature’s Tea Leaf has this tea and will even say, regardless of my love of dandelion, is one of the better white teas I have had in a very long time. I almost said “flavored” white teas but its not even flavored which makes it all the better! Its a beautiful thing what nature can capture in tea, then to add to that a wonderful, beneficial herb like dandelion which is simply not used in enough things, we have perfection!
I am fairly new to Nature’s Tea Leaf as a tea company but I have been looking over their site more since I obtained this tea along with two others from them and I have to say it is wonderful to feel this type of excitement over a tea company.
Dandelion White Tea is creamy in the mouthfeel with a velvet like feeling, more than silky, thicker than that. Its so very naturally sweet I would think adding sugar would make it just too sweet.
This tea calls for a steeping of up to five minutes and I steeped it for a good 4 minutes and got plenty of flavor. I only found one other review on this tea which is on the Nature’s Leaf Tea site and that person said it was bitter to them. While I suppose all of our taste buds are slightly different I have to say I do not detect even the slightest amount of bitterness in this tea. Perhaps this person’s experience was bitter due to over steeping or using the wrong water temp but I don’t want to assume that because this other reviewer may be quite knowledgeable about tea. The point is – remember water temp and steep times are important and I think even more so when dealing with delicate herbs like the dandelion.
So overall – being the dandelion lover that I am I am 100% approving of this lovely tea! Thank you Nature’s Tea Leaf for providing us with some very unusual and wonderful blends!
Sechong Oolong from Nature’s Tea Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Nature’s Tea Leaf
Tea Description:
Se Chung Tea is a blend of several loose-leaf, oolong tea leaves produced from plucks of several different plants. The leaves are naturally withered under the strong sun, oxidized until brown with green highlights, and then wrap rolled into small beads. The Se Chung Oolong tea has a roasted aroma and a thick, woody flavor. It is a great tea for those who enjoy a complex taste and have an adventurous palate.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Sechong Oolong from Nature’s Tea Leaf provides a provocative and note layered cup. From mineral to woodsy, caramel, to chocolate notes, I find this tea to be quite enjoyable. Perhaps it is the mixture of many different plants that provides the multiple layers of flavor notes but I find it interesting and delicious.
The infused aroma is almost smoky with an aged woods scent. There is a slight aroma of a vanilla backdrop to the tea as well making the tea smell creamy.
On first infusion I get more of the caramel, chocolate and dessert type flavor notes while on later infusions more of the rock mineral notes come forward.
The creamy, sweet, vanilla notes are present in both early and later infusions. The tea has a mild sweetness from this note, which is quite lovely and comes over as a rock sugar flavor.
The tea is deep and toasty and reminds me of smore’s made over a campfire yet at the same time is reminiscent of a french bakery.
As the tea cools it becomes heavier in mouthfeel and almost creamy in the texture. So wonderful!
Some fruity apple notes come forward melding with the caramel and rock sugar notes making me think of caramel and candied apples.
I really like the later infusions where the rock mineral and rock sugar notes come together – its such an interesting flavor and I can’t recall a tea I have had of recent that had this same profile. I am not saying they do not exist but rather it has been some time since I have enjoyed a cup like this and I am very much enjoying every infusion of this leaf!
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.
Chocolate Midnight Black Tea from Nature’s Tea Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Nature’s Tea Leaf
Tea Description:
Chocolate Midnight Black Tea is an exclusive blend of select Yunnan Black tea infused with natural dried vanilla bean and blended with rich Belgian chocolate. The leaves of the Yunnan black tea are black with golden hairs on the buds that provide a strong invigorating aroma and vivid red liquid. The classic combination of tempting vanilla bean and rich dreamy curls of semisweet Belgian dark chocolate will offer your palate a temptingly sweet treat that will keep you coming back for more.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
OK … so you KNOW I had to try this one, right? I think it may have been love at first sight with this tea … I mean, look at all those chocolate curls! *drool!*
And this is definitely chocolate-y! It is a dark chocolate taste (although a splash of milk could make it a creamier milk chocolate if you so desire!) and it tastes really quite … perfect. The vanilla gives it just enough creaminess without making it taste too much like “milk” chocolate – making this the perfect choice for any chocolate lover – whether they prefer milk or dark chocolate!
Oh sure, I’ve had teas with more chocolate flavor, but, I really LOVE the way the chocolate is represented here. It tastes like a dark chocolate truffle that you can buy by the piece in one of those gourmet chocolate stores. Smooth and rich … and oh-so-delicious. It is sweet, but not cloying.
The black tea base is a Yunnan base, and I think this is another reason I find myself so in love with this tea. Yunnan teas typically have a natural chocolate-y undertone going on, and their pleasing natural spice notes enhance the chocolate in a very appealing way. The Yunnan here provides a solid background of flavor: rich, robust and well-rounded. And nicely balanced with the chocolate.
This is one of the best chocolate teas I’ve yet to try (and I’ve tried quite a few!) Definitely in the top five! I love it!
Cinnamon Oolong from Nature’s Tea Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Nature’s Tea Leaf
Tea Description:
Cinnamon Oolong Tea is an exclusive blend of select Oolong leaves with natural cinnamon bark. Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees native to the island of Sri Lanka and South East Asia that dates as far back as 2000 B.C. Normally used in sweet and savory cooking, cinnamon is lauded for its ability to aid in the reduction of blood sugar and cholesterol levels while boosting metabolism. Oolong is a medium level caffeinated green tea full of antioxidants and has a light floral aroma and long lasting finish. The combination of the sweet & spicy aromatic cinnamon with the mild floral Oolong makes for a delicious and refreshing drink that can be enjoyed both hot and chilled.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I first saw this tea, I thought that Cinnamon and Oolong was a rather unlikely combination. But, somehow, this works.
The cinnamon is blended with the Oolong rather than flavored with it (that is to say, the leaves have not been flavored with cinnamon essence, and instead, have been blended with chips of cinnamon bark), and that provides for a pleasantly subtle cinnamon taste rather than a strong, overwhelming cinnamon flavor. I like that, because the Oolong is a somewhat softer flavor, especially in the early infusions, as I think that a strong burst of cinnamon would overwhelm the delicate flavors of the Oolong. As it is, there is a careful balance between flavors, and I’m finding it quite enjoyable.
The sip begins with a lovely Oolong flavor that is slightly creamy, and I notice mere hints of spice and earth from the cinnamon. The sip progresses smoothly to the finish, and the aftertaste is cinnamon-y … somewhat spicy, but there is also a gentle sweetness from the Oolong. It’s quite nice. This is a perfect autumn Oolong … the cinnamon gives the Oolong a warmth and a comforting taste that I don’t usually experience with a typical Tie Guan Yin.
In subsequent infusions, the Oolong flavor begins to define its floral attributes a bit more, and at first I was not sure if I liked the way the cinnamon and floral tastes came together, but, after a couple of sips, I found it to be an agreeable yet unique kind of taste. It is warm, gently spiced and exotically sweet.
Having tried a couple of different teas now from Nature’s Tea Leaf, I don’t know that this one is my favorite thus far, but, I certainly have enjoyed it. I find the balance between tea and cinnamon to be very appealing to the palate. This is a very uplifting tea!