Tea Information:
Leaf Type:
Where to Buy: Mahamosa
Tea Description:
This noble blend of different green and white teas captivates the senses with the typical, attractive Pai Mu Tan and a Yunnan which is dominated by light, fluffy tips. Yellow rosebuds, pineapple flakes and mango cubes enhance the delicate yet significant freshness of this aromatic variety. The tea leaves dominate the overall taste with their typically delicate, slightly bitter notes. A touch of juicy pear and creamy sweet exotic flavors envelop the characteristic flavor of green tea. Ingredients: China Sencha, Lung Ching, green Yunnan and Pai Mu Tan, flavoring, mango cubes (mango,sugar), pineapple flakes, rosebuds.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I opened my bag of Pear Green White from Mahamosa my first impression was peach rather than pear but then again I really was not thinking much about the name of the tea nor that it should smell like pear, so peach was my initial reaction. Then on second sniff I smelled circus peanuts…you know those strange little peanut shaped orange candies (love them).
The tea is pretty with rosebuds in it. When steeped my initial reaction upon first sip was KAPOWZA! This tea is not lacking in the flavor department and is nothing close to subtle. This tea reminds me of a southern lady, full of robust flavors, personality to boot, and not afraid to state its opinions. You can’t say that this tea is lacking in anything here! Another thing about this tea that reminds me of a southern lady is that it is sweet, very sweet, and although the southern ladies I know can be tricky, witty, and even a little sassy deep down they are all quite sweet as well. Yes, this is one that I will be cold steeping just to see if it is what I think it will be for me this summer, a daily sipper!
So we have our floral, we have our pear flavor which yes it does come out shinning bright and strong in the cup, we have a lovely white and green base which you just can’t beat for the health benefits, and we have several other tropical fruit notes playing around in the cup. There is a lot going on in here but it works magically well together.
This is that tea you serve at the tea party, or to the kids who refuse to drink tea – trust me they won’t even know that it is tea and will think it is some fruit juice!
Is this tea for the sake of tea in and of itself? No, it is not – purists may really shun this one, but its so nice to have a tea that packs such a punch of flavor because honestly now and then I do want something different – something more fruity and just all out fun!
The base teas are lovely providing a creamy backdrop for all the fruity playful flavors yet still remains bright and cheery not becoming too heavily laden with creaminess.
Oh I could probably go on and on about this one but its time for me to just sit back and enjoy the cup!
Also be sure to check out Mahamosa’s dedication to our earth here.
On The First Day of Christmas … Della Terra Teas Sent to Me …
It’s become a bit of a tradition for me to have a 12 Days of Christmas box to help me count down the days until Christmas Day. This will be the third year that I’ve done this, and this year, I chose the 12 Days of Christmas tea box from Della Terra Teas … the same box, incidentally, that we featured a couple of weeks ago in our Season of Giveaways!
Here’s how this works: every day from now (December 14) through Christmas Day, I’ll be reviewing the tea of the day from the Della Terra Teas box … starting with today’s tea.
But before I get in to today’s tea, I want to talk a little bit about the presentation of this box … because it really is fabulous. It’s a gift in itself! The package arrived wrapped up in Kraft paper so that we couldn’t see the festive box inside (see the photo above!). So on the outside, it appeared kind of ordinary and maybe even a little boring (although, it’s never boring to receive tea in the mail!) but as soon as you open the box, you’re greeted with this very bright and cheery box warning you NOT to open the box until December 14. Ahhh … the anticipation!
Inside the box, there was this lovely sight! 12 little sparkly boxes, each with individual tags telling us which day to open the box. There was a note tacked on the inside of the lid of the box telling the recipient how to proceed with this 12 Days of Christmas Tea celebration. This is a really awesome presentation … I am really overjoyed. It really IS going to be like a little present each day leading up to Christmas!
Day 1, Day 6 and Day 12 are to feature teas that are available exclusively to the customers who purchased this box, which makes it even more special and exciting to me!
Which leads me to today’s tea …
Partridge in a Pear Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tea Description:
On the first day of Christmas a tea was given to me, and that was Partridge in a Pear Tea.
On this first day of your 12 Days of Christmas, please, sit back, and enjoy a cup of this delightful, fruity pear tea that is exclusive to this set of twelve! What a lovely way to start!
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf is beautiful! Lots of white cornflower petals amid the black tea leaves and pieces of dried pear, and little golden candy bits that add a nice bit of sparkle to the dry leaf … what fun! It smells very much like pear, and I do love a good pear tea. 
Although, I must admit, that it seems more often than not that I am disappointed by pear teas, because the pear flavor is just … off … somehow. I’ve found a few really good pear teas, but I have also had some disappointing pear teas. I’m hopeful that Della Terra Teas won’t let me down. I’ve been really impressed with their teas thus far, so I think I’ve every reason to be optimistic.
And I can say that my faith in Della Terra Teas is not misplaced! This is really quite good. The pear flavor is delicious and sweet … even juicy, reminiscent of a ripe pear. It tastes very authentic to me, this doesn’t taste like an artificial pear taste.
It is a bit sweet, and I am sure that has a bit to do with the candy bits in the blend that melt when coming in contact with the hot water while it brews. But I don’t mind the sweetness, and I’m not finding it to be too sweet or cloying.
And I like that even though the pear flavoring is strong here, it doesn’t overpower the black tea. It is a mellow, pleasant black tea with a moderate amount of astringency, not overly robust (I think a stronger or bolder black tea would have overpowered the more delicate notes of the pear, and I really like the way the pear flavor is represented here), and very satisfying to drink. Not something you’d want for that eye-opening, first cup of the day, but, more of a tea that you’d want for an afternoon pick-me-up … it would also make a great dessert tea!
Overall, a really good pear tea, and an excellent way to start off my 12 Days of Tea countdown! Be sure to stop back by tomorrow at about the same time to see what tea Della Terra sent to me for the Second day of Christmas!
Wu Ling Tea from Tea from Taiwan
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tea from Taiwan
Tea Description:
Wu Ling oolong tea (wu-long tea) is our best tea in our regular collection. Wu Ling is a mountain area in Taichung county and its high altitude (more than 2000 meters) contributes to the ideal growing conditions for wu long tea.
Another reason why Wu Ling wu long tea is of such fine quality is the soil of the Wu Ling area. Wu Ling was a fruit producing region for many years until economic conditions favored imported fruit over home-grown apples and pears. Former orchards in the Wu Ling area were converted into oolong tea plantations, and Wu Ling wu long tea is renowned for its fruity quality.
Wu Ling is located on Mount Li (Li Shan or Pear Mountain) and wu long tea from Mount Li is the most prized wu long tea in Taiwan. It is ideally suited for gong fu style brewing and can be re-brewed up to eight times while still retaining plenty of flavor.
More information about the Li Shan area of Taiwan (including a section on Wu Ling wu long tea) can be found on this website about Wu Ling farm.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Wu Ling Oolong is a very subtle tea with sweet notes of vanilla, cane sugar, and pear. Now as good as that sounds, don’t think that these notes are going to jump up and do a jig on your taste buds. This tea has a polite mannerism that evolves through multiple steeps and must be sipped slowly and savored for each succulent note.
Of course this tea is best brewed gong fu style and through the multiple steeps produces more notes to enjoy.
As you enjoy infusions you will find notes that range from sweet, as I mentioned above, to spicy, nutty, toasty, bake-y, floral, buttery, and fruity.
This green oolong still has a nice roast-y flavor, but unlike it’s darker counterparts is much more delicate and more vegetal in flavor.
This tea is quite complex and layered, some have said it is a bit too confusing for them while others absolutely adore it. Personally, I find it quite enjoyable but more so when I really have time to relax, such as while reading, or enjoying the outdoors. It allows me time to really savor each note as it comes forward.
I especially love this tea because I have an intense sweet tooth and butterscotch candies are one of my favorite candies. Between the cane sugar note, and the butter note, I do taste butterscotch candy in this tea every so often.
In dry form the tea has a wonderful aroma, steeped the color of the tea is a very light yellow, leaning toward a deeper golden yellow in forward steeps. Interesting how the tea becomes darker not lighter in progressive steeps. It only goes to show what a good tea this is since it has such staying power and continues to give off its bounty of notes. The leaf once steeped really expands allowing you to see how each leaf had been carefully rolled into the tiny nuggets. The aroma of the steeped leaf is my favorite of the two aromas between dry and steeped as it gives off a deeper darker note of extra crispy toast. It is no surprise that I prefer this over the pre-steeped state as I do normally prefer darker oolong.
For a green oolong however, this tea is top notch and I will throughly enjoy the rest of my many steeps to come.
Green Plum & Pear from New Mexico Tea Co.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: New Mexico Tea Co.
Tea Description:
Pan fired green tea, safflowers, and marigolds with plum and pear flavor
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh yum!
This tastes so good. I’m often afraid when it comes to pear flavored teas that the pear flavoring will be somewhat lacking, but, with this blend, the pear comes through quite nicely. The plum tastes slightly tart, and this tartness is especially noticeable in the aftertaste, and the pear arrives at the start of the sip, and maintains its sweetness throughout.
I like that while there is some tartness to the plum, it isn’t a strong flavor. I am not particularly fond of anything too terribly tart. Here, the tartness is experienced primarilyin the aftertaste with a sort of tarty twinge on the tongue. Not strong, but, somewhat acidic, like the sensation from a bit of the powder from a sour candy on the side of your tongue. Together with the sweetness from the green tea and fruit flavors, it’s an intriguing contrast.
The green tea is a sweet, broth-y kind of green tea that has a creamy, mild vegetable taste to it. Somewhat buttery, smooth and nicely complements the flavors of pear and plum. It is a summery kind of flavor, something that I think would be excellent served iced, but, I am quite enjoying it now, on a chilly autumn afternoon, served hot.
Another enjoyable tea from New Mexico Tea Company!
LiShan Oolong, Winter from The Mountain Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green Oolong
Where to Buy: The Mountain Tea Company
Tea Description:
Our Winter LiShan coats the palate with orchid, pineapple, and vanilla bean. “LiShan” means Pear Mountain and in the past, the most sought after pears came from this place. This highland climate with an altitude of more than 6600 feet above sea level produces especially superior teas. LiShan oolongs are the most fragrant, smoothest, butteriest oolongs, incredibly sweet with a taste of toasted fruit.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have only recently discovered tea from The Mountain Tea Company but I am so very glad that I have.
I have enjoyed every tea I have tried from them so far.
The aroma of this tea in dry form is amazing. Such a strong delicious scent yet so difficult to explain. There is something quite roasty and toasty about this tea yet it is a green oolong. There is a smokey aroma but that does not convey in the steeped cup.
Steeped it is fresh, grassy, vegetal, and crisp. Refreshingly delightful and just simply splendrous cold brewed!
There is such a sweet honey like flavor with a bright clear finish. The sweetness does not linger in a cloying manner but rather leaves behind the flavor of fresh cut grass.
There is a lightly floral note of orchid and some fruity notes mixed throughout the flavors on the palate and a lovely lilting vanilla note that drifts over the taste buds but dissipates quickly making me want more.
While the cup is fresh and bright there is a deep creamy mouthfeel before hand – so the initial taste is that of deeply creamy and buttery followed with the clear cleansing finish.
I know I am just not doing this tea any justice in my review but I am just so very excited to be sipping on this tea right now. I want to sit back and enjoy it yet my excitement to share information about this tea with everyone can’t wait. I just want to get it all out and written down right as the flavors and notes come dancing forward for me so that you can experience in its truest form – outside of having it for yourself. I want you to be in the moment with me while I have this spectacular tea!
I do hope to get more of this before I drink it all, and it won’t be difficult to justify as it is one of the more exquisite teas I could invest in.
As a reviewer I can drink upwards of 10 cups of tea a day, some days more, some less, and I don’t review them all. I only review those teas I would suggest to others. Be it a solid beginner tea, a tea for those who are looking only for the best, or something in the middle. Even though I may not particularly like every tea personally, due to simply perhaps not enjoying a flavor element for example, I try to be quite fair in my reviews. Regardless, this is a tea I would recommend to everyone. Beginners should use this tea as a baseline for all other teas, specifically Oolongs if you are finding you love Oolongs. For those who have been drinking tea for some time you won’t be disappointed in this tea, or The Mountain Tea Company. I certainly am not as experienced as some but thus far I have to say this is one of the most enjoyable oolongs I have had the honor of sipping.
Sometimes we just get so excited about a tea – after drinking one after another – one simply stands out above the others. As for Oolongs, I would stand behind this one hands down as supreme.