Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: ESGreen
Tea Description:
The raw material of this tea has been stored since 2008. Now it has been naturally fermented. The aroma is strong with the special raw tea note. But the tea soup is in amber color, mellow, smooth, a little bitter but has very sweet after-taste.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m always just a little bit leery when it comes to trying a new-to-me Pu-erh. I haven’t been disappointed by a Pu-erh lately, but my first few attempts with Pu-erh some years ago led to an automatic thought that I do not like it. I don’t know if my palate has changed or if it’s that I’ve gleaned information along the way, including better ways to brew teas like Pu-erh. Probably a combination of these two things.
This Pu-erh is a bit different from what I’m used to when it comes to raw Pu-erh… this almost tastes like ripe or Shu Pu-erh as opposed to raw or Sheng, because this is much more earthy than I am used to from a Sheng Pu-erh. It has a strong mushroom-like flavor to it, reminiscent of wild mushrooms. The flavor is mild, and there is a hint of bitterness to this which is also surprising me about this Pu-erh because very rarely do I notice a bitter taste in Pu-erh. It is almost a sour/bitter taste, somewhere in between these two flavors.
The earthiness is a little bit off-putting at first, I will admit. But once I got past that, I was able to discover this very intriguing sour/bitter taste that then morphs into a delicately sweet aftertaste. It’s very interesting and unique … as I said, it’s quite different from any Pu-erh that I’ve tried.
Because this is so unique in flavor, I would recommend this to experienced connoisseurs. It’s really quite lovely and interesting, and I think that those with some experience with Pu-erh would find much to enjoy with this Yunnan Broad Leaf. I don’t know that I would recommend this to those just starting out with Pu-erh because of the strong earthiness of this tea.
This is the first tea that I’ve tried from this company, and I would say that this is a promising start! And, after taking a look around on their website, I must say I’m intrigued, especially by this amazing tea set! OH my goodness – I WANT!
Xingyang Silk Road Spice from Verdant Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
Xingyang Workshop produces some of the cleanest and most sparkling shu pu’er we have tried. The 2008 shu nuggets are just calling to be made into a juicy and cooling blend. The spearmint and peppermint provide a crisp edge and refreshing flavor that brings out the sparkling texture of the tea. The cinnamon and fennel extend the sweetness and bring it out into the long aftertaste.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
At this point, I’ve tried quite a few different teas from Verdant Tea. They’ve become one of my favorite sources for high-quality, pure teas because, put simply, they have some of the very best pure (unflavored, unblended) teas that I’ve tried.
But I’ve not tried very many of their blends, so I was excited with this opportunity to try one of the blends that has received rave reviews on Steepster.
The picture above suggests to me that this tea is a stunner iced, so I’ve been allowing this first infusion to cool to “cold” temperature before tasting. It doesn’t take long at all since I’ve poured this into a very small teacup… and now that it has cooled, I must say that this is really very good!
The initial flavors are minty, with a back note of fennel. The cinnamon together with the fennel create a sort of spicy licorice-y taste … it’s a sweet and exotic kind of flavor that is very enjoyable, especially as it melds with the crisp, cool minty flavors of spearmint and peppermint.
At first, it was difficult to discern the Puerh, but, as I focus, I could taste it in the background. And as I near the end of my teacup (time for another infusion!) the earthy flavors of the Puerh are emerging. I expect that the next infusion will be earthier than this first infusion.
Yes! This infusion brewed to a darker color, looking much more like a cup of Pu-erh (and tasting more like it too!) It is this infusion where I find these flavors starting to swirl together in a very harmonious fashion. It no longer is an “initially minty, with back notes of fennel and cinnamon and pu-erh in the background” kind of cup. This is minty, yes, and fennel-y, and cinnamon-y too. But these flavors are much more in step with one another. It’s become a remarkably smooth tea with notes of mint and fennel and cinnamon. It’s like it’s become very unified – one tea with many flavors, the whole has become better than the individual parts with this unification.
That is to say that while these flavors are distinctive, they seem to be playing as a part of the whole cup here. Truly an Alchemy blend – where all these flavors that might otherwise be ordinary have come together to create a truly extraordinary taste.
This tea keeps getting more delicious with each infusion, too. Just when I think it can’t get better, I infuse it again, and it does get better! Smoother, richer, more harmonious. It was with the third and fourth infusion that I began to notice a background note of cocoa! The aftertaste is cool and crisp and minty, and together with the tones of cocoa, it’s almost like an exotic chocolate mint.
I love how my palate is begging me for more of this tea … it’s that good!
2011 Mansai Puerh Tea from The Essence of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: The Essence of Tea
Tea Description:
The flavour is thick and pure, with a hint of bitterness transforming into a long sweetness in the mouth. The tea is balanced throughout the mouth and throat, with the strong qi immediately present upon drinking.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m finding this pu-erh to be quite unusual from the pu-erh I’ve tasted in the past. Not that I would consider myself to be a connoisseur of tea by any means … I’m more of a novice when it comes to pu-erh. But I have tried a good number of pu-erh, and it is from those experiences that I can say that this one is a bit unusual.
The sip starts out sweet and smooth – nothing unusual there. But at the point where the palate begins to recognize and appreciate the sweetness, a savory bitterness arrives, and I find the contrast compelling. I don’t find the bitterness to be a distasteful one, so I find myself wanting a different word to replace “bitterness,” because so often it is used to denote an off-putting flavor, and this is not off-putting.
There is an overtone of smokiness to this pu-erh that melds pleasantly with the earthy tones. It has hints of woody notes in the background, and even some hints of mineral. As I continue to sip and throughout the infusions (I steeped this tea six times), I found that the aforementioned bitterness developed into more of a a sour note, which seemed to complete the sweetness in a very pleasing way.
This is a most intriguing pu-erh… I find the balance of flavor and contrasts to be so interesting that it keeps me sipping with curiosity. It also makes me wonder how different the 2010 Mansai Puerh Tea from The Essence of Tea might be from its younger sibling. Perhaps this is a tea I will have to try at some point.
Climber’s High from The Tea Spot
Please Note: Check below for special savings on this tea!
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté, Black Tea, Green Tea, White Tea, Pu-erh & Tulsi PLUS Spice Melangé
Where to Buy: The Tea Spot
Tea Description:
A super-charged blend of teas, spices and herbs formulated to provide a refreshing daily lift for people with active, high-energy lifestyles. Climber’s High is a high-powered way to increase your intake of beneficial antioxidants such as flavonoids and catechins, as well as a host of healthy vitamins, trace minerals, beneficial phyto-constituents, and caffeine. It was originally conceived to assist people in adjusting to higher altitudes. This spiced yerba mate chai tea is both good for you and a pleasure to drink.
Learn more about this Yerba Mate Chai here.
Taster’s Review:
This blend has got a WHOLE lot going on!
When I first opened the package, I noticed a pleasant smell that was sweet and a little spicy, smelling a bit like a gently spiced chai. And one quick glance at the ingredient list suggests that this could easily be categorized as a chai (well, yeah, all tea is technically chai, but, I’m talking about what we here in North America think of when we think “chai”) so, I categorized it as chai.
The brewed tea smells a little earthy, slightly vegetative, but still possesses a certain spicy tone – a bit different than that of the dry leaf, but, it still smells warm, sweet, and a little spicy.
Wow! OK, so yeah, this DOES have a lot going on, but, somehow, it all comes together to offer a pleasant tasting blend. I don’t really taste each of the specific tea types here, I just taste a medley of different flavors that I’d associate with the different leaf types.
For example, I taste the earthy, vegetative taste of Yerba Maté, and I would attribute some of that earthiness to the Pu-erh as well. It tastes rich and smooth like a black tea, but it has a light, almost creamy/airy texture and flavor that I’d attribute to the white and green teas. I taste hints of mint and basil that I attribute to the peppermint and Tulsi. And yes, I taste the warmth of the spices, and the sweet, creamy finish that I attribute to the vanilla.
I wouldn’t say that I taste specifically any one of these ingredients, instead, I taste the combination of them all. I taste hints of sweet licorice, I taste the sweet warmth of the cinnamon and little peppery kick from the ginger and pepper. I don’t know that I taste any one ingredient more than the others, they all seem to come together in such a way to provide a very solid taste without one overpowering the others. Some might seem a little lost along the way but at the same time I can’t say that this blend would be the same without any one of these ingredients.
And while there are a lot of flavors to explore here, I am really enjoying the challenge and the journey this tea offers. It is warm and energizing, just the kind of cup I want on those mornings when I need a little motivation.
I like it!
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Tea Trail 2004: Willow Grove Workshop Pu-erh from Verdant Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
A uniquely clean shu pu’er with both warming and cooling qualities, a sophisticated musky profile, and a sparkling texture like fresh mint and basil leaf. . . .
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf of this Pu-erh doesn’t have a strong aroma, I would describe this as slightly musky/earthy, but not quite as earthy as I might usually experience with a Pu-erh. The brewed tea has a woodsy kind of scent to it, reminding me of the damp wooded areas just after a rain here in the Pacific Northwest – mossy, damp, earthy … woody and even a little musty.
The flavor is also earthy, but it is lighter than I expected to to be. There is a tingly sensation to this, like the zesty feeling that the palate experiences with something minty. It doesn’t really taste minty as much as it feels minty. It feels crisp and invigorating.
This crisp, lightness lasts for a couple of infusions, and by about the third and fourth infusion, I notice that the body of the tea begins to develop. The sweet undertones to this tea start out similarly, beginning with subtle sweet notes that develop as I continue to sip.
The tasting notes on Verdant Tea’s website suggests hints of apple and cinnamon, and I taste those too, they are especially noticeable in later infusions. I find these flavors to be the most intriguing about this tea – because in the first and second infusions, there were mere hints of a cinnamon-like note, but it was very vague … almost like it wasn’t real. Imagine for a moment, if you would, someone burning cinnamon scented incense in a room hours ago. The faint suggestion of cinnamon remains in the room hours later, but it is so faint, so barely-there, that you wonder if you’re just imagining it or really experiencing it. That is how the cinnamon-y apple notes work with this tea in the first couple of infusions. They are like mere insinuations of a cinnamon/apple flavor, but with the later infusions, these notes become more focused – more real.
This is a really fascinating Pu-erh!