Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: The Persimmon Tree
Tea Description:
The Coconut Puerh Tea is a unique blend of organic pu-erh loose-leaf tea, cocoa nibs and coconut provides a smooth, full, slightly sweet flavor with a mild hazelnut finish.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Coconut Cacao Tea from The Persimmon Tree is really tasty! If you’ve read many of my reviews, you know that I’m not always “excited” to try a new pu-erh, because I had some bad experiences with pu-erh early in my tea journey. Since then, I have learned better ways to infuse pu-erh, and this has greatly influenced my enjoyment of the beverage, and I can say that I do enjoy pu-erh now. But that doesn’t stop me from being hesitant when it comes to trying a new pu-erh … there are still some residual effects from those bad memories that play games with my head when it comes to having a cup of pu-erh.
But this Pu-erh blend from The Persimmon Tree captivated my interest because … well, the chocoholic in me couldn’t overlook the word “Cacao” in the name of the tea. And my love for chocolate overrules my hesitation when it comes to Pu-erh!
The Pu-erh here is indeed earthy … but I think that the other flavors in the blend manage to offset the earthiness enough so that the earthiness is not all that I taste. It is rich and mellow, and I like how the mild flavor of the pu-erh melds with the chocolate … it seems to enhance the chocolate experience in a very pleasant way.
While this blend is primarily about the chocolate for me, I’m finding the other flavors of this tea to be almost as agreeable as the chocolate. The coconut, for example, is sweet and creamy … it has that “slickness” that coconut has, and it coats the palate with that deliciousness. The combination of the chocolate (and how nicely it is enhanced with the pu-erh) and the coconut gives the overall cup a very candy bar-ish like taste.
As the tea cools, the chocolate and coconut really POP and the dessert-like taste really comes to life … this tea is best served when hot … but not piping hot. Let the tea cool in your teacup for about two or three minutes, and you’ll be rewarded with yumminess!
Another great tea from The Persimmon Tree. Check them out on Facebook, and don’t for get to “like” them to get updates on what’s new!
Fengqing Golden Buds Ripened Pu-erh Cake Tea 2005 from Teavivre
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
This Golden Buds Puerh Cake made in 2005 is the high-end products from Fengqing Sanning Tea Company. There’re plenty of highest quality tender buds with white tips. The buds which turned to be golden color after fermentation were combined with other levels Puerh maocha which contain much flavor content so that this Puerh cake has the characteristics of pure aroma, mellow taste and quick sweet aftertaste. This puerh cake is produced in Fengqing, Yunan. Fengqing is the original place of the world-wide famous Dian Hong Tea. And it is also a classic place of Yunnan Pu-erh. It is a place in Lingcang which is one of the four famous Pu-erh production areas. It can be said that this Puerh cake is the most representative and highest quality one. It is quite good for the Puerh enthusiast who has much experience of drinking Puerh tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was a little hesitant with this Pu-erh, because the aroma of the dry leaf is very earthy. And the fragrance doesn’t soften all that much once it’s brewed either … so I was a little scared, to tell the truth. It’s that strong earthy flavor that I am usually puts me off when it comes to Pu-erh, but I remained hopeful and decided to give it a shot! And I’m glad that I did. This Fengqing Golden Buds Ripened Pu-erh Cake Tea 2005 from Teavivre is really quite nice!
The flavor is not nearly as earthy as the aroma suggests. Yes, there are earthy tones, but they’re really quite mild, and evocative of a mushroom-y kind of taste rather than of peat or other less-than-appealing earthy tastes. It also has a really delightful sweetness to it, that reminds me of a cross between molasses and caramel. Nice!
I also taste notes of flower in the background, and these flavors seem to develop as I continue to sip. It never becomes a really strong, pronounced flavor, but, I like how this note sort of teases the palate.
I brewed this Pu-erh the way I usually would, with a quick 15 second rinse, and brewing the first infusion at just 30 seconds, and 45 seconds for the second. The first two infusions were then combined into one cup, and it created a surprisingly dark brew! Darker than most black teas that would be brewed for 3 minutes or more! And like most other Pu-erh, this one is good for many more infusions, I spent all afternoon with this tea and it was a delightful experience.
The flavor is rich and complex yet delightfully mellow, and I appreciated that the earthy tones were much more subdued than the aroma suggested to me. While it does possess some of the flavors that I would expect from a Pu-erh, I found myself happily surprised by this one. If you are one who appreciates a really lovely, lightly earthy Pu-erh – one that’s sweet and pleasantly floral! – this is one you should put on your MUST TRY list!
Coconut Cacao from The Persimmon Tree
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Organic Pu erh
Where to Buy: The Persimmon Tree
Tea Description:
The Coconut Puerh Tea is a unique blend of organic pu-erh loose-leaf tea, cocoa nibs and coconut provides a smooth, full, slightly sweet flavor with a mild hazelnut finish.
This loose-leaf puerh tea with coconut flavor can be steeped multiple times.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Coconut Cacao from The Persimmon Tree is a lovely way to experience your daily pu erh intake! I love pu erh for its health benefits but I also simply love the deep flavors of pu erh itself. Some however do not care for pu erh let alone unadulterated pu erh so they may tend toward something like this to get their health benefits.
There is absolutely none of that “fishiness” that many people experience in pu erh. Now as for me, I don’t feel a quality pu erh should taste fishy and an initial rinse usually takes care of any of that unsavory flavor, however Coconut Cacao from The Persimmon Tree is simply a deep base tea with a lovely coconut and chocolate decedent flavor!
I will say that I am not too fond of the initial aroma of this tea in its dry form or its steeped form. I personally find the aroma a bit off putting. As for the taste however, its lovely!
The chocolate notes are strong but do not mask the base flavor nor the coconut flavor, and the chocolate notes are very tasty, not a cheap artificial chocolate at all. I also find that all too often coconut notes seem too oily, or cloying, but again, not in this tea. This coconut taste very fresh and ripe to me.
The combination of chocolate and coconut into a pu erh base is genius! One reviewer on The Persimmon Tree website, and fellow Steepster, calls it their tea latte without milk! I have to agree, it is quite creamy, full, earthy without being too earthy, and just sinfully delicious. I don’t even find it too sweet either which shows what a masterful blend it is!
Another thing I respect about The Persimmon Tree is their committment to our environment. On their “About” page located here you will find the following:
We, at The Persimmon Tree®, contribute to the sustainability of our planet. Where possible, we use recycled and recyclable materials in our shipping supplies and printed materials. Using recycled products increases the demand for recycled material, which increases the rate of recyclability. Our passion is to instigate and experience positive change through the simple things, and we encourage our customers to do the same.
Now personally, this is not my personal all time favorite pu erh as I lean more toward that really earthy, mushroomy, mineral, pu erh flavor found in unadulterated pu erh’s but to be fair, this is a really delicious alternative!
Drink pu erh for enjoyment, or for its health benefits! I tell you in my experience, nothing soothes a hurting tummy like a good pu erh tea!
“Like” them on Facebook here.
Lemon Ginger Cooler from The Whistling Kettle
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh & White Tea
Where to Buy: The Whistling Kettle
Tea Description:
Crisp, refreshing tea that is great hot, and perfect iced! A Dr. Oz inspired pu-erh / white tea recipe. One of the best teas for weight loss.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have a confession to make. Well, it’s not really a confession, exactly, but more like a re-affirmation of something that you probably already know. Pu-erh scares me (nothing new there, right?) but even when I find a Pu-erh that I enjoy, I seldom drink that Pu-erh more than once. Oh … I reinfuse it, certainly, and I spend a good couple of hours with the Pu-erh, consuming many wonderful infusions from it. But, once those leaves are spent and discarded, I seldom revisit the same Pu-erh. Instead, I usually pass what I have left on to other people, so that they can try it.
Or, at least, that’s what I tell myself. I guess if I were to examine my true feelings more closely, even though I know that I have enjoyed a particular Pu-erh tea, I still find myself apprehensive about it, and it’s not really something that I tend to want to try again … unlike something like say, a yellow tea or an Ali Shan Oolong or even a favorite Earl Grey. These are teas that I can keep on my shelf and enjoy more than once without apprehension. But Pu-erh, even though I may enjoy it immensely, I don’t think I’ve found more than a couple of them that I have taken out more than once and tried again.
Perhaps I’m stubborn (don’t tell my husband I admitted that!) and even though I enjoy it, I don’t want to enjoy it. I don’t know.
Why am I telling you this? Well, because this particular Pu-erh blend … this is my second time I’ve brewed this blend! It’s kind of a first for me! Maybe not an actual “first” … but it’s the first time in a long time that I enjoyed something enough to think “you know what? I want that again … I want some of that now!” That doesn’t usually happen with Pu-erh.
That is to say, I like this quite a bit. It has such a unique balance. With other Pu-erh blends (that is, Pu-erh blended with other teas … like in this case, white tea leaves), I taste primarily the Pu-erh or a weird (but tasty) fusion of Pu-erh/other tea. Here, the sip starts out with a distinct white tea flavor that tastes fresh and airy, with notes of a hay-ish vegetation. Just before mid-sip, the flavor starts to taste more earthy, with a definite Pu-erh taste.
I like what the white tea brings to this cup. Not just the aforementioned fresh, hay-like, airy taste, but also a fantastic lightness. The Pu-erh doesn’t overwhelm the palate with earthiness, the ginger doesn’t overwhelm the palate with it’s peppery notes, and the lemon does not overwhelm the palate with a strong citrus-y flavor. Oh, sure, I taste each of these notes, but, they aren’t inundating.
The lemon is a tad stronger than the ginger … or perhaps I should say that it starts out that way. The ginger flavor builds as I continue to sip, but it never does reach a very spicy level as ginger is sometimes known to do. Instead, it warms the cup, and adds a nice contrast to the bright, sunny flavor of the lemon, which is tart but not overly so.
Wow! Chalk this one up to another WIN from The Whistling Kettle. I’m really enjoying this. It surprises me just how much I like it!
Organic Japanese Puerh from Butiki Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Puerh
Where to Buy: Butiki Teas
Tea Description:
Looking for something completely different? Then we highly recommend giving this puerh a try. Our Organic Japanese Puerh originates from the Isokawa region of the Shizuoka prefecture in Japan. This unique tea was invented fairly recently and is made artificially with an organic malted brown rice culture and a combination of first and second flush harvest tea leaves. The leaves are pan fired and fermented for 3-4 days. After that period, a small amount of fresh leaves are added for 2 days. The aroma of the liquor has roasted chestnut notes with a lingering sweetness. This puerh is a strong smooth tea with a drying sweet after taste and buttery quality. Strong notes of roasted chestnuts can be detected. Cacao, tabaco, and brown rice notes are also present with a hint of fruitiness. This tea is somewhat coffee-like but not nearly as strong.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is wickedly good Puerh!
Now, I hope you know by now that I wouldn’t just say that if the puerh didn’t move me to say such a thing, because I’m very cautious when it comes to Puerh. Even though I’ve had far more positive experiences with Puerh now than I’ve had bad experiences, those first few bad experiences with Puerh have managed to shape my future Puerh experiences with an initial feeling of dread when it comes to actually even trying a Puerh. Although, I must admit, things are improving – there was a time I wouldn’t even consider ordering a Puerh, and I now actually DO order it! Who’da thunk it?
Anyway, back to this Puerh … when I sniffed the dry leaf, I expected some of that Puerh earthiness … but there was none! Actually, the dry leaf is fairly void of any strong aroma, it is really quite a mild scent that reminds me vaguely of the smell of dry, aged hardwood. The brewed liquor also is quite scent-less, I pick up hints of tobacco and a toasted nut scent, but it’s a very distant smell.
So, I took my first sip … a very apprehensive sip. And WOW! It tastes like coffee. Did I accidentally brew coffee beans instead of Puerh in my gaiwan? I really hope not, because that could taint my gaiwan. But seriously … this tastes like freshly roasted coffee but without that coffee bitterness… it’s kind of like a weakly brewed coffee that has been enhanced with a couple of spoons of sugar. It’s got a sweet, caramel-y tone to it. And it is also coffee taste that comes without the coffee jitters (and for me, without the coffee sickness that I feel a few hours later).
It has a rich, sweet taste, somewhat nutty, like roasted chestnuts, and with a slight earthiness but not the typical earthiness that usually comes with a Puerh, instead this earthiness is more like damp wood and dry tobacco, with a faint note of cocoa. As I continue to sip, I notice a smoothness, slightly buttery, and it’s really quite delightful.
One of the very best Puerh teas I’ve tasted yet! This one gets two enthusiastic thumbs up, and a big recommendation from me to anyone who has tasted Puerh and disliked it … this is one for you to try. Also, if you were a coffee drinker and like me, have found that you need to steer clear of it, but do sometimes still miss the taste of the roasted bean, try this!!! You’ll love it!