I broke a lot of rules today. Some of them were my rules. Some of them were tea rules. But everything came out okay!
The first rule I broke was – no tea on an empty stomach. This is my rule. I have a sensitive stomach, a dodgy esophagus, and I can get heartburn looking at a bowl of chili. I wasn’t hungry and I wanted tea, so RULE DISREGARDED.
The second rule I broke was – rinse puerh leaves and discard the rinse water. I confess I break this rule a lot. Sometimes I am glad, sometimes not. This time – oh yeh, glad. That first steep was delish. I kept it oh so short and sweet. Golden color, scent of menthol, smooth, and sweet.
Steep two – didn’t time it! Another broken rule! This is golden and rich in color and LIVELY on the tongue. So much energy in this tea! Like a precocious but adorable pre-teen that you love spending time with but who maybe wears you out a little in big doses.
Steep three – ah, you are a nice tea with a bite of thin cinnamon cookie. Still golden. Still lively.
Steep four – with lunch now. A bit mellower and lovely with food. Hay, white tea-ish but with a vibrant energy. Bright and raw. Go to their website to learn in depth about each tea they carry!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Puerh
Where to Buy: Wymm Tea
Description
This sheng pu-erh brews a bright golden liquor. It has notes of cut hay and earth in its aroma, complimented with a bold almond, buttery flavour.
We were lucky enough to obtain some of these huangpian which give insights into the highly sought after Bingdao Laozhai sheng pu-erh. Bingdao Laozhai is a place renowned in the Yunnan tea industry. Situated at 1400-2000 meters mountaintops, it is the one and only high altitude village occupied by Dai minority group in the Mengku town region. The price of pu-erh from this village would go into the thousands due to the extremely limited supply. Please visit our Bingdao Laozhai pu-erh blog post to learn more about it.
These huangpian are picked from the same trees as the Bingdao Laozhai, the only difference being that it is less aesthetically pleasing; the bigger leaves (huangpian) are filtered out so that the remaining leaves are neat and symmetrical when pressed into cakes. These bigger leaves are often kept by the tea farmers for personal consumption and are rarely found in the market. Even though the huangpian do not have the tidy appearance of its counterparts, it possesses similar taste characteristics and are sometimes considered more flavourful as the leaves spent longer period of time growing on the trees.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
RoRose Garden Puerh from . . Tocha Tea
Rose Garden Puerh Tea from Tocha Teas comes in breathable pouch. Through the pouch you see dark brown leaves, rose petals and a couple rose leaves. It smells similar to a black tea with a slight floral scent.
The taste is a lot similar to a black tea with a dark jammy flavor. There is also a slight spice kick, with an even slighter floral taste to finish each sip.
I really enjoyed this tea. I really enjoy black tea and this is the second floral like rose tea I have tried that I enjoy.
It is definitely nice and refreshing!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Puerh
Where to Buy: Tocha Teas
Description
For centuries, pu-erh tea has been treasured for its elegant flavor and health benefits. The unique natural fermentation process gives it an earthy, woodsy essence that is never bitter, even after a long steep. Rose petals add a graceful note to this delicious and versatile blend, a wonderful tea for everyday wellness.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
2016 Loose Leaf Gu Hua Sheng from Verdant Tea. . . . .
I ordered a giant basket of pure teas from Verdant because I was trying to be more worldly. I was like “I am going to UNDERSTAND this tea. I am going to BECOME ONE with MORE VARIETIES.”
Today’s pick: a pu’erh! That’s fermented tea. Sort of intimidating. All the pu’erh I’ve ever loved has been in a blend. The only other one I’d tried before this was sort of appalling, so I was nervous to try this one. (I only ordered a tiny sample, just in case).
This one, 2016 Loose Leaf Gu Hua Sheng, tastes a little bit like a toasty sencha green tea mixed with yam or some other starchy vegetable. The description for this product on their site describes this flavor as “plantain.” I think I can pick up a sliver of banana-ish taste, but I’m not really familiar with plantains
I’m mostly into blacks and sweet teas, but I enjoy this cup. It’s different from what I typically drink, in an exciting and not-intimidating way. I think that this is a good introduction to pu’erh for a n00b like myself.
This is also a tea that one could feel good about purchasing. According to Verdant, proceeds from this go to books and operating costs for the sleepaway Zhenyuan Jiujia Wengang Village Primary School. The Collective that grows this tea is the “stewart” to the “truly wild” 100-300-year-old tea trees “that grow in one of the oldest and most remote tea forests in the world, on Mt. Ailao.”
They use traditional methods. And they look really happy about it.
If you’d like to try one of the Collective’s teas, here they are.
I feel nice about it and I hope you do, too!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Description
Master Zhou’s Gu Hua harvest is a careful blend of maocha from trees aged between one hundred and three hundred years old, picked for a balanced and rich full body and aroma. Gu Hua is the very early autumn harvest prized for its rich flavor and intense aroma. These truly wild trees grow in one of the oldest and most remote tea forests in the world, on Mt. Ailao. Every leaf is hand picked and carefully sun-dried without applying heat or using machinery for the most natural and pure flavor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
My New Morning Cuppa #Slim from Wild Leaf Active Teas. . . .
Weight loss teas or diet teas are something that I typically stay away from. Every once in a while, one will jump out at me and I’ll try it, but end up usually giving the tea away because of the way too herbaceous flavor or overly spiced ginger notes.
So when Slim from Wild Leaf arrived at my door, I was skeptical on whether or not I would like the tea. This tea has a different flavor profile compared to those other weight loss teas I’ve tried in the past. Slim consists of puerh, Siberian gingseng, cranberry, cocoa nibs, and fennel. A unique combination for sure. The dry leaf had a sweet and savory aroma that I couldn’t get enough of. I quickly set my tea pot up to prep water so I could check this tea out. A quick note about this tea, this is a bagged tea but this isn’t your typically bagged tea. You can see gorgeous whole pieced inclusions and tea leaves in each pyramid or sachet.
With water prepped, I sat down to enjoying this tea, allowing the tea to steep for 4 minutes and cool for another moment or two. Took my first sip and I instantly wanted a blanket and a good book to snuggle up with. This tea has a lovely slightly chocolate malty undertone with a sweet (slightly tart) berry jam and slight herbal finish. The flavor that really stands out is this berry jam like tone that creates this wonderfully rich and robust cuppa that makes you want to gulp and devour this tea with abandonment.
The deep jammy richness this tea provides makes this tea a wonderful way to wake up in the morning, which I now do. I signed up for a monthly subscription plan ($8.99 for 15 sachets plus shipping) and have enjoyed this tea every morning for the last week or so. I will say that I have noticed a quicker pep in my step in the mornings but I can’t say it is because of this tea. It could just be the fact I have completely cut coffee out of my diet (besides the occasional iced coffee) or the fact that I’ve started a healthier diet and exercise routine. I haven’t noticed any weight loss but that isn’t why I love this tea anyway.
Regardless, I can’t get enough of this tea. This tea loves and gives such an amazing flavor that I’ve shared this tea with a friend who in turned bought a few tins of this tea for herself. Fresh, delicious, and one that completely took me by surprise by how much I adore the combo of flavors this tea delivers. To be completely honest, this tea is a bit hard to describe taste wise, but one that I’ve quickly become addicted to. My morning cuppa for now on for sure!
Slim is part of a line of teas to enjoy for those with an active life style. That is me for sure.
Check out Wild Leaf Tea at this year’s Summer Fancy Food Show in NYC this June. I won’t be able to attend, but I’ll be jealous of those who can!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Puerh
Where to Buy: Wild Leaf Tea
Description
Goodbye yo-yo. Hello cocoa. Rev up your metabolism and curb cravings naturally with this full flavored blend of pu-erh and Siberian ginseng deliciously flavored with cocoa nibs, cranberry, and fennel. Dieting has never been our thing, but we love any reason to use the word svelte more.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Enjoying A Liquid Proust Tea. . . . .
Pu’erh is a new-ish, mostly unexplored territory to me, so I don’t have a huge range of language to use to describe it, or a lot to compare this particular sample to. That said, ready or not, WE’RE GOING INTO THIS REVIEW.
This is a really deep, wooded, hay-like, rustic taste, like an old barn that’s not in use. (No, like, gross animals. Just the structure and the hay and some age.) Which I really like, actually. It’s calming. There’s also a hint of cocoa here, but it’s not strong. The “candy bar” element, despite the tea’s name, isn’t the forefront.
This tea tastes like being outside and away from society. It tastes like what I imagine living in a Tiny House might be like. Wander around, hook it up to campgrounds in the trees. Sip tea. Work on your art. Look out the window for inspiration. When that inspiration runs out, go to another place.
Is it obvious, here, that I want a Tiny House? In addition to my real house, of course. Which I think is against the whole “GOING TINY” ethos of “less is more.” I just want to go glamping away from my troubles for a while.
This tea seems like the kind of straightforward “tastes good in a simple way” vibe that I would like to attain in more aspects of my life. I’ll enjoy drinking more of it.
Unfortunately, you will not, as it is not currently available at Liquid Proust. It appears, from his most recent blog posts, that he will be whittling down his tea involvement while he gets his MBA.
I’m very happy for his personal development, even though his blends will be missed! He’ll still be around, if you want to befriend him online or get straight teas.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Puerh
Where to Buy: Liquid Proust
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!