Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Steven Smith Teamaker
Tea Description:
A delicate, fragrant marriage of high grown Ceylon tea from Lover’s Leap Tea Estate, coupled with pink rose petals from China, hand-sorted chamomile blossoms and subtle citrus flavors. Complicated and delicious — just like love.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I am going to take a leap and confess my love for this tea.
I’m actually giddy about this tea! Not unusual for a tea to make me giddy, but it is rather unusual for a tea that does not contain chocolate or jasmine or bergamot to make me giddy this way. And it is even more unusual for a tea that does contain chamomile to make me this excited.
But, then, that is the magic of Steven Smith.
The aroma of this tea is amazing. It smells like roses. Of course, over the last week or so I’ve reviewed quite a few rose teas, and all of those had a rose fragrance to them, but what makes this one different is the touch of citrus and how it melds with the rose tones so beautifully. It gives the overall bouquet a freshness that is reminiscent of the aroma one would experience if they were to walk into a flower shop. It’s that kind of fresh, beautiful scent that has me head over heels.
The black tea base is a Ceylon. It is brisk and delicious. It is smooth and well-rounded with a moderate astringency. It is not an aggressive tea, it is mellow and on the lighter side … I’d categorize it as a medium-bodied tea.
The citrus is the most prominent flavor after the flavor of the Ceylon, and it nicely accents the natural citrus-y tones of the Ceylon tea very nicely. The citrus is strong but it isn’t overwhelming, and it tastes like real fruit, not an artificial flavoring.
The rose is more of an accent flavor. It is very mild – like a whisper of rose essence that wisps along the palate. The chamomile is almost unnoticeable, but, every once in a while, my palate recognizes a insinuation of apple-like flavor.
I fall more in love with this tea with every sip!
Golden Yunnan Tea from Chi of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Chi of Tea
Tea Description:
New! Organic Royal Golden Yunnan! Delicately twisted leaves with a high concentration of golden tips distinguishes this tea from other black teas. A full-bodied infusion deep red with a honey-like sweetness, a subtle milkiness and light coppery finish.
Yunnan tea, also known as Dian hong steeps a reddish brown after brewing. Golden Yunnan is characterized by a bright red color, a subtle flavor and a sweet taste. Lychees, rose and longan are mixed with the tea leaves and left to ferment. This combination contributes to the final aroma of the tea brewed from the leaves. The taste is sweet and features a subtle aroma.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a superb Yunnan! One of the very best I’ve tried.
I brewed this in my gaiwan using short steeps, starting with 1 minute for the first infusion, and adding 15 seconds with each subsequent steep. I think that the first infusion could have actually gone just 45 seconds or perhaps shorter, because this is a strong infusion, but still, I do not find it too strong.
It is certainly full-flavored and aromatic. I can taste the notes of fruit and rose that were added during the fermentation process, the rose is especially noticeable at the finish and just a moment or two into the aftertaste, and it’s really quite a lovely moment when that flavor reveals itself.
There is a beautiful undertone of spice to this tea. It is not a dominant flavor but, always present. Chocolatey tones are also present as well as a delicious caramel-like sweetness. This is a wonderfully complex Yunnan that stands up to multiple infusions (I extracted four full-bodied infusions from this tea!)
After a visit to the Chi of Tea website, I find that this – as well as most of their other teas – are out of stock. I didn’t take the time to check them all, but the ones that I did check were out of stock. I hope this does not mean that this company is closing, because not only is this Yunnan one you should try, but they also happen to carry my favorite yellow tea. If anyone knows anything more about the status of this company, do please let me know!
Fairytale from Shanti Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Product Description:
Fairytale tea is an inspired blend of colorful herbs and flowers whose vivid infusion and magical aroma will take you back to your childhood fairytales of magic and romance, lovely damsels and dashing princes. It has a smooth light taste with a slightly minty finish and a hint of spice. Just the right combination to accompany your imagination on its magical journey…
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf of this tisane looks and smells gorgeous! Lots of blossoms and petals – chamomile, jasmine, osmanthus, rose and calendula – to please the eye and the nose. Once brewed, the aroma is quite herbal, so that worried me a bit. But I could also smell a promising note of peppermint.
The flavor is really quite nice, despite that herbal note. I’m not a fan of an overly herbal-y or medicinal tasting tisane, but, I think that the other flavors in this tisane keep it from tasting like a cup of medicine. The peppermint is a subtle flavor, and I like the way it melds with the other flavors in this blend.
I like the floral combination of this blend – it creates a flavor that is definitely flowery but not distinct. That is to say, it tastes like flowers … but not like any one particular flower. Instead, I taste sweet floral notes with fewer sharp tones and without any perfume-y taste.
When I first started sipping on this, I was a little disappointed that I did not taste any anise. But now that I’m about halfway through the cup, the flavor of the anise has developed. It is just a hint of licorice. Kind of like sneaking a quick treat before bed!
While I enjoyed this tisane while it lasted, I can’t say that this is my favorite cup from Shanti tea, because it isn’t. However, it is one of the tastier “bedtime” blends that I’ve encountered, and that is saying something, because there are a lot of bedtime blends out there. And it certainly does what it is supposed to … I can feel my body and mind relax and I do believe a good night’s sleep will follow.
Rose Tuocha from The Tao of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Tao of Tea
Product Description:
The Tuocha refers to a family of bowl shaped teas, commonly available as Green tea Tuocha, Black tea Tuocha and Puer (aged) Tuocha. More recently, Tuochas have also become commonly available by compressing the tea leaves and flowers together, or by heat infusing them together. In making the Rose Tuocha, more mature leaves of the tea plant are selected in summer, sun-dried, steamed, oxidized to turn dark, then compressed along with rose petals into small bowls. Wrapped with paper, the Rose Tuocha are an ideal size (3 grams) for individual serving.
Flavor Profile: Sweet, smooth, very mild rose flavor with little astringency.
Taster’s Review:
This is certainly different … not at all what I expect when I taste a Pu-erh. Pu-erh tends to be quite a strong, assertive flavor, but with this Pu-erh, you need to throw everything you know about Pu-erh out the window, because it’s so unusual … but in the very best way possible.
When I steep Pu-erh Tuocha like this, I steep them in my gaiwan, using short steeps and multiple infusions. My first cup was the combination of the first two infusions (following a quick 10 second rinse). This cup is really quite light in flavor. A little woodsy with a mellow rose note that is pleasantly sweet. No sharpness, no strong earthy flavors. Smooth and only the faintest hint of astringency at the tail.
My second cup (the combination of the third and fourth infusions), brewed up darker and much bolder than the first cup. The color here is much more like what I’d expect from a Pu-erh, whereas the first cup was more like a black tea. The flavor is more assertive compared to the first, but, still, it is not that typical earthy flavor of Pu-erh. There are some earthy hints that seem to have paired up with the woodsy flavor that I mentioned with the first cup – creating more of a “damp wood” flavor than an earthy note. The floral notes are stronger here too. What this cup actually tastes like to me? Coffee … but without the bitterness and astringency. This tastes rather like a smooth cup of rich coffee.
My third and final cup (the combination of the fifth and sixth infusions) was slightly (only very slightly) lighter in color than the second cup, but the flavor has become much smoother than either the first or the second cup. The floral tone has emerged nicely, and I am still getting that coffee-like flavor that I had mentioned. Of the three cups, this one is definitely my favorite as it has become so unbelievably smooth.
This is an excellent Pu-erh. It would make a good starter Pu-erh for those who are new to the tea. And for those of you who really love rose teas, you should give this one a try … while the rose flavor here is a bit more mellow than a typical rose Congou, I like that this Rose Tuocha shows me a whole new set of flavors to the rose that I would have never experienced from other teas.
SororiTEA Sisters’ Special Blend from Blends for Friends
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Blends for Friends
Product Description:
A blend for those who truly appreciate the taste of a great beverage. A bright and diverse infusion of creative characters that are full of flavorsome charm. Enjoying fine top notes and far-flung origins, this lovely combination is the perfect accompaniment to rest, relaxation, and reviews!
Ingredients:
Only the finest quality tea: Sri Lanka Uva Black Tea for bright liquor and fine top notes. Cocoa Shells for flavorsome charm. Orange Blossom for bright character. Rose petals for creative style. With natural Bergamot and Chocolate flavor for great taste.
Taster’s Review:
I have been excited to try this ever since it was made for Jennifer (aka TeaEqualsBliss) and I. Yes… MADE for US! That’s the beauty of this company, you simply answer a series of questions about yourself (or about the person you’d like to gift a wonderfully personalized tea), and Blends for Friends will create the blend based upon the responses.
And it arrives ready to give (or to receive, if you’re gifting yourself!) I didn’t have the opportunity to see the all packaging except through the vivid description provided by Jennifer, but I did get to check out the tin – and it’s beautiful. I’m a collector of tins and I love this one! This is a tin that you’ll want to keep refilling (and the price on the refills from Blends for Friends is quite reasonable!)
For the purposes of this review, I had tried this blend on three different occasions and chronicled my thoughts about each tasting. As Jennifer indicated in her review, it tastes a little different each time it’s prepared, but there are also one notable consistent with each tasting: specifically, the black tea. The black tea is a strong, solid yet unimposing presence at every tasting. It is a rich, delicious tea that enhanced the other flavors, and while it didn’t interfere with the other flavors, it still managed to make its presence known.
The first time I tried it, I tasted the chocolate immediately. The orange/bergamot tones and the rose were hints of flavor that would emerge every now and then. During my second tasting, I could taste more of the rose flavor. This time, the rose and chocolate were almost competing with one another – but not in a bad way! – and were about equal in strength. One sip would be very rose-y, while the next would be quite chocolate-y. Both made me smile. The bergamot was also there, but it was more of a whisper of a presence. While I do love bergamot (and I often prefer my bergamot to be much stronger), I really appreciate the softness of the bergamot here. It’s a wondrous kind of flavor, like a happy daydream.
For my third tasting, the chocolate was without a doubt the most prominent flavor, but the bergamot was the flavor that was peeking through more so than the rose. The rose was there too, but it seemed to take the position that was previously taken by the bergamot for the two previous tasting, being more of a hint of flavor than a strong contender.
All three tastings were quite wonderful and delicious. What I like best about this blend is that it’s a little different each time that I drink it. I’m never sure quite what to expect. This adds to the excitement and anticipation of that first sip, and it really embraces what I’m about as a tea drinker. As you’ve probably noticed, I drink a lot of tea every day, but I rarely drink the same tea every day. I like to try different teas (which is probably good since I review teas!) But what Blends for Friends has managed to do is create a whole blend that is a little different every time I taste it. They really NAILED what I think SororiTea Sisters is all about, which I think is what Blends for Friends is all about: creating a perfect blend for the intended drinker (or drinkers).