Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
Named for its shape, Gunpowder is one of the most popular teas throughout Asia. Our harvesters use a special rolling technique to craft these shiny, compact nuggets of tea out of the freshest, sweetest leaves. The result is immaculately clean, translucent liquor with a smooth, round taste followed by the subtle aftertaste of fresh green leaves.
Organic Chinese Gunpowder Green Tea
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s NEW Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!
And since it is St. Patrick’s Day, what better tea to celebrate with than a green tea? Specifically, this Organic Gunpowder Green Tea from Simple Loose Leaf!
And this is a really good quality Gunpowder Green! I love that it’s an organic tea. The more I’m trying organic teas, the more I’m starting to notice a slight difference in flavor in the organic teas versus the conventionally grown teas. Maybe it’s all in my head, but … I think I do notice a slight difference.
For the record, I did at one time do a side by side comparison of an organically grown rooibos versus a conventionally grown rooibos, and the organic rooibos did taste better. Now, that’s not saying that it is true of camellia sinensis leaves. I just noticed a difference in the taste of the rooibos.
Anyway, let’s get back to this Gunpowder Green. It has a pleasant, smooth texture to it. I want to call it “brothy” because it reminds me a bit of the mouthfeel I’d experience if I were sipping a vegetable broth. Sort of thick and silky. But I’d much rather be sipping on this over a vegetable broth!
It does have a vegetative tone to it, though. It tastes of lima beans, only sweeter! There is a light buttery note to this as well as a toasted nut flavor. It has a nice complexity and a well-rounded flavor. Unlike some Gunpowder teas, I don’t taste the slight “smokiness” that I sometimes taste. This tastes cleaner … fresher!
One of the better Gunpowder Green teas I’ve tasted!
Master Han’s 2013 Sheng Pu-er Tea from Verdant Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
Beautifully complex, this young pu’er is creamy with citrus notes and a floral finish. Steep small and short infusions up to 10 times and experience this tea transforming on your tastebuds. Starting sweet, this brand new pu’er develops woody and nut characteristics. Enjoy the bright astringency of this tea as it layers over each steeping.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
Yeah, I’m really behind on the February teas from my Amoda Tea Tasting Box! I’ve already received my box for March, and I haven’t finished sampling the teas from February! This Pu-er Tea from Verdant Tea – Master Han’s 2013 Sheng – is the last from my February box.
I guess it just goes to show how I tend to procrastinate when it comes to pu-erh teas. And I really shouldn’t, because I have enjoyed most of the pu-erh teas that I’ve tried in the last couple of years. After learning the proper way (or at least the proper way for ME) to brew a pu-erh, I’ve come to appreciate a good pu-erh. And this one from Verdant is a good one!
Then again, I can’t think of a time when I’ve been disappointed by Verdant Tea!
This pu-erh is quite special. The aroma is not at all what I’d expect from a pu-erh. Usually, I detect some earthy notes – even from a young Sheng – but, all I smell here is a strong vegetative note that falls somewhere between kelp and steamed spinach.
After a quick rinse, the first infusion was steeped for 1 minute. Normally, I would go for just 30 – 45 minutes, but, I got distracted and it steeped for a full minute. This cup was light and refreshing! Sweet! It has a creaminess to it that I don’t recall ever experiencing with a pu-erh tea. There is a distant nutty tone to this, and a crisp, bright citrus note.
My second cup (also infused for 1 minute) has a stronger flavor. There is a slight floral note to this cup – again, not a flavor I’d usually associate with a pu-erh – and it is somewhat sharp. This cup is less creamy and delicate than the first was. I can also taste the woodsy notes start to develop and the distant nutty tone start to emerge.
Subsequent infusions brought those woodsy notes forward, and the warm, sweet nutty flavors were more pronounced. The citrus notes were still present in the third cup, but by the fourth cup, I couldn’t find them without really focusing on the flavors swirling around on the palate. The fruit notes seem to have melded with the other notes. The same is true of the creamy notes that I noticed in the first two cups.
Most of the flavors started to taste more mellow and unified with the third cup and this seemed to continue with the infusions that would follow. The floral notes were delicate in the third cup, but I really enjoyed their presence. I liked the slight sharpness and the contrast it brought to the cup.
Despite my misgivings about having a Pu-erh in my Amoda Tea box for February … I really enjoyed this. I shouldn’t have been so apprehensive – it is, after all, a tea from Verdant Tea!
Namring 2nd Flush Darjeeling Tea from Upton Tea Imports
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Upton Tea Imports
Tea Description:
Grown high in the Teesta valley at the base of the Himalayas, this 2nd flush brews up with the famed muscatel aroma associated with high grade Darjeelings. A classic afternoon tea.
Learn more about Steepster Select here.
Taster’s Review:
Lovely! I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again anyway … I love second flush Darjeeling teas. And this Namring 2nd Flush Darjeeling Tea from Upton Tea Imports is a delightful example of why I adore them.
It has a pleasant fruity character that is reminiscent of a wine. I taste black currant and grape! These fruit notes deliver sweetness and a hint of tart. There is a somewhat tannic quality to this tea that is also reminiscent of that aforementioned wine, and it finishes with a dry astringency.
But when it comes to a second flush Darjeeling, it’s really all about that muscatel note. And this has a really lovely muscatel. It’s sweet and fruity. Notes of wood. Subtle hints of earth. Everything melds together in a very enjoyable way, bringing those delectable fruit notes forward, while the earthier tones fill in the background.
It’s a very elegant tasting tea, one that would be a good choice to serve to friends. A nice afternoon tea.
Another wonderful tea brought to me by Steepster Select!
Genmai Hojicha from Sara’s Tea Caddie
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Sara’s Tea Caddie
Tea Description:
A variation on two classic Japanese green teas: Genmaicha and Hojicha. With this blend you get the sweetness and buttery popcorn of a genmaicha and the toastiness of a roasted hojicha. Savoury and sweet, nutty and smooth. This tea is a perfect warming green tea for winter weather.
Learn more about this blend here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
It’s a happy day when I go out to the mailbox and find my monthly Amoda Tea box in there! But I have to admit that when I opened my Amoda Box this month, I was a little disappointed. There was a repeat of a tea that we’ve had from Amoda in the box before: Minty Winter Wonderland from Tiesta Tea. I mean, sure, the tea is tasty. I enjoyed it last winter when it was part of December 2012’s box. But I subscribed to Amoda Tea to experience new teas, not to be reintroduced to teas that I’ve already tried. So I’m hoping that this isn’t going to be a trend on the part of Amoda Tea.
But, I am glad that this month’s box also included a packet of Genmai Hojicha from Sara’s Tea Caddie. This is a really tasty Genmai. I love the way the sweetness of the toasty Hojicha brings out the sweet, toasted rice flavor.
In a “typical” Genmaicha, the bittersweet grassy tones of the Sencha (or Bancha) are softened and sweetened by the addition of toasted rice. Here, the sweet, roasted flavor of the hojicha is compounded by the toasted rice – creating a deeper roasty-toasty flavor that is sweet and a little bit buttery.
It is a warm, cozy kind of flavor that is comforting when served hot, and very relaxing and refreshing when served chilled. I found that the toasty notes still came through nicely with the iced version – I liked that. When served iced, it’s especially tasty with a drizzle of honey!
Wuyishan Black Tea from Steepster
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Steepster Select
Tea Description:
A rare and innovative black tea from Fujian, China. Sweet and smooth with notes of caramel and sour cherry. Unlike traditional black tea, our Wuyishan Black is made from oolong varietals. This unorthodox method imbues our Wuyishan with complex fruit aromatics and a deep flavor that reveals itself through multiple infusions.
Read other Steepster thoughts on this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Wuyishan Black Tea from Steepster is AWESOME! Of the five teas that were featured in December’s Steepster Select box, this one is definitely my favorite. I love the smoky tones to this, as well as the caramel-y undertone and the hints of fruit in the background.
I steeped this tea twice. The first infusion was rich and full-flavored. It tasted and felt smooth as it washed over the palate. A nicely round tea. The second infusion was also delightful. I found the second infusion to be less astringent, but the flavors of the tea were all intact. The second cup was more flavorful, smoother and even more delicious than the first – so it’s definitely worth the effort to resteep this tea!
I found that slurping this tea was important to aerate the tea before it hit the palate. While slurping may not sound really “polite” depending upon whose company you are keeping, it definitely improves a tea experience by allowing all the flavors in the drink to be enjoyed.
The sip begins with a smoky tone. I like the way the smoke comes through in this tea – it is smoky but not overly so. Then I notice notes of fruit that are both sweet and sour, and I like the way these notes contrast with the smokiness. The aforementioned caramel-y undertones are there from start to finish, but, I notice them less at the start and as the sip progresses, the caramel flavors develop.
A very rich and satisfying tea – this is a tea that I’d recommend to any tea connoisseur, or even a tea novice for that matter! This is a tea that everyone should try!
This tea was wonderful and made the first Steepster Select box worthwhile – and I enjoyed the other four teas too! But this one is the standout for me. It’s especially nice when served with a dark chocolate bar. (Then again, what isn’t better when served with chocolate?)
Have you signed up for Steepster Select yet? If not, you really should!