Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: What-Cha Tea
Tea Description:
A unique tightly rolled green tea with a citrus nose and well defined lemon blossom taste, a rare and unusual tea which is not to be missed.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
These leaves look very unusual, looking like the pellets of a Tie Guan Yin Oolong, but the leaves are not quite as large. The pellets are not uniform in size, some are quite small, while others are rather large. They have a vegetal aroma to them.
Since they looked to me like they’d be fun to watch unfurl, I decided to brew them in my glass teacup (the same one I use to watch a flowering tea bulb brew). The first infusion proved to be rather … lacking in show, to be quite honest. The leaves didn’t unfurl very much at all. But they did produce a very flavorful liquid after steeping for 2 minutes in 180°F water.
Nice! The tea is sweet, with a nice, buttery texture and a light flavor. Notes of citrus, flower and hints of vegetation. The citrus is especially noticeable toward the finish and this bright flavor lingers into the aftertaste. By the time I made it to mid-cup, I started to notice more buttery flavors than citrus and flower, the flavor becomes smoother as it cools.
Since the leaves hadn’t really opened up much with that first infusion, I decided to have another infusion and see if I would get more of a tea leaf dance from the leaves that were still looking more like tightly wound pellets.
During the second infusion, the leaves didn’t do much. Oh, they’ve unfurled quite a bit more, but they don’t really do much of a dance that I had hoped for. But that’s alright, the flavor is well worth the lack of showmanship. (Showteaship? Showleafship?) When they infused this time, it looked a lot like a seaweed garden at the bottom of the sea – not a lot of activity, just the motion of the water just barely causing the leaves to sway a little.
But as I said, the flavor is well worth what little show the leaves provide. After steeping for 2 1/2 minutes, the flavor is sweet with notes of tangy citrus and whispers of flower. I don’t taste as much buttery taste or texture this time, and the vegetal notes have emerged, offering a savory quality to the cup which contrasts with the aforementioned sweetness. As the cup cools a little, the buttery flavors are more discernible, but they are still considerably lighter than with the first cup.
This cup is a little more astringent than the first too. I didn’t notice a lot of astringency with the first cup, only the slight tangy note toward the finish that melded with the citrus-y notes that it barely seemed astringent at all. Now, there is a distinct separation between the citrus flavors and the astringency. This is still what I’d consider a mild to moderate astringency.
I decided to try a third infusion. With this third infusion, the leaves are now completely unfurled. I steeped the leaves for 3 minutes. The flavor is amazing. I think that this third cup is my favorite of the three! It is soft and buttery. The astringency I noted in the second cup has smoothed out. The citrus tones have also become softer and sweeter, reminiscent now of a citrus curd rather than a bright splash of fruit. The floral notes are not as sharp and the vegetative tones less focused, creating instead a very unified flavor that is very palatable.
While this Nepal 2nd Flush 2014 Cannon Ball Green Tea from What-Cha Tea shares many common characteristics with other green teas, I find it to be a truly unique green tea in ways that should be experienced by the tea connoisseur to be fully appreciated. It’s a remarkable tea, one I really enjoyed and am thrilled that I had the opportunity to try.
Darjeeling Second Flush Black Tea from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
This 2nd Flush Darjeeling black tea is harvested in June and embodies aromatic deep earthen leaves that brew a gentle golden amber, full bodied, subtly sweet, and satisfying cup every time. So gentle and smooth, our Darjeeling 2nd Flush is the perfect afternoon tea. Best served hot.
Learn more about May’s Tea Menu for the Selection Club here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Use this code: SISTERSELECTION25 to get a 25% discount when you sign up for the selection club. This discount is not applicable on the retail selection of teas, and is only good for the selection club subscription.
Taster’s Review:
This 2nd Flush Darjeeling from my May’s Tea Box from Simple Loose Leaf is absolutely LOVELY! It has a lovely, well-rounded taste with beautiful fruit notes. I am tasting that lovely muscat grape note that evokes thoughts of a fine wine.
Of course, since I don’t typically drink wine, I mostly just imagine that this is what a fine wine would taste like if it were served hot and the alcohol content was somehow removed. But it has that smooth, uplifting, grape-y note that hits the palate around mid-sip and toward the finish becomes a bit more like a black currant. Delightful.
The flavor is sweet and smooth and there is a slightly tangy astringency toward the tail. I’ve found that with some adjustments in brewing parameters, I encounter less astringency with my Darjeeling teas than I would if I would have gone with a boiling temperature and 3 – 4 minutes brew time. Instead, I brew a Darjeeling at 195°F and steep for just 2 1/2 minutes. This offers a very pleasing flavor without a strong astringent bite that Darjeeling teas often have. There is still some dry astringency to this, but it isn’t quite as obvious as it would have been if I steeped it hotter or longer.
This is a very fine Darjeeling tea. A nice sweetness that contrasts nicely with hints of earth and wood. Juicy fruit notes meld with light floral tones. A really pleasant Darjeeling – this is one I’d recommend to those looking for a nice afternoon tea to serve while curling up to a good book or to offer to guests.
A really good Darjeeling.
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!
Organic Arya Ruby Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush from Happy Earth Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Happy Earth Tea
Tea Description:
Second Flush Arya Ruby is much sought after by Darjeeling tea enthusiasts for its rich muscatel and a floral-fruity complexity. Our earlier batch was entirely sold out even before we could put it up on the website. We are glad we managed to get a fresh stock, albeit limited.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
YES! This Organic Arya Ruby Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush from Happy Earth Tea is the type of Darjeeling that I think of when I think “Darjeeling Tea.” This is it! When I say “I think I’d like a Darjeeling Tea today … this is the kind of Darjeeling that moves me to want that type of tea! This is the Darjeeling I LOVE!
This is as close to perfect that a Darjeeling can get.
As with most Darjeeling teas, it has a lighter body than a typical black tea. A typical black tea generally delivers a rich and robust flavor while this Darjeeling delivers a crisp and lively flavor. This has a smoothness to it and a milder astringency than many Darjeeling teas that I’ve tasted.
This is sweet! Lovely floral notes that weave their way throughout the sip. Toward mid-sip, I find that muscatel. Piquant and fruity. It’s a delicate muscatel note and keeps to the rest of the flavors within the tea. That is to say that this tea isn’t just about it’s grape-y notes. This Arya Darjeeling has a wonderfully complex character.
Toward the tail, I notice the dry wine-like astringency. Again, this astringency is mild, much more so than I might experience with another Darjeeling tea.
I think I just found my favorite Darjeeling tea. If I could, I’d put this on everybody’s MUST TRY list, because you really have got to try it!
On The Second Day of Christmas, Della Terra Teas Sent To Me…
The holidays are my favorite time of year. And, for me, it’s not just about the decorations and the gift-giving and time for family – oh those things are very important to me – but there’s also a part of me that can’t deny that it’s also about the TEA! Hot tea just tastes better when the weather is cooler, and I love how so many tea companies out there offer special teas to celebration!
And sometimes, you happen across a company like Della Terra Teas that offers a whole collection of 12 teas to count down the 12 Days of Christmas!
Fireside Spice
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tea Description:
Open up this amazing chai spice inspired tea and sip away. You’ve earned it!
This black tea will bring more magic to this already magical day with the taste of clove, cinnamon and spice! You may not of gotten two turtle doves, but you did get this impressive tea! Enjoy and relax!
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
When I opened the pouch of this tea, I recognized the scent immediately. It smelled like red-hots! Many tea companies out there offer a tea similar to this one … but don’t mistake that comment as my way of saying that if you’ve tried one, you’ve tried them all. I’ve found that as it is with most things in life, some of the cinnamon-y holiday teas are better than others.
This is one of the better tasting ones I’ve tried. It’s sweet and hot, but, I like that the spice is not overwhelming my palate. I like that it’s not as much like the “red hot” candy as some others that I’ve tried (I like those as well, but, it’s nice to have a more subtle approach to that candy taste too.) This tastes like someone took a few red hots and dissolved them in my tea, rather than like someone liquefied a couple of handfuls of red hots and mixed them with a quarter cup of tea. There is more tea to be tasted in this cup than candy-like sweetness, and that’s got me smiling.
But there is something else that makes this chai-like tea different. In place of the strong, orange-y flavor that is often part of a holiday tea like this, there is vanilla! The vanilla adds a hint of sweetness and a touch of creaminess that gives the cup a sort of “latte” kind of taste without the dairy.
The black tea offers a nice, solid background of rich flavor, while the notes of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and the creamy vanilla tantalize my taste buds. Every once in a while, I can swear that I taste that aforementioned orange-y note, and I’m not sure if it’s just that my taste buds are playing games with me because I’m used to tasting that kiss of citrus in this type of blend, or if it’s actually there. But, I like the way it all comes together.
As I write this review, it is cold and wet outside – we had a bit of snow earlier this week, it’s all melted now, but now it’s wet! – but this tea is warming me up from the inside and working it’s way to the outside, that the chill of the outside doesn’t bother me. I’m happy as I sip this tea!