BlendBee was a company I discovered this year and every blend just blows me away. The kindness, compassion, amazing quality, freshness of the teas and flavors makes BlendBee a company that really sticks out to me. This is one of those companies that once you discovered them, you just can’t get enough.
UNITEA came in last month’s subscription box from BlendBee. This blend is a mixture of Darjeeling, Honeybush, Yerba Mate, China Green Tea and English Breakfast. The description goes like this:
From South America to South Africa, India to China, with a touch of the Enlglish. Let’s all unite with one exquisite cup of tea. Spread love, joy and harmony. Cheers friends!
And Cheers friends is exactly right!
Right off the bat while this tea is steeping you get that familiar English Breakfast aroma wafting through the air. A smell that I haven’t encountered for some time and its definitely giving me love, joy, and harmony.
The flavors mingle together nicely to provide a wonderful cuppa this morning for sure. The notes that really stand out are the Darjeeling and English Breakfast ones. I can pick up the Honeybush as well but I’m not really getting the green tea or yerba mate. But that’s ok. I know they are working silently in the background to complete this gorgeous flavor that is really helping my morning along.
Such a wonderfully robust strong tea that really makes you want to drink it all morning long while checking off projects around the house or even at work. At least that’s what I’m doing now. This tea has a lot going on but everything really works well and jives.
This tea by itself is outstanding but I wanted something a bit more (after I had about 4 cups of it) , so I added in a bit of ginger and peppermint and wow, this tea has taken on a life of its own. Such a well balanced and thought out tea and now it looks like a tea that would be a great one to experiment your blending your own tea blends with.
I’m so happy this one showed up last month. Now I’m wondering what would happen if you threw in a touch of marshmallow root and some orange peel. . . . this could be something fantastic in the making. . .(hint hint BlendBee!!)
If you are looking for that last minute present for that tea drinker on your list, check out BlendBee. I know they will enjoy their blends as much as I do!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
From South America to South Africa, India to China and a touch of the English. Let’s all unite with one exquisite cup of tea. This unique blend is crafted with the worlds best teas for you to truly savor. Spread love, share joy and harmony. Cheers friends!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Lung Ya from Terroir Tea Merchant
99.9% of the time I start each day out with at least one black tea and then move on to other tea types throughout each day. Recently, I had a morning that was out of the norm for me. I started the day with this tea. The tea I’m referring to is Lung Ya from Terroir Tea Merchant. I was intrigued by this green tea because it’s NOT your typical green tea.
The company’s website says it’s organic and hand-picked at the earliest point of the spring harvest. On this cold wintery day I sure could use any and all nod to spring and warmer weather that is for sure!
The leaves of this tea are thin, twisted, fine, and a deeper, darker grey-green color with random silver tips and has a jasmine aroma with a speck of biscuit to it, too!
Sure this tea is on the sweeter yet floral side but it seems to also have a hint of artichoke and/or water chestnut flavor to it, too! I can still make that semi-crusty, biscuity flavor connect, too!
I was able to get 2 to 3 solid infusions out of this tea which I found pretty impressive! I’m looking forward to trying more teas from Terroir Tea Merchant in the future if I am ever so lucky! Two thumbs up on this lovely green tea!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Terroir Tea Merchants
Description
Refreshing, fruity, floral and vegetal.
This is not your typical green tea. Organic and hand-picked at the earliest point of the spring harvest, the leaves are thin, twisted and fine, emerald green with silver tips and a jasmine aroma
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Pure Gold Jin Jun Mei Black Tea of Tong Mu Guan Village *Spring 201 from Yunnan Sourcing
Hairy! Fuzzy! I’m NOT talking about Sasquatch! I’m talking about Pure Gold Jin Jun Mei Black Tea of Tong Mu Guan Village Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing!
The dry leaves – upon opening the package – are gloriously wonderful to look at! Two-toned brown in color, thin and crimped, with fuzzy hair that adheres to your fingers when touched. Pure Gold Jin Jun Mei Black Tea of Tong Mu Guan Village Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing is one of those teas I LOVE to look at.
Pure Gold Jin Jun Mei Black Tea of Tong Mu Guan Village Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing is also one of those teas I LOVE to smell! Dry – it smells like caramelized brown sugar with bakey and malty scents. Once infused this smells like non-crusty baked goods…similar to muffins, perhaps! There are baked, malt, brown sugar aromas that fill my cup and I LOVE it!
Once I start sipping on Pure Gold Jin Jun Mei Black Tea of Tong Mu Guan Village Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing I immediately fall in LOVE. Okay – perhaps I fell in LOVE even before I took my first sip – but this sealed the deal! On the tongue and throat this tea provided a sweeter-malty flavor with the slightest-hint of underlying smoke. But not a bitter smoke or even a smoke like you would get with a Lapsang, for example. Maybe a better visual would be the smoke left over from torching the top of creme burlee. As this cools a bit at room temperature I grow even more fonder of this. There are more malty notes that come out to play and the bakey flavors morph into a bit of crust. Yup! Pure Gold Jin Jun Mei Black Tea of Tong Mu Guan Village Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing MUST go on my FAVES LIST!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Straight Black Tea
Where to Buy: Yunnan Sourcing
Description
Pure Gold Tips expertly processed to enhance and preserve the hairy fuzz on these tiny little buds. Tong Mu Guan Village near Wu Yi in Fujian is the most famous place in China for the cultivation of Jin Jun Mei and this year’s harvest (April) is among the best in recent memory.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Red Dragon Pearls (Black Dragon Pearl Tea) from Teasenz
I LOVE a good, solid Dragon Pearl so when I saw Red Dragon Pearls (Black Dragon Pearl Tea) from Teasenz was VERY eager to try it! The company says it’s an unusual black tea that is hand-rolled but I am certainly familiar with it as it’s one of those black teas I tend to look for!
I found that the aroma of this Red Dragon Pearls (Black Dragon Pearl Tea) from Teasenz – DRY – was that of a wine and/or berry scent and it was marvelous! Wet – the aroma is a different story! It smells like a genuine autumn day with wet, sweet woodsy notes, leaves, and even some dark chocolate and/or cacao nib aroma thrown into the mix!
I grabbed 5 ‘balls’ and infused them in my strainer and let ‘brew’ for about 4 minutes. I probably could have went with 4 ‘balls’ at about 3 to 4 minutes and I would have gotten a completely different cuppa but I will base my review on this for now.
The flavor of Red Dragon Pearls (Black Dragon Pearl Tea) from Teasenz is certainly in the strong category which I really like! I can absolutely pick up on a cacao nib-like taste to it along with the woodsy and earthy notes. It’s VERY malty – again – something I LOVE. The end sip and aftertaste has dark chocolate notes that linger, too! YES! You could say I enjoyed this tea and hope to enjoy another cup soon!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Teasenz
Description
An unusual black tea hand-rolled into pearls. This fantastically bold brew offers up all the flavors of a crisp autumn day with just one pearl. With complex malty flavors and a clean sweet finish.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Bai Ye Varietal Dan Cong Black Tea Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing
Behold…Bai Ye Varietal Dan Cong Black Tea Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing!
This Bai Ye dan Cong was picked in late April 2016 and processed through May. Instead of being processed like Dan Cong Oolong this tea was processed into Black Tea by wilting in small cloth bags in the sun and then shade. I had to think for a moment which category to put Bai Ye Varietal Dan Cong Black Tea Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing…an oolong or a black tea…so I put them under BOTH.
Dry – Bai Ye Varietal Dan Cong Black Tea Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing – smells absolutely outstanding! Much like Sweet Potato and honey. Once infused this smells like roasted sweet potato, rice, and something savory that I can’t quite put my finger on
The infusion color of Bai Ye Varietal Dan Cong Black Tea Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing is that of a medium brown. I was having a hard time waiting for this to cool a bit before tasting because the aroma is so enticing! YES! Bai Ye Varietal Dan Cong Black Tea Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing actually TASTES like baked sweet potato! It’s really quite amazing! There are nectar notes that remind me of coconut nectar that I really LOVE, too! Perhaps a honey-liking, even. It’s both sweet and savory. I like I’m in LOVE. I know I am. I’m still getting a little bit of a sticky rice hint as well. Gosh! This in incredible! As it cools it has a malty flavor that comes out to play, too! Bai Ye Varietal Dan Cong Black Tea Spring 2016 from Yunnan Sourcing is wonderfully complex and offers layers and layers of flavor that just won’t quit! WOWZA! I think I will have another cup (or 10!)
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong Tea/Black Tea
Where to Buy: Yunnan Sourcing
Description
Bai Ye Hong Cha has thick sweetness and a very pronounced baked sweet potato taste that lasts many many infusions. This tea is both excellent and peerless. You simply can’t have a similar experience with any other tea. Highly recommended for Dan Cong and Black Tea aficionados alike!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!