Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
This tea is available from Amoda Tea.
Tea Description:
“Gunpowder” green is a smooth, full-bodied tea that’s perfect for winter. Blended with a surprising ingredient list, we hope you’re curious to try this out! The vanilla cream is a perfect complement to the smoky gunpowder green & its natural nuttiness is accentuated with hazelnuts. “Peared” up with fruit and cinnamon, this is a really tasty blend.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda Tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! This Hazelnut Pear Green Tea from Petali Teas is really good. Then again, I have found that I can count on Amoda to choose some pretty tasty teas for me in their monthly subscription box. Occasionally, I might find myself a wee bit disappointed with something, but for the most part, the Amoda boxes are a big WIN for me.
I was very intrigued with this tea right from the start. The idea of pear and hazelnut together sparked my interest. It sounds yummy and very Pacific Northwest-ish. It sounds like a great big cup of yum.
And that’s what it is. The base of this tea is a Gunpowder green tea and it’s a nice choice for this blend. The green tea is earthy, a little nutty and has a hint of smokiness to it. It’s not really a vegetative tasting tea although there’s a certain ‘freshness’ to the flavor that plays well to the flavor of the pear. It has a soft texture and it’s not an overly astringent tea. It’s really quite nice.
And it melds well with every aspect of this tea: the nutty flavors and the hint of smoke enhance the hazelnut flavor. The earthiness melds with the earthy notes of the spices, which are warm but do not overpower this blend. Instead, they add an accent to the main flavors of hazelnut and pear.
I don’t taste a lot of ‘apple’ in this, I suspect the reason for the apple pieces in this blend is to look ‘pear-like’ because dried pear is a bit more difficult to come by than dried apple. I also don’t taste a lot from the orange, but it does add a hint of brightness to the cup. There is no real obvious note of orange, but you can tell that it’s there, perking up the flavors.
A really nice tea. I’ve enjoyed the teas that I’ve tasted from Petali Teas in the various Amoda Boxes that they’ve been featured in – I’m glad that this is a company that Amoda Tea has chosen to feature regularly!
Golden Monkey Champagne Black Tea from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
Here’s an awesome Golden Monkey black tea blended with marigold petals and organic champagne flavors. Not only that, each pouch contains a unique fortune for 2015. We are only making 70 of these, so get yours today.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
It’s been a while since I’ve had a sip of champagne. As I’ve said before, I’m just not all that big on drinking alcohol. (I’m a TEA-totaler!) But this Golden Monkey Champagne Black Tea from 52Teas is a nice way to enjoy some ‘champagne!’
First of all, I have to mention the fortune! What a fun idea! I liked opening the pouch to discover what my fortune for 2015 will be. Here’s what mine said:
This year: someone will do something “for all the tea in China” and then have a monopoly on Chinese teas.
Yeah, it’s a little corny and silly, but it’s fun. It’s a little ‘out of the box’ and that’s what I’ve come to love about 52Teas – the whole concept is a little out of the box! A different tea every week? That’s a little crazy! But it’s crazy good!
And that’s why I want to keep 52Teas going. Check out my Kickstarter campaign and help me keep this company going – I need your support! Every little bit will help!
But, let’s talk more about THIS tea, shall we?
The base of this tea is a Golden Monkey, and it’s delicious! It’s rich, robust, and full-flavored. It has chocolate-y notes along with that earthy, leathery flavor that I’ve come to love about a Golden Monkey. A hint of smoke in the distance. Undertones of caramel. It’s very smooth and has a pleasant, thick texture to it. There is some astringency at the tail but it doesn’t disrupt from the enjoyment of the overall flavor. It’s not bitter. It’s just really, really LOVELY!
The champagne flavors have been added in a smart way – they don’t go overboard. They’re not too much. It has a light, champagne-y flavor that complements the overall tea. I can taste the champagne but more importantly, I taste the nuances of the Golden Monkey and when you have a tea like this Golden Monkey – you WANT to taste it! I like how the champagne is represented here, in a way that I can taste it (it’s especially noticeable in the aftertaste) but not so much so that it overpowers the excellent flavors of the tea itself.
This is a really enjoyable cuppa. I’m surprised that more people haven’t grabbed this one up! It’s a really lovely tea.
Gyokuro Green Tea from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
Gyokuro is matured under full shade for three weeks and has an aroma of orange blossoms. With savory and earthy tones this tea also has the memories of nori with a faint whisper of french beans and cucumbers. Gyokuro is an exceptional tea that demands a unique brewing method to reach its full potential. Using a lower water temperature is key. Use water between 120 F and 140 F when brewing. Use 1 to 2 grams of tea per ounce of water and let the tea steep for 5 minutes for the first steeping. Subsequent steepings require only a minute or two.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Co-Op Membership here.
Taster’s Review:
What a pleasant surprise it was to find Gyokuro in my Simple Loose Leaf Co-Op box this month! This premium green tea is not one that you’d expect to find in a subscription box, you know what I mean?
To brew this tea, I actually followed the advice in the above description. (I know, weird, right?) I steeped this in my Kati Tumbler, using 1 bamboo scoop of tea (which I’m not sure if that’s the recommended amount, I don’t weigh my tea. I just don’t. I’m not into all that gadgetry when it comes to tea. Tea should be simple.) I heated the water to 140°F and poured 12 ounces of the heated water into the tumbler and I let that steep for 5 minutes. I was surprised at how light in color the brewed tea was! It was a beautiful, pale chartreuse. My second infusion I steeped for only 2 minutes.
What a lovely Gyokuro! It’s delightfully sweet. The vegetable notes are profound. I taste a lovely buttery note with notes of green bean and asparagus. It’s very crisp and light and invigorating to sip. A very smooth tasting tea, the buttery notes give it a creamy texture but it’s not really heavy the way some buttery teas can be. This has a lighter texture overall versus other ‘buttery’ teas I’ve tasted.
There is very little astringency to this, and most of that is noticeable at the very tail. It’s quite smooth from start to finish, and then just at the tip of the tail, I pick up on a slightly dry, slightly tangy astringency. No bitterness despite being steeped for 5 minutes!
My second cup might even be sweeter than the first. I think I am enjoying the second infusion even more than the first – the flavor is about the same strength as the first (even though I only steeped it for 2 minutes) but the flavors are a little less focused on the vegetal notes and a little more focused on the sweeter flavors. The butter notes are still there, but they’re a little softer and not quite as creamy as the first cup was.
A really, really lovely Gyokuro.
Lavender Cream Earl Grey Black Tea from Aromatica Fine Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
This tea is available from Amoda Tea.
Tea Description:
This tea brings together the best of all the earl grey worlds – bergamot, vanilla, cream and lavender. Why have them in 4 separate Earl Greys!? This is a sweet, creamy, delicious black tea with floral hints. The vanilla and cream soften the bergamot citrus edge. You can still enjoy this variation with milk.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda Tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I received my Amoda box a few days ago and this is the first tea that I’ve tried from the box! While it’s not a surprise that I should reach for the tea that would be my clear favorite in the box, I generally like to save the one that I think will be my favorite for last. Like dessert, right? You save dessert for after the meal, but sometimes, you have to give in to the inner child and have dessert first!
So, I gave in to the inner child and drank the tea that I was sure would be my favorite in this month’s box first. So, it should come as no surprise that I’m loving this Lavender Cream Earl Grey Black Tea from Aromatica Fine Teas!
To brew this, I used my Breville One Touch. The entire sampler packet appeared to be just enough tea for one small pot of tea from my tea maker, so I poured the contents of the packet into the basket and added 500ml of water to the jug. I set the parameters for 205°F (I like to go with slightly lower than boiling temperatures when I have herbs in the tea – in this case, the lavender and hibiscus) and 2 1/2 minutes.
Then I let the tea cool for about three minutes before sipping. I’ve got to tell you that they seem the longest three minutes ever when you’re waiting to take a sip of something so aromatically alluring!
Mmmm! I’m loving this tea!
Rich! The black tea is a vibrant tasting tea – it’s good and strong. There is a fair amount of astringency to this tea, and if I’m to offer any complaint about it at all, that would be it. I would like the astringency to be toned down just a bit.
The flavoring, though, is spot on! The bergamot is strong and flavorful. The vanilla cream notes are pretty evenly matched with the bergamot, with maybe just a little bit more bergamot than cream. The combination of the two is sweet, creamy and tangy with a bright flavor of crisp bergamot.
Then there is the lavender. Ah … I do adore lavender. Lavender is a lot like bergamot, in that it can be overdone in a tea and end up tasting a bit more like soap than a flavoring. Here, the lavender is done nicely, not tasting even a bit soapy, instead, it has a touch of floral to this cup. It’s a pleasing contrast, the floral notes of the lavender with the silky sweetness of the vanilla cream and the energetic flavor of the bergamot. It’s a compelling flavor combination that keeps me sipping and makes for one very happy tea sipper.
So, this is definitely a win. My only real complaint is – again – the astringent black tea base. But this is something that I can overlook because the flavors are so delightful! And those who detest hibiscus like I do, take note: I can’t taste the hibiscus here! Yippee! That’s a win right there!
Lapsang Souchong Black Tea from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
Our Lapsang Souchong is a black tea smoked to perfection. This tea is savory, smoky, slightly cool with a hint of menthol. Look for a crisp sweet pine flavor as you are vrewing this excellent black tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Co-Op Membership here.
Taster’s Review:
When I received this month’s Co-Op package from Simple Loose Leaf and found this Lapsang Souchong Black Tea among the five teas inside, I thought that I had already tried (and reviewed) it, but as it turns out, the tea I’m remembering is the Russian Caravan from Simple Loose Leaf. I knew I recalled tasting a smoky tea from them! (And I’m relieved that my memory is better than I thought it was.)
And this is definitely smokier than I remember the Russian Caravan being. This is a very heavily smoked Lapsang Souchong, so if you’re one of those who enjoy a very strong, smoky Lapsang Souchong – this is the tea for you.
Me, I’m not so much into the smoky notes, although I’m still enjoying this.
To brew this tea, I used my Kati Tumbler. One bamboo scoop of tea goes into the basket of my tumbler and 12 ounces of boiling water is poured over it. After 15 seconds, I discarded the liquid and poured a fresh 12 ounces of boiling water over the partially infused leaves.
The rinse! I find that this step is crucial for me because it helps to eliminate some of that smoke so it doesn’t overwhelm me. I’d find this far less enjoyable without the rinse.
After the rinse, I infused the leaves for 2 1/2 minutes in 12 ounces of boiling water. The result is a smoky cup – but not so overpoweringly smoky that I’m not able to bring the cup up to my lips to take a sip.
Actually, this is quite enjoyable. The smoke is strong, but the rinse really helps. For anyone who finds the smoky notes to be off-putting in a Lapsang Souchong, I strongly recommend doing the rinse of the leaves. It turns an otherwise undrinkable tea (for me) into quite a lovely tea experience and had I not discovered just how valuable a good rinsing of the leaves is to certain teas, I’d be missing out on a whole lot of tea enjoyment!
It’s got some lovely sweet notes to it. I taste notes of sweet plum and I love the way the plum and the smoke mingle. It’s very interesting and quite pleasant. I taste notes of honey too, and again, I like the way the honey and smoke flavors mingle. Imagine a plum, drizzled with honey, and then smoked over a smoldering fire. Yeah. That’s what I’m tasting.
It’s a remarkably smooth tea – I’m not tasting bitterness and while there is some astringency to this, it’s very slight.
It’s wonderful to curl up to on a chilly afternoon. (We’re not really experiencing a lot of ‘chilly’ at the moment, but it’s chilly enough to make me want the heater on, so I find this to be quite a cozy, comforting tea.) This one gets a thumbs up from me!