Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
A classic Taiwanese Tie Guan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy) blended with just a touch of Ginseng for a satisfying sweetness that isn’t cloying. A masterful blend which features a delightful interplay of Ginseng while maintaining the true essence of our tea, giving you the wonderful taste of flowers, fruit, and herbs.
Ingredients: Tie Guan Yin, Ginseng
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m not usually a huge fan of teas with ginseng. I’m just not big on ginseng. I don’t necessarily hate ginseng, I just … don’t love it, you know what I’m saying? It’s kind of like chamomile for me – I don’t hate chamomile, but I don’t love it either.
That said, I’m enjoying this Ginseng Oolong from Simple Loose Leaf (it came in my July Selection Club subscription box!) I’ve had a few different Ginseng Oolong teas in my years as a tea reviewer, but, this one might just be the best that I’ve tried thus far, and I think the reason for that is because the ginseng is mild here. It doesn’t present an intrusive flavor that interferes with my enjoyment of the Tie Guan Yin Oolong. I like that I taste more Oolong than ginseng. I like that a lot!
I approached the brewing of this tea the same as I would most any other Oolong – in my gaiwan. A quick 15 second rinse, followed by a first infusion of 45 seconds. I added 15 seconds with each subsequent infusion.
The first cup (infusions 1 and 2) is sweet and buttery, very reminiscent of a Tie Guan Yin (which it is) and not so very reminiscent of ginseng. I do taste a slight earthy/woodsy note from the ginseng, but it melds in a pleasant way with the sweet, slightly “green” notes of the Tie Guan Yin.
The second cup was a little stronger in flavor, and I could taste more ginseng this time but I also tasted more from the Tie Guan Yin. This cup seemed to be more of an evenly matched combination of ginseng and Oolong tea. A stronger, earthier note from the ginseng. Woody notes. The Tie Guan Yin tasted a little less creamy and a little more sharp with floral notes. I taste notes of vegetation that unite with the woodsy notes of the ginseng and it’s near seamless in flavor.
Later infusions, I found the ginseng notes begin to wane, which was perfectly alright with me. The Tie Guan Yin allowed me to explore its flavors. The floral notes became softer and sweeter, and as I continued to sip, I noticed soft hints of vanilla and notes of fruit that reminded me of a cross between a sweet plum and a ripe peach.
If you want to incorporate more ginseng in your diet, this is the way to do it. And this one tastes great iced! A very tasty and energizing glass of chilly refreshment.
I received this tea as part of the sampler pack from the Simple Loose Leaf Selection Club. You can subscribe to this club – using the coupon code SISTERSELECTION25 and receive a 25% discount when you sign up for the Selection Club! This discount is applicable only to the monthly Selection Club subscription and not the retail selection of teas.
I love my subscription to the Selection Club!
Taiwan Sun Moon Lake Assam Black Tea (Premium Grade) from Cameron Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Cameron Tea
Tea Description:
Sun Moon Lake is located at altitude of 700m, surrounded with mountains and lakes with remarkable environment and typical climate. Heavy moist and stable yearly average temperature make the tea trees grow thick and rich tea leaves which produce carmine and perfectly clear liquor.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I previously reviewed Cameron Tea’s Competition Grade of the Sun Moon Lake Assam Black Tea from Taiwan, so I was eager to also try this Premium Grade of the Sun Moon Lake Assam. I also found myself curious to know what the difference was between the Premium Grade and the Competition Grade teas. Here’s how Cameron Tea explains it in their FAQ section:
The competition grade means the tea leaves are being specially prepared (normally by selecting with extra fine leaves) to the highest standard for regional tea competitions. The competition grade only means that the tea has the same process treatments as the competition ones, it does not necessary mean that the tea has entered/won the regional competitions. The premium grade also uses carefully selected leaves, therefore sometimes the difference between “competition” and “premium” are very minor.
So I don’t know if I’ll be able to notice much difference between the two teas. But, as the Competition Grade of this Sun Moon Lake Assam Black was a really outstanding tea, I’m really looking forward to trying the Premium Grade!
The leaves look very much like I remember the Competition Grade looked: each is long and curly and each is a dark, rich chocolate-y color. They smell sweet and fruity. The brewed tea has less of a fruit smell and more of a sweet molasses-y scent.
And it tastes very similar to what I remember from the Competition Grade: Sweet, lighter in body than a typical Assam but still rich and flavorful. There is a lovely note of malt that marries beautifully with a caramel note. The result is a rich, satisfying taste and texture. I also find myself appreciating that this has neither the astringency of a typical Assam – the astringency is soft here – nor does this have the slight twinge of bitterness that an Assam often carries.
Notes of molasses, honey and cacao! I taste an earthy quality to this: notes of leather and a slight woodsy note. It’s smooth and it has a thick texture – very satisfying! – and while it would make an enjoyable morning cuppa … this may be the tea that you want to save for those mornings where you don’t have to rush off. This isn’t a get up and get going type of tea. This is the type of tea that you want to sit back and enjoy for a while.
I loved the Competition Grade of this tea, and I’m loving the Premium Grade too! This is a tea that … is just worthy of LOTS of love! It’s a really great tea.
Formosa Assam from Beautiful Taiwan Tea Company
Tea Type:
Black
Where to Buy:
Beautiful Taiwan Tea Company
Tea Description:
NEW ITEM THIS MONTH!
What a smooth tea this is! This tea comes from a farm just above the pristine alpine lake called Sun Moon Lake. It’s hand processed by Mr. Lee and his wife, a wonderful and hospitable couple. They grow without chemicals the old fashioned way. Do you like black teas from India? This tea is similar but has no astringency. It’s a pure stock Assam Black Tea that has been growing in Taiwan since 1926 when the Japanese imperial machine started to foster a tea industry in Taiwan for world-wide export.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is one of this company’s NEW teas and I must say it’s a GOODIE! Of course – I’m partial to a solid black tea especially in the morning – I usually start each day with a black based tea and then move on to other types of tea throughout the day. Have said that – I REALLY love this tea.
I’ve been hearing a lot of people use the word “Pristine” more and more these days. I’m not sure if it’s a new buzz word or fad or lingo but I try and reserve it for something REALLY special. After reading the product description of this tea and this tea being from a farm about the “pristine” Alpine Lake call Sun Moon Lake of course I had to research it to see if it lived up to the word. And you know what? It DOES! This lake truly IS a gem! It’s marvelously beautiful…and I’ll say it…PRISTINE. After seeing the photographs I can’t image anything ‘bad’ coming from this area. I absolutely believe this tea lives up to the product description.
I LOVE that this grown without the use of chemicals and the old fashioned way. It has no astringency. It’s bold but smooth. It’s sweet, too. For a black based tea I think this has a level of mouth watering and thirst quenching type of sip to it, too! The leaves are fairly large and precise. The aroma is pleasant but not over powering and not dark like most black teas. I can’t think of one thing I don’t like about this tea. It’s a real winner in my book!
Four Seasons Spring Oolong from Green Terrace Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Green Terrace Teas
Tea Description:
Grown at about 1,200 meters in the rich soil of the Alishan region, this tea is a wonderful introduction to oolong teas from Taiwan. Sweet, rich and aromatic, Four Seasons Spring Oolong (or Si Ji Chun) has a pleasant buttery and honey taste that evokes mild notes of jasmine and lily. This oolong as a mild vegetal character and has almost no bitterness – a great tea for any time of the day.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh … LOVELY! It’s been a while since I’ve had a Si Ji Chun, I’ve been focusing on other teas as of late and this is almost like a new tea to me now. But as I am sipping this golden cup of wonderful, I have to think – why have I been away so long, Si Ji Chun?
The aroma of the dry leaf is FRESH … like a fresh spring morning! It smells a little vegetal, and I realize it’s those vegetal notes that give it the fresh smell, but rather than smelling specifically of vegetable or steamed veggies or even of grass, this just smells like the new, fresh smells that great the olfactory nerves as spring reawakens the earth.
Sweet, sweet, sweet! This is so delightfully creamy, with notes that are reminiscent of butter and honey – evoking thoughts of honey butter! The sweet, yummy spread my gramma used to make when she’d bake fresh biscuits for dinner. Mmm! But there’s more to this cup than just a sweet resemblance of honey butter, I taste sweet floral notes and a hint of vegetative flavor.
It’s a remarkably smooth cup with very little astringency. I do notice just a hint of astringency at the tail, but, it’s very subtle. The above description suggests notes of jasmine and lily, and while I do taste a ‘floral’ taste to the cup, I don’t know that it’s jasmine and lily that I taste. Then again, this is only the first cup (infusions 1 and 2 after a 15 second rinse), perhaps those flowers will reveal more of themselves in the later infusions.
The second cup is not quite as creamy as the first was. There are still notes of butter, and it’s still a delightfully sweet cup of tea. The floral notes are beginning to emerge more in this cup, and I definitely do notice a jasmine-esque tone. It’s not nearly as obvious a jasmine note as I’d experience with a jasmine scented tea, but, there are notes here that I recognize as jasmine.
I’m also noticing a touch of citrus to this second cup as well, as if someone maybe put a drop of lime in my cup. It’s bright and adds a nice dimension to the cup.
I can still taste notes of creaminess in the third cup, but there is a gradual loss of the creaminess with each subsequent infusion. The sweetness is still there. The floral notes seem to have merged together with the other flavors of this cup, creating a taste that’s a little floral and a little vegetal, and a little creamy too. The aforementioned citrus tone is there as well, and it’s quite a delicious combination of flavors.
A really lovely Oolong. For those out there who – like me – have been drinking other Oolong teas and haven’t had a really good Four Seasons in a while, now is the time to reinvigorate your palate!
Taiwan Sun Moon Lake Formosa Black Tea (Competition Grade) from Cameron Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Cameron Tea
Tea Description:
Region: Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan
Type: Black Tea
Oxidation level: Fully oxidised
Taste: Strong and refreshing flavour.
Terroir: Sun Moon Lake is located at altitude of 700m, surrounded with mountains and lakes with remarkable environment and typical climate for growing black teas. Heavy moist and stable yearly average temperature make the tea trees grow thick and rich tea leaves which produce carmine and perfectly clear liquor.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve got to tell you, every time that I’m preparing to brew one of these black teas from Cameron Tea, I get really excited! The tea is simply superb!
And this competition grade Taiwan Sun Moon Lake Formosa Black Tea from Cameron Tea is no exception. The leaves are dark chocolate in color. They’re long, slender and wiry, but they aren’t so slender that it looks like they’ve been slivered down to size. They appear to be whole leaves that have been rolled lengthwise.
The dry leaf doesn’t have a strong aroma, it smells a little bit like warm leather and earth. It’s a very light scent … barely there. The brewed tea has a stronger fragrance, offering warm notes of leather, molasses and maybe even a gentle spice note here and there. It’s not a particularly strong scent, but it’s pleasant.
But it’s the flavor that wins me over with this tea. It’s a warm, rich, robust flavor. It’s not robust in the way that … say an Indian Assam black tea would be. It’s not the kind of black tea that I’d turn to to get me up and running for the day. It isn’t a strong “gusto” kind of tea.
Instead, this is more of the kind of tea that I’d want for my second cup of the day. After I’ve already got my jump start, and I’m looking for something to keep me going and something that is going to inspire a positive outlook on the rest of the day – this tea is THAT tea!
It is sweet with notes of cacao and caramel and yes, even some notes of molasses. It’s a sweet tasting tea, but it doesn’t taste cloying. There are subtle hints of earth and leather. It has a thick, buttery, smooth texture to it, although it doesn’t taste overly “buttery” the way a green tea or green Oolong might. At the start, there is very little astringency. It does build as I continue to make my way to the bottom of the cup; I start to notice a sort of dry “pucker” in my mouth after the sip. But it is a subtle sensation, and even those who tend to be sensitive to astringency would probably find the astringency of this tea acceptable.
As I continue to sip, I start to pick up on notes of stone fruit. Imagine a ripe plum that’s been drizzled with molasses and then lightly roasted. That’s the fruit note I’m experiencing. Not so much of the “tart” or sour notes of the fruit, it’s all about the sweetness of life in this teacup!
I love this tea! Then again, I’ve been overjoyed by everything that I’ve tasted thus far from Cameron Tea. If you are looking for exceptional black and Oolong teas … you need to check out Cameron Tea!