This tea is sturdy and sophisticated, like a sweater vest on a college professor who is woke to the kids’ causes. It is tasteful. It is educated. It knows how to reap the health benefits of green tea AND black tea.
There are notes here of plum, stone, moss, and maybe some algae, which I say with utter love and absolutely no derision. It’s earthy and wet and vegetal and a little bit juicy.
It somehow manages to make me feel like I know what’s going on. Like drinking it has made me a better person. Like maybe, very slightly, I have it together.
I do not, just to clarify.
I do not at all.
But the tea is very nice.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Qi Aerista
Description
Aroma is honey, woody and with a lightly roasted aroma. Flavor is smooth, crisp, with a sweet aftertaste. To dry and enhance flavor profile, the tea leaves underwent a slow roasting process with charcoal for 9 straight hours to produce its characteristic smooth flavors.
This High Mountain Oolong is grown on Xiyan mountain in Dapu county. This beautiful county is known as the Shangri-La of the Hakka world, where Hakka is one of the ethnic subgroups in China.
What makes this cup of High Mountain Oolong incredibly delightful is that these tea plants are grown at high altitude with an age of more than 60 years old
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Robust Offering from BRUU Tea Club. . . . .
There are some teas from specific tea companies that have been on my own personal WISH LIST for EVER it seems. Teas from Bruu Tea Club are among those teas. Recently I was FINALLY able to sip on China Keemun from BRUU Tea Club and I have to say that it was worth the wait!
The flavor was on the stronger side of medium with notes of smoke and roasted nuts, even. It was even a bit floral at times – fading in and out – gently but elegantly, too! The aftertaste was a bit more smoky that the sip was but it lingered nicely. I’m not saying that it was a smoky tea like an Lapsang Souchong but there were nods of smoke that made it pretty unique.
The aroma, the taste, the darkness in the cup post-infusion all have the glorious trio of traits I look for in a stright-up, stand-up, and stand-alone black tea. I can’t wait to try other teas from BRUU.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: BRUU Tea Club
Description
Whilst sitting dry in its container waiting to become your BRUU;
Smokey and very much a black Camelia Sinensis. Reminiscent of a roasted monkey nut.
As the drink is BRUUing;
The aroma is almost flowery.
The taste journey;
A light black tea with a hint of smokiness in the aftertaste.
Best enjoyed;
1tsp // 100°C // 2-4 mins
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Congou Mao Jia by Bruu Tea
Hello Tea Friends!
This tea comes from the February Tea Club box and though it’s not currently available on their website it may be available soon.
The tell-tale signs of silver tips in this tea signifies selective harvesting that has been plucked every day to ensure only new shoots are gathered. rown in the mountainous region of the WuYi mountains China, the tea is allowed to ferment briefly which results in a slightly dark hue on the leaves. A smooth tasting tea, though surprisingly pungent, it would be a good first green tea to try if you traditionally drink black tea. Origin: Zheijiang Province, China. Grown 5000ft above sea level.
Opening the packet I am met with a dry, sweet grass and wood scent. The leaves are long and thin for the most part, with some silver tips present and a few sticks/stems. For a green tea the leaves are surprisingly dark.
Steeping Instructions: 1tsp – 80C – 2-3 minutes
Once steeped the tea is yellow in colour and bares a sweet and floral, grassy scent. Very green and mineral.
The first few sips reveal a medium strength and fragrant melody of sweet grass, flowers and fresh broccoli. In fact the vegetal factor is part fresh, young cabbage and broccoli. There is some dryness in the after taste too. Some bitterness but in a nice way.
As it cools the flavour thickens and develops thick mouth feel and richness.
Super fragrant and flavourful, this is a delicious green tea. Perhaps too dry for my personal taste but this would make a delicious iced tea.
Happy Steeping!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Bruu Tea (This tea is not currently for sale)
Description:
A smooth tasting green from the WuYi mountains of China, hand picked and fermented to give the leaves a darker hue.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Winter Almond Rooibos from Tea Sparrow. . . . .
Well…it’s Winter. It took a while to get here in the snow belt…but I’m NOT complaining! I found it fitting to review Winter Almond Rooibos from Tea Sparrow to get into the wintery spirit.
Winter Almond Rooibos is an herbal tisane that is full of aroma and flavor! I didn’t see any dairy in the list of ingredients so I thought I would try it. Ingredients listed were Redbush Tea, Almond Pieces, Chocolate Pieces (that were made up of sugar, cocoa powder/mass, almond flavor, and sunflower blossoms.
I was expecting this to be an almond and chocolate flavored red rooibos but it ended up being more than that. It was much like a Chocolate Almond Cookie in a cup! It was delicious! The Red Rooibos wasn’t as stereotypical as you think it would be which leads me to believe the amount of almond and chocolate flavoring was pretty top notch!
This was part of the December Tea Sparrow teas that were shipped. I’m VERY excited and grateful I was able to try it. If you are into non-dairy dessert teas and tisanes this is one I would keep an eye out for next time it’s available! It’s sure to please!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Tea Sparrrow
Description
Find out more about all Tea Sparrow has to offer below!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Ginger Bread Man by Bruu Tea
Hello tea friends!
With Christmas almost here and the cold weather set in I’m drawn to the festive teas. This one was from my late November tea club box and I’m only just getting around to trying it.
Ingredients: Rooibos, Almond Pieces, Pistachios, Orange Peel, Coriander, Flavouring, Pink Peppercorn.
Opening the packet I am drawn in by the scent of ginger biscuits. It’s the most ginger biscuity thing I have ever smelt that was not actually ginger biscuits. It’s incredible! Ginger with baked bread and sugar but also a touch of spice.
Steeping instructions: 1tsp // 100°C // 3-5 mins
Once steeped the tea is golden red in colour and bares a sweet yet spicy ginger biscuit and Rooibos scent. Very similar to that of the raw scent.
The first few sips reveal a very sweet and gingery note that lingers in the after taste. When I say ginger it’s more like a ginger candy than raw ginger, sometimes blends are too much on the ginger front but this is such a sweet ginger and it’s very nice. Very biscuit like! Also a touch of dryness in the after taste.
After those initial first few sips it remains sweet and with a touch of actual Rooibos flavour with a creamy orange and ginger and peppercorn spice. The whole blend was well done, it doesn’t taste too much like Rooibos at all which is favourable with me.
I can’t say much other than it tastes like sweet and creamy ginger biscuits with a dry after taste. It truly does.
Bruu Tea have done some good blends but this may be my favourite so far. It’s very delightful and festive.
Until next time, Happy Steeping!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos blend
Where to Buy: Bruu Tea
Description:
The rich, naturally woody taste of rooibos is already a perfect treat for cold days, but the added tastes of gingerbread and orange in this blend allow you to truly spoil yourself. Caffeine-free and incredibly festive, this decorative infusion makes a wonderful gift – for others or yourself!