Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teas Etc.
Tea Description:
The unique character and lingering finish is intoxicating. An exquisite USDA Certified Organic golden, black tea from southern China’s Fujian province, the beautiful, gold twisted leaves are almost as lovely to look at as to taste. Don’t mistake this for lower grade teas of this type. This is a premium grade golden monkey that is not to be missed!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
After last month’s less than exciting box of teas from Steepster Select, I was actually contemplating canceling my subscription. I am glad I didn’t! This month’s box, appropriately themed “Best Buds,” more than makes up for the disappointing selections of last month’s box.
This box not only included this astounding Golden Monkey – quite possibly the best I’ve tasted of this type of tea – but also a yellow tea selection (my favorite type of tea!) and a silver needle! Wow! Bravo, Steepster!
Unlike what I’d call a “tippy” golden tea – which tends to be mostly dark leaves with tips of gold – every single leaf of this tea is beautifully golden in color, with striations tan and brown. Gorgeous!
But even more beautiful than the color of the dry leaf is the flavor of the brewed tea. This is amazingly good. The flavor is rich and exceptionally smooth. There are notes of malt which meld deliciously with the sweet honey caramel-y undertone. Slightly earthy, with a juicy peach note that emerges as I continue to sip. This is so pleasantly sweet, without a note of bitterness to be found, and only a slight astringency which cleanses the palate slightly, allowing it to enjoy an aftertaste that is quite honey-esque.
Easily one of the best black teas I’ve yet to taste. I highly recommend it to anyone … even those who aren’t fond of tea. I think this one could change their mind.
Rosy Earl Grey from Teas Etc
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Green Teas
Where to Buy: Teas Etc
Tea Description:
This inspiring blend of Jasmine green tea, Earl Grey black tea and rose petals has become one of our most popular.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf looks absolutely beautiful and smells incredible. Lots of red rose petals throughout, and the aroma is an engaging combination of roses, bergamot and jasmine.
And it tastes as good as it looks and smells, too. I’ve tried this a couple times now, the first time, I brewed it without realizing that there was also jasmine green tea blended with the black tea, so I used boiling water. This did not seem to have a scorching effect on the green tea, or at least, not one that I could discern.
However, for the second time that I brewed it, I wanted to try a lower temperature to see if I could encourage more of the jasmine and green tea flavors to emerge. And while I was successful in achieving this goal – brewing at a lower temperature of 185°F brought the jasmine green tea notes more into focus – I think with this particular blend, I prefer the results when brewing with boiling water.
When I brewed it with boiling water, I could taste the “Rosy Earl Grey” notes more prominently, the bergamot and the rose were very distinct, while the jasmine and green tea notes were a little lost. Not completely lost, as I could taste hints of jasmine and green tea as I sipped, but, there was no real distinct jasmine or green tea flavor.
This time around, using a lower temperature, the jasmine is much more distinguishable, as is the green tea flavor. I can still taste the rose and the bergamot, but, these become a little more muddled as the jasmine emerges. Even though I do adore jasmine, I think with this blend, it is best served as what it should be: Rosy Earl Grey.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed both cups of tea immensely. In that first cup, the rose was so strong, almost evenly matched with the tangy bergamot notes. The blend of teas provided a nice background of flavors: primarily that of black tea, I could taste earthiness and hints of vegetation as well as a pleasant sweetness.
In the second cup, the jasmine emerged as the focal point, sweet and exotic, and the rose notes accented the jasmine tones very nicely. There was a hint of sharpness to the cup, something I noticed less with the first cup than now with this second cup. The bergamot was light but it still had that zesty tang to it, and the tea flavors were more vegetative than earthy this time, lighter and not quite as sweet.
If you have an Earl Grey enthusiast in your life, this would make a perfectly romantic Valentine’s Day tea gift for them! I am really glad I finally got around to trying this tea, it is spectacular!
Pear Spice White Tea from Teas Etc.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Teas Etc.
Product Description:
1st Place Winner of North American Tea Championship – Flavored White Tea
This lush blend of Bai Mu Dan white tea,spice and botanicals is intoxicating. Aromatic and flavorful the essence of natural pear is the primary cup character balanced by the spice and blossoms.
A full bodied taste experience that will warm and soothe the day away.
Taster’s Review:
This is a very interesting and beautiful tea. I received a sample of this tea with my most recent order (free samples with each order!), and I’m glad to have the opportunity to try it.
Although, I do find myself disagreeing with the above description a bit. I don’t think that the pear note is the primary character here. Yes, I can taste the pear, but, even stronger than the pear flavor is that of the star anise. From the first sip, the licorice-y flavor of the star anise greeted me with its sweet presence.
The white tea is also one of the main flavors I taste, adding its sweet, gentle flavor to the cup. The pear is coming in as a softer flavor than both the anise and the white tea, and it does take a few sips to really come into focus. Now that I’m nearly finished with the cup, I notice the pear flavor first, although I still would argue that it is not the strongest flavor, only the first flavor to be tasted.
Just after the pear flavor, the anise brings in a snappy licorice flavor. Unlike the pear flavor, which took some time to develop, the star anise started out strong and has since tapered off a bit, allowing for the smoothness of the white tea and pear flavors to come together to form a sense of balance. There are hints of floral notes in this too, which compliment the fresh flavor of the white tea very nicely.
Overall, I find this to be a very pleasing cup. Quite soothing and soft, none of these flavors are incredibly strong, which is a good thing because when it comes to white tea, too strong a flavor can lead to an overpowering presence. Here, the flavors are nicely balanced, and I like how this balance is achieved slowly. With my first couple of sips, it wasn’t so balanced, I noticed the strong anise flavor and then the white tea with the pear flavors dangling out there somewhere, but, when given a little time for contemplation, the flavors manage to create a very harmonious taste.
I like that this tea inspires that time for contemplation. It insists that you take time to enjoy the tea!
Fig Formosa from Teas Etc.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teas Etc.
Product Description:
Full whole leaf quality Taiwanese oolong is the perfect base for the rich taste of Smyrna fig. The addition of cornflower and poppy flower petals add rich color and a natural sweetness enhancing the visual and taste character.
This blend is a complete departure from your typical cup of dark oolong tea and a pleasurable experience whether served hot or cold.
Taster’s Review:
I absolutely love figs. I have very fond childhood memories of them. For a brief time, I lived on a farm and there was a fig orchard on this farm. So on any given afternoon, I could be found in the orchard, picking a fresh, ripe fig and eating it, right there in the orchard. It was one of the most incredible culinary experiences of my life.
Unfortunately, when I go to the supermarket now, I can never find figs that match that memory.
But… interestingly enough, this tea does! This tea tastes so much like those figs that I remember … and because I’m drinking this hot, it even has that warmth from the sun that I recall from those figs. Wow!
The Oolong seems a perfect match for the flavor of fig, as it is smooth and rich but doesn’t overwhelm the delicious flavor of fig. It is sweet and luscious. This is so true to the flavor of fig that I can almost taste the seedy pulp from the fig, I can almost feel that texture.
I do miss those figs from that farm so much, but, I think I may have finally found something that will pay tribute to that flavor that I miss so much and let me indulge in a very memorable tea at the same time.
Cinnamon Apple Oolong from Teas Etc.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teas Etc.
Product Description:
A sumptuous blend of Formosa oolong, sweet cinnamon and juicy apple.
Chunks of green apple swirled with sweet cinnamon pieces and whole leaf, high quality Formosa oolong makes this as nice to look at as to drink.
Aromatic and deliciously satisfying.
Taster’s Review:
This tea smells like my gramma’s kitchen after she’s baked an apple pie, and it tastes like someone put her apple pie filling and some Formosa Oolong tea into a blender and took it for a whirl until completely liquified. YUMMY!
The Taiwanese Oolong base seems a good choice for the flavors of green apple and zesty cinnamon. It has a smooth, rich flavor and it’s natural fruit tones accent the tart apple very well, providing just enough sweetness to keep the apple in balance.
The apple is a tart apple – perhaps Granny Smith? That is what it reminds me of. Not quite as tart as Gravenstein apples, but more like the tart-with-a-touch-of-sweet apple you’d find in an apple pie. And the cinnamon is not a spicy-hot cinnamon. It is a warm, inviting spice that enhances the overall flavor of the cup.
This tea screams Autumn to me, but it is an ever-so-soothing and gentle scream. I love this time of year, and I am loving this tea. Teas Etc. continues to impress me!