Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Product Description:
Hearty and rich, this green tea could stand up to any meal, if you could stand to do anything but appreciate its complex flavor. From the Taoist Holy Mountain of Laoshan, the leaves are hand picked and slowly dried over a wood-fired wok. The tea is bean-like, and sweet, with grassy undertones and a thick body.
Taster’s Review:
The aroma of this tea is fantastic. It is as close to what I’d imagine a sun-drenched grassy meadow filled with wildflowers to smell like as any other green tea I’ve ever experienced. I can smell the grassy tones, the crisp sweetness of the air, and the beautiful flowers. It smells fresh. It smells amazing!
The flavor is equally as amazing – and there are some rather unique characteristics about this tea that I don’t often experience with other green teas. The above description is correct: I can taste the bean-like notes there, giving it a rich thickness not only to the texture but to the taste. Unlike some green teas, this doesn’t taste “light.” Nor does it feel light – the body here is smooth, rich and substantial.
It has a mild sweetness with hints of nutty flavor. Far in the distance, I can taste a very subtle roasted tone that compliments the nutty tones nicely. There is also a very distant floral note to this tea that is difficult to pin-point because just as quickly as it appears, it disappears. It is teasing my palate!
This Laoshan Northern Green has an interesting vegetative note that is somewhat grassy and somewhat like steamed spinach. There is even the earthy, savory tone at mid-sip that reminds me of the flavor of steamed spinach.
A very lovely green tea experience is in store for anyone who tries this tea! I highly recommend it.
Wuyi Mountain Big Red Robe Oolong from Verdant Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Product Description:
It took Verdant Tea 4 months of sampling to find a Big Red Robe unique and delicious enough to really justify importing. This incredible tea from the rocky cliffs of Wuyi mountain offers a side of Big Red Robe that most people have never seen. Usually all you get is caramel, chocolate and floral notes. This goes far beyond. In early steepings, there is an intriguing sensation on the tongue, almost like the metallic vibrations of a bronze cast bell, or the idea of fast moving water flowing over slate. As the tea opens up, there is a perfectly synthesized note of orange and elderberry that dominates, and lingers in the back of the throat. In middle steepings, the elderberry orange flavor splits into fruity wine grape notes, hibiscus-infused dark chocolate, and molasses cookies with crystalized Thai ginger. In late steepings, the thick beany and malty flavor of Laoshan green comes through, combined with the lilac sweetness of Tieguanyin. One of our favorite aspects of this tea is that it was expertly roasted in a way that lets so much complexity come through the caramel notes of any darker oolong. If you are interested in oolongs, or seek a very comforting yet engaging tea, give this a try for a new perspective.
Taster’s Review:
The first couple of times that I tried “Big Red Robe” Oolong teas, I wasn’t too thrilled. I found the smoky notes and strong earthy quality to be a bit too much for me. Since that time, I have re-embraced the joy of brewing my Oolong teas in my gaiwan (a tool I once stowed away because I thought it to be too much of a hassle), and this has allowed me to become better acquainted with and even become friends with the Big Red Robe.
That is not to say that I now do not experience the smoky and earthy tones of this Oolong, but, by using short steeps in the gaiwan, I find that these notes do not overwhelm the cup the way it had in the past. Also noteworthy is that I now utilize the “rinse” or reawakening of the tea leaves, which helps to lighten that first infusion just enough so that I am not overwhelmed by earth and smoke.
Following that rinse, the first two infusions of this Oolong delivered a lovely, complex cup that was all at once fruity (peaches and raisins), earthy with a touch of dark, dry cocoa powder, and possessed the slightest wisp of smoke. In the background I could taste hints of caramel and honey. The infusions that follow deliver more of a floral taste. A distinct, tangy citrus note hits toward the tail and lingers into the finish. The caramel develops well by the time I’ve reached the fourth infusion – it is sweet and luscious. The fruit flavors have redefined themselves: the raisins taste a bit more like currants while the peach becomes more subdued, allowing for the citrus-y profiles to emerge.
I love the complexity of this tea. I found myself eagerly awaiting each infusion to see what flavors it would bring. I’m really liking what I’ve tried thus far from Verdant Tea!
Yunnan Golden Buds from Verdant Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Product Description:
Three years ago, we found an incredible Golden Buds tea from Yunnan during a research trip. Since starting to import teas, we have been looking for another crop that would live up to our memories, and we finally found it. The first steeping is sweet and rich like honey candy melting in the mouth. The body is full, with the substantive creamy texture chocolate milk. The second steeping is where the tea really starts to shine, with the honey sweetness moving quickly towards that lingering natural sweetness of cinnamon tea, boiled from Vietnamese cinnamon bark and reduced for hours. This cinnamon sweetness combines with the creamy quality to create a full and satisfying black tea experience subtle enough for even a white tea enthusiast to enjoy. Late in steeping, the particular floral creamy texture of a good Tieguanyin oolong comes through. Try this one as the perfect after-dinner tea, or steep it up for hours in a gaiwan and watch it change.
Taster’s Review:
These leaves are gorgeously golden!
I steeped this tea in my Breville One-Touch and after steeping, I generally remove the lid so that I can remove the basket before I pour. The aroma that emerged as I removed the lid was incredible. It smelled just like honey. I was not prepared for just how deliciously fragrant this tea would be.
I fully intend on taking advantage of the multiple infusions that the above description promises, so, I hope you’ll stay with me as I write about each one …
The first infusion is very much as the description suggests, it tastes very much like honey. There are hints of a smoky-spicy background that are hiding behind the abundant honey flavor. However, these intriguing notes seem to peek out every once in a while just to remind me that they are there, and entice me to continue to sip so that I can move on to the next infusion … and hopefully experience them a little more. This first infusion is (obviously) sweet and incredibly smooth in both taste and texture. Pleasantly rich and invigorating.
With the second infusion, the honey flavor is not quite as strong but it is still there. While it is still piping hot, the honey tone is the flavor I notice first, but it tapers off almost immediately and becomes more of a hint of sweetness rather than a strong presence. The cinnamon tones mentioned in the description are certainly there, although I can’t say that I’ve ever tasted the Viennese Cinnamon Bark tea before.
As this second infusion cools slightly, more of the honey tones emerge, but still not quite as strong as with the first infusion. It has a deep, wood-like taste to it, not so much smoky, I think I’d describe it more as rustically masculine. Rugged. The texture is a little thinner, and I’m noticing a bit more astringency than I did with the first infusion.
With my third (and final) infusion, I noticed a smoother, mellower tea. Undercurrents of honey-esque tones, with a savory spiced tone in the foreground. Less of the wood-like flavor that I noticed so distinctly in the second infusion. Interestingly enough, though, the texture feels much more like the first infusion than the second – rich and smooth, with a soft mouthfeel. Less astringency with this infusion, too.
I really enjoyed my journey with this tea. A beautiful tea to enjoy on this beautiful afternoon.
2006 Twin Elephants Tea Trail Commemorative Shu from Verdant Tea
Tea Type: Pu-erh
Where To Buy: Verdant Tea
Product Description:
Year: 2006
Dry Leaf: Small black leaves and vibrant orange curled buds.
Aroma: Musty notes of a long-extinguished campfire, and the smells of hot chocolate and oatmeal with raisins.
Tea Color: The dark red-brown of rosewood, completely crystalline with tea oil swirling on the surface.
Taste through early steepings: Assertive and literally mouth watering spearmint and cedar notes which quickly evaporate off the palate leaving the sweetness of flaky pasty and dark mission figs. A few steepings in, a warmth builds up in the throat like the glow of red wine.
Taste in middle to late steepings: The dark fig sweetness develops into a deeply complex spice of ginger and ceylon cinnamon with hints of cracked peppercorn, while paradoxically becoming cooling on the tongue. The tip of the tongue is engaged by the subdued sweetness of raw sugar.
Steeped Leaf: Dark mahogany brown, with buds still tightly coiled.
Notes: This brick is an excellent investment. At a lower price point, this tea offers an incredibly intriguing and diverse set of flavors that could only grow with time.
Tasters Review:
Right up front I will say that this pu-erh blew me away! My favorite part were the plum and fig notes. I did do an infusion test with this one and think it would just be easier to show you how that went so – here goes!
My 1st infusion was for approx 5 seconds. The aroma after infusion was musky, woodsy, and raisin-like. The color was a light reddish brown. The taste was fairly malty with a hint of raisin or figs. I seemed to enjoy it a bit more after it cooled for just a few moments.
Infusion 2 was for 8-10 seconds. It was darker in color a nice medium brown. The aroma is musky and of PLUMS! Yum! The taste is Plum-like and near creamy. WOW! I enjoyed the 2nd infusion much more than the first. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the first but the 2nd touches my heart and soul a lot more! This is truly special!
My 3rd infusion was for 10 seconds or so. The color was Dark(er) Brown…much like a hefty black tea. The aroma: was a Bolder-Musky and a little less plum scent than the 2nd infusion. And the taste was creamier than the last infusion, still very plum like with the taste, semi-mouth watering.
I really like this 3rd infusion, too, I would say equally as the 2nd infusion but they taste distinctly different. This is very nice! I appreciate the change-up in flavors between infusions! This is a solid Pu-erh! Two cheers for Verdant Tea!
2003 Farmer’s Cooperative (Mt. Banzhan) Wild Arbor Zheng Tea from Verdant Tea
Tea Type: Pu-Erh
Where To Buy: Verdant Tea
Product Description:
Year: 2003
Dry Leaf: Very dark, large curled leaf, unbroken with longer stems. Loose hand-pressed ball of tea.
Aroma: Smoke of a campfire deep in a wet forest of redwood and eucalyptus after fresh rain.
Tea Color: Small floating down gives this Chardonnay color a darker opacity that turns orange in sunlight.
Taste through early steepings: Immediately creamy with a tingling sweetness like the finest spring Gyokuro. Assertive notes of toasted walnut and hazelnut linger in the throat. As this continues steeping, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom spice with mucovado brown sugar play across the palate.
Taste in middle to late steepings: The intriguing muscovado sweetness carries through even as the intense tingling texture subsides. The spice of early steepings slowly moves towards baked apple. Very late in steeping, the texture of licorice root comes through across the tongue accompanied by notes of malt and barley.
Steeped Leaf: Enormous dark green leaves that are thick and strong with abundant buds and long stems.
http://verdanttea.com/gallery/farmers-cooperative-sheng/
Tasters Review:
I’m very happy that Verdant told me to rinse twice 🙂
My first ‘real’ infusion – post rinses – was quite pleasant – but still full of natural flavor! The aroma wasn’t overwhelming and the taste was a bit nutty with a tad of sweetness for a pu-erh. There was a slight earth-green type taste in the background, too. I ended up liking that quite a bit.
It was like camp-fire smoke from a distance toward the beginning of the aroma but then it changed up into a wild minty-fresh trying to hide underneath. This reminds me of the great outdoors!
I did multiple infusions on this and they were equally as good.
This wasn’t bitter at all. It is quite sturdy but oh-so-nice!