Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: WhiteAugust Tea Company
Product Description:
Tie Guan Yin is one of the most enjoyed of the Chinese Oolongs. The spring leaves and buds are toasted in large woks which enhances the tea fragrance. Mild and smooth, this tea is easy to pair with any meal.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf has a very subtle yet intriguing aroma that is very “outdoorsy” to me. I can smell elements of wood and smoke, as well as hints of flower. There is also a distinct fruity note. On Steepster my SororiTea Sister – Jennifer aka TeaEqualsBliss – described that fruity scent as grape-like, and I agree with that comparison. It’s really a beautiful fragrance.
After steeping, the liquor has a strong smoky scent but I am thankful that that smoky essence does not translate as strongly to the taste. There is a hint of smokiness to the flavor, but, I would really describe it more as a roasty-toasty kind of flavor than a smoky flavor.
This tea also possesses a lovely peach-like flavor in the background, as well as a deep woodsy flavor. It is very smooth with a light astringency at the tail and a sweet roasted aftertaste. The overall cup is mellow and quite soothing. A great tea to enjoy later in the afternoon, when you’re wanting to unwind, or after a meal to help calm the spirit.
Lovely!
Pinup Girl from WhiteAugust Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Oolong
Where to Buy: WhiteAugust Tea Company
Product Description:
This complex beauty has the strength of a smooth black tea with the mellow fragrance of a classic oolong.
Taster’s Review:
This is a very interesting tea. The name is somewhat diametric to me, mostly because it is quite an expressive name and evokes one kind of image or thought, while the taste of the tea, in my opinion, is somewhat masculine and therefore evokes a completely different image.
That’s not to say I dislike this tea – I like it very much – so I guess it’s rather silly of me to be nit-picking about the name of it… so shall we move on?
The tea has a very distinguished and smooth character to it. It is a mellow tasting tea making it a nice choice for afternoon enjoyment. There is a very pleasant sweetness to it and I like the way the qualities of the two teas meld together. It has a deep, complex flavor and a soft mouthfeel that does not linger, but is cut by the hint of cleansing astringency in the tail of the sip.
The overall flavor is somewhat woody and there is the faintest wisp of smoky flavor in the background, too. It is sweet with a subtle sour note that arrives mid-sip, and a peach-like flavor that weaves its way in and out. The aftertaste is sweet and even vaguely floral but it is like a whisper and does not linger.
So maybe the name is not such a diametric one, after all! Maybe what I mistook for masculinity is actually bold strength. While the soft, feminine touches in this cup highlight some of the delicate nuances, it is the strength that defines the tea – and it is a woman’s strength that truly defines her. This tea is woman! Hear her roar!
ConfeTea from WhiteAugust Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: WhiteAugust Tea Company
Product Description:
The perfect Tea for putting a smile on your face. Let’s get the party started with our Indian Black Tea blend that will remind you of vanilla cupcakes with candy sprinkles.
Taster’s Review:
What a fun tea! And it really does smell like vanilla cupcakes!
I love cupcakes – I go positively giddy every time I see something cupcake (especially if I see a cupcake bakery! haha!) So I was really excited about this tea. The cute little candy sprinkles add such life to what might otherwise be an ordinary-looking black tea.
The candy sprinkles melt during steeping, and add just a tiny bit of sweetness to the cup. (If you like your teas sweet, you might want to add just a little more) The black tea is brisk but not overbearing, and has a pleasant, inviting taste (and aroma!) There is a light astringency to this cup. It is not bitter, though, even after five minutes of steeping.
This tea has a light vanilla taste to it. Like the black tea base, it is not an overwhelming vanilla taste.
This would be a great tea to serve to guests (a great party tea!) because it has a fairly mellow tone to it, it is not overly astringent. It is not cloying nor bitter… a very friendly sort of tea!
A Girl’s Best Friend from WhiteAugust Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: WhiteAugust Tea Company
Product Description:
You’ll be distracted by this bright and shiny Tea. A luxurious strand of Sri Lankan black tea, faceted with blueberries, elderberries and hibiscus gems.
Taster’s Review:
Some girls consider diamonds to be their best friend; me, I’d much rather have tea! So this tea from WhiteAugust really interested me. The name says just the way I feel when it comes to tea!
The dry leaf is quite beautiful and smells strongly of blueberry. As it brews this berry aroma intensifies – filling the whole kitchen with the delicious scent of blueberries! Yummy!
The flavor is quite pleasing. The black tea base is the strongest flavor and it tastes rich and brisk. Not at all bitter but there is some astringency that leaves the palate feeling clean, dry and ready for another sip.
The berry flavors are tart, but I am not finding it to be an undesirable flavor in this cup. There is a light sweetness from the blueberry, and the hibiscus does its part by adding a slight reddish hue to the brewed liquor as well as a bit of its signature tartness. And while I am not one who normally enjoys tart teas, I am finding that the level of tartness is just right for this particular tea. I actually like the tartness in this tea!
This tea is delicious hot or iced. I find it to be most delicious, though, when it is warm … not tepid or lukewarm; but at a nice, drinkable temperature that is warm enough to be a “hot” tea but not so hot that it burns the tongue. At this point, I find that the flavor of the hibiscus has not yet “popped” so it is still at a pleasant tart level, and the flavors of the blueberry really shine through nicely while still allowing the black tea to be the star of the show.
So far, I have tried a few of WhiteAugust’s teas and I must say that I am incredibly impressed with them. The teas are appealing to the nose and the eye as well as the palate. They’ve a beautiful, easy-to-navigate website and they are incredibly nice too! Everything one could want from a top-notch tea company!
Rogue Wave from WhiteAugust Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: WhiteAugust Tea Company
Product Description:
Bold Japanese sencha tea, creatively entwined with toasted coconut and ginger to create a one of a kind experience.
Taster’s Review:
This is my first experience with this tea company, and I’m happy to report that it is a positive one! This is an excellent tea.
I must first mention the aroma because it is remarkable. As my teacup sits in front of me, the most amazing fragrance is wafting to my olfactory nerves that is divine and yet difficult to describe. It has a fresh, grassy smell that reminds me of a green meadow in early spring, and the sweet smell of coconut, mingling with a distinctive peppery note of ginger. These scents combine to create a rather unique and beautiful bouquet.
The flavor is lovely! The Japanese Sencha base is sweet and grassy but not that bitter-grassy taste that some green teas possess. There is a smoothness to the tea also and a buttery quality that melds nicely with the flavor of the coconut.
The coconut tastes authentic and I can even feel the slickness from the coconut on my tongue. It’s rather delightful! The ginger flavor does not stand out at the start of the cup, but as I continue to sip, I notice the peppery flavor begin to intensify, and is especially noticeable in the aftertaste. The tea finishes with the silky feeling of coconut gliding over the palate, and a slight kick of ginger just at the tail. It is just enough to keep my interest and make me want to take another sip.
I really like this tea! The interplay between ginger, coconut and Sencha is absolutely delicious! Sweet, but not too sweet. Gently spiced. A smooth vegetative quality. A pleasing balance that I think any tea enthusiast would enjoy.