Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Ripe Pu’er
Where to Buy: Mandala Tea
Tea Description:
I love this tea. Spring of 2003 CNNP Yellow Mark ripe pu’er. Brew this up in your gaiwan or favorite yixing pot and enjoy a creamy, earthy and well-aged tea. We first had this in Kunming, China in autumn of 2008 and fell in love with it, buying all we could get. Since then, it has been stored (as all of our pu’er teas) in our climate and humidity controlled vault and we have tasted some nice changes since then.
The selfish part of me wants to keep it all for myself, but this is a tea that needs to be enjoyed by as many people as I can get it out to! If you are a lover of well-kept (never wet-stored) ripe tea, this is a heavy hitter… a must try. I am drinking some right now!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
CNNP Yellow Mark Ripe Pu’er from Mandala Tea has a lovely heaviness to it in the flavor notes. So much so that I could have possibly been fooled into thinking this were a high quality coffee had I not made it myself. Now granted, a thin coffee, but then again I used to drink a very thick turkish coffee before my conversion over to tea. So for most, this probably is exactly the heaviness of a coffee.
This tea has a lovely earthiness to it without being too earthy. The mouthfeel does have a creamy texture which is quite nice. I get hints of notes of vanilla, and butter, but its not too intense on those notes. There is a nice woody taste to the cup as well.
One does not need to use much leaf to get the full effect of this tea. When steeped it has a deep red tone to it. I find the aroma of the tea to be heavier than the flavor itself.
There is a subtle sweetness to the tea which is nice, it is on the dessert end of the pu’er spectrum.
To me, this is more of an every day pu’er – and that is not an insult by any means. Usually when I take the time to sit down and enjoy pu’er it is a process, an event if you will. To me, this is one of those pu’er that is not so complicated that you can’t just make some up and enjoy it every day, on the go, or while working. While it is quite good, very good, it is not so complex that I feel I need to do nothing else but sit down with my yixing pot and dissect it.
Now of course you do get multiple steeps from this tea and you need not steep it for very long. I find that about 20 seconds on the first steep, 30 on the second, about 45 on the third and so on do just fine. This makes it even easier to make while you are working, cleaning, multitasking, and so on. The water temp you can use is also very forgiving. I have made it with water anywhere from 212 degrees to 180 and it fairs well however the recommendation is between 208 and 212. Still if you are on the go and need to use a coffee station somewhere and the boiling water they offer its perfect and you need not steep long so it truly is my favorite “on the go” pu’er, tea for that matter, as it has a real deep flavor that I tend to crave when running errands. Now I dare to say it, but I have actually enjoyed this tea iced as well!
The notes come over as direct and are unassuming. Creamy, full, robust even, woodsy, perhaps a hint of mushroom, buttery, and warm. Simple enough to enjoy every day but delicious enough to savor and appreciate in the moment without it taking too much time to figure it out. I will not say it is my all time favorite pu’er, nor even my favorite from Mandala Tea, but for what it is, it is hardy, and delicious!
Premium Taiwan Oolong Black Tea from Nuvola Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Nuvola Tea
Tea Description:
Taiwan Oolong Black Tea (US$7.7)
Oolong Black Tea is a special black tea created from Oolong Tea. The infusion has a rich amber colour with a luxurious fruity flavour and a smooth mouth-feel. It is not only great as a hot drink that can retain its flavour even after multiple infusions, but also is delightfully refreshing when served cold – a delicious diversion from the everyday.
(Unit Price US$7.7)
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Premium Taiwan Oolong Black from Nuvola Tea has a sinful aroma! It smells sweet, deep, intoxicating. There is a malty aroma cutting through the sweet aroma, then nutty, woodsy, so many wonderful sensations – and this is just the initial smell!
First sip … mmmmmm….always impressed with Nuvola teas! I have to admit, as an oolong lover, I was confused when I read the name of this tea. However upon investigation – which means reading their description, it makes sense. I do plan to do a little more research on this type of tea however because I am very intrigued.
There is a wonderful fruity flavor to this tea, perhaps a berry like fruit. Then we get a deep and earthy note, the mouthfeel is rather on the light side in contrast to the deeper and earthy flavors. Now to qualify, when I say earthy, what I am finding in this tea is a light mineral note, and a slight woodsy note. The deeper, earthy notes would be that of wood, nut, and hay caramel, and cocoa.
The thing is this is one of those teas you want to prepare gong fu style and enjoy multiple steeping sessions. What I am reviewing here are merely steeps one and two. This tea however has so much to offer and will certainly hold up for many more steeps to come! I will be steeping this through out the day and enjoying every wonderful cup!
Steep two for me provides a richer cup, one that is heavier than steep one. It is just lovely! More of the earthy notes come out with a darker sweetness from the cocoa note. The tea becomes more caramel flavored but I can still detect that mineral note shining through along with some slight flavors of the hay as mentioned before. The berry note does not seem as apparent on the tongue but in the after taste it comes through as a cherry flavor. Wonderful! Steep two also has an near creamy texture to it yet somehow still remains refreshing and bright, not heavy or cloying. As the tea cools even slightly the mineral notes get stronger.
I love the complexity of this tea! On one hand its sweet and makes me feel like Willy Wonka in a candy shop but as soon as I find myself relishing in the sweet goodness this fresh breeze rolls in offering a light refreshing note of rock mineral and hay as if I am strolling through the woods on a sunny day. I do a double take and have to ask myself which side of this tea I prefer more but I can’t make that call, no way, both are so wonderful! This is truly a tea for a dual sign like myself, being Gemini I want the best of both worlds and this tea absolutely provides me that! I get my earthy hay and mineral notes that even have an ever so delicate vegetal edge, right down to my need to curb my sweet tooth.
This is a rare and wonderful delight and I highly recommend trying some tea from Nuvola! I know so far I have sampled about 5 of their teas and I have yet to find one that is less than stellar!
See more reviews from the SororiTea Sisters for Nuvola Teas here.
Dong Ding Oolong from Peony Tea S.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Peony Tea S.
Tea Description:
Dong Ding is one of the prime examples of all that is charming about Taiwanese oolongs- smooth texture and refreshing aftertaste often known as ‘hou yun’ or ‘harmony of the throat’. A sweetness that appears after the nutty, caramel like notes continues to delight.. A deep and deeply satisfying oolong.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Dong Ding is one of, if not my all time favorite tea. I can buy some not too far from my home (about 20 minutes each way) but it is very expensive as it is the only “local” tea house we have in my area.
The problem is that I absolutely love that Dong Ding, yet upon asking where they get their teas from I get their typical answer of “fron China”. (insert my laugh out loud). Not to knock our nice little local tea house but I am 99.9% sure they are not sourcing tea directly from a farmer in China. Its a typical answer given when someone does not want to give up their source, which I can respect not wanting to send your customer base elsewhere, but hey can we just say that instead? Okay rant over.
The reason I bring all of this up is because this Dong Ding from Peony Tea S. Is one I could easily substitute my regular beloved Dong Ding with.
A lovely nutty backdrop to floral and fruity notes that rest comfortably in a roasted caramel base.
I am not sure what it is I love about Dong Ding, it just reminds me of the woods, fallen leaves, trees…something about it makes me think I am part of Robin Hood’s Merry men, or ummm okay maybe a damsel in distress, but I would rather be that one girl in the group that shoots arrows and fights the good fight with the boys. Something about Dong Ding makes me reminiscent of going to the renaissance festival, which I try to do at least once a year if not more. There is something so down to earth about it, so soothing, centering. Yet it also appeases my sweet tooth with its fruity notes. It has a flavor of plums, or raisins, or maybe even fig at times. “Dark fruits” rather than berries, heavier, heartier fruits. The sweetness is similar to caramel or the topping on creme brulee, caramelized sugar.
What I do know, is that my explanation of Dong Ding does not do it justice. It is as much of an experience for me as a flavor. As I drink my cup and try to write a clear review I keep finding myself lost in my thoughts, on a journey.
Peony Tea S. provides an excellent tea here and I hope each of you will give it a try and go on your own journey.
Organic Morning’s Journey from Hugo Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Hugo Tea
Tea Description:
Behold friends! The pure black tea blend you’ve been seeking. Morning’s Journey is my private blend of three black teas from three countries. This loose blend holds unparalleled balance and flavor, ready to sustain your adventures—no compass or knapsack required. Keep it close and brew it often.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Okay so the description says they use three types of black leaf but if I had to place a bet on it I would swear there is puerh in this blend! Perhaps, perhaps not, but when these three black teas meld together – puerh is the resulting flavor in my opinion. This is not a bad thing at all. I happen to very much enjoy puerh but I also feel that those who have never tried a puerh or those who would like to but want to dip their toes in gently should give this tea a try! Granted there may not be even a smidgen of puerh in here and if not so be it but the resulting flavors are as such:
Sweet, earthy, deep, and woodsy.
There is a marked presence of a wood flavor here, much like sandalwood that is reminiscent of some of the incense I burn, without feeling like you just inhaled a mouthful of heavy incense smoke. Its not perfume-y, so don’t fear.
Sweet yet clear and crisp notes of berry surface on the initial sip with the woodsy flavor coming out in the after taste.
There is a nice cocoa note that is most noticeable on the tip of the tongue that blends with the earlier fruit notes bringing out almost a honeyesque flavor.
This tea has almost a creamy mouthfeel yet it is bright, not thick or full.
What may be even more interesting to you regarding this tea is not even so much in the flavor profile, but how the tea will make you feel! Before I decided to review this tea this morning, I was extremely groggy. I was no where near a place where I thought I could sit and write a review. However by the second cup, somewhere mid way through it, I found myself invigorated! My eyes were no longer heavy and my mind was firing once again on all cylinders! Now granted that is what a morning tea is usually geared for, but there is a clarity to my thoughts much earlier than normal on this day. This tea works with my energy much in the same way matcha does! I am excited to have tried this and am now going to scout out what other offerings Hugo Tea has!
Hugo Tea only has a small selection of teas however if they are all this good, that is all they really need!
Note: Hugo Tea has informed me that no pu-erh has been used in this blend, which makes it all the more interesting to me!
Organic Shui Xian from Arbor Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Arbor Teas
Tea Description:
Our organic Shui Xian Oolong hails from the Wuyi mountains in China’s Fujian province. This exquisite oolong is produced using the top three to four leaves on the branch. After wilting and bruising the leaves, they are hand-rolled into their final shape. When brewed, these dark green-brown leaves create an amber infusion with an exquisite floral fragrance that complements the tea’s sweetness (in fact, Shui Xian translates directly into “narcissus”). The taste is smooth and lightly sweet, with a subtle dryness reminding of pear skin, followed by a lightly baked aftertaste. As with most oolongs of this type it is moderately oxidized, ranging from 40% to 60%. Like other fine oolong teas, our Shui Xian Oolong may be infused a number of times, with each infusion revealing a new nuance of this tea’s complex flavor.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This tea offers a very fruity flavor and is quite juicy. The roasted woody flavor is one of my favorite notes in oolong but it is so well complimented by the lighter plum flavors. I get far more plum in this cup than peach but regardless I do enjoy the juiciness of this tea. I actually almost choked on my first sip because the juiciness exploded like biting into a ripe plum! I was not expecting this out of such a darkly roasted oolong.
The aroma is lovely with nutty and earth notes working their way up to my senses. There is something in this aroma of must notes and forest floor.
The after taste lends toward the drier notes but it never quite gets so dry that it leaves your throat parched – the juiciness of the tea keeps that from happening.
I love roasty toasty oolong teas especially when they have that backed good flavor in them. The light and subtle sweetness does bring about a bakery essence to the taste.
Of course you have your rock mineral notes in here that are lovely and I do love mineral notes in tea. It comes over as quite refreshing along with the juicy plum flavors and reminds me of sitting along side a fresh running steam watching the water run over the rocks and pebbles within it.
A pleasing tea and from a company that also cares about the environment – can’t get better than that!