Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Tea Description:
Known as “Yunnan Pure Gold”, this tippy black tea from China is easily recognizable and produces a rich liquor with light caramel and honey notes.
Learn more about Spire Tea on their website.
Taster’s Review:
There really are very few black teas that I enjoy more than a Golden Yunnan tea like this Golden Buds Black Tea from Spire Tea. I love the rich, caramel-esque flavor of this tea! It’s so deliciously satisfying.
Every single leaf (well, actually, these truly are “buds”) is fully golden in color, ranging from a matte gold color to a soft brown. But these aren’t leaves that are “tipped” in gold, they are gold from one edge to the other with only slight variations in color throughout the bud. The aroma of the brewed tea is soft and earthy.
And the flavor! It is oh-so-good! Rich! Robust! It is one of those teas that you just sip and then sit back while your eyes roll back and you emit a satisfied “ahhhh” because it’s just that good. It has enough gusto to serve as that first cup of the day, and it is smooth enough to serve as an afternoon tea if you prefer it. It would take the additions of honey and/or milk well, but, I would recommend trying it without additions first. It has a natural honey-like flavor to it already … you might find it to be plenty sweet and flavorful without the additions.
This is a tea that I prefer hot. It certainly tastes good iced, but, to me, it seems like such a waste to serve this tea iced when it tastes as good as it does hot. It’s kind of like serving a filet mignon cold. Sure, it probably tastes good like that. But, really, why would you do that when it is obviously better when it’s served hot… you know? Do yourself a favor and savor the flavor of this tea hot!
Yunnan GFOP Black Tea from Upton Tea Imports
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Upton Tea Imports
Tea Description:
High-grown Yunnan of excellent quality. Sold by some as the best available, this grade is actually the best of the commonly available grades. Brisk flavor without the harshness of lesser Yunnan teas.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Yunnan GFOP from Upton Tea Imports is a really lovely Yunnan. It is is everything that you expect from a high quality Yunnan. It is sweet, malty, rich and has a delicious peppery overtone.
The leaves are long and wiry, and vary in color from a golden tan to a chocolate-y brown. The tea brews up dark, and smells slightly earthy, with notes of spice.
This tea has very little astringency, and no noticeable bitterness. It’s really a pleasant tea to sip – very agreeable! The aftertaste is slightly spicy with sweet notes.
This is a rich and robust tea, which makes it a good choice for a morning tea (and would take the additions of milk and honey well, although I prefer it served straight), this tea would also do quite well as an afternoon pick-me-up.
Delicious!
Chocolate Chai Pu-erh Tea from Della Terra Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tea Description:
This tea has all that you love about chai, the spice and the clove, blended just right with chocolate! Made with Pu-Erh tea it gives it a dark, rich, spicy flavor that, for the chai, chocolate or Pu-Erh lover, will having you steeping another cup before you know it! The chai hits you at first sip and and the chocolate soon follows. Delicious tea for all who love a nice, dark, rich tea!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Chocolate Chai Pu-erh Tea from Della Terra Teas is a very tasty take on the traditional spiced chai blend. It has what I’d expect from a chai – exotic spices that taste warm and comforting – plus CHOCOLATE which you know I am loving … all with a rich, mellow Pu-erh base.
The Pu-erh provides a really solid background of flavor that is earthy and flavorful, without being extraordinarily robust. The Pu-erh complements both the chocolate and the spices here … the earthiness of the Pu-erh works so nicely with the earthy notes of the spices, while the rich flavor of the Pu-erh enhances the rich, sweet flavor of the chocolate.
I am also liking the way the orange comes in to play here. It isn’t a strong orange flavor — it kind of tastes like someone might have squeezed a few drops of fresh orange into my cup. It brightens the cup just a touch without offering a real pronounced citrus-y flavor. It tastes a little bit like someone liquefied one of those chocolate oranges and added a little drizzle of the liquid confection into my teacup along with the tea. Deliciously intriguing.
This is a really well-conceived cuppa … I found it very enjoyable to drink without any additions … although a little bit of turbinado sugar does bring out the spices just a bit and gives a nice sweetness to the chocolate. I bet it would be good as a latte too … but I found it really delicious without the dairy! Try it both ways and see which way you like it best … but you’ve got to try this. This one is a must try for spiced chocolate lovers!
Flecks of Gold Black Tea from sTEAp Shoppe
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: sTEAp Shoppe
Tea Description:
Flecks of Gold Black Tea has a full mouth feel and rich liquor. Forward notes of chocolate enrich your palate with decadence as the floral presence of a quality black tea surrounds your senses. Underneath the creamy cocoa notes is just a hint of spice, just peaking out of it’s hiding place, aloof in nature.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh … this Flecks of Gold Black Tea from sTEAp Shoppe is fabulous! Recently, sTEAp Shoppe expanded their collection to include “Simply Tea” … that is, straight, unadultered, pure teas … including this Flecks of Gold Yunnan Golden Tips black tea … so named because of the beautiful golden tips found throughout the dry leaf.
The description on the sampler I received of this tea suggests multiple infusions, so I’m definitely going to be putting this tea through its paces. This first cup is remarkably rich and flavorful, with notes of dark cocoa and a very appealing undertone of caramel-y sweetness. The tea has an earthiness to it; it tastes rugged and masculine, but with a tender, sweet side to it. The peppery taste of the Yunnan is there too, and in this first infusion, it sort of represents itself as a sort of invigorating … skip-in-your-step kind of flavor. Very enjoyable.
The second infusion is even better than the first! The flavor is smoother this time … there are fewer spiced notes but more of that rich cacao flavor! It has less of that rugged flavor … and this is, instead very sweet, almost like a buttery caramel sweetness.
I usually do not take a black tea for more than two infusions, but, since the second infusion was so delicious, I decided why not! Let’s see what infusion #3 has to offer. And it’s very similar to the second infusion … except … this almost tastes buttery! It’s really smooth and sweet and I taste hints of the spiced notes that were present in the first infusion and seemed to be missing in the second.
The second time I tried this tea, I accidentally over-steeped it during the first infusion. I had set the timer, but stepped away and by the time I was able to get to the tea, I estimate that the tea had steeped for three and a half minutes rather than the recommended two and a half minutes. The flavor is still very pleasant, although there is more astringency here than in a steep where the time was kept to 2.5 minutes. There are hints of bitterness in the background as well, although it is certainly still quite drinkable. But, for the best cup, I’d recommend sticking to the recommended parameters. However, if you do make the mistake of oversteeping it … please know that the subsequent infusions are not affected by this… I still got very flavorful infusions from the second and third steeping of the leaves.
This is a FANTASTIC tea! I highly recommend it.
High Country from Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Description:
After a lot of sampling and mixing various teas, we have come up with our very own “house” blend (or maybe I should say “Lodge” blend). The most inspiring places I have ever visited is the Rocky Mountain National Park and the High Country of Yosemite. The mountain springs and lakes were sparkling and the views were magnificent and serene. Visiting these places filled me with tranquility. We can’t often get away to places like this, but you can relax with a simple cup of tea that hopefully can bring some tranquility in your life. That is the inspiration for High Country Tea. It has a clear brisk taste, great for ice teas. The Yunnan gives it a smooth, creamy taste that is perfect for a latte. This tea is a mixture of three Fair trade certified black teas and has a medium body and several golden tips. It is the perfect tea to keep on hand since it is so versatile.
Ingredients: Fair Trade CertifiedTM Organic Ceylon Black Tea, Fair Trade CertifiedTM Organic China Black Tea, and Fair Trade CertifiedTM Organic Indian Black Tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
High Country from Trail Lodge Tea is a mix of Ceylon, Yunnan, and Darjeeling that provides a robust yet bright cup for the morning.
I feel as though Trail Lodge Tea really captured their own House Blend in this tea. Sipping on this tea makes me feel like I am snuggled up in a warm blanket inside of a lodge somewhere in the mountains. I can almost feel the snowy winter right outside of my imaginary lodge’s windows.
Within this tea is a slightly smoky flavor, along with a bright cheery fruitiness, and a light sprinkling of cocoa and malt.
The mouthfeel is on the thick side, a little creamy but more akin to a coffee texture or thickness.
This tea would definitely give you the kick start one would want in the morning!
There is an astringency in the sip, and learns toward a slight bitterness so don’t over steep!
This is my first experience with a tea from Trail Lodge Tea and I would be happy to try more.
The more I sip on this tea the more character it develops. It reminds me of something that my son and his friends would drink while getting up to go skiing in the morning. Its bold, robust, yet has that fruity kick to keep the cup interesting.
Since I was new to this brand of tea I decided to check out their site, I looked under the “sale” tab. I am seeing teas like Black Forest Cake, Pecan Fudge Tart, Maple Cream, Banana Cream, to name only a few, wow I really need to consider getting more from them soon!
