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I bought this off the shelf at their store at 115 S. Walnut St, Champaign-IL. The dry leaf was a mix of inch-long needles and shorter, broken pieces, with a deep green colour. Steeped 2.5 grams of leaf Western style in a stainless steel infusion basket using 8 ounces of 170°F alpine spring water, for 60 seconds, with a re-steep of 90 s. The liquor was clear golden-yellow in appearance with a fragrance of mown grass and asparagus. Flavor notes included asparagus, edamame, chestnut, umami, and a hint of kelp and sweetness. It was delicious. There was only a slight astringency, and no bitter or sour elements. I’ll rate this as 81, the same as Adagio’s Sencha Premier, and recommend it, especially to those in central Illinois as a superb local business worthy of support.

I bought a box of Harney’s Japanese Sencha tea sachets (foil wrapped and nitrogen flushed) at a local tea store today, because they were sold out of dragon well. Steeped for 1.5 minutes in 170° water. The liquor was greenish gold in color, wonderfully aromatic, and tasted nutty, buttery, with notes of asparagus and edamame, and every bit as delicious as another major brand I’ve had recently. Re-steep was also delicious. I rate this as an 81, (same as Adagio’s) and would be happy to recommend and buy it again. I got no bitterness, no astringency, nothing harsh at all. I strongly recommend you avoid oversteeping!

Jasmine Yin Hao. Adagio.
Lot no. 90535. FB: n/a.
Recently received this single-serving portions-pouch of a terrific-sounding green tea, scented with Jasmine flowers, though the flowers themselves were absent from the blend. Prepared the full 3 g portion as directed, Western style: in 8 oz 180°F alpine spring water for 2.5 min. The liquor was a light amber hue, scented strongly of lovely jasmine, both the dry leaf and the infusion. It was a pleasure to drink, though except for a slight astringency, I could taste nothing of the green tea itself. I might as well have steeped a jasmine-scented empty teabag with a few mg of caffeine. I steeped a second infusion, re-using the leaf, hoping the jasmine element might be reduced sufficiently to permit appreciation of the Yin Hao, which by itself is said to be good for multiple infusions or gongfu style prep. Alas, though the jasmine was much weaker, I still could not discern notes from the green base, which I now conclude to be somewhat less than stellar. Really, after reading about the qualities of Yin Hao green tea, it was a disappointment to taste nothing of it. In the end, nothing set this apart from every other jasmine green tea I’ve had. If you like jasmine aroma and flavor, I can recommend this, just don’t expect more. I’ll rate it at 60 for being nice but unidimensional. Still better than drinking plain water!

2005 Changtai “Bu Lang Mountain” Raw Pu-erh Tea Cake. Yunnan Sourcing USA.
The cake is loosely compressed and with only a little prodding 5 g. fell off the cake, enough for steeping. I gave it serial 30 s. infusions in 6 oz. alpine spring water at 195°F. after a 10 s. discarded wash in same. First steep was light amber liquor with soft fragrance of tea, flavors of aged wood, slight astringency and a drying sensation. Second was medium amber with stronger notes of same flavor profile. Some minerality and bitterness along the sides and back of my tongue. A soft, clean petrichor aroma, aftertaste with note of brazil nut and wheat bread and a caffeine kick. Third infusion was the same. For a twist, I turned the Fourth infusion into sweetened iced tea, which was quite tasty. My last infusion, the fifth, was much like the third in color and flavor, even though I’d increased the water to 8 oz., boiling, and steeped for 2 min. This was less tannic and had a smoother mouthfeel. This tea is still relatively young and I’m undecided whether to recommend or not. Overall I found it more of a challenge than a joy to drink, except when sweetened and iced. For now, I’ll only rate it at 50, but revisit in a year and see if it’s improving.

This now, is the second half of the portions pouch I started on 2 d ago. No food yet this morning, though I just finished sipping a slightly brutal 20 yr old raw pu-erh, and this Darjeeling in contrast is striking! It feels in my mouth like a balm to sore taste buds. The gentle spring flower aroma, the sweet liquor with flavor notes of honey and a long finish of molasses, the hint of malt and dandelion flower, and a smoothness in the back of my throat. Light but refreshing, and I’m raising my rating to 79. Sometimes deprivation helps one appreciate what can be had. Darjeelings are redeemed.

Ali Shan. Adagio.
Lot no. 85420. FB: n/a..
Recently got this single-serving portions pouch in a sample box, and it is said to be from Taiwan. Steeped as directed, Western style: the entire 3.8 g of rolled leaf in a stainless steel infusion basket with 8 oz. spring water at 195°F for 2 min. Produced a yellow liquor with a floral nose and buttery smooth floral flavor that included a note of perfume in the first re-steep. A very gentle tea, and the leaves appeared intact and fully expanded after the first re-steep. I noted many full single leaves, and a few sets of 2 or 3 leaves with or without a bud. Vigorous slurping and allowing the tea to crawl up my sinuses at the back of my tongue gave a more appreciable flavor. My overall impression, however, was of weakness. A fourth (final) infusion of the leaf at 205°F for 4 min. yielded a golden liquor with a similar aroma and flavor profile. I’ve enjoyed much more potent oolong flavors elsewhere, though this tea could go well with delicate foods and fruits, or done well by itself—possibly iced and sweetened. I detected grassy and spinach notes as the tea cooled during my session. A good, if basic, oolong, but not one to shop around for. Rating 70.

Spring Darjeeling. Adagio.
Lot no. 85535. FB: n/a.
Having been disappointed by a couple other Adagio Darjeeling’s, I approached this single-serving portions-pouch with trepidation. Received last month, so it’s fresh. For some reason, today I felt I’ve been drinking my teas a little bit over leafed, and so I’ve reduced the amount to 1.5 g per 8 oz. cup (which I feel better approximates the amount inside the pyramid sachets packed by various vendors) instead of my usual 2.5 or 3 g. And I’ve already had fully enjoyable cups, as such, of dragonwell and keemun this morning. No food yet. I noted that the leaf of this Spring Darjeeling was substantially broken (1 cm sized bits), yet a 3 minute Western style infusion produced a clear orange-amber liquor with a gentle, floral aroma. The flavor was a honeyed maltiness, without astringency, and a floral finish. Vigorous slurping increased my enjoyment and brought out other layers of savory wood and soft spiceyness. Overall a nice, gentle tea that was good to sip on this overcast, warm Independence Day (USA) morning. Did not attempt a resteep. I look forward to steeping the rest of the pouch tomorrow morning! Recommend with a rating of 74.

Long Jing Dragon Well. Tealyra.
FB: 11-2026.
This is a fresh, new supply of my favorite green tea, just before Tealyra sold out of it. Prepared as directed, Western style, with 2.5g leaf in a stainless steel infusion basket with 8 oz spring water at 175°F for 2 min. Delicious and every bit as good as the Adagio dragonwell I reviewed yesterday, so I’m raising the rating to 84, to match. A resteep at the same temperature but running 15 min. was equally wonderful. Comments in my prior review four months ago (of a very old bag) hold true, http://steepster.com/TeaEarleGreyHot/posts/457401 .

Da Hong Pao Superfine | Big Red Robe. Tealyra.
Lotsa names for this tea, but a rose by any name… or a turd by any name… smells the same. I brewed as directed, Western. I brewed gongfu. I went for multiple steepings. Yes, I could taste the “mineral” essence, and I definitely got the astringency. I did not get the promised sweetness. I did not get the floral notes in the finish. I did not get fruitiness as it cooled. I did not get the promised “mouthwatering” flavors. I really wanted to, and I’ve returned to this tea repeatedly across seven years, always wanting… hoping… praying… that it would finally pay off. It is said to improve with age. But in the end, I just feel duped. Minerality is another name for rocks (and one name for the tea is rock oolong); the effort of charcoal-roasting the leaves is another way of saying you tried to smoke-off the defects; aging the tea also ages the drinker, whose sense of taste eventually declines; multiple steeps extract out astringency, and the mouth feels faux-sweetness at the relief of not being puckered up by another cup of this swill. Ultimately I became tired of trying to find goodness in a mouthful of wet rocks tasting of carbonized wood. THE KINGS NEW CLOTHES ARE REVEALED! It is as if they took the discarded, spent leaf from an RTD black tea factory and baked it dry, then repackaging it for sale with a hundred promises and a fast getaway car on standby. This tea is a waste of time, money, and spring water. Do not buy this tea, which I rate as 15. Do not waste your money, time, cupboard-space, or friendships with this farm byproduct. I am not only disappointed, I’m angry.

RTD = Ready To Drink

dragonwell. Adagio.
Lot no. 90718. FB 09/2029

Brewed as directed, Western style, in a stainless steel infusion basket. This is a really good dragon well tea! I bought this bag at Adagio’s store in Naperville, IL. The aroma was vegetal and nutty, and flavors included chestnut, light grassiness, edamame, pleasantly astringent, and as the cup cooled, flashes of sweet fruit, possibly grape. Everything I expect from a lung jing! A re-steep was similar, but less potent and non-astringent but still enjoyable, probably because both steeps were 2.5 min. In the future I would simply combine both liquors and enjoy a large mugful, or shorten the first and lengthen the second, to balance it out. Recommended, and rate as 84.