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I dug out my expensive ceremonial set for today, my husband is at home all day (which is a rarity) and it would be nice to have a Pu Erh session. To drink Pu Erh I need to give it time and the love it deserves, if I can’t steep a Pu Erh over at least a 3 hour period it seems wasted.

Today’s Pu Erh is this Yang Pin from 2010. It’s only from a sample pack but I am looking forward to trying it.

The raw Pu Erh consists of dark green, brown, dark brown and gold leaf pieces. The brick contains broken and whole leaves though from a quick look I cannot note any discolouration. It has a musty yet sweet scent, with wood smoke and damp earth.

Steeped it has a subtle yet sweet almost herby scent.
Flavour is mellow, sweet and creamy with elements of damp wood, bitter earth and wood fog. It lingers in the after taste.

Further steeps reveal some sourness and an increase on the smoke and damp wood flavours. It’s not unpleasant but there is a roughness to it now, a contrast to it’s sweet and creamy beginnings.

This was a nice tea though it became harsh too quickly for my liking. I don’t think this would be one I would buy more of, though it’s going to be easy enough to finish off the 50g sample.

Taken from the EUTTB return of round 2

The blends raw scent is of cinnamon bark, dry pumpkin and ginger.

1 bag, boiling water for 4 minutes.

Steeped scent is thickly and sweetly cinnamon stick with a touch of clove and ginger.

Flavour is super sweet (like 10 sugars sweet) with a dry cinnamon and clove taste. It’s sweetness is too sweet for me, compared to it’s spicy tones it’s refreshing, brings out the clove. So sweet cinnamon and clove…not quite Halloween but rather reminding me of Christmas. After half a cup it gets sweeter and becomes harder for me to drink. I love strong cinnamon teas but it’s the pure sugar sweetness I can’t handle.

For pictures please view my blog
http://www.kittylovestea.co.uk/2014/10/31/halloween-tea-showdown-2014/

The blends raw scent is of smoky wood and cocoa. Sweet though sour .

1.5 tsp of blend put into an empty tea sac with boiling water for 4 minutes.

Steeped scent is strongly vanilla and malty.

Flavour is medium strength with sweet and creamy vanilla tones, light malt and smoke tones and a minty after taste. Quite a lot going on though at a decent balance. The chocolate is not very noticeable though it may be part of the malt like flavour i can taste. Due to the vanilla and mint it reminds me of hard boiled sweets, kind of like candy cane.

For pictures and a comparative view against the black base and rooibos base please view my blog.
http://www.kittylovestea.co.uk/2014/10/31/halloween-tea-showdown-2014/

The blends raw scent is of cocoa. Sweet though with a light herbalness.

1.5 tsp of blend put into an empty tea sac with boiling water for 4 minutes.

Steeped scent is strongly of rich cocoa. Sour and dry.

Flavour is dark, rich and smoky with dry cocoa, sweet vanilla and subtle mint tones. It tastes like mint chocolates. It would seem the base change from black to rooibos has made a grave change (har har).

For pictures and a comparative review between the black base and rooibos base please view my blog.
http://www.kittylovestea.co.uk/2014/10/31/halloween-tea-showdown-2014/

I bought a whopping 125g of this to re-stock my cupboards, it was a tragedy to run out of Long Jing. This was a risk buy from AliExpress, I bought a teapot set from the same seller so thought it may as well come with some tea too.

This is my new tea set, which also how I will be drinking this Long Jing tonight.
http://tinypic.com/r/24gswg4/8

The leaves are dark and medium green with a sweet yet dry floral scent and hints of butter. There are some stems and broken leaves present, not quite the quality I was expecting, at least so far.

In flavour this is mild in strength with butter, sweet grass and mixed flowers. It’s clean tasting despite it’s rough look, though it’s mildness is surprising. Also it’s dryness is not too bad. Further steeps become sweeter and it lingers in the mouth. Light mineral taste too, maybe fresh spinach.

It tasted better than I thought though next time I will try a stronger steep. I tend to like my Long Jing strong, though I’m happy I can drink it mildly if necessary. Will just have to experiment.

I asked my husband what type of tea he wanted tonight, he said 0olong, so I asked gongfu?or gaiwan? He said Gongfu. My next question was green oolong? Or dark oolong? He went for green. And without the blink of an eye I went to my tea shelves and pulled this one down. I wise choice, I believe.

The oolong balls are small/medium in size with some stray leaves amongst them. They are a dark/medium green colours and have a toasted grass and sweet hay scent.

I can taste grass, toasted nuts (chestnut if I had to pick), sweet flowers (lily) and cream. All before a mineral (kale) after taste with some dryness.

Further steeps bring out a more floral side than previously and with more cream. Now there is a bouquet of floral flavours: lily, violet, gladiola, honeysuckle. It’s as though it’s turned into a different tea part way through. Not better, nor worse…just different.

A rather complex Tie Guan Yin that became more complex and flavourful with each steep. As nice as it was I did note some holes and mild discolouration on the leaves once they had opened up post-steep.

I’m a little late reviewing this one from the club but I’ve been in a green tea mood today and finally pulled this one from the shelf.

Opening the bag I am met with the strong scent sweet honey suckle and dry grass.
The leaves are thin, curly and consistently dark green.

Flavour is light and fresh, the super sweet honeysuckle coming through and lingering in the after taste. Also subtle hints of toasted grass and butter. Leaves mild dryness in the mouth.

This was delicious! A sweet and gentle green tea that though became dry, has freshness that makes up for it. Perhaps the sweetest Bi Luo Chun I have ever tried.

The leaves smell sweet and floral, almost creamy.
In appearance they have a high shine and contain a mixture of green colours. Mostly with leaves being whole, dry and crisp.

Flavour is sweet and grassy with a dry almost perfumed after taste. Also has strong broccoli and savoy cabbage vegetal tones. The sweetness is rather buttery.

Now I’m drooling over the thought of purple sprouted broccoli cooked on a griddle with butter.

The dryness increases, if it wasn’t for that this would be a very nice Long Jing. The quality was nice though and so are the flavours. This is the lowest grade of Long Jing that the store sells, I will definitely try their better grades. Would say it’s perfect for everyday Long Jing.

Oriental Beauty served with pumpkin and pecan pie while I watch Gothum. Basically everything is simply perfect!

Raw leaf smells of musty maple.
Steeping:
Leaf – 5g
Water – 90C
Method – Gaiwan 200ml

In flavour this is light, sweet, wooden and nutty. Also getting a hint of spice and plum. Very clean tasting and the sweetness is wonderful. Has a light dry and nutty after taste.

I think this has been the best Oriental Beauty I have tried. :)