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For the full review and pictures, see: www.southern-sips.blogspot.com

There was plenty for me to learn concerning this tea, most importantly of it potency. This was my first Xiaguan tea, and I guess they are known for their strength. No words could describe or indicate the pungency and bitterness from this tea. I prepared it with the same amount of leaves as my other puerhs and oolongs – enough to cover most of the bottom of the gaiwan. This I found out was not such a great idea! My mouth was insulted with its bitterness and my stomach began to speak to me as well, because of this dreadful brew. After trying several infusions, there was no found “mellowed/sweet tea”, again promised by the retailer. This almost discouraged me altogether pursuing this tea at this time, maybe more time is needed to allow this sheng to age.

I must say that the owner of the online shop, was most helpful and willing to guide me to this tea’s sweetness and mellowed taste. It only took me a couple more settings with this tea to finally get what was desired. The trick all came down to lessening the amount of tea used. It really only took about 1/4 the leaves of what I normally use and shortening my steep to 5 seconds instead of 15, to bring out the best from this Tibetan brick. There really is a sweetness and very nice savoriness to this tea, once all the right conditions are met. I’m glad that I now do not have to wait a few more years to try this one again – it will certainly not last that long now!

Extra leaves, hotter water temp and shorter steep time takes this one to a different taste range! There is a citrusy pungency that shocks the senses, then heightens the taste buds for the next transition of taste – pumpkin! Imagine that, what a brilliant concept – Pumpkin Creme Brulee to taste pumpkin-y.

As stated in my first taste log, this is a very nice tea with nice quality to its leaves and liquid. Really nice way to start off the November as we now see that 2013 is almost here. On that thought, I need some more tea! Way too much to do at the moment. Good times.

Rating going up!

After a few more times of actually trying this tea at several steep times, using more leaves and varying water temps – this is a great tea! This tea taste even more wonderful as it cools. There is tons of unique fruity flavors that come out from the liquid, that range from appley to peachy to apricots. Very interesting and delightfully delicious!

See my previous tasting notes for an expanded review.

Thank you Zen Tea for this very nice sample! It is much appreciated.

This tea combo of Genmaicha and Matcha is a very nice treat,when looking for something more than the traditional green or oolong tea. There are faint toasty notes from the puffed rice (which would satisfy the longing for an oolong:), however there is much more complexity than most teas in this class.

There is a fresher, more fuller taste to the tea than other Sencha grades that are usually coupled in the Genmaicha. Zen Tea’s claim of “made from only Ichibancha (tea from the first harvest of the year)”, seems to hold up to its claim. The brew tastes more like a smoothie of some sort, which may be attributed to the addition of the matcha. Whatever may be the case here, it is really good and stands alone in the Genmaicha category.

You can really taste the green tea, yet with a creaminess and very smooth, non-bitter sip. The quality of the leaves are not disguised behind an extra dose of roasted puffed rice, intended to hide it’s shortcoming. I like the fact that you can evaluate the tea, well – for its leaves.

This tea may not be for everyone, especially if you do not normally like the taste of greener teas – this is certainly a GREEN tea and that’s what you get. If however, you love perfecting the lower water temp to ensure the sweeter, buttery and creamy characteristics of a green tea – don’t pass this one up! You can really play with this one quite a bit. I actually used about twice as much as normal in my gaiwan and shorten the steep time and found great success. Very tasty!

Revisiting this one after quite some time. For some reason, I have developed a strong liking to Ginseng Oolong. Maybe, it’s because my taste are still developing. It’s possible, this development is due to try several different ones. Nonetheless, this tea is excellent and my previous rating must be adjusted. With the quality that I find from multiple infusions, the rating is now raised!

It’s hard to compete with a yin/yang type of taste during and after the sip. The first texture is brisk, yet a good dryness, almost bitter – that carries an overall ginseng taste. The dryness swells and becomes sweeter, then more minty. It is a very nice lingering tea.

Definitely delicious! I’m glad I tried this one again!

Let me start by saying that I’m not that much of a flavored tea type of drinker. There are few that I’m willing to try, and those are usually peachy or citrusy blends. This one is an exception, mainly because it is very fitting for the transition into the fall season. The other motivating factor in selecting this tea was its appeal to non-tea drinkers that are searching for new “fall flavored” drinks – by this, I mean my wife. She will NOT try any of my other teas, of which is disappointing and frustrating at times. My only shot of persuasion is using other trusted friends to peer-pressure and offer teas that are flavored to drinks that she loves already. Maybe – one day. So far, no luck on this one. She did say that she MIGHT try it. Let’s hope.

Let me now tell you the dry leaves smells very chai spice-like at first, however this changes quickly as they are steeped. It’s as if the natural flavoring and tea leaves come alive and transform into something entirely different. It smells almost identically as to what you taste during the sip. The infusion produces a medium dark red colored brew, that is smooth and brisk with a semi-mellowed body. The crème brûlée flavoring adds an extra creamy thicken texture, of which pushed this one over the top in winning over my taste buds. I actually was a little sad to not have time at the moment to get more than three cups of this down before leaving for work.

Even if I am not successful on convincing my spouse into trying this tea this go around, it certainly got me on board. Another great creation by Stacy at Butiki Teas. Very nice!

I’m really sad that this box is now done! It’s hard to believe some tea fairies have stolen my tea in the middle of the night and now I’m left longing for more of this wonderful cup! :) Seriously, I’m pretty sure that I didn’t even share this tea, other than a second steeping with the kiddos. I was such a hoarder. It will be missed, at least until I can get some more. One of the best, smoothest Indian teas that I have ever had. IMO – it’s a cupboard keeper or must.

See my first tasting note for further info or description on this tea.

Thanks, to my good friend tunes&teas for sharing this with me.

At last, I finally get to try this lovely Laoshan Black tea! The dry leaves are so dark, twisty and shimmery. The smell of the pre-steeped leaves are chocolaty and sweet.

It’s so hard to comprehend the diversity and variety in the black tea family (all teas for that matter), such as – the region that it is picked, altitude of origin, soil conditions, climate, season of harvesting, level of oxidation, method of processing and many other things. You can really have unlimited options to try and experience. I truly enjoy this about our shared passion of the leaf. It’s teas, such as this one, that truly drive the point home and make you aware of the complexity and potential of great tea. Even smelling the dry and wet leaves, knowing all the info concerning the tea and it’s background – none of these things replace the experience of tasting the tea for yourself!

This tea truly delivers all the hype and advertising. Once the leaves are infused and you try it for yourself, you find that it is far greater than what the smell or aroma indicated. Yes, you taste the rich cocoa base, but there is a cinnamon creaminess that is present as well. The brew is full bodied and has a nice texture or feel inside the mouth. Very smooth.

I started with 3 sec steep on the 1st, then 7 sec on 2nd, 12 sec on 3rd, 17 sec on 4th, 23 sec on 5th, 30 sec on 6th, 2 min on 7th. Each of these produced a very tasty cup of tea and there was no found bitterness during each of the infusions. One interesting thing that I noticed, was that after 3 or 4 steepings, the wet leaves had more of a fresh hot pepper smell to them – green Thai peppers or red habaneros. I didn’t not, however notice any of the spiciness in the brew. That would have added an extra little kick!

This is a great tea and is best suited for a time when you are not in a hurry and can allow the tea give all that it is desiring to release. Of course, you can drink it on the go! Just don’t throw the leaves away. The rested leaves while you are gone will be more than ready to pick back up where you left off. Very nice tea indeed!

These soft twisted downy black tea leaves are long and slender, with a coloring that is just as wonderful as the cup – dark chocolate and coppery caramel, intertwined together. It’s hard to get past the beauty of the dry leaves, but truthfully the brew is just as grand. Let me say before moving on, the prominent aroma from the dry leaves is of shaved dark chocolate – slightly drier, chocolate dust in smell.

The leaves seem to unify in color during and after the infusion. The liquid is full bodied and carries the cocoa aroma to a creamier molasses taste as you finish the sip. The tea seems to hold out very nicely during each of the steepings.

I started with a longer western steep time on the first infusion, then switched to Gung Fu method for a few cups, then back to western. Now looking back, I should have started Gung Fu, then switched to western to get the best take on how the tea really develops. Nonetheless, I’m pretty sure that I enjoy a little longer steep time on this one, in order to get a little bit of the drier astringency feel to the mouth. At least that’s which way I prefer at the moment.

This is a great tea and it certainly speaks for itself. One you must try to fully appreciate it.

Thank you Nuvola Tea for this delicious and unique sample!

What a great idea of offering this very intriguing black tea. It’s always nice to find a good Taiwanese tea, especially a oolong or black – but find a hybrid, now that’s absolutely perfect!

The really long dark strips of tea leaves are more like an oolong, but they are more oxidized to the range of black tea. The taste is sensationally sweet, with some roasted fruity peach notes. The liquid has a pleasant medium fullness with a faint maltiness toward the end of the sip.

This tea is another great reason to love Taiwan teas! Thankfully companies like Nuvola Tea see the need to expose the Western culture to this great treasure. What a privilege it is to experience the long history & tradition of other cultures that celebrate good tea. Definitely a great cup!