I had the pleasure of drinking this unique offering and the Autumn Harvest Laoshan Green with my mum yesterday after I set up her Zojirushi (more on that later). I gifted my mom with four of Verdant’s green teas for Christmas as she is often talking about needing/wanting to drink more green tea (she started drinking coffee this past year!?!!) We started with the regular Laoshan Green and infused it at least six times between a walk and sweeping her patio. She had hard time tasting much the first two infusions. I told her her tongue would get used to it. But I found it very beany, sweet and creamy.

This Bilochun was immediately more savory, nutty and stronger but still creamy, sweet and with the distinct green bean quality of Laoshan’s terrior. I also kept thinking it had an almost roasted quality, even though I was pretty sure it wasn’t roasted and it maintained a very fresh greenness. Interesting what a little bit of hand rolling will do. My mom preferred this one and while I certainly enjoyed it, I think I prefer the lighter sparkling sweetness of the non-rolled, but need to try it again. I’m very curious as to how the the hand rolling might affect Laoshan Black.

I can’t wait to try the Autumn Harvest Laoshan Dragonwell Style Laoshan Green with her and see if she can pick out the cherry notes in Mrs. Li’s Dragonwell. We both got glass tumblers with flat strainers at the top for Christmas so we can sip together all day. Unfortunately the Zojirushi is not going to work out for her and I need to find another variable temperature kettle that has a 170-175 setting, will hold that temperature but does not automatically bring the water up to a boil first. But that’s more for the forums.

Sil

the breville variable temp kettle has a 175 setting and doesn’t go to boiling first. Because it’s not “exact” the range is within a few degrees. I’m really enjoying mine

Autumn Hearth

Thanks for the experience Sil, that’s exactly what I was hoping to hear. Now to search for a good deal or wait till my friends store gets it back it stock so I can use their discount.

Sil

i managed to snag mine in boxing day specials for 115 (so in the us the price would likely have been around 100). Pricey but in addition to having the temp settings, I love that it holds the temperature AND is big! Unlike my previous kettle, i can fill both my travel mugs at the same time and still have water left over for a small cup :)

Azzrian

Which Zojirushi did you get? Mine holds at 175 as well as other temps. Maybe you can exchange for the correct one?

Autumn Hearth

Not sure which model it is as the box is at my moms house and it doesn’t say on receipt. It’s gold, 4L and not the hybrid. It does hold the temp at 175 however it insists on bringing the water up to boiling first then gradually dropping it down which takes forever. So I can either boil less water and then add more filtered water to even out the temp, or let it start to boil and unplugg it briefly at 180 then it goes into keep warm mode which is what I want. This is too complex for my mom, but with a little fiddling once a day I can have my water at the perfect temp all day and since I got it at 50% and its likely not inte Teavana system anymore since its discontinued and the whole Starbucks acquisition, I’m probably going to keep the Zojirushi for myself, buy my mom a Breville and give my sister my electric kettle which has the different temps but doesn’t hold, because she doesn’t even has a stove top kettle right now. Azzrian I may still want to pick your brain to see if there is a simpler way to get it right to 175, like does your model have the reboil button and the Keep Warm button which moves the arrow next to the temps and in what order do you press them (I’ve read the whole instruction manual but its telling me it boils then goes it keep warm mode). Thanks for responding!

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Sil

the breville variable temp kettle has a 175 setting and doesn’t go to boiling first. Because it’s not “exact” the range is within a few degrees. I’m really enjoying mine

Autumn Hearth

Thanks for the experience Sil, that’s exactly what I was hoping to hear. Now to search for a good deal or wait till my friends store gets it back it stock so I can use their discount.

Sil

i managed to snag mine in boxing day specials for 115 (so in the us the price would likely have been around 100). Pricey but in addition to having the temp settings, I love that it holds the temperature AND is big! Unlike my previous kettle, i can fill both my travel mugs at the same time and still have water left over for a small cup :)

Azzrian

Which Zojirushi did you get? Mine holds at 175 as well as other temps. Maybe you can exchange for the correct one?

Autumn Hearth

Not sure which model it is as the box is at my moms house and it doesn’t say on receipt. It’s gold, 4L and not the hybrid. It does hold the temp at 175 however it insists on bringing the water up to boiling first then gradually dropping it down which takes forever. So I can either boil less water and then add more filtered water to even out the temp, or let it start to boil and unplugg it briefly at 180 then it goes into keep warm mode which is what I want. This is too complex for my mom, but with a little fiddling once a day I can have my water at the perfect temp all day and since I got it at 50% and its likely not inte Teavana system anymore since its discontinued and the whole Starbucks acquisition, I’m probably going to keep the Zojirushi for myself, buy my mom a Breville and give my sister my electric kettle which has the different temps but doesn’t hold, because she doesn’t even has a stove top kettle right now. Azzrian I may still want to pick your brain to see if there is a simpler way to get it right to 175, like does your model have the reboil button and the Keep Warm button which moves the arrow next to the temps and in what order do you press them (I’ve read the whole instruction manual but its telling me it boils then goes it keep warm mode). Thanks for responding!

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Bio

Druid, artist, poet, mum, lover of tea, ritual and myth. I grew up on Celestial Seasons herbals but fell in love with straight loose leaf tea working at my local Teavana for a year. I am grateful for the introduction and the experience, but have moved on.

I see tea as an experience for the senses, I like to imagine tasting the land and the weather as well as the effect of sun, air, fire and the human hand. I have a soft spot for shu pu’er, yabao, scented oolongs, wuyi oolongs, taiwanese tea as well as smooth naturally sweet blacks, creamy greens and surprisingly complex whites.

I began ordering lots of samples from Upton to educate myself on different varieties of tea we didn’t have at work and have fallen head over heels for the unique offerings from Verdant Tea. I am learning things I like: buttery mouthfeel, surprising sweet or spice notes, woodiness, mineral notes, depth and complexity and things I don’t: astringency, dry and sour notes.

I collect tea tins and am in danger of collecting pots, though I am trying to restrain the urge due to current lack of space. I brew mostly in a glass infuser mug or a tea maker, only using cast-iron for company now (still need to get a gaiwan) and tend not to sweeten my teas unless they are British or fruity and iced, which is not often.

As far as ratings, I lack a definite system and haven’t been assigning numbers lately, wanting to spend multiple sessions with a tea first. I usually only log a tea once, unless it is a new harvest or I have significantly different observations, but will go back and edit or comment if I find something interesting or new.

Location

Baker Street, Berea, Ohio

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