Rishi Tea

Gongfu!

I brewed this gongfu on a total whim, and it definitely wasn’t the best steeping method for this tea, so I’ll be rebrewing it Western style sooner rather than later. That said, it wasn’t unpleasant – just rather short, as all the added ingredients steeped out quite quickly. Those first few steeps were so fresh and crisp, though! Really smooth and almost ethereal with a bouncy floral brightness and sweet fruity notes reminiscent of fresh peaches and lemon balm. That was definitely as much in part from the osmanthus as the lotus leaf, which were a fun and complimentary duo. The black tea was smooth, medium-bodied and a little bit woodsy and the spearmint added a subtle cooling touch that helped solidify that crisp, clean finish.

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DIhSsqTSOO0/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8XIjrsRPRQ&ab_channel=GUS-Topic

I had returned from a work trip and stopped at Central Market, the local HEB version of Whole Foods and wandered through the bulk tea section. I have enough tea, but the Rishi sleepy tea and this one jumped out at me. Might as well buy more tea before the prices go up, right? One of the reviews says this is a tummy tamer, I’m not sure I’d waste this tea on a rumbly tummy, I have other shou and mint for that. And I wouldn’t call this a traditional chai either. But it is quite yummy and drinkable, chocolate mint vanilla with some licorice for sweetness. The chocolate and vanilla are the most prominent and reminds me a bit of Savoy’s chocolate vanilla mate, but it’s mint instead of mate. I might need more of this in my cupboard.

Matcha sencha sachets. They are fine. Dry tea bag smelled like root vegetable, color of the brew wasn’t terrible, had the grassy sweetness of a Japanese green, but it was really light and kind of lacking in aroma and umami. No astringency or bitterness.

I bought this on sale, I don’t think it’s worth it without discount.

sold for $10 / 15 sachets

https://rishi-tea.com/products/organic-matcha-super-green-teabag-sachets

I got an “Earl Grey Supreme” in a Tea Runners box and based on the similarity of description I’m pretty sure it’s this tea. It’s just ok. Strong bergamot scent in the dry leaf that carried through to the brewed tea. Black tea base is unremarkable and a bit astringent. I ended up adding some honey and milk, which made for a pleasant drink, so I won’t have trouble finishing this sample but I have no desire to acquire more.

Only 1 cup left and I haven’t taken any notes, which seems to be the norm as of late.

The dry powder makes me happy with roasted nuts aroma. Whisked up, the tea is light in flavor and feeling. Light foam. Lightness in the body. It is not rich with umami, nor is it robust. It feels like a cool green stream which is incredibly vague (come on derk, it’s matcha, or course it tastes green and wet), but that’s what comes to mind. I prefer matcha with a more assertive personality but this is nice for times when delicacy of character is needed.

I did take my little setup to work and made a cup for a coworker who had been on a matcha Tik Tok train and was really wanting to try matcha but not wanting to buy from the grocery store. Matcha Ukitsu was of high enough quality and smooth enough in taste to not scare her away on her first try. Not having any experience with green teas before, she said it tasted softly of vegetables like soybean and bok choy. For me, the taste is firmly planted in a bed of young salad greens and wildflowers.

I’ve noticed that in the last few months, I’ve been really gravitating towards straight botanicals more than I used to, and this is easily one of the better that I’ve tried. This special varietal of Greek Mountain Tea comes from the Island of Crete, and it’s probably the most unique tasting Greek Mountain I’ve had the pleasure of steeping. It’s very herbaceous, but in a little bit more of a soft and sweet sort of way with really distinct and clean notes of sage, hops, pine, and honey. Mostly the sage though! There are definitely key differences, but I couldn’t help but also think of yabao as I was sipping this – not only did the liquor steep a similar pale yellow but the aromatics and body were similar too. It’s quite something!

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/DE5TGBAJXhp/?img_index=1

Isn’t it just stunning!? I mean look at the fine, fuzzy down covering the stalks!

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW-tdlCXVOk&ab_channel=BigWarmBed

Brewed this one up today and though I did notice the lingering sweetness of the sarsaparilla a lot more in the aftertaste I still loved it quite a bit. Nice, warming cinnamon with just a bit of real heat to it and then a kiss of sweet orange as if it was freshly zested. I do go back and forth a touch on the sarsaparilla. It’s not that it’s a flavour I generally dislike, but it can be a little intrusively “root beer” tasting at times which conflicts with the other flavours in the blend.

I’m a slut for a good hojicha blend and Rishi definitely has some fun ones, so this was something I had to try out!

It was very, very good. Like I just said in another tasting note, spiced orange is a pretty played out flavour profile but I thought putting in on this more deeply roasted and nutty tasting hojicha base was really smart when it comes to leaning into those more wintery, cozy sort of feelings often associated with this profile. The cinnamon is probably the strongest note here aside from the hojicha itself but it’s a really nice quality and highly aromatic cinnamon that really warms from the inside out and contributes a nice level of natural sweetness as well.

The clove was subtle at first, but does build a bit on the palate over the course of the mug and it also leans into the warm, cozy feelings while creating a lightly tingly and numbing sensation on the bed of the palate and back of the throat. Both this and the cinnamon do a good job to mask the taste of the sarsaparilla so that it can do its thing with adding that round-feeling, sort of “brown sweetness” without distracting from the flavour direction.

The orange could be a little stronger in my opinion, but it is present in a more cooked down/orange peel sort of way – leaning into the spices and giving just a bit of citrusy freshness alongside some zesty pith. Not necessarily “bright or juicy” but more the expected sort of mulled orange or citrus common with this blend profile.

I’m very happy with this tea overall, though! I think it’s a nice addition to my always growing mix of hojicha blends.

knittingopera Swap Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 24
Theme: Silent Night
My pick: The Dreamer from Wild Coast Brew

I was excited to try this because of the sage, but sadly I didn’t drink more than a couple of sips due to the licorice root… It was quite sweet and cloying, and almost tasted like it had stevia in it. Nope, nope, nope! :P

Iced!

I wanted something more intensely fruity for an afternoon iced tea, so I steeped this tea for quite an extended period of time – maybe and hour and a half!? It was totally too long because holy fuck this was sour! Definitely one of the most tart, pucker-inducing blends I’ve had in a very, very long time – with a nice pine-y finish from the rosemary, though. It wasn’t bad, just more than I’d mentally signed up for when I picked it out. Though, but check on the cranberry flavour though. Intense but verrrryyyyy on the nose.

This was one of Rishi’s seasonal blends this year, and I’m glad I placed my order when I did because it sold out verrrryyy soon afterwards. The dry leaf might just be one of the most stunning herbal/fruit infusions I’ve seen in a long, long time. Deep ruby red cranberry pieces with long strips of yuzu peel and rosemary peppered throughout…

I don’t know if I ever would have thought to try cranberry and yuzu together, but it’s a really fantastic, sophisticated feeling pairing. There’s a lot of aromatic, upfront brightness and tart, tangy notes from both of the two fruits but the cranberry adds a thicker, almost jammy element that keeps the infusion from feeling shrill or sharp and the yuzu has that grounding, almost (but not quite) medicinal and pithy feeling element that balances out the acidity and sweetness. Rosemary and yuzu?? Also inspired because the combo really creates this fresh but pine-like note that goes well with the wintery cranberry and builds on this really festive sort of feeling.

I can picture myself drinking this in place of a mulled wine or cider while at a Christmas market, after a chilly afternoon skiing or tobogganing at a cabin/chalet, or picking out a Christmas tree from a farm to bring home. You almost want to have it in a big crock pot and ladled out into those metal camp-style mugs. It’s a whole mood and I am HERE for it.

Pot of tea!

This was the tea that finally caused me to cave and place this giant Rishi order in the first place. I’ve never had plum blossoms before, and was deeply curious what the flavour would be like. Though I intend to play around with a bunch of steep methods, I ended up doing this as a larger Western pot of tea that was shared with a coworker as this was the tea in my order she was most personally curious about as well.

The initial flavour was much different than I’d expected. Insanely full-bodied and rich with tannic, malty top notes and a lot of upfront woodiness as well. Not bitter, but just a little bit drying in a way that took a small teacup or so to get a little adjusted to. Once “acclimated” I felt like I got much more of the almond flavour that Rishi speaks about in their description. Somewhere in between a more roasted tasting almond with some umami to it and then also at times something a little more silky and smooth, akin to fresh almond milk. Also worth noting that despite the nuttiness and slight creaminess this was not a very naturally sweet tasting tea at all. The undertones were quite complex with elements of dark cherry skins and also a bit of a more heady floral component.

I’m curious to see if this one grows on me as I become a little more familiar with its quirks. I didn’t dislike it, but there was a bit of a “spark” missing from the initial tasting that kind of had me more on the fence. I will say, though, that it was a LARGE teapot and it didn’t really take me that long to finish it off – and those final sips were met with some disappointment there wasn’t more to pour. Which is a good sign for future brews.

I’ve seen a couple people this year post about trying the koridashi (aka ice brewing) technique but with snow, and I really wanted to try it for myself – I just had to wait for the right snowfall so I could gather some fresh, fluffy and undisturbed snow from around my apartment building first thing in the morning. Outside of hojicha and matcha, I don’t normally love Japanese green teas a whole lot, but I do really enjoy sake, which is why I wanted to give this sencha a try. I’ve already steeped this tea a few different ways prior to this, and in general, I think it tastes fine with a smooth, buttery flavour and notes of nori lightly perfumed with sweeter, peachy fruit notes imparted from the sake barrel. But this brewing method? Wow. Like, WOW. Much more crisp, sweet and sake forward with almost effervescent notes of floral white peach and Fuji apple balanced by rich brown butter. Basically, all the best parts of this tea that I’ve tasted previously but just amped up a bit!

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEdKgCaSN3p/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tMe_LpUHAQ&ab_channel=MJLenderman

Gongfu!

A few weeks ago I went over to Marika’s for the afternoon to catch up and, of course, drink a shit ton of tea. I’m not really a big sencha person and I know she isn’t either, but I got this in my recent Rishi order because the sake component really fascinated me and I wanted to share it with her because I thought she’d probably have that same curiousity.

We only did two or three steeps, but they were quite nice and smooth! I wish the flavour of the sake was a little bit stronger, but I definitely think there was a lot more of a peachy sweet fruity note and like a smooth, honeyed persimmon flavour that wouldn’t have been present in the green tea were it not for the sake. It balanced out well with the fresh, oceanic umami.

Not a favourite, but really interesting and worth sampling despite my green tea aversion. I feel like I might like it more cold brewed or even just Western style, so definitely some experimentation with this one still to come!

Gongfu!

It’s the incredibly thick but smooth mouthfeel that really catches my attention with this one, and that’s saying something because I’m usually a flavour first and foremost kind of tea drinker. Not in terms of taste, but this viscous black tea liquor really does make me think of hot cocoa made from scratch on the stovetop. Velvety, warm goodness! The infusions are warm and cozy, though, but more a combination of malt, fresh-out-of-the-oven brioche breads, and a softer oaky woodiness. Very rosey and floral in the finish with the lingering sweetness of something like a parma violet hardcandy. Loving the complexity balanced with this snuggly feeling!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJunPrByaFv/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbVKF5yjTSM&ab_channel=CaravanPalace-Topic

Gongfu!

Enjoying a session of this one as I continue to slowly make my way through this recent tea order! This unique cultivar brews up such a beautiful mahogany red liquor with subtle purple undertones to it. Not in taste, but it does kind of remind me of blueberry skins. Even more so in person compared to how it looks on camera. The liquor is very, very thick, and there’s a little bit of bitterness (not a complaint) in the top notes that likely comes from just how heavy-handed I was when portioning out my amount of tea leaf. I’d describe the body of most steeps are quite rich and woody with a mix of oak and apple skin notes that trail off into a more heady, aromatic and rose-y floral finish. At a few points I got just a bit of fleeting sandalwood. Quite complex!

I slept in today for the first time in what feels like months and took a bit of an advent detour with this first gongfu session, so it’s going to be a busier afternoon playing catch up. Well worth it, though!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DDugt9dpwqv/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHbNtOc1oxc&ab_channel=Vilde-Topic

Gongfu!

Right around the start of the month, I got my rather large Black Friday order, so I’ve been enjoying slowly steeping up and exploring all of those teas in between the advent madness. It’s easier some days than others. This one was so lovely, though! Deeply full-bodied with a thick, syrupy liquor. The tasting notes are a mix between dark woods, malt, and leather and punchier, more saturated flavours of waxy red fruits and black cherries. Just a bit of spice that dances on the tip of the tongue and rounds out the finish. If you’re a fan of black teas from Thailand or just looking to try this somewhat lesser-focused on terroir, I think this is a really great tea!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DDe4y0fRYOa/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLrQ_A7mVsw&ab_channel=ObongjayarVEVO

I really like this tea! LOTS of flavor. Sure it’s more expensive than many others, but it’s worth it. Will definitely buy again. Love the combination of Sencha and Matcha. Great quality.

So I have this pile of Rishi samples that I picked up when I ordered another of the glass steeper that I like to use (they call it a “Simple Brew Teapot”, it’s like a French press but the strainer disc doesn’t plunge down). I’ve been trying to just clear out small lingering samples and things lately, so going to try to drink at least one of these a day until they’re gone.

To be honest, this mostly just smells like turmeric. Thankfully, the taste is not nearly as potent as the aroma. It is definitely turmeric-forward, and the ginger is noticeable as well. There’s a mellow fruitiness, but honestly I was hoping for more, given the list of ingredients? It’s not specifically mango to my palate, though I do pick up on the pineapple. Sort of just turmeric and ginger with a mild fruity sweetness to it. Fine and drinkable, but nothing super special. I wish I could taste more mango, the lime, and the jasmine.

Gongfu!

Today, I’m sipping on some Genmaicha while keeping cozy indoors. It’s Thanksgiving (in Canada) today, but also really grey and drizzly outdoors so something toasty and warm seemed appropriate as an interlude to some of the more decadent, spiced and otherwise Autumnal feeling teas I’ve been drinking the rest of this long weekend. I’m brewing with water just off a rolling boil and very, very flash steeps for more of the nutty and roasted brown rice notes and less of the green tea, my personal preference when it comes to a standard Genmaicha such as this one. Hope everyone else celebrating today is staying warm and drinking good tea!

(A quick note that this is a backlogged tasting note – so a belated Thanksgiving post.)

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DBHR3UhSDTI/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl18B1E09h0

Thanks to Kaylee for sharing some of this!! I mixed it with cold milk, and it was definitely interesting! Sometimes it tastes like celery, which isn’t my favorite. Other times, I could really taste a tart flavor that’s reminiscent of sour candy. I had passionfruit a few days ago, so it’s pretty fresh in my mind, and it’s not exactly the same, but I can definitely feel the direction it’s going!

I enjoy green teas but Rishi Matcha Super Green is a BIG NOPE for me. First of all the IMAGE posted on steepster that shows longish thin needle shaped tea is NOT at all what this stuff looks like in the tea bag so I don’t think this is processed like sencha maybe it’s some kind of leftover product from food grade matcha who knows. The shape of the leaf in the teabags are irregular shaped bits NOT long in anyway but triangular broken bit so who knows that is going on in reality. So, I haven’t been tea shopping in a long time, well over a year. When I saw the boxes of Rishi teas I was skeptical because you know there is so much marketing in everything. I was looking forward to trying it and I tasted it tonight. It was underwhelming and disappointing in flavor and scent.
POSITIVES: The tea leaf is GREEN and not stale brown or yellow.
NEGATIVES: Well, I’ve had better sencha with “matcha?”
To my tastebuds this is just lacking in flavor it tastes like dirty water with a slice of radish in it. If I use my imagination… well even if I use my imagination I am not finding a sweet note, I am not tasting a grassy note, I am smelling a slight grass scent if I stick my face into the cup. It is also quite bitter and I did not overbrew it… I’ve made green tea quite a bit. The broken leaf shape in the tea bags do NOT look like longish sencha leaf which I tend to see on better tea. Sorry but everything about this was disappointing and the box cost $10.00 for a few teabags. I’m going to say this is all marketing nonsense like usual for Americans who have not had really good tea. Rating it harshly. Looking between 1 point and 35 points I am only going to rate it a 1 because frankly I don’t want to waste my money on this it feels a bit of a scam almost. I will NOT buy it ever again and I would NOT give it to someone as a gift. Tea like this makes me want to NOT try any more teas at this price. I don’t see where I can post photos but if I can perhaps I will add a photo of the tea leaf later.

Smooth, not too floral. Medium body.

Excellent daily green tea, with a soft, almost sweet green taste. Like very fresh garden peas.