TeaSource

Edit Company

Recent Tasting Notes

45

I don’t think TeaSource carries this any more. I am about to admit defeat. I think I have yet—in recent memory; this bag has been around a long time—to steep a cup at any time and temp that results in anything but bitterness. I just want it to work so badly—-it’s an Kopili Assam, which I love in black form. I hate not liking a tea!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

45

I ruin this one more than I get it right. There is about a half of a fourth of a degree leeway on this one before it goes wickedly bitter. A basic green ought not to be that finicky!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

45

It’s taken me several times to find the sweet spot for this one - it’s a “no kidding I mean don’t put boiling water on the leaves” green. But at just a couple minutes with gently heated water, this actually does turn into a nice, sweet Assam lite.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

45

I think I’ve worked out the formula to brew three “varieties” of this one in one pot: just under three minutes for me, another minute for my husband, yet another minute for what he’ll ice down at work (he likes the bitter bite of oversteeped green…go figure). At the three-minute point this morning, anyway, I’m catching a little bit of nutty-sweet to balance the greenness.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

45

Husband has been reading about the health benefits of green tea for … uh, things that ail guys his age … and ordered this hoping to find something that isn’t quite so vegetabley. Out of the pouch, it smells very close to a traditional Assam, maybe just a touch lighter. Fresh brewed, the green hits you before the maltiness, and is a touch bitter. Which hubby likes. I need to experiment a little more with proportions, but will do so willingly to be able to share a pot of tea with my spouse!

Cofftea

Yay for being able to share tea w/ someone! Drinking tea isn’t as much fun drinking it alone.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

71

Comes in 1" cubes of pressed leaves. Is more in the Taiwanese/Green leaf production style which might be surprising if you’re expecting to see a blacker tea. But the flavor notes are wonderful. Floral top notes are very subtle, a somewhat grassy finish, but not overdone. Won’t be everyone’s favorite oolong, but my palate appreciates the grass/floral combination and I could imagine it pairing well with savory foods vs. sweets. I’ve gotten at least 3 fine steeps from my single-cup measure, TeaSource’s instructions recommend using 1/3 of a cube.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

92
drank Keemun Yi Ji by TeaSource
115 tasting notes

I love a good Keemun tea. This usually means a high grade variety such as a Hao Ya “A” or “B” grade. A good Keemun has a flavor profile that I don’t find in any other tea that is unique enough I personally refer to it as the “Keemun” flavor. It’s a mix of dark chocolate, smokey, piney, oakey, and earthy notes as best I can describe it. I have found over the years that there are other Keemuns out there that have this flavoring (more or less) and are excellent Keemuns deserving of the name.

I’m a fan of the TeaSource.com which I have no connection with other than a happy customer. The owner shops for his teas personally and picks good ones most of the time. “Good” is subjective hence I say “most”. Their Keemuns are no exception. They carry several (when fully stocked), such as the best Hao Ya “B” I’ve ever tried. But this one is one of several Keemuns from there that are worth mentioning. Besides their Hao Ya “A” and “B” grades, I have tried their Grand Keemun and now this Yi Ji Keemun.

The tea leaf of this Yi Ji is nearly on a par with a Hao Ya A grade. I would say it’s the A grade quality without the price of it. It is small tight consistent black leaf that is very nice quality with a pleasing aroma with dark chocolate notes noted from the bag. I steeped it 3 minutes at near boiling. The brew is dark and bold. On a scale of 1-10 for having the “Keemun” flavor profile, I’d say it’s an 8 or maybe 9. It’s a great value Keemun, with the only thing lacking in this excellent Keemun is maybe a shade less of the light smokiness of a good Keemun. When I say “smokey” don’t think Lapsang Souchong or Russian Caravan. It’s a very pleasing hint of smokey with a oaky/piney flavor that is wonderful! So again, this tea has a shade less of that but it’s still a really great Keemun, well worth the price! This tea has a smooth flavor bold enough for milk but I take it black so as not to mask the Keemun flavor too much. I don’t detect any astringency even at 3 minutes and it’s a tea I love.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

66
drank Lapsang Souchong by TeaSource
2 tasting notes

This is a very robust tea with a hearty, smoky flavor. It reminds me of pipe tobacco, which I can imagine would be very off-putting for many people. Personally, I enjoy the taste and it definitely holds up over multiple infusions

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

16
drank Houjicha by TeaSource
2 tasting notes

I thought I had been given the wrong tea after my first brew. This is not like any green tea I’ve ever had and I thought I was drinking a black tea like Lapsang Souchong.

From the look and texture of the tea before brewing, it reminded me of old cedar mulch and that impression stayed with me throughout the tasting. Very strong, very earthy and not for the timid.

Personally, I like Lapsang Souchong and Puerh teas, but I found I could not finish a cup of this tea.

Cofftea

I find this to be a cross between Gen Mai Cha and Lapsang Souchong because of it’s strength. Houjicha and Gen Mai Cha are the only green teas I’ve enountered that I don’t like.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

94
drank Kenya Pekoe by TeaSource
12 tasting notes

Over Christmas, I had my first experience with Kenyan tea. Someone had given my mom a box of black tea from a Kenyan estate with tiny broken leaves and a so so flavor. This prompted me to look for a better Kenyan tea to see how it really tasted. I ordered this from TeaSource and I’m very pleased. It’s one of the smoothest, most flavorful black teas that I’ve tasted and has a really nice aroma to boot.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 30 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

70

Got a sampler of this tea recently and gave it a try this morning. It’s a blend of Assam and Darjeeling teas. I steeped 2 1/2 min to reduce bitterness. I drank it black with sugar as sweetner. The brew is dark honey colored and full flavor. I can taste the Darjeeling muscatel in this a little stronger than the assam. I think the Assam adds a bolder character to it and a hint of maltiness. I find it a pleasing blend, there is a little astringency in the aftertaste. While not at the top of my list, it’s a tea I could go for again with no problem.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 2 min, 30 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

100

I think I had tried this tea before, but after my last shipment, I believe it is my favorite tea. Period. I like Indian black teas, especially Assam, but I’m always interested a traditionally black tea is processed green or white. This tea is perfect because it is malty and light at the same time. Delicious.

Preparation
170 °F / 76 °C 3 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

83
drank Lazy Susan by TeaSource
28 tasting notes

The aroma of this tisane in dry leaf, wet leaf and tea is undeniably one of my faves. It is like walking down the sidewalk and having a bakery around the corner leading you towards moist, sweet, delectable cinnamon cookies.

This cuppa is a second steeping, I made a pot at lunch for friends. It is a wonderfully sweet (not in the sugary sense, but the ahhh, the warmth of memories of home and family and friends) way to warm up on a cold winter evening. Especially when I’m procrastinating doing dishes from lunch.

(Seriously, this tea smells so delicious that I sorta wanna save it and put it in a dish on my table like potpourri.)

Preparation
Boiling 8 min or more

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

83

At the end of the week, you need a bold tea to keep you going. This tea has partially broken leaf, mostly all black (not much if any tippy leaf.) The nice malty flavoring of this assam is plenty strong to stand up to dairy (if desired) however I prefer mine black with some sweetener. Another great tea from TeaSource.com.

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

83

This “morning-clouds” start of the day calls for some strong malty assam tea.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

95
drank Blue Beauty by TeaSource
1 tasting notes

I fell in love with a mystery Oolong on a trip to Guilin while I was studying in Hong Kong. After returning to the USA, I searched all my local tea stores to find an equivalent. Years passed.
While visiting relatives in Minnesota, I stopped by Tea Source and found the exact tea I fell in love with years earlier!
This tea has the most incredible, lingering aftertaste. Do not steep too long, but DO use it for several infusions. The second is definitely the best! I generally save this one for special occasions.

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 3 min, 30 sec
Emily M

I absolutely agree; the aftertaste is amazing!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

56
drank Green Dragon Oolong by TeaSource
14 tasting notes

Decent Tea.

Light floral hints that disappear on your tongue and turn into more green hints, though the smell is QUITE floral. Almost like a died down version of Jasmine Pearls.

Not too impressed, and the cooler it gets the more floral it gets. (not a fan of the floral taste)

The Green/Oolong mix is always up for grabs, and I feel that this one should have had more Green in the mix.

Oh well, I won’t give up on it just yet. . . .although, argh, first cup..blah-

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

61
drank Starfire Licorice by TeaSource
8 tasting notes

For any licorice lover, this tea has an even, smooth flavor. The hints of peppermint and orange peel balance out the strong anise and licorice.

Preparation
Boiling 6 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

97
drank Keemun Hao Ya B by TeaSource
115 tasting notes

Wow! This tea is one of my faves and it’s hitting a chord with my taste buds this afternoon! If you like Keemun tea you must try this one. It is really good. It is much like the Hao Ya “A” grade in both looks and taste but this one has some richer depth and notes of chocolate mixed in. For me it’s just a really delicious tea! I would encourage you to try it regardless if you have tasted a good Keemun or not previously. I drink it black with sweetener. Don’t assume all sources have the same quality if the name is the same. This source is quality… at least when I bought my supply. :)

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

97
drank Keemun Hao Ya B by TeaSource
115 tasting notes

Enjoying this wonderful Keemun with a piece of dark Belgium chocolate (72% cocoa) from Trader Joe’s. What a combination. If you like Keemun teas and haven’t tried this tea from TeaSource yet, you owe it to yourself to get some.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec
EvaPeva

I agree. . . this is a great one from Tea Source!

Teaman

Ah, another TeaSource customer! Yeaaa! How did a New Yorker find them given they are in MN? I don’t recall exactly how I found them but likely when I was frantically trying to locate some quality Keemun Hao Ya “A” online a few years back when there seemed to be a shortage and I couldn’t find a quality source anywhere. I talked to the owner by phone a few times and found he selects his teas pretty carefully and doesn’t just order up from some distributor but deals with the suppliers directly and I believe travels to sample their teas. I like that in a supplier and found Bill’s selection of China and Indian teas to be usually pretty good.

EvaPeva

I must admit. . I have my secret tea sources, but we happen to have some here in our office as they were shipped here! Yes, I happen to know the owner as well. . .and he is BEYOND knowledgeable of teas. . .one of the best in the industry!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

78
drank Silk Road by TeaSource
58 tasting notes

So, as you may have noticed, I got a little excited about joining Steepster. I’m someone who keeps notes on things I try, and I may possibly have gotten a little carried away in going “oh! those notes will come in handy now! :D” yesterday…for which I apologize. Hee.

At any rate, in the process of rooting through my tea shelves, I found some teas I hadn’t thought about in awhile. Things I didn’t usually drink. You know how it is, you have a few go-to teas, and you have a cup of those, and then you go on about your business.

Steepster’s good for inciting extreme care and thoughtfulness as regards every sort of tea—-and in particular, ones I haven’t become overly familiar with. With that in mind, I brewed up a cup of this. I generally tend to have larger mugs of tea, particularly in the morning, so I let it go about a minute longer than Tea Source suggests.

The candied ginger is definitely there, which I love—-I’m a huge fan of it, but it’s not too overpowering here. Instead, it blends nicely with the yunnan. It’s a rich golden brown color, and the smell reminds me more of honey than anything. That part’s all in the smell, however; a taste of this by itself is slightly flat and unobtrusive, but that could also be because it’s a year old. (A friend sent it to me for Festivus last year; trouble with always buying new teas is that even with how much I drink, it’s hard to drink them all quickly enough.)

A tiny bit of sugar (and we’re talking tiny, not even a whole teaspoon) changes all that. Those golden notes hinted at by the honeyed ginger aromas wafting so invitingly from the cup come alive. Your whole mouth is wrapped in velvety smoothness—-or, at least, mine was. It’s well-rounded, and not overly strong. The most unique thing about it is that it just sort of fades away after each sip goes down. Not much of a lingering aftertaste at all.

I can see enjoying this primarily in the afternoon. It’s not got enough of a boost to it that I’ll probably drink it a lot first thing in the morning, despite having done so today.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec
teaplz

Glad you’re enjoying Steepster! It’s actually really helped me become more analytical about what I’m drinking. I’m the self-proclaimed tea-baby of the site (if you go back through my logs, you can clearly track when I started drinking loose leaf and when I’ve tried different types of tea for the first time), but I’ve found that really concentrating through every sip and losing yourself to it really helps bring out flavor notes and complexities! And it’s so much FUN too!

Janni

Glad to meet you! :) Yes, I’ve been enjoying your tealog. XD Tea has been an important part of my life since childhood, but it’s a bit like breathing…something you need to do, but not something you necessarily spend a lot of time thinking about. Unless, of course, you play a wind instrument, sing, or do yoga or martial arts. Then you begin to control your breathing, and life becomes a lot richer. Tea is totally in parallel. :)

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

67
drank Hu Hong Black by TeaSource
12 tasting notes

I’m not so good at classifying the aroma of teas. The description says it’s floral, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it that, but it is definitely pleasing. It’s a bit like Assam, but darker and smoother.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

66
drank Keemun Yi Ji by TeaSource
2 tasting notes

An interesting tea. I found this one when I threw it in sight-unseen in a big TeaSource order.

I typically like stronger and more complex blacks, and this for sure falls into that category.

It has some serious Yunan smokiness (what they are calling cocoa notes, i guess).

I happen to love it with a touch of milk in it; it is strong enough to still be interesting—

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

85

Today was my last serving from my supply of this really nice assam. I like a malty non-astringent assam and this one is a good one. The leaf is a larger leaf particle that is not so broken. It has some tippy leaf but not a lot. The flavor at 2 minutes is delicious, no bitterness and a strong malty brew. For a cold overcast day… this hits the spot! Yumm! I see TeaSource is out of stock on this one and not sure if any will come in for 2009. My 2008 supply ended today. :(

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 2 min, 0 sec
duflatingAssam

Thank you for your comment. Are you a consumer or a trader? You can email us at [email protected].

Login or sign up to leave a comment.