TeaSource

Shou Puer tea blended with mint, clove, and licorice.

I can get overwhelmed with the added flavors in these TeaSource blends (Roasted Chestnut comes to mind), but they got the mix right with this one. Or perhaps the short steeps really help to minimize the added flavors. Either way, this is a nice little tea that does not really taste like a “typical” shou puer. It would be a great way to ease yourself into the earthy peat dampness of shou puer tea.

Not a ton of subtle flavors here – mint, clove, and licorice. Underneath I can taste some earthy puer but it’s not a scary amount like many other shou puers. That said, I feel like I need to be in the mood for this one, whereas I can always drink a smooth black tea for example.

I also am getting a very nice l-theanine puer buzz. I’m not sure if other people ever feel this but it’s a great ‘tea-drunk’ feeling that I get best with puers and dark teas. This always boosts the rating for me.

Steep it short and multiple times.

Another good tea in this vein is the White Chocolate Puer.

It’s not really what I expected.

Solid tea, but the overwhelming, almost artificial, almond/coconut flavor tends to drown out the others. It’s not bad but I feel like that lowers the rating overall for me.

Smooth, but a blast of almonds and coconuts. Underneath there’s some chocolate, caramel and vanilla. Hard to taste anything else.

I would turn down the almond/coconut – from 10 to like 4? – and I think this tea would be better. I’ll be drinking it through the cold months, but not sure I’d order again.

I still consider myself a novice when it comes to oolongs, so I’m not really sure what the flavor profile for Iron Goddess of Mercy “should” be. The description mentioned almonds, honey, and flowers, but I’m not really getting any of that from my first cup! It is a bit nutty, but more like walnuts than almonds (there’s an almost woodsy tang to it) and has hints of smokiness along with that distinctive buttery-smooth texture I expect from an oolong. Overall, I liked this one much better than the “Golden Dawn” oolong I purchased in the same order and am curious to play around with the steeping parameters to see if I can bring out some different notes in the flavor.

Mellow, sweet and smooth.

Definitely a Darjeeling. Malty but I’m tasting stone fruit, and some lemon/citrus. Very slight astringency. I can also taste that hint of vanilla. Good for two steeps.

Re-doing this.

The tea is fine. It’s got mango (duh) and dandelion in it, which gives it a bit of a floral flavor. It’s okay, but nothing great. Don’t steep this too long.

I did ice part of the brew and that was better.

I’m glad I broke this out of the cupboard because I kind of forgot how great this tea is. I was excited to have it again, but going through the exercise of rating it here really demonstrates the excellence of this tea.

Medium bodied, sweet tea with a fantastic aftertaste.

The overwhelming taste for me is honey, but I also get mineral, peach, pear, berry, and grass/hay to balance it out perfectly so it’s not too sweet.

It also gives me a solid l-theanine feeling which goes well with the mellowness of the taste.

Simply put, this is top shelf tea.

All in all, an fabulous tea that will be stored and saved for special occasions, as sadly it’s no longer available for purchase.

This was a bit of an impulse purchase, based mostly on the lovely name. (Who wouldn’t want to drink a cup of “Golden Dawn”?) I’ve loved some of TeaSource’s other oolongs (their milk oolong and Honey Formosa come to mind) but this one just isn’t my favorite flavor profile. It’s VERY floral (feels like a mouthful of buttery flower petals while you’re drinking it) and also has a slightly coppery aftertaste that I find rather off-putting. That being said, it’s obviously a high quality tea; the leave are large, bright green, and very fragrant. Hoping I can pass this one on to someone else who will appreciate it more than I do!

Brews up slightly darker and fuller bodied than I expected (1 minute steep)

Smooth and complex. I’m tasting caramel, honey, melon, grass, some earthiness, and malt. Even a bit of lemon. Very slight astringency. An all-day drinker.

Note to self: steep this longer (at least twice as long) than a typical puer.

It’s a very solid dark tea, but it doesn’t quite stand out… still, I will be enjoying this one for a while.

Light and easy drinker, but underneath has some complexity.

On first infusion, I get a sweet mineral taste. Peach and apricot undertones. Also some vegetable in there. And a hint of something spicy, maybe ginger? Maybe pepper? It’s mild and you have to search for these flavors – but nice overall.

On second infusion I am tasting more of the spiciness and much less sweet, though now I get a mild pear taste. It’s subtle, and I like spicy flavors so I could be underrating the spice. I still can’t decide if it’s ginger or pepper.

A medium sheng puer vibe/buzz for me.

A couple of minor complaints against this – the taste is just a bit too mild for me, and the buzz is also mild. Those keep this in the 70s, which is still very good.

Overall, very good stuff though.

I don’t have much left, so I’ll probably be storing this for a while to try later.

Reviewed 9/21/2020. I don’t do anything special to store my puers – just keep them in the original bag, sealed.

One of my favorite teas ever from TeaSource, Black Needle, was discontinued a while back and this was one of their suggestions to try in place. It sounded like something I would like so I went ahead and ordered it.

The leaves are quite large for a black tea which is pretty cool. The tea leaves have a fantastic smell to them.

Upon brewing it doesn’t disappoint. Smooth, malty with a good flavor: sweet potato, brown sugar, and some earthiness. It doesn’t have the dark molasses that I love so much in Black Needle, but it’s very good in it’s own right.

Not quite full-bodied as I expected. A little more and this would be even better in my opinion. Nonetheless this looks to be a new favorite in my rotation.

Some different flavors in this one. I first smell a floral scent, which is usually a turnoff for me but thankfully it’s not too overpowering. The taste is sweet – mostly honeydew. It’s almost too sweet for my taste but not quite there. I do taste the green tea but I don’t get much of a dark tea feel at all. Which could be great for some.

This is an interesting blend for sure. Not quite in my wheelhouse and it’s not available anymore anyway, but I think some people would really like this.

Mild, slightly sweet melon, honey and a hint of a vegetable broth taste on the first infusion. A little bit of mineral flavor. Smooth, but somewhat bland. Which is good if you don’t want an earthy puer.

I’m not noting a large difference on the second infusion. Still nice and mild.

On third infusion with a longer steep it seems to be getting sweeter with an almost cake/bread taste.

I get a good theanine vibe/buzz on this, which is why I enjoy sheng puer teas. That definitely boosts the rating for me.

Enjoyable, but the price might be a little high for this one. Try to get it on a sale.

Reviewed 9/18/2020. I don’t do anything special to store my puers – just keep them in the original bag, sealed.

Complex flavor. Slight astringency. Fruit, hay, and other subtle flavors that i can’t quite put my finger on. But overall very pleasant.

Has a slight flowery flavor which I personally dislike – don’t oversteep and you will avoid this.

Overall, a great tea.

Mild, and decent overall. Can taste some bitter chocolate and a hint of maltiness. Solid but nothing really stands out for me.

This tea is not for everyone, but after purchasing on a whim a month ago, it has quickly moved into my list of top shelf favorites. It’s just a fantastic and unique tea for me. It’s right in my wheelhouse – and has enough that set it apart from others that I’ve tasted to make it really enjoyable.

I should note that I may not be drinking the same version of Big Red Robe that previous people have reviewed. This version (bought in 2020) is a blend. Taken from the TeaSource website:

“This tea was made by Mr. Tang Shuang Jiang and is a blend of teas from Jian Ou County (Jian Ou is next to Wuyi, a traditional rock oolong area) and Anxi County. Mr. Tang has a classmate in Jin Ou who makes Shui Xian, Mei Zan, Qi Lan, and Rou Gui teas. He took all four of these finished teas back to Anxi to blend with Ti Kwan Yin. He then roasted the leaves to create this traditional Big Red Robe flavor profile.”

The flavors I get on tasting are sesame oil, roasted nut, smokiness, malt, caramel, and even (dare I say) a hint of cannabis. These flavors melt together into a delicious liquor.

It’s also great for multiple steepings.

Perfect tea to drink on a cold autumn night, right before training your lethal Wu-Tang sword style techniques with the other monks.

I’m surprised to not see any note of sesame oil in the reviews! That is the number one flavor I get with this tea. It sounds kind of weird – and it sort of is – but it’s really wonderful. (There isn’t a flavor pre-made yet but I just sent in the suggestion.)

Based on this tea, I think my next journey might be exploring rock oolongs in further detail.

I’ll be honest, there were two reasons I bought this: 1) it was on sale and 2) I really liked the name; in the way that I could say “I’m drinking Mr. Wang’s Hu Hong”.

Well, after sampling Mr. Wang’s Hu Hong, I’m definitely satisfied with this stuff. It’s a good quality black tea – I get flavors of malt, barley, potatoes, leaves, and a tinge of caramel/brown sugar. A nice full body too (thicc). Good for at least two steeps.

A quality black tea, very good but it’s normally pricey. Get Mr. Wang’s Hu Hong on sale if you can because I’m not sure it’s worth the normal price. That lowers the rating into a “buy it on sale” level.

I’ve been slowly working my way through TeaSource’s rather extensive catalog of Chinese black teas and have enjoyed almost all of them. But a bad experience with Fava’s Keemun made me hesitant to try this one. Thankfully, I like this one much better! It’s nice and smooth with a rich, chocolatey flavor. I enjoyed my first cup straight, but I think it would also take milk well. I still love my Yunnans better, but I’ll have no problem finishing this one!

This tea is so minty and fresh. It’s one I’ve wanted to try for a long time, and I’m so glad it lived up to expectations! I’m drinking it cold, and it’s so complex and tasty. Definitely a new favorite. Everything meshes so well together, making it so layered and good.

Warm, mild spices, probably a little too much of a licorice-like flavor (don’t see any corresponding ingredients for that flavor though). I wouldn’t say it’s carrot cake necessarily, but the flavors go well together and manage to be different from other spice teas. This one is subtle and enjoyable. Not much green tea coming through, which is fine with me.

Nice light strawberry flavor on a mild green base. I’m enjoying it lukewarm. The strawberry flavor is quite nice and understated. I’d drink this again.

The tea is a little thin and old tasting (maybe it is old – you never know in a tea box!) The raspberry is barely there, which is too bad since the scent is there in the dry leaf. Disappointing.

I don’t love when they put a bunch of other things in there with mint when a tea could have just been mostly mint-focused. It just ends up kind of being a muddled mess. So here it’s sort of a murky mint along with some strangeness that I guess is from the clove? Not too delicious a combination of ingredients.

Many of the pomegranate teas I’ve tried have been way too heavy on the hibiscus (makes sense…it is the right color) so I’m happy that TeaSource steered clear of that addition completely! I’m not sure the flavor is exactly reading pomegranate for me, but it’s definitely a pleasant fruity/berry flavor with a bit of tartness but no bitterness. It’s okay hot, but makes a lovely, refreshing iced tea. Not sure I would repurchase this one, but I’m glad they sent me this sample!