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Received a loose leaf sample of this wonderful tea direct from Nepali Tea Traders, and was very pleased. It is a Darjeeling oolong, partially oxidized, that brews up a lovely medium orange brew. The flavor is a remarkable combination of spiciness and muscatel, yielding multiple steeps that has a very pleasant mouth feel or texture. Highly recommended.

I don’t see this currently listed on their site, but I think I might try one of the other Darjeeling oolongs listed. They are a wonderfully different breed from the Chinese and Taiwanese oolongs that I love.

Another wonderful sample from Tea Ave, that I brewed up in my gaiwan as per the instructions on the packet. Longer brewing time, with less leaves than I usually use for this type of tea yielded a truly wonderful series of steeps!

An aroma of dried fruit, roasted barley and a touch of sweetness, was followed by the fantastic taste of the same. Second steep had an additional touch of roasted sweet potato flavor and deep, rich mellowness. Third and fourth steeps were only slightly less intense and continued to please.

Having a medium oxidation level, and medium roast really gives this Tie Kwan Yin a wonderful flavor/aroma to sit back and enjoy. A truly excellent tea!

Such a smooth and elegant tea. Light, refreshing and with the fruity floral aroma and flavor that is so particular to teas from this region. Brilliant. :)

I received a sample of this tea from Republic of Tea and was impressed enough to keep the outer packet to remind me to write a review. I like some of Republic of Teas loose teas, but never have been a fan of bags, even if they are the round, environmentally friendly, unbleached bags used here. And another disclaimer, I have never watched Downton Abbey so don’t understand all the marketing hype. I just know I enjoyed this tea which is essentially a nice blend of black tea with natural fruit flavors and dried bits of various berries. Nothing artificial tasting, just a light fruitiness and bold black tea base. Above average and very pleasant.

Thank you Tea Ave for the wonderful samples, and I look forward to the launch of your online store! First, I must comment on the packaging of the sample packaging I received, which has a wonderful labeling of information that is sure to please even the most tea aficionado by listing: tea name and description, origin, growing altitude, roasting level, cultivar, oxidation level and brewing instructions for gaiwan, tea bag, tea pot and cold brew! Most companies don’t even have this much information on their website, much less on the package. It is much appreciated and graphically well done to convey lots of information in a clean and simple design.

I have been tasting a wide variety of oolongs this past year, and this DongDing by Tea Ave is one of the very top three of this type that I have had the pleasure of tasting. I brewed mine in my gaiwan, as per the instructions on the packet of 8gr/130ml for 1 minute, adding time for multiple steeps. It has a wonderful silky texture or mouthfeel as I believe gmathis’ review noted. Definite aroma of dried fruits, light amber color and held up well through 6 steeps. It has a nice light roast and med/light oxidation level that is approachable and suitable for drinking alone, with a snack or after dinner. Very, very pleasant! Not too bold, not too subtle, not too complex, not too simple. Just right!

If you like yellow tea, then this is one you have to try. I was so happy when this arrived in my Steepster select box this month. Brews up a beautiful light yellow, and if you leave it for the full 2 minutes recommended brew time (175 to 185 degrees F ) it yields up some amazing flavors and aroma. Although subtle, I definitely get tones of baked fruit and light vegetal background. I have never had a tea that actually has such a silky texture. Warm and soothing all the way down.

I have been drinking a variety of Houjicha teas over the past few months, and this Kyoto “Akishun” Fall tea is truly one of the best for my taste buds. When you look at the leaves, you can tell this is a green tea, that has been roasted carefully to bring out it’s distinct flavor. The aroma (dry) is nice mix of toasted rice, nuts, and hay that accurately reflects the flavor yield when you brew. A nice accompaniment for onigiri rice balls or just on its own any time of day. A really comforting tea.

It has been a while since I last tasted Noble Mark, but had a sample sent along with my last order from Mandala Tea and had a chance to enjoy this once again. Such a great tea to sit down with and enjoy multiple steepings. Not overpowering, just a wonderful balanced taste that changes in a subtle way with each brew and sip. Very important to give it a quick rinse first, and I brew at about 180 to 190 degrees F.

I actually liked this chai blend more than many others that I have tasted, but it shows the problem of sending out samples with only a teaspoon or so per packet, because it is only natural that the spices will be distributed unevenly amongst those sampling it.

Mine had only a light clove tone hinted at over the Assam base, with more citrus /ginger coming forward in both the aroma and flavor. No discernible hint of cardamom. A very pleasant chai, very much in the tradition of South India, that would go equally well with food, or just as a refreshing cup through out the day.

I was surprised how well this tea held up to second and third steeps. Very aromatic and pleasant on this cool rainy day in NC. :)

Brewed this Western style this morning, and was pleasantly awakened by the gorgeous aroma and flavor. Just as the other tasting notes mention, chocolate predominates the first steep with light tones of mineral and just a hint of smoke. Second and third steeps have less of the chocolate taste as the other flavors step forward, but the aroma still remains enticing.

Reminiscent of Laoshan Black from Verdant Tea, but with more of a mineral edge. Thanks Steepster Select for including this in the September Box.