LatteTeaDah Send Message

I’ve been enjoying this tea for the past week in all different kinds of steeping scenarios and it’s delicious! Like the others, I’ve noticed notes of citrus. It’s very smooth, slightly sweet, and steeps into a dark, rich cup, but it retains a delicate body.

More thoughts and pics in my full review http://bit.ly/sXlcaY – this is definitely a tea that will take you from your wake-up into your workday. That’s how I’ve enjoyed it – a big vacuum mug that stays warm and flavorful for several hours.

I don’t know that it resteeps as well in the traditional teapot method. Gong-fu style with very short steeps brought out more flavor profiles when I sampled it that way this past weekend.

Definitely one to add to your cupboard!

I ordered this as a way to give regular gunpowder green a “second chance” to redeem itself. Pingshui green has been a bit of an enigma to my palate, as I don’t like the metallic-copper aftertaste, but I keep reminding myself that it’s perhaps just a matter of finding the right grade, or adjusting the way I steep it.
This time I decided to try it blended with mint, and I’m pleasantly surprised. The smoky-mixed-with-copper aftertaste isn’t there, it’s smoother, and the spearmint makes it a great calming/evening topper.
I have pics and a bit more detail at my homepage http://bit.ly/qyO6mz but I can definitively say this has maybe turned the tide for me on gunpowder green. I’ll be keeping it in my cupboard.

If it didn’t say “Ceylon” on the label and if I didn’t see the dried leaves before steeping, I’d say this could almost – almost – be mistaken for an oolong if you were simply judging by aroma and initial sips alone. It’s delicious, but it’s subtle. It finishes the sip a bit more stridently than it starts. I’m smelling the same sweetness my palate’s come to know in various Tie Guan Yins. I can now comprehend how the more processed Ceylon teas get their reputation for notes of honey if this is how they “begin.” More akin to a China green or a weaker black tea as it goes down. Definitely a heavier mouthfeel than a sencha, regular green, or an oolong.
Intriguing! I may need to steep another pot or two to round out my full opinion, but great quality.

Be prepared for this to taste more like the fruit that is pumpkin rather than the traditional pumpkin pie spice that we tend to associate with fall. It is a nice Ceylon black and has bits of sunflower (which I personally enjoy) and there is a slight spicy aftertaste to the cup that isn’t strong, but is noticeable. Somewhat astringent. As for the pumpkin pieces, the aroma of the dry blend in the bag is a bit on the unusual side because dry pumpkin pieces don’t really smell “sweet”, but the taste once steeped is fine.
If you’re looking for it to be a fall version of the super-spices as with a chai tea, this isn’t the pumpkin tea for you. But if you’re more of a purist like myself who enjoys tasting the tea in your tea, this is a perfect seasonal treat, and can be sweetened or left alone according to how well you love pumpkin in its unprocessed form.
Perfect accompaniment for toast and drier pastries.

I’ve tried a few Tie Guan Yins before and this one is in my top 2 choices as far as leaf quality and taste. The aroma is fresh, sweet, and the leaves are truly whole – it only took one steep to see the original leaves come back to life. The oxidation of this organic variety is lighter than some, which might explain the fresh, bright quality I’m picking up from it. More green leaves than browner ones in Shanti’s version, it’s therefore perhaps not as “deep” of a flavor than some might be looking for, but I’ve prepared 28 ounces’ worth of good tea from the 2-cup measure of dry leave. Not too shabby.
If you’re not a fan of traditional senchas or chinese green teas, this oolong would be a good alternative as it retains many “green” vegetal qualities but with a sweetness the regular green teas don’t normally have Almost as if it’s been perfumed, but not as strong as a jasmine.

I’ve had more than 80 ounces of this Second Flush Darjeeling over the past two days and I still enjoy the flavor. Very faint notes of floral and grape, not super-astringent, and not heavy. I’ve used water at boiling for about 4 minutes each time, and it’s reained consistet. A little more expensive, but it’s organic, which is to be expected. From the Makaibari Tea Estates which has a well-documented history, still family-run, and the first large-scale tea plantation to “go green” in the early 1990’s.
More with pics of my steeping experience: http://bit.ly/mSQjHC

This is not your typical fruity-tooty blended tea. The aroma is very much a “true” peach, but it does not take center stage in the cup. The oolong itself isn’t a weak leaf, it’s more of a medium oxidation and has a richer flavor than you’d expect. But they have also added sunflower to the blend, and honestly that’s what “makes” this a favorite for me, more so than the fruit flavor. It inspired a biscuit recipe (seen at http://bit.ly/kyEz8T) and though I can imagine it being refreshing as an iced tea, I’m drinking more of it as fall approaches. Just a nice, smooth, rich, nutty flavor with more of a hint of peach.

This is a blend of different estates and is described as being similar to a single-estate second flush. I do not have a trained palate for Darjeeling at this point in my tea adventures, but this tea is lovely and quickly becoming a favorite. It has the rich, deep tones you’d expect from an Indian black tea, but is not as astringent as I was preparing for it to be. Sometimes being “medium” is a good thing, and this is a good, “medium”-flavored black tea. I was looking for a tea to introduce a non-connoisseur friend to the tea world, and this did nicely.

This is the authentic taste I’ve been craving. It is not intended to be a typical cherry flavor – the leaves of the cherry blossoms are brined, so there is a slightly salty flavor combined with a floral aroma and an aftertaste of cherry – very subtle. Very spring.

The sencha used in Lupicia’s version is flavorful – it achieves what I’ve tried to do myself by blending my own green tea with actual sakura blossoms. I’ll enjoy the blossoms on their own as a tisane and in different cooking recipes and drink Lupicia’s version both hot and cold.

This blend is wonderful iced – it is strong enough to be enjoyed cold. Steeping sakura blossoms on their own, I haven’t yet been able to get a strong enough balance to try it iced, but Lupicia’s found the ticket.

If you enjoy Sakura or floral-scented greens, you’ll enjoy this version.