Category: Tea Reviews

Tea reviews and tea tastings

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Cha Ka and Sae Gyokuro Matcha from Samurai Tea Master via Sei Mee Tea

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Matcha is generally made from a specially grown and processed tea called Tencha. There are always exceptions to this, as sometimes tea sellers grind up other teas like Sencha or various Chinese Greens to cut cost or create a new profile. The matcha today is made with Gyokuro, which commands a luxuriously higher price for Japanese teas. The cultivation of Gyokuro and Tencha are similar, as they are both shaded, steamed, but Gyokuro is rolled whereas Tencha is destemmed flakes. There is also a long research rabbit hole as different cultivars could be used for both teas, also changing the… Continue reading, hoot!

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2019 May White2Tea Club feat. 2019 The Thing Still Is Puer

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For 2019 May White2Tea club we have a 50 gram mini cake of “The Thing Still Is”. These mini cakes are my favorite and I am happy chicken funeral forest tea has made a return! If you are not familiar with this tea, you will need to read my review about 2018 “The Thing Is”, including the video playlist first. Leaf and Steeping Method 2019 The Thing Still Is’ dry leaf has a jammy and vegetal scent to it. As usual, I used 1 gram of leaf per 15ml of vessel size, gongfu steeped in boiling water. I used a… Continue reading, hoot!

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2019 May The Essence of Tea Club feat. 2019 Dragonwell and 1990s Liubao

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Admittedly, I was hoping to dodge fresh green teas as those are simply not a thing I enjoy drinking but I failed. The Essence of Tea’s club doesn’t have a preview online of what we are going to get. This month’s Essence of Tea club is “Something Old and Something New” with a fresh 2019 Dragonwell/ Long Jing green tea and old 1990s Liubao. Traditional Variety Qun Ti Zhong Dragonwell The dry leaf smells of zesty grass and toasted rice. I did grandpa style here, so 3 grams for a small Wall Mug (around 280ml/9.4oz) in 79c/175f water temperature. I… Continue reading, hoot!

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2018 Old Tree Shui Xian from Old Ways Tea

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Today’s review is Old Ways Tea’s 2018 Old Tree Shui Xian. The package is labeled Lao Cong Shui Xian oolong, which means the same thing. This tea was picked back in May 2018 and pulls all the stop with old tree material and charcoal roasting. The dry leaf smells of honeyed florals and wooden branches. Each packet is 8 grams, I just threw the whole thing into my gaiwan. This clocks my ratio at around 1 gram of leaf per 12ml of vessel size. I am gongfu steeping with boiling water. The hot leaf has a scent of fruity sweet… Continue reading, hoot!

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Tuberose, Almond, and Duck Aroma Phoenix Dancongs from Serendipiteacha Studio

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I enjoy drinking a bunch of Dancong at once as it is fun to compare and I love filling gaiwans to the brim with tea leaf to go hog wild. Today’s Phoenix Dancongs are from Serendipiteacha Studio, based in Seattle. All these teas are from Spring 2018. I used around 1 gram of leaf per 12ml of vessel size, gongfu steeped in boiling water instead of the western instructions. Phoenix Dancong Tuberose Aroma Tuberose Aroma, aka Ye Lai Xiang, is promised to be heavy in the floral notes. The leaf has a juicy floral and sweet nutty scent. Rinsed, the… Continue reading, hoot!

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2018 Jingmai Sundried Three Aroma Bai Mu Dan White Tea Cake from Yunnan Sourcing

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I purchased Yunnan Sourcing’s 2018 Jingmai Sundried Three Aroma Bai Mu Dan White Tea Cake back in 2018 of October, but I let it sit in airtight storage with other white teas for over 9 months. Drinking it now I was hoping to get some of the watery youth out of the pressing, so I get max flavor without the hitting the stale stage yet. Prior to my purchase, I bought and reviewed the same tea in loose leaf form. I decided to go in on the cake as it is inexpensive and I wanted to increase my white tea… Continue reading, hoot!

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Mountain Stream 2018 Taiwanese Sheng Spring 2018 From Mountain Stream Tea

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If you are a fan of Taiwanese teas and sheng puer, this review will be a treat. Today’s tea is Mountain Stream Tea’s 2018 Taiwanese Sheng. This tea is Shan Cha, which is exclusive to the wild indigenous old trees, from Liugui Region of Taiwan with 1300-1400m elevation. This tea was processed like a typical Yunnan Sheng Puer. Mr. Lazy Literatus gave me the heads up on this Taiwanese Sheng, wondering if it is actual Shan Cha. I bought it anyway, I don’t mind the $35 price tag to try a new tea vendor. I never dealt with this style… Continue reading, hoot!

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2014 Your Ripeness Shou Puer from Bitterleaf Tea

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The Pacific Northwest has the weirdest weather in June. I’ve learned it is called Junerary as it is overly cold and rainy compared to the rest of the country. With this colder weather, I am still shou puer drinking. Today lets check out Bitterleaf Tea’s 2014 Your Ripeness, a Menghai shou/ ripe puer I love the wrapper art, the blackberry looks nicely juicy. Leaf and Steeping Method This 2014 has had ample time to unfunk itself. Right out of the package, Your Ripeness smells sweet and earthy. I ended up using 1 gram of leaf per 14ml of vessel size… Continue reading, hoot!

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Four Different Cultivars of Sun Moon Lake Black Tea from Wang Family Tea

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Wang Family Tea sent me their entire line up of Taiwanese Sun Moon Lake black tea. This was the perfect opportunity to compare the different cultivars. I have the Sun Moon Lake Assam Black (Taiwanese Assam), Red Jade Ruby 18 (Taicha No.18 Red Jade), Red Rhyme (Taicha No.21 Red Rhyme), and Native Black Tea (Taiwan Native Mountain Cang Ya). All teas I am brewing 1 gram per 15ml of vessel size, gongfu style with boiling water. Sun Moon Lake Assam Black Tea As per Wang Family’s information, Taiwanese Assam came to be grown via India Assam seeds during the Japanese… Continue reading, hoot!

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2018 Winter Wild Garden GABA Oolong from Mountain Stream Tea

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Today’s review is Mountain Stream Tea’s 2018 Winter Wild Garden GABA Oolong. This GABA is a little different than the usual GABA teas as it is from a wild tea garden and promised to not be sour like other GABA Oolongs. That sourdough off taste is something I’ve grown to dislike in GABA tea, so I am looking forward to this. I purchased this tea on a whim with my first Mountain Stream order. Leaf and Steeping Method The leaf smells roasted sweet potatoes and a bit fruity. Some sniffs are pumpkin like. I used 1 gram of leaf per… Continue reading, hoot!