Category: Tea Reviews

Tea reviews and tea tastings

No comments

2022 November White2tea Club feat. Canton Cannon and Autumn Badger Stamp

  By ,

For the 2022 November White2tea Club we got an Autumn 2022 Old Arbor sheng mini cake, Badger Stamp. In addition, Canton Cannon, a heavily roasted Tieguanyin. Canton Cannon This tea was absolutely difficult to photograph – the rolled balls are inky black and shiny, and my camera was just so angry at it. Canton Cannon has a deep roasted scent. In a hot gaiwan, the scent is powerfully charcoal. My gongfu ratio is 1 gram per 15ml, using boiling water. A rinse opened up the leaves to almost burnt pastries. A sip of the rinse and I know I’m in… Continue reading, hoot!

No comments

Aged Heritage Wuyi Oolong from Floating Leaves Tea

  By ,

Floating Leaves Tea recently came back from Taiwan with a lot of goodies, and one of the first teas I got was their Aged Heritage Wuyi Oolong. Dive deeper into the details, and this tea is from 2011, a Wuyi cultivar, grown in Shi-Ding where Baozhong is grown. It was processed with higher oxidation and roast, similar to a Wuyi tea. Leaf and Steeping Method The leaves smell like an old cupboard filled with roasted nuts. I went with a gongfu ratio of around 1 gram of leaf per 15ml of vessel size, steeped in boiling water. After a rinse,… Continue reading, hoot!

No comments

2022 Crème de la Crème Dancong Shou Puer from Bitterleaf Tea

  By ,

Today’s tea is one I did not hesitate to purchase as the concept sounds amazing! Bitterleaf Tea’s 2022 Crème de la Crème Dancong Shou Puer is a blend of 2022 spring Yashi Xiang (duck shit oolong) and a 2020 Menghai shou puer. Body & Soul, a hong and shou blend, is one of my favorite teas for daily drinking, so I have high hopes for a dancong shou. Leaf and Steeping Method Appearance wise is strange. If I didn’t know what this tea is, I’d guess it is a wild sheng due to the autumn dark leaves. The oolong aroma… Continue reading, hoot!

No comments

2022 October White2tea Club feat. Fuding Baicha, Silver Bud Red, and Mengku Dragon Ball

  By ,

It is time for the 2022 October White2tea Club! For this month – 2019 Fuding Baicha, Silver Bud Red, and 2016 Mengku Naked Dragon Ball – an interesting mix of teas. 2019 Fuding Baicha from the 2022 October White2tea Club The leaves have a coconut and flowery scent. My white tea gongfu ratio is 1 gram of leaf per 20ml of vessel size. After a rinse, the leaves smell of golden raisins and more coconut First, Second, and Third Infusion: 2019 Fuding Baicha is super bright, and rock sugar sweet. It has some gentle sips of sweet golden straw, and… Continue reading, hoot!

No comments

Bird & Blend Matcha Review feat. 2022 Matcha Advent Calendar

  By ,

Bird & Blend is a UK boutique flavored tea vendor. Back in 2013, I found out about this company from Steepster and got some teas. Well, they expanded and made even more creative tea flavors, especially in matcha! For years I have wanted to order Bird & Blend, but it is expensive to ship internationally, best for a huge order. I finally caved in to try a bunch of stuff, including their 2022 Bird & Blend Matcha Advent calendar. The 2022 Bird & Blend Matcha Tea Advent Calendar was $64 for 24 x 5g matchas – all different flavors. It… Continue reading, hoot!

No comments

2022 December Old Ways Tea Club feat. Fo Shou

  By ,

I was very excited to see 2022 December Old Ways Tea Club has multiple Fo Shou teas! For this month – Cousin’s Fo Shou, Friend’s Fo Shou, and 2022 Tongmu Old Tree Charcoal Roast Black. Old Ways Tea read my mind as I’ve been craving the big honking leaves of Fo Shou (aka, Buddha Hand) and I’m always up for more hongcha. Cousin’s Fo Shou For both Fo Shous, I used a 90ml tea vessel, so a very strong 1g to 12ml ratio or so. Cousin’s Fo Shou leaves are fragrant, like a bag of juicy fat raisins. First, Second,… Continue reading, hoot!

No comments

2022 September White2tea Club feat. Lapsang Souchong

  By ,

Five Lapsang Souchongs to drink for the 2022 September White2tea Club – I hope you like hongcha! All these teas can be purchased at White2tea, so this is a sample haul of the newest crop. White2tea has quite a selection of Lapsang Souchong giving a good representation of what is a good Lapsang Souchong. So much of the typically available Lapsang is a tire-fire bitter ashy nightmare. For all teas, I used close to the instructions, so around 1 gram of leaf per 17ml of boiling water, no rinse. Traditional Lapsang Souchong from the September White2tea Club The leaves smell… Continue reading, hoot!

No comments

2022 Winter Diva High Mountain Oolong from Floating Leaves Tea

  By ,

For the past couple of seasons, I’ve seen Floating Leaves tea come out with the Diva High Mountain. I keep meaning to try it, so I snagged the latest 2022 Winter Diva High Mountain oolong during their anniversary sale. This Qing Xin cultivar oolong was grown at 1500 meters at Smangus village in Northern Taiwan. Diva High Mountain Oolong is a more traditional style, so it is not as green as other high mountain oolongs. Leaf and Steeping Method Opening the package of oolong releases an explosion of scent. The leaves have a heavy floral scent of orchids and butter.… Continue reading, hoot!

No comments

2022 August White2tea Club feat. Yellow Tea and 2007 Mengsong

  By ,

For the 2022 August White2tea Club, we got a yellow tea and a 2007 sheng puer. Both of these teas would have been good to drink in the summer, but here I am drinking them in December. Chuan Huang from 2022 August White2tea Club Chuan Huang is a club commissioned Sichuan yellow tea. Yellow tea is uncommon and I can’t find in my posts if there were other yellow teas that appeared in the White2tea Club. The dry leaf of Chuan Huang has a spring buttercup floral and grass scent. But in a hot gaiwan, this tea smells of nutty… Continue reading, hoot!

No comments

2022 Night Shift Shou Puer from Crimson Lotus Tea

  By ,

Crimson Lotus Tea’s 2022 Night Shift is a shou puer blended to be mysteriously dark and creamy tea. The wrapper features Aztec style artwork by Seattle artist Jose Rodriguez III. Leaf and Steeping Method The leaf has earthy and hot dirt in a muddy summer scent. As usual, I went gongfu style with 1 gram of leaf per 15ml ratio, 2 rinses, steeped with boiling water. After the rinses, the tea shifted to an almond nutty scent. Tasting of 2022 Night Shift Shou Puer from Crimson Lotus Tea First, Second, and Third Infusion: Night Shift is a silky textured tea… Continue reading, hoot!