Tag: black tea

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2022 March White2tea Club feat. 2020 Fortune Teller Sheng Puer

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Well, I’m lost in a time warp. April and May have been so busy that I’ve been running on fumes. I posted April’s White2tea Club last week and forgot I had March already sitting in my folder, with most of all the teas long consumed. This is the 2022 March White2tea club, which has a Tieguanyin, Hongcha, but also a sample of White2tea’s 2020 Fortune Teller. Fireside Tieguanyin The leaves have roasted woody honey scented. It is a simple yet comforting smell. I used a gongfu ratio of 1 gram per 15ml (for this tea and all teas in this… Continue reading, hoot!

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Honyama Koushun Wakoucha Japanese Black Tea from Tezumi

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Previously from Tezumi, I reviewed their lovely matcha. Today I have a rare sight, a black tea from Japan! Honyama Koushun Wakoucha is a 2021 harvest, and like its namesake, Koushun cultivar, from Honyama, Shizuoka Japan. Leaf and Steeping Method Interestingly, Tezumi recommended brewing style for this Japanese black tea is gongfu style at 4g per 100ml (1g per 25ml) in boiling water. I will follow just that. Honyama Koushun Wakoucha’s leaves have a strong fruity scent like gummy fruit snacks. After a steep, the tea smells like cherry gummies and wood – quite similar to a Taiwanese Ruby 18… Continue reading, hoot!

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2022 February Old Ways Tea Club feat. Huang Mei Comparison Tasting

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As usual, the Old Ways Tea club delivers a strong selection of teas to comparison taste and a special gift! The special gift is a teacup with a fruity branch design. I eventually saw all the designs through my other tea friends’ boxes, and they are all awesome cups! Jin Xuan from 2022 February Old Ways Tea Club I’m diving into the Jin Xuan first. Yes, Jin Xuan is just a cultivar, but all the ones I’ve had tend to be Taiwanese style rolled oolongs, so this version is a fun change of pace. The leaves smell toasty and nutty.… Continue reading, hoot!

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2021 Body and Soul from Bitterleaf Teas

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Today’s tea is Bitterleaf Tea’s 2021 Body and Soul – a Bulang shou puer and Bangdong black tea pressed cake blend. I tried a sample of a previous year’s Body and Soul, loved it, but by the time I was going to review and buy it, it was long sold out. When they blended this cake again, I needed it so I purchased it. Leaf and Steeping Method My cake of Body and Soul smells like aromatic dried berries. The ratio on this tea could easily be played with some more, but I went with 1 gram of leaf per… Continue reading, hoot!

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Atlas Tea Club feat. Laos Teas

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Another Atlas Tea Club box! If you didn’t see my previous post on the Thailand and Nepal boxes, Atlas Tea Club features a new tea region a month. The box I have today is Laos, and I have been looking forward to it. There is a joke about Laos teas. You’ve likely already had teas from Laos, they were just sold as your favorite Chinese region teas. I’ve had some great teas officially from Laos, so this club box will be fun! Little Sprout Green from Atlas Tea Club Laos The leaves have a seaweed butter scent. For my ratios,… Continue reading, hoot!

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Roam, Big Red, & Intergalactic Black teas from Crimson Lotus Tea

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Crimson Lotus Teas, who does some amazing puer, made their own Dian Hong black tea cakes! I got all three samples – Roam, Big Red, and Intergalactic. These black teas are blended by Crimson Lotus Tea, all with different flavor profiles. Crimson Lotus Tea’s Roam Dian Hong Black Tea Roam is labeled as the daily drinker blend out of the batch. The leaves have a malty and honey straw scent. All black teas today I gongfu styled at 1 gram per 15ml leaf to vessel ratio, steeped with boiling water. After an infusion, this has a strong tannic fruity scent.… Continue reading, hoot!

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Bama & Ultra Violet Hong Cha from West China Tea

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I got a pile of hong cha from West China Tea, a vendor in Austin, Texas. Feeling like black teas, I found a pair of black teas from Nannuo mountain! Similar to my previous review of West China Tea, this is tea from farmer Li Shulin. Bama Hong Cha from West China Tea Bama Hong Cha is sun dried black tea made with tea leaves usually reserved for puer. The leaves have some gold tips and thin pieces with a sour cherry scent. I used a preheated thick gaiwan, 1 gram to 15ml leaf to vessel ration, steeped in boiling… Continue reading, hoot!

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Atlas Tea Club feat. Teas from Thailand

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Back again with Atlas Tea Club – a monthly tea subscription that sends you tea from a new country! I think this tea club is such a great idea as it explores one’s horizons, provides tea education, and no international shipping to deal with. The previous box I wrote about is the Nepal month. Today, I have teas from Thailand – Golden Lily Green, Gui Fei White, and Honey Scent Black! Not pictured is a baggie of paper infusers. Note: Typically everyone gets 2 teas per box with a choice of Greens, Variety, or Black teas – it appears I… Continue reading, hoot!

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2021 September White2tea Club feat. 2018 Gongmei

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Let’s go! 2021 September White2tea club time! In this box is a fancy 2021 Baimudan and 2018 Gongmei whites, as well as 2021 Yesheng Gushu Hongcha. If you were waiting on my 2021 August club post, China Post still has it, so I’ve just decided to proceed with September. August through November I’ve had all my packages from China either show up immediately or months. 2021 Baimudan White from 2021 September White2tea club The fresh Baimudan leaves are shades of light and dark green mixed with fuzzy silver buds, all with an itchy freshly cut timothy hay and floral scent.… Continue reading, hoot!

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2021 August Old Ways Tea Club feat. Wuyi Black Teas

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Old Ways Tea’s August Tea Club has us ready for superb autumn tea drinking! Inside, two black teas, 2021 Wuyi Jin Jun Mei, 2021 Wuyi Hong Cha, and 2020 Chunzhong Da Hong Pao oolong. 2021 Wuyi Jin Jun Mei from August Old Ways Tea Club Fancy fancy Jin Jun Mei and only got 4 packets so make it count! The leaves smell like sweet cinnamon. A tea like this you drink the rinse you don’t want to flush down cash. For both black teas, I used 1 gram of leaf per 15ml of vessel size, gongfu steeped in boiling water.… Continue reading, hoot!