Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Happy Earth Tea
Tea Description:
Black tea is the most consumed type of tea around the world. Black tea (or red tea in China) is tea made by complete oxidation of the green tea leaf during the manufacturing process. The flavors generally described in Black tea are: aromatic, astringent, biscuity, bold, brisk, crisp, floral, fruity, malty, nutty, smoky, spicy and sweet. Our line of black tea includes some of the best harvests from Organic tea gardens of Darjeeling, Nepal and China besides our own house blends.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Even though Darjeeling Sungma First Flush 2014 from Happy Earth Tea is no longer listed on their website that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a mention. This Darjeeling tea from Happy Earth Tea is top notch! They have some of the best Darjeelings I have had and this one certainly followed suit. It’s not shocking that they’ve sold out of their Darjeeling Sungma First Flush 2014.
This Darjeeling Sungma First Flush 2014 from Happy Earth Tea has a leafy-earthy type taste to it brought to you by fresh multi-colored green, grey, frosted toned leaves. The strong flavor lingers in your mouth long after the sip. The aftertaste is reminiscent of strong herbs and green beans.
If you enjoy Darjeeling teas that offer taste with multiple infusions this Darjeeling Sungma First Flush 2014 from Happy Earth Tea is one of those teas. Just because this tea is no longer offered on their site doesn’t mean you can’t try one of their many other Darjeelings. Take a look at their site and find something that makes you do a double-take. I bet you find at least one! I found several I was interested in trying!
Singbulli Darjeeling Black Tea First Flush 2014 from Happy Earth Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Happy Earth Tea
Tea Description:
A well-crafted Darjeeling first flush tea, with refreshing floral and lime notes.
DRY TEA: Long carefully rolled clonal leaves with shades of light and dark green. Amazingly soft and silky to touch. It has a fluffy body therefore you have to use a little more than usual for to make your cup. The dry leaf has herbaceous notes including lemongrass.
INFUSION: The leaves unfurl to vivid green, affording a nose of floral essence. Hints of citrus.
CUP: The pale amber liquor yields offers a sweet floral and lemony aroma. The mouthfeel is smooth and crisp. Sweet floral notes dominate in the palate with a touch of astringency, the underlying briskness that enlivens the cup. The finish is sweet that lingers for a long while.
1.5 tbsp for 8-12 oz cup.
Water Temp: near-boil, 190F
Steeping time 3 minutes.
COLD BREW: Darjeeling tea tastes just as delicious cold brew. Although the process takes a longer time, it is a wonderful substitute for iced tea. Click here to learn about cold brewing Darjeeling.
Singbulli is located in a Mirik area of Darjeeling and is spread over 473.95 hectare in altitude varying from 1200 to 4000 ft. The garden was established in 1924, and is known for producing some of the best Darjeeling clonal teas.
Learn more about the 2015 First Flush tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Darjeeling Singbulli First Flush 2014 from Happy Earth Tea is a mighty fine Darjeeling, indeed! It’s organic, fair trade, and has the thumbs-up of the Rain forest Alliance. Those are just some of the reasons this tea lives up to the company name. Another reason could be because once I sipped on it – it was so good – if put a smile on my face!
This Darjeeling semi-earthy in a sense that it was ‘green’ and floral but not bitter-floral more of a Sweet Jasmine type floral. It has a greener flavor moreso like a green tea than a rough and tough black tea base. This tea held up to multiple infusions, too, which is always appreciated.
I like this Darjeeling Singbulli offering because it’s tasty and nice to have on hand for any time of the day. It makes a nice hot cup or cold cup of tea. It has a sturdy taste without being too overbearing. This tea gets a “HAPPY” review from me!
Harmutty Assam by Golden Tips Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Golden Tips
Tea Description:
An outstanding strong and bold black tea from the popular Harmutty tea estate in Assam. The finely crafted dark black leaves boast of select golden tips and make for a bright red liquoring cup. The tea brings in an abundance of maltiness and a woody character which are cherished by connoisseurs who love their cup full-bodied. The lingering aftertaste engulfs your mouth. A perfect-start for a long day.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a first flush Assam from Golden Tips Tea, picked in March 2014 on the Harmutty Tea Estate. I’ve only tried one first flush Assam in my life before, so I’m interested to see how this one compares. The leaves are fairly small and wiry, mostly a uniform black-brown, but with some lighter (milk chocolate) brown leaves scattered throughout. The scent is heavily malty, with a moderately strong spiciness. I used 1 tsp of leaves for my cup, and gave it 3 minutes in boiling water. I added a splash of milk.
To taste, this is the mildest Assam I’ve tried for a while. It doesn’t lack flavour, but it seems somehow softer and more gentle on the tastebuds, unlike some of the very punchy, tannic Assams I’ve been drinking recently. It’s sweetly malty, and there’s still a bit of a kick lurking there, though. Golden Tips do some of the maltiest Assams I’ve come across yet, and this one is no exception! A wonderful treacle-like flavour emerges in the mid-sip, maybe not quite as deep a flavour as molasses, but along those lines. The aftertaste is remarkably savoury after the intensity of the malt, veering more towards potato or yam like notes. This is a very smooth tea, very easy to drink, and makes for a good mid-morning pick-me-up.
I like the variation it’s possible to find between Assam from one estate and Assam from another. It’s like there’s one for all seasons, and for all times of the day. I’ve been impressed with those I’ve tried so far from Golden Tips – it’s certainly a site worth checking if you’re looking for a new Assam, or for another Indian tea. The 10g sample size is enough for 3 or so cups, and is just perfect for trying something new! I’ll certainly be looking to repurchase a selection of their Assams in the future, and maybe to broaden my horizons still further.
Halmari Gold Assam by Golden Tips Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Golden Tips
Tea Description:
Assam is a celebrated tea growing region in the world and there is no doubt over the fact that Assam black teas are the most sought-after in the world. However, even in Assam, there are those rare and special days when ideal climatic conditions backed by intuitive manufacturing excellence garnered by years of experience prepares something as rare as this Halmari Gold Clonal Black Tea.Handpicked from superior P126 clonal bushes at the Halmari Tea estate, the opulent appearance of the tea is characteristic of an almost equal combination of black and golden tipped leaves with a smooth texture. Carved out selectively from specially plucked tender young shoots, the tea brings in a unique rich maltiness which is only found in select Assams during the peak second flush tea growing season. The flavor is exhilarating with a perfect balance of strength, full-body and smoothness. This unique clonal tea brings in a sweet fruity finish in the mouth with a lingering aftertaste. The highest grade GTGFOP1 CL leaves prepare a sharp infusion which can be brewed several times. A bright golden amber liquoring cup greets your eyes when you strain out the royal dark brownish infusion.An absolute luxury, the finest of the finest and clearly one of the best Assam black teas.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a second flush Assam from Golden Tips Tea, picked in June 2014 on the Halmari Tea Estate. The dry leaf smells sweet and malty with a rich, nutty undertone, and it’s a treasure to look at. The leaves themselves are fairly thin and a little curly, mostly dark brown but with some lighter golden tipped leaves, and some pure golden leaves, scattered throughout. I used 1 tsp of leaf for my cup, and gave it 3.5 minutes in boiling water. The resulting liquor is a bright reddish-brown, and I added a splash of milk.
When I read the name of this tea, I was hoping that it would be a “Golden Lion” variety. These Assams have a lot in common with Chinese Yunnan black teas, which I absolutely adore. Judging by the scent of the wet leaf, it looks like my wish has been granted. Sweet potato and chocolate notes abound!
To taste, this one is an absolute delight. The initial sip is quite strong – very, very malty, with a strong squashy, yam like flavour. It’s also quite tannic, so perhaps to be avoided on an empty stomach. Successive sips show this to be a very smooth tea, although I’m pretty sure the milk is helping to round out what might otherwise have been quite rough edges. The chocolate notes emerge towards the end of the sip, and add an extra layer of sweet creaminess to what is already a sweet, smooth, malty cup. This is certainly a full-bodied tea; rich and flavourful, and immensely satisfying as a mid-afternoon pick me up.
This is a tea I’d recommend to all Assam fans – relative newcomers and experienced aficionados alike. It’s a very punchy cup, and certainly doesn’t hold back, but it’s also a good, solid example of the variety. I’d also recommend it to those who enjoy Chinese black teas, since it shares some similar characteristics. I really enjoyed my time with this tea, and it’s definitely one I’d look to repurchase in the future.
Sencha of the Wind Green Tea from Yunomi
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Yunomi.us
Tea Description:
A tea popular with female customers in Japan, our Sencha of the Wind or 風の煎茶, is a sencha with a soft sweetness. Grown on southeast facing rolling hills at an altitude of 500 meters (1640 feet) and harvested in late May, the cultivation technique is very similar to our Kabuse Sencha. However, in addition to being harvested slightly later than the Kabuse, this tea does not use the Yabukita variety of tea plant (said to be the most suitable for Japanese tea) and is instead cultivated on standard tea plants. The difference is in the leaves as these leaves produce less amino acids than the Kabuse and therefore less bitterness.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have heard that green tea is perfect for hangovers, and I suppose today is a good day to find out.
I went to an amazing show with my man last night, and one drink led to another, and another… at the end of the night I was somehow dancing on a ladder, my boyfriend trying to get me down before I fell off. Needless to say, I am feeling the effects of it today. I woke up groggily, and googled drinkable hangover cures as I dug through my stash of teas. I read on a couple of random websites that green tea is better than the hair of the dog that bit you. Even if it was a load of hogwash, it never hurts to drink a good sencha.
Sencha of the Wind from Yunomi is one of the teas produced by Kyoto Obubu tea farms. They always have an amazing selection of teas that they produce from year to year. I have the 2014 version that I got in a sampler pack a while back. I used all 10g in my large kuysu, which is (probably?) 16oz. Using warm water, 65C I flash steeped a couple times and then brewed in increments of 30 seconds. I was really surprised at how much I could get out of those leaves! I think I made it to 9 steepings before I had to call it quits.
The smoothness and richness of this brew is simply incredible. Plenty of people new to green tea in general usually say that green tea has no taste, it’s just colored water. This is going to be the tea that I will use to change their mind. All Japanese greens are so strong and flavorful, this is no exception. I love how sweet and smooth this is. I even uttered an audible, ‘wow!’ when taking a sip.
I would highly recommend this to anyone who is a little put off by the astringency of some senchas, this is a very rich and sweet brew, buttery smooth to the last drop!
