Dragon Pearls/Rivertea

Looking for a little cup of calm this evening, ready to sit and sip on the porch in the cool evening air, I decided to make this new (to me) jasmine dragon pearl tea. I will be using a small tetsubin and using the whole sample of pearls.

Like most jasmine dragon pearls that I have tried, this calls for one teaspoon per cup. Unlike most, it calls for much cooler water at 158F and a 2-4 minute steep. I like to follow instructions for new teas and then change up the steeping parameters to suit my taste. I gave it just two minutes.

The first steep is almost completely clear. It really looks like water with the tiniest tinge of gold if I really use my imagination! At first sip, I think it is far too weak, but as I keep sipping and really pay attention to the tea, I find that it has lovely subtle flavor, nice jasmine taste, and is indeed a very calming cup. (I have had some jasmine green that was a bit arresting and harsh to me.) As subtle as it is, I would never serve this with food as it would simply taste like a cup of hot water. I really did enjoy it by itself, though.

For the second steep, I decided to go with my usual parameters. I raised the water temp to 175F and gave it a three minute steep. Now I have tea with a decidedly golden color and more flavor. As I drink, a pleasant briskness is building. Now THIS is how I would make it to serve with a meal.

As a stand alone sipping tea, I think my perfect cup would happen at their recommended temperature of 158F but for a longer time than I gave it, probably three to three and a half minutes.


Want to Know More About This Tea?

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Rivertea

Description

For those moments when you need some inspiration, this Jasmine Dragon Pearls will bring your imagination to life. Dragon Pearls green tea is a rare specialty from China. Only the youngest and most tender leaves are repeatedly blended with fresh, very fragrant jasmine flowers, a process that is repeated at least 8 times, at the end of which the flower petals are removed and the tea leaves are carefully hand rolled into small, tight pearls. The jasmine aroma is closed in and unfolds fully when infused giving the tea an exquisitely fragrant perfume and taste. Its colour is so intense and palpable that the tea almost appears like a syrup. A pleasure for the eyes, nose and palate, a fragrance that will inspire your days!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Maple Almond Dragon Pearls from A Quarter To Tea. . . .

Sometimes when you do tea swaps with other tea lovers, you find yourself surprised by added teas you did not expect nor ask for. And by sometimes, I mean basically every time. Gotta love the generosity of tea friends!

Well, this particular tea is one of those surprises and I was super excited to try it out. If I am being honest, it was the fact that these were black dragon pearls that appealed to me the most. I just love being able to pop a couple of balls of tea into the mug and watch them blossom. It is calming as the tea opens up and releases all its flavor into the brew. I will say though that I probably should have put these in a filter as opposed to directly in the mug because as fun as it was to watch, the pearl completely disintegrated and I had to strain out the leaves before drinking.

As I sip the tea now, the first thing I notice is the taste of the yunnan base. Smooth and malty which transitions nicely into a light note of vanilla. The almond is also present and adds depth to the tea. Unfortunately, I am not sure how much maple is coming through. As a Canadian, maple is a flavor that I get easily excited about but I have noticed it is a flavor that often isn’t done how I would want it to be. This is no exception because I find myself searching for it but to no avail.

This was a little bit of a miss for me given the lack of maple. That is not to say it was bad since I enjoyed the tea and had no trouble finishing the mug of it. However, I was disappointed that this didn’t exactly deliver on what the name promised.


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy:  A Quarter To Tea
Description

Rich and malty handrolled tea from Yunnan, China with natural maple, vanilla and almond flavor.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Guangxi Golden Pearls from Tea Shirt. . . Rolled Tea Pearls!

So far the teas I have had from Tea Shirt have been tasty and I am eager to try more so today I am reviewing Guangxi Golden Pearls from Tea Shirt. I have really liked other Golden Pearl teas I have had from other companies and this one is just as good.

Guangxi Golden Pearls from Tea Shirt is made up of black tea leaves that is hand rolled into little ‘balls’ or ‘pearls’ as the product description says on their website. Dry – Guangxi Golden Pearls from Tea Shirt – smells a bit like chocolate and fruit. Once infused – Guangxi Golden Pearls from Tea Shirt has a stand-alone fruity aroma, naturally!

The flavor on the tongue is a medium to medium-strong black tea with natural fruity notes. What kind of fruit? One sip I lean more towards a berry flavor and another sip I think it’s more like a stone fruit flavor…like a plum. I can’t quite put my finger on it (or should I say my tongue?) Guangxi Golden Pearls from Tea Shirt has a subtle chocolaty pop to it in the middle of the sip as well. This is pretty tasty, indeed! Guangxi Golden Pearls from Tea Shirt is a winner in my book!


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Tea Shirt
Description

Premium black tea from Guangxi Province, China. – Handmade pearls of about 1cm in diameter with distinctive golden tips. Fruity and characteristic aroma.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Rose Dragon Ball Black Tea from Teavivre. . . . .

When I lived in Montreal there was a tea from a local tea store, Camellia Sinensis, that I loved. I usually am not one for florals but that blend, Des Roses et Des Bonbons was absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, that tea was discontinued.

This tea is reminiscent of that great rose flavor, even if it does lack the “bonbons” candy element. Nonetheless, it’s sweet and floral making for a delicate treat. The black tea base contributes a silky smoothness with a great deal of malt and a dash of smoke. The base and rose flavor combine quite harmoniously to make a lovely everyday sort of tea where there is enough flavor to keep things interesting but not too much that you will bore of it quickly. With that in mind, it’s probably a good transition tea for those trying to make the jump from flavored to straight teas (or vice versa).

Plus, this is also a fun tea to watch brew. The large pearl comes filled with rose flowers. As the black tea blooms, the roses inside float to the top making for a one beautiful looking brew. Could be the tea to go with when you want to impress a friend or perhaps if you just want something relaxing to watch for a few minutes.


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Description

The materials of Rose Dragon Ball Black tea are from Yunnan arbor old tea trees combining with Phnom Penh Rose, expertly rolled into a large pearl-like shape. Phnom Penh Rose is a specialty among the categories of Yunnan’s edible foods. Compared with other roses, the Phnom Penh Rose has a smaller appearance with light taste, but it presents a more delicate sweet taste and fragrance. Because of this reason, it’s capable of covering the strong taste and sometimes even some extent of bitterness from the old tea trees.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!