Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Tea Description:
This organic oolong tea, from Nantou, Taiwan, has gorgeous fruit and honey notes. These leaves are especially rich in GABA, a natural enzyme that calms and relaxes. Mandy uses finest hojary frankincense, with its balsamic notes and citrus undertones that marries beautifully with this full-bodied tea. These tightly rolled leaves unfurl during the first steeping, and may be re-infused up to 4 times, retaining their fragrance.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Yes, I’ve sampled this Organic Frankincense GABA Oolong Tea from Aftelier Perfumed Teas before. I’ve written a review about it before. But I want to revisit it because as I near the end of my time as a tea reviewer, I want to take some time to acknowledge some pretty fantastic teas. This tea was in my stash and I thought that this one was certainly worthy of reviewing again!
I steeped this the way I typically steep an Oolong – in my gaiwan, of course! I did a 15 second rinse and then steeped it for 45 seconds for my first infusion. For each infusion that followed, I added 15 seconds onto the steep time. My first cup is a combination of infusions 1 and 2 while the second cup is infusions 3 and 4.
What I notice first about these teas from Aftelier is the exquisite aroma. This one in particular has a very pleasant aroma that makes me think of what I might smell if I were to walk into one of those exotic import type of shops in the mall with the beautiful tapestries hanging on the walls.
With my first sip I noticed a floral note that reminded me a little bit of rose. Then I started to pick up on notes of orange. There is a pleasant undertone of caramel and the Oolong has a slightly toasty flavor that nicely complements the notes of caramel and the orange notes. There is a gentle warmth to the cup. Delicate notes of spice.
My second cup was more subdued. I still tasted the aforementioned flavors: spice, orange, soft caramel-y notes, hints of toast and even a slight buttery flavor that tastes more of browned butter than of a fresh, creamy butter. The floral notes are still there too, although I can’t say that I’m tasting rose any more. It’s just a gentle flower note that has softened since the first cup. It’s a sweet and beautiful flavor.
This tea is quite unlike any Oolong I’ve ever tasted. That’s what impresses me so much about the teas from Aftelier is that the teas are very fine quality and that they’re different from teas you’ll experience from any other purveyor. This is NOT your standard issue.
Earl of Anxi Blend from Verdant Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
Traditional Earl Grey is a classic, great for every season. With the Earl of Anxi, we start not with a black tea, but with our Master Zhang’s Hand-Picked Tieguanyin to give the bergamot a sweet, bright base and reinforce the floral citrus notes. We draw out the citrus sweetness with a uniquely creamy and rich orange peel, and crystallize the florals into a prominent position with jasmine blossoms.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is really a unique take on Earl Grey – unique but very enjoyable!
What is so remarkable about this blend is how incredibly balanced it is. This Earl of Anxi has a very balanced fragrance as well as flavor and the result is a very smooth tea. Unbelievably smooth!
Verdant Tea has found a way to balance all that is unique about Earl Grey to create an uncommonly smooth version of the classic tea. First, let’s think about the aroma of an Earl Grey tea, because let’s face it, that’s usually the first thing you notice about Earl Grey … that beautiful scent of bergamot! But the fragrant note of the bergamot is something that is noticeable not just by scent but also distinguishable by taste. That’s why sometimes bergamot in an Earl Grey can come off as “perfume-y” because one not only smells the heady aroma of the bergamot orange but also tastes it. Don’t believe me? Try plugging your nose when you drink Earl Grey and you’ll notice that it tastes different.
The way that the Oolong tea melds with the floral notes of the jasmine and the fruit tones of the orange and goji berry is really remarkable. It is so creamy and fluid. Smooth like silk.
To my recollection, I’ve only tried Frankincense in one or two other teas, but based upon my memory of those experiences, I can taste the Frankincense now. It has a somewhat perfume-ish quality to it, very aromatic and exotic to the nose and to the palate.
The frankincense and saffron offer contrast and balance to the fragrant flavor of the bergamot, as does the jasmine, while the goji berry accentuates the citrus tones. The oolong offers a creamy taste that is the basis for the smooth flavor and texture of the tea. It is the conduit for the incredible smoothness of this tea.
A sweet, beautifully balanced, delicately spiced, exotic cup of tea that is so delightful that it is almost impossible to describe. It is one of those teas that you MUST try to believe. It’s an amazing tea.
Love & Joy Tisane from Verdant Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Tulsi, Herbal & Fruit Tisane
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tisane Description:
The light apple aroma of the chamomile is tempered by herbs and florals and grounded with cacao. This blend does what tea is known to do – bring you to a place of relaxation and reflection. Love & Joy blend tastes sweet and has a soft and round mouthfeel. Sip, relax and enjoy.
Learn more about this blend here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
What an interesting tisane! This Love & Joy Tisane from Verdant Tea is the second tea that I’m tasting from February’s Amoda Tea Tasting Box. Yeah, I’m a little behind. My March box should be arriving within days, and I’m still getting around to tasting February’s teas! Better get a move on!
This tisane has an abundance of ingredients:
Marigold (calendula), Goji, Linden Leaf + Flower, Honeysuckle, Chamomile, Tulsi, Elderberry, Cacao, Coriander, Frankincense.
And even though there seems to be a lot going on here, the flavors all meld together in an agreeable way. The first flavor that I can identify is the chamomile, and it offers a light, crisp, apple-y flavor to the cup. Then I notice the tulsi, and it tastes of basil and mint. There is a background of berry notes, and these berry notes come forward in the aftertaste. I get that tart note, that tingly berry sensation that you might experience after eating a tart berry.
After my first few sips, I start to realize that there is a distinct lime-ish note to this and then I re-read the ingredient list: linden! Yep, that would do it. The linden really brightens the cup.
There are light floral notes, not so much from the calendula (I very rarely taste a strong flavor from the marigold petals), but from the honeysuckle. It tastes sweet and floral and I like this little bit of sweetness from the honeysuckle.
In this cup, I smell the frankincense more than I taste it, but there is a warm spiciness to this cup which is not just from the coriander (and the tulsi!), but also the frankincense.
I found myself wanting more cacao. No big surprise there, I guess, since I am a chocoholic. My first 1/3 of the cup, I didn’t really notice much cacao at all, but by the time I finished that first 1/3 of the cup, I started to pick up on the notes of chocolate, and … YUM! I like the way the notes of chocolate meld with the other flavors of this cup. Sure, I’d like more cacao, but, I always do, don’t I?
As it is, this is a really interesting, intriguing cup. It seems to draw me deeper into the depths of its flavor with every sip. I discover more flavors each time I take a drink.
I have to admit that I like this a whole lot more than I thought I would. I’m not usually all that excited to try tisanes, but, this is really tasty!
Wise Man’s Caravan from Indie Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Indie Tea
Product Description:
Wisdom May Be The Road Less Traveled, But It Beats The Road That Leads To The Unexpected Swamp Filled With Hungry Alligators.
Organic and Fair Trade Ingredients: Organic Assam Black Tea, Organic Cloves, Organic Orange Peel, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Cardamom, Organic White Peppercorn, Organic Allspice, Organic Ginger, Organic Nutmeg, Organic Myrrh, Organic Frankincense.
Taster’s Review:
I must admit that Frankincense and Myrrh are two ingredients with which I have very little (read: none) experience. I wouldn’t be able to readily identify either if I were given something that had been spiced with them. I might have tried something with one or both of the ingredients in it before trying this tea, but, if so, it apparently was memorable.
But that is certainly not the case with this chai! This is really a delicious and unique chai – and it is indeed memorable. The black tea base is robust enough to stand out and be noticed amongst these spices without overwhelming them. It has a pleasant flavor with a nice malty note.
The spices are strong, but they don’t hit you upside the head. The cloves, cinnamon and cardamom come through most distinctly. I do like the addition of the allspice and nutmeg, it gives the tea a very solid warmth and pleasant nutty/woody flavor. The spices come through with very little heat though… this is what I would call a well-seasoned spiced tea rather than a spicy tea. It’s rustic and unusual.
While I do enjoy ginger, I like that here it is a little subdued. It doesn’t come on too strong or peppery – it kind of sits back in the background and lets the other spices come out and play. I also like the hint of orange here. It isn’t strong, but, it is a nice citrus-y sweetness that lightens up what might otherwise be a very spice-laden cup.
This is a very unusual chai – unusual, but very enjoyable. Different is good!
Frankincense GABA Oolong from Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Product Description:
This organic oolong tea is especially rich in GABA, a human enzyme that calms and relaxes. The finest hojary frankincense, with its balsamic notes and citrus undertones, marries beautifully with this full-bodied tea. These rolled leaves provide up to 4 infusions.
Taster’s Review:
I should preface this review by saying that I’ve not had a lot of experience with frankincense. So this shall be quite an adventure!
This is my third tea I’ve sampled from Aftelier Perfumed Teas collection. And each time I try one of these teas, I am amazed. Going in to the experience, I don’t expect to like it; I fear that it’s going to be too strongly perfumed for my liking. But each time, I am surprised at just how much I do like it.
And I like this one too. The aroma is exotic and heady, evoking seductive images of a dimly-lit room that is enveloped with the smoke of incense. It’s very enchanting and I am captivated.
The Oolong is lightly roasted, which creates a faint caramel-y note. The frankincense is not as perfume-y tasting as I thought it would be. It has hints of spice and flower. It is what I would call an androgynous tea as it possesses both masculine and feminine qualities. There are hints of smoke in the background – which may be from the Oolong or from the frankincense. The smooth, buttery essence of the Oolong seems to unite all of these flavors, making this a seamless tea experience.
As with the other teas that I’ve tried from Aftelier, I recommend steeping this in a gaiwan, using short steeps. Too long a steep will result in too strong a perfume-y taste, but with the short steeps the flavor comes out just perfect – no need for additions – it’s just delightful as is. While this is not a tea that I would want to drink every day, it certainly would make a great tea for a special occasion – perhaps a romantic rendezvous? It is a very special tea, indeed!