Sinharaja from Golden Moon Tea

Sinharaja from Golden Moon Tea
Sinharaja from Golden Moon Tea

Tea Information:

Leaf Type: Black

Where to Buy: Golden Moon Tea

Tea Description:

For Sinharaja we use rich, dark loose leaf tea leaves that are nourished by fertile rain forest streams in the hills of Ceylon. It has a toasty, molasses-like character with ripe berry notes and a caramelized finish. Serve with a touch of raw sugar and cream for a taste that is smooth, full-bodied and warming.

WHY IT’S SPECIAL:

A sweet, full bodied Ceylon Tea

Natural notes of cocoa and honey with a finish of molasses

A personal favorite of our Owner, Marcus Stout

Pairs excellently with milk and honey

Grown at the basin of a rainforest giving it a wonderfully rich flavor

WHAT TO BE CAREFUL OF:

Sinharaja has a touch of astringency, which is great for first thing in the morning

A bold flavor that is heavier than most Ceylon Teas

While good as an iced tea, it actually tastes better hot

Not as malty as other Black Teas (like Assam)

If you drink the tea without milk and sugar/honey, then the second infusion is better than the first

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

The aroma of Sinharaja from Golden Moon Tea is delightful. It smells rich, robust, sweet, and full of molasses. Yet to balance out this sweet tea we have an almost spicy, woodsy flavor. It is quite delicious. Now I can’t say it is the most robust black tea, nor the heaviest in the mouthfeel. Actually I have had teas with far more depth of flavor than Sinharaja, however I do love this tea. I like the subtle astringency indicative of a breakfast tea, without the ability for it to easily become bitter when oversteeped. Let’s face it, if I am going to over steep a tea it is going to be when I am barely awake, in the mornings. Well in honesty my mornings are more early afternoon, but you get the idea.

If you like to add creamer, milk, sugar, etc to your tea this is an excellent one to do it with. Although I find this tea to have plenty of flavor on its own and does not need additives, I have to admit that the milk and sugar do bring out new and exciting qualities in this tea. It enhances the richness and makes the tea a bit more robust, rather than drowning out the flavors. I also only added a slight hint of milk, and sugar.

There is a earthy yet sweet balance in this tea that keeps drawing me back. Chocolate notes that seem almost creamy as the cup cools some present. Bright berry notes do liven up the cup giving an almost sparkly like sensation to the palate. The berries taste more red berry, perhaps even a slight cherry or perhaps raspberry note to the cup. Based on the sparkly sensation I am going to have to go with very sweet raspberry.

I particularly love the after taste and while I know that Golden Moon says this is better hot I can’t wait to try it iced. I feel like this is one of those teas that can really match any weather. I can see this being so comforting on a dreary day, or really refreshing on a hot day. I need to get my hands on some more of this.

Maiden’s Ecstasy Organic from Samovar Tea Lounge

Maiden's Esctasy by Samovar Tea Lounge
Maiden’s Esctasy by Samovar Tea Lounge

Tea Information:

Leaf Type: Puerh

Where to Buy: Samovar Tea Lounge 

Tea Description:

Wild-crafted from 30-foot trees in the jungles of Southwest China, this tea is a traditional wedding gift and evening mood-setter. Dark, creamy, and luxurious with notes of bittersweet chocolate and espresso.

Details

Tea Type: Pu-Erh

Origin: Jing Mai Mountains in Yunnan, China

Caffeine Level: Medium-high

Processing Details: Tender, young-leaf, vintage, loose leaf Pu-Erh

Tasting and Aroma Specs: Very balanced, smooth, rich and dark, with a slightly sweet, wildflower honey finish. Deep, strong forward notes of earth and moss with a lingering raisin sugar sweetness.

Food Pairing: Dim Sum and Samovar’s Mushroom Quiche

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

It is really difficult to sum up a puerh in a review without mentioning each and ever steep. Especially when it is such an excellent puerh like this Maiden’s Ecstasy Organic from Samovar Tea Lounge.

Maiden’s Ecstasy is one of the first pureh that I ever tried and is still one of my favorites. I stopped drinking coffee shortly before I found my love for loose leaf tea, and this Maiden’s Ecstasy provides such a rich, full, and robust cup that it brings back memories of my once loved coffee, but is so much better, and far more flavorful!

With a creamy, heavy mouthfeel, this tea has notes of german rock sugar, brown sugar, raisins, tree bark, oak moss, and so much more. Sometimes you will taste a more woodsy note, while other times you get a taste of chocolate, and other times a savory note of mushroom!

There is something otherworldly about this tea. It is the kind of tea I like to drink while watching a movie such as Avatar, or The Never Ending Story. I would take this and drink it at the Renaissance Festival every year if I could find a way to keep steeping it! It makes me feel like jumping from toadstool to tree trunk and swinging from branches of friendly tress and cavorting with gnomes but beware of the trolls because this tea does have a sparky, spicy kick to it at times as well! Its not dangerous though, it won’t burn your tongue at all, its just a little spark of playful now and then in the middle of an otherwise dreamy cup.

It does evoke thoughts of sipping on a very luxurious espresso, a good one though, one you could probably only find at one of those quaint cafes in Italy, as you sit writing in your diary at a white linen clothed table, dreaming of a romantic interlude. Flavors of molasses peek through resembling the sweet desires playing out in your mind as you gaze into nothingness, while someone, sitting at a table not too far away can see everything emoting through your eyes.

Yes, this tea is that special.

Zhu Rong Yunnan Black Tea from Verdant Tea

Zhu Rong Yunnan Black from Verdant Tea
Zhu Rong Yunnan Black from Verdant Tea

Tea Information:

Leaf Type: Black

Where to Buy: Verdant Tea

Tea Description:

The aroma of this intensely rich Yunnan black is immediately reminiscent of one of our favorite chocolate’s of all time: the Rogue Chocolatier Hispaniola bar, made with a tangy and nuanced cacao from the Dominican Republic.  Imagine a fine dark chocolate melted down and infused with hibiscus.  That is the aroma of this tea.  It is so rich and fruity it even reminds us of a fine, light roasted coffee.

NOTES: Velvet, Chocolate, Cayenne, Clove, Cinnamon, Molasses, Cream

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

Some teas tend to learn toward a specific season for me. Such as Chai which I always prefer in the fall and winter seasons. Or berry teas which I prefer in the spring and summer seasons. What I love about Zhu Rong Yunnan Black Tea from Verdant Tea is that it suits me perfectly in any season!

The aroma of this tea is always inviting, with notes of baked goods, hay, molasses, malt, and even berry!

It has a rich full mouthfeel yet a savory element in the flavor profile that boarders right on the spicy side of life. I can’t think of many unadulterated teas that have so much complexity. From sweet to savory, spicy to fruity. Zhu Rong Yunnan Black Tea from Verdant has it all.

The initial sip gives off notes of chocolate, molasses, and malt, with a spicy kick near the end. The aroma helps you pick up those initial sweeter notes and takes your mind on a baked goods trip, so when the spice elements present themselves it is somewhat of a surprise.

The creaminess of the tea is mostly in the mouthfeel and texture of this tea rather than in the flavor although there is a creamy flavor element as well, that note is more taken over by the spice at the end. You have to notice the creamy flavor in the beginning of the sip.

The spice notes in this tea are not like that of a chai, so don’t let the flavor notes listed above of clove and cinnamon scare you if you are not in favor of spicier teas. I personally pick up more of the cayenne kick rather than cinnamon or clove, and it is only on the tail end of the sip and does not burn or create heat in the mouth. Its just more of a wonderful gentle wake up note that kicks your taste buds and mind into gear. A perfect morning tea!

The berry notes I detect are not listed in the flavor profile of this tea but I get a dark berry and raisin flavor when I swish the tea around my palate.

This is one of my favorite morning teas which is also quite excellent when cooled or iced! Perfect anytime of the year.

Bai-Lin Kung-Fu Classic Red Tea from Shang Tea

Bai-Lin Kung-Fu Red Tea
Bai-Lin Kung-Fu Red Tea from Shang Tea

Tea Information:

Leaf Type: Red Tea

Where to Buy: Shang Tea

Tea Description:

Hearty and flavorful, this brew has a complex flavor, crisp finish, and a deep traditional red tea hue. This tea is harvested from a white tea plant, which offers a smooth finish to a fermented tea.

Ingredients: Organic White Tea Leaves

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

Bai-Lin Kung-Fu Classic Red Tea from Shang Tea is quite spectacular! The aroma is like a malty black tea with aromas of cocoa, hay, and maple. My first reaction when smelling this while steeping was Mmmmmmmm. A deeper inhalation of this tea brings forth some berry aromas as well. Yet there is also something savory about this tea. My mouth was watering while I patiently waited for my tea to cool just a tiny bit so I could indulge!

This is a sweet tea! It even smells somewhat sweet. As I sip on this tea I find notes of honey, toasted cocoa beans, notes of roasted flavors, some kind of molasses perhaps, and a spark of spice. The after taste is lingering of that savory element I noted above. Almost an oregano note.

What a strange, interesting, complex tea!

This is not a tea for the faint of heart, it is bold, robust, not shy at all. It wakes you up and perks you up as it presents itself with a hearty “Hey there! Bet you weren’t expecting me!”

Its a bit sweet, a bit saucy, and all attitude! If this tea were a person it would be that interesting, but sometimes peculiar uncle Bob that sometimes makes you laugh and other times makes you go Hummmmm. Unless your uncle Bob is just creepy in which case this tea is not like him at all. It just has a way about it that speaks boldly for itself yet makes you feel comfortable with its unusual flavor. This tea makes you feel good to be a bit different, to go off the beaten path, to try new things, and indulge in rare delights that you won’t find around every corner.

If I were going to take a trek through the country I think I would take this tea along with me. It tends to make me feel invincible or like all things are possible. Its unusual, exciting, and unlike any other tea out there yet familiar enough in some of its flavor notes that I find it comforting at the same time as exciting.

Is it white or red or black? Its confusing right? Don’t despair, read all about it on Shang Tea’s blog here.

Gingerbread Matcha from Red Leaf Tea

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green (Matcha)

Where to Buy:  Red Leaf Tea

Tea Description:

The highly intoxicating taste of gingerbread when mellowed by Matcha produces a treat that is both compelling and delicious. The pungent aroma of Gingerbread Matcha is enough to attract curious and adventurous takers to partake of its wonderful delights. This minty treat is perfect for any audience who want to feel alive and fresh in every sense in their body. It is an exceptional cold weather drink that brings back the pep that the cold has numbed out. It is also great for its cooling effect when the weather is too hot for comfort. Its spicy undertones makes this delectable snack stand in a class of its own.

Learn more about this flavored Matcha here.

Taster’s Review:

Mmm!  Gingerbread!

Is there any cookie (baked good?  Bread?  Cake?) that says Christmas more than gingerbread?  To be honest, I didn’t eat gingerbread as a kid.  My gramma would bake a huge assortment of different cookies at Christmastime, and she’d even make sugar cookies in the shape of gingerbread men.  But she never really made gingerbread – or at least, I don’t recall her doing so.

So I don’t remember ever really eating gingerbread as a kid.  I remember eating gingersnaps though, and I loved those!  And this Matcha has a gingersnap-pish kind of appeal to it – YUM!

With my first few sips, though, I was not really all that impressed with what I was tasting.  It tasted ginger-y, sure, and I could taste cinnamon and maybe a hint of molasses.  But I didn’t taste that bake-y, bready, cookie kind of taste that I wanted from something called “gingerbread.”  So I thought for a moment, and decided to add a splash of milk to my chawan … this did the trick!  The milk brought out all the delightful bake-y flavors that I craved, and desired, from this Gingerbread Matcha.

The flavor is strongly ginger, but it isn’t a super hot or peppery kind of ginger, it is a sweeter ginger.  I also taste cinnamon, as I mentioned, and a molasses-y kind of sweetness (if you want to enhance this, try adding a bit of brown sugar to your chawan).  And with the milk, this becomes a delightful Gingerbread Matcha Latte that would rival the gingerbread lattes from the local coffee shops.  Sure, those are made with coffee and this with green tea, but, this has that same creamy, delicious, gingerbread-y taste that you’d expect from a gingerbread latte.  And it’s not as heavily sugared as most of those lattes from the coffee shop … even if you do add a little bit of brown sugar to it!

And even though the flavor of the “gingerbread” is strong here (I opted for the distinctive level of flavoring for this batch of Matcha, along with the classic grade of Matcha), the flavor of the Matcha is not overwhelmed.  I taste the vegetative notes here, although they are not as strong in some of the other flavored Matcha that I’ve tried from Red Leaf Tea.  So that is to say that the ginger and other spices do play a certain role here in muting out a little of the Matcha flavor, but, certainly not all of it.  The vegetative tones are more like butter here than grassy or vegetable, but there are faint vegetal notes as well.  The buttery tones meld perfectly with the aforementioned bake-y flavors, giving this gingerbread a rich, buttery undertone.

A really delightful treat!