Day 3 of our Holiday Countdown with Teanzo!
Since it’s that time of year and I’m an artist (who really NEEDS to get back into the swing of creating – I need some inspiration!) I decided to start featuring different holiday-ish designs of things that I’ve created in the past as well as pieces that others have created for me on my Holiday Countdown posts.
Today, I went back through some of my old pictures of artwork that I’ve created and I came across this Holiday greeting card that I made a few years ago. I thought it was an appropriate way to kick off this “parade” of holiday artwork as featured on a tea blog – and it gives me an opportunity to offer all our readers a cup of holiday cheer!
We really are very grateful to our readers that keep us blogging!
So, why don’t we get into the tea for day three?
Safari Rooibos
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
This refreshing rooibos iced tea with hints of fruit, is a great caffeine free source of antioxidants and trace minerals.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is the first rooibos blend that I’m reviewing in this countdown. The small, needle-like rooibos leaves seem even smaller in this blend, as though they’ve been chopped to an even finer consistency. So, even though I haven’t been using the unbleached DIY loose leaf tea bags that were included in this Teanzo Advent Calendar box, I would strongly recommend using them for this tea (and perhaps any other rooibos blends should we come across more!)
I actually steeped this tea in my Kati Tumbler, but after steeping, I wished I had used one of those tea bags because the leaves are so fine that some of them fell through the very fine mesh sieve of the Kati Tumbler basket. To avoid “drinking” the leaves (nothing wrong with this, I just don’t like floaters in my tea), I strained the liquid again into another teacup after the tea was finished steeping. This action managed to eliminate the few leaves that made their way through the basket of my Kati. (Steeping parameters: 195°F for 10 minutes.)
And all that effort was worth it – because this is a really tasty blend. I’m usually somewhat ambivalent when it comes to rooibos blends (as many of my readers are already aware), but, I’m enjoying this. The rooibos has a honey-like sweetness and earthy, nutty flavors that are accented nicely with notes of citrus.
It’s not an overly flavored blend. I’m not tasting more citrus flavor than I’m tasting rooibos. There is a good balance between both of these elements. Usually, I’m all for it when the flavors are strong enough to conceal the flavors of the rooibos because as I said, rooibos is generally not my favorite taste, but, the flavors work well here. It’s enjoyable and it’s a nice, cozy drink for these cold, winter-y days.
I liked this served straight, but I think I like this one even better with a dollop of honey to bring out those natural honeyed flavors of the rooibos base. It’s soothing and comforting while it quenches my thirst.
No. 3 – Classic Chinese Black Tea from Joseph Wesley Black Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Joseph Wesley Black Tea
Tea Description:
Joseph Wesley’s Black Tea No. 3 is an organically-certified tea from the famed Long Jing cultivars of China’s Zhejiang Province. This tea is hand-harvested from the mountains of Zhu Jia Jian island in the Putuo district of the Zhoushan archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. Bold and straightforward, this delightful tea can be enjoyed throughout the day and will pair with any of your favorite adjuncts (milk and sugar / spice and honey).
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This No. 3 – Classic Chinese Black Tea from Joseph Wesley Black Tea is the third tea that I’ve tried from this company … and all three have done nothing but astound me! I am so very impressed by this company.
The large, chocolate-y brown leaves smell lightly earthy with a hint of sweetness. The liquid these lovely leaves produce is a deep brown color that smells rich and rewarding, like that first cup of tea that you look forward to in the morning.
The flavor is equally as rewarding, with its rich chocolate-y notes and sweet caramel-y undertone. There are notes of malt and this has that flavorful, chewy kind of taste that evokes thoughts of freshly baked bread. It is deeply satisfying.
There are notes of earth within the sip, as well as a fruit-like flavor that reminds me of a sweet plum. Every once in a while, if I slurp my sip, I pick up on a hint of flower in the distance. But mostly what I taste is the sweeter notes of cacao and honeyed caramel.
This is one of those teas that you want to have on hand so that you can enjoy it frequently. It’s so good.
Hsin Chu Oriental Beauty Oolong #3 from T-Oolong Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: T-Oolong Tea
Tea Description:
This quality Hsin Chu Oriental Beauty Oolong (#3) is from a very experienced tea farmer. This tea is all natural, handpicked, handcrafted and produced from Qingxin Dapa varietal grown in Hsin Chu county in Taiwan. The aroma and taste of this tea is very fruity, rich, complex and satisfying, and the aftertaste is fruity, sweet and long lasting. It is a very enjoyable Oriental Beauty we recommend.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
While Ali Shan tends to be my favorite type of Oolong tea, I’m still rather fond of Oriental Beauty Oolong teas, and I’m really enjoying this Hsin Chu Oriental Beauty Oolong #3 from T-Oolong Tea. I love the fruity quality of this Oriental Beauty! So sweet and delicious!
It is a delightfully complex Oriental Beauty, with delectable fruit overtones that are reminiscent of a sweet, tree-ripened plum, bursting with juicy flavor. There are very subtle hints of earth and wood to this cup as well, and I like the way these notes add to the depth of the overall cup. My first few sips, I could have sworn I tasted a vague smokiness to the tea as well, but, now that I’ve finished my first cup (infusions 1 and 2) and working on my second cup (infusions 3 and 4) I find that the smokiness has disappeared, and it makes me question whether or not I actually tasted a smoky tone or if it was just my imagination.
I love how the flavors develop with this tea. The first cup was light and smooth, and the second cup seems to be richer in flavor. It is still remarkably smooth though. It has a silky mouthfeel. The aftertaste is sweet and lingers. The third cup (infusions 5 and 6) is smoother than either the first or second cup, and the flavors seem to have married into a more seamless kind of taste.
Each new infusion brings a new adventure, and that is why I love Oolong teas. This one is definitely worth trying – and it is one I’d recommend to those that tend to shy away from Oolong teas because of their strong floral notes. This one is much more fruit-like than floral. It’s a beautiful, contemplative cup.