Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Compass Teas
Tea Description:
A Brand New Dessert tea! We suggest sweetening it with Amber Sugar Gems.Ingredients: Black Tea, Camellia Sinensis Stems, Sunflower Petals, Safflower Petals, Flavoring
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I measured out this Butterscotch Toffee Black Tea Blend from Compass Teas, I was kind of surprised to see all the stems in the tea. I thought to myself, this is a really “stemmy” tea … which is sometimes indicative of a poor quality tea, but, in this case, I don’t think that’s true. After reading the description and ingredient list on the Compass Teas Website, and seeing “Camellia Sinensis Stems” as one of the ingredients, I realize this is supposed to be a stemmy tea!
My first couple of sips of this tea … all I could really taste was a strong, earthy, somewhat “roasted” tea flavor, but nothing that resembled either butterscotch or toffee. Then I allowed it to cool for a few minutes (maybe five minutes? The tea was still pleasantly hot, but not piping hot), and the flavors began to pop. Now I could taste a rich, buttery taste along with a sweet, caramel-y note. YUM!
And even though this is a sweet tasting tea, and even with a name like Butterscotch Toffee … I’m not finding this to be a cloyingly sweet tea. It is definitely what I’d call a dessert tea, but, it doesn’t taste too sweet.
I’m also gratified to find that the strongest flavors of this cup are not the butterscotch or the toffee … but the tea! The tea is a robust black tea … it’s good and strong, and I think that the stems of the Camellia Sinensis gives this tea a pleasantly “roasted” kind of flavor that almost mimics a coffee-like richness. This is a tea that would be very satisfying served as a breakfast tea, it has that hearty flavor that I want first thing in the morning … and that it is a Butterscotch Toffee tea … makes it a delightful indulgence too.
I recommend trying this as a latte too … it makes a really decadent treat!
Wanja Purple Tea from Wanja Tea of Kenya
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Purple
Where to Buy: Wanja Tea of Kenya
Tea Description:
Wanja Purple Tea of Kenya is a very rare tea that has sweet woodsy notes with a pleasant lingering astringency. While it is still derived from the same plant (Camellia Sinensis) that produces traditional Black and Green Tea, Wanja Purple Tea is rich inanthocyanin (a water soluble pigment that is found in red cranberries and grapes) which gives it the distinctive purple leaves.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I haven’t yet had many occasions to try purple teas. I’ve tried a few, and I’ve really enjoyed those that I’ve tried. So, when Wanja Tea of Kenya approached me with the opportunity to try their purple tea, I was very excited.
And now that I sit here, tasting it, I can say that the tea has not disappointed me. It is really delicious. It has a smooth creaminess that reminds me of an Oolong or a buttery green tea. The texture is rich and thick – almost like a broth, and there are compelling notes of wood and earth, as well as hints of vegetable and fruit within this cup. It has so much flavor to it, so many dynamic layers of flavor – but it isn’t what I’d call robust. It is soothing and calming.
As I continue to sip, I notice that the woody tones really emerge, and there seems to be a hint of spice along with it, making it vaguely reminiscent of a Darjeeling, but this has more body to it. The vegetative notes continue to linger in the distance, not exactly what I’d call grassy, exactly, but more like a very mild vegetable – like white beans. It even has the creaminess that reminds me very much of a bean soup.
I am really enjoying this tea and all the flavors it has presented. This is currently the only tea that Wanja Tea of Kenya offers, but, they picked a really good one for their benchmark tea. I hope it is indicative of what’s to come from this new company, because they’ve certainly piqued my interest!
Shan Lin Xi Winter Harvest from Camellia Sinensis
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Camellia Sinensis
Tea Description:
Initial impression from this taiwanese highland wulong is an aroma of ground-cherry and wheat-grass which evolves into fresh vanilla and flowers. Rich creamy texture with sweet final notes of coconut.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The aroma of this tea is intense! Dry, the leaves have a fresh, exhilarating scent that reminds me of the smell of the mountain air and wildflowers. The brewed infusion has more fruit notes than the dry leaf, but the floral tones are still there, although they are a bit softer than that of the raw leaf.
The tea infuses to a light amber color, and the flavor is sweet and creamy. “Buttery” is often a term I use to describe greener Oolongs and even some green teas, but I don’t think it would apply to this particular tea, because while it is creamy like butter, the flavor is more like the creaminess of a coconut, it is fruit-like and sweet. The description above pretty much nails it – I do taste notes of coconut as well as notes of vanilla, and crisp floral notes.
The later infusions seem to focus more on the floral tones than the fruit notes. The creaminess in the first infusions subsides, making way for a more floral taste with sharp orchid notes. A hint of almost grassy vegetation begins to emerge as well, and the fruit tones become more mellow.
A delightful cup – a little different from the typical “green” Oolong – but every bit as enjoyable, if not more so!
White Tea from Teatulia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Teatulia
Product Description:
Delicately rich with a hint of peach. Excellent choice for starting off a hot summer day or relaxing in the early evening. Also a perfect choice for those new to tea– the sweet, subtle flavor is a lovely introduction to the world of tea.
Taster’s Review:
Through the sheer pyramid sachet I could see that this was a silver needle white tea, although I’m finding the flavor to be a bit stronger than some of the silver needle teas I’ve tasted. It is sweet and rich… lush! Lush is the word I’d use to describe the flavor and texture of this tea.
The aroma of the dry and wet leaf is quite vegetative, as is the fragrance of the brewed liquor. However, I don’t get a lot of vegetative taste from this. There is some vegetal flavor, but it is very delicate… and that somewhat grassy taste can be amplified by the simple act of inhaling the aroma before taking a sip.
While I have come to appreciate the grassy taste of green and white teas, I still prefer the fruit and floral notes of this tea over the grassy tones – and those flavors are very much in abundance with every sip.
This is an excellent white tea. It is mild enough in flavor for those who find green teas to be a little overwhelming, but yet it is not as delicate as some of the white teas I’ve tasted. This would be a really good white tea for those who are new to it. I highly recommend it.
Darjeeling Avongrove from Camellia Sinensis
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White Darjeeling
Where to Buy: Camellia Sinensis
Product Description:
This white tea is very unusual combination of Darjeeling terroir, pure assamica tea, and the artisanal expertise of Avongrove’s Mr.Subba. Large silken buds give a relatively dark infusion and liquor due to the assamica’s chemistry. Rich and creamy in the cup with a smooth, full attack of cocoa butter and hazelnut notes that linger into a long pleasant aftertaste.
Taster’s Review:
Ahhh-Maz-ING! This is an astounding white Darjeeling.
The tea brews quite dark for a white tea – and when I first saw the brewed liquor I was a little worried that I had used too much leaf or infused too long. But, after tasting it (and reading the above description) I realize that this tea is meant to be this dark. The aroma of the liquor is quite delightful – I can smell notes of chocolate! YUM!
The flavor is quite surprising. Normally with a white tea, you might expect the flavor to be delicate, but that is not the case here. This is one of the strongest white teas that I think I’ve ever tasted. The flavor is smooth and rich and quite delicious. Sweet, nutty, and even a hint of cocoa in there. Very flavorful and very enjoyable.
I would recommend this tea to anyone who might think they don’t really care for white tea because it is too delicate – this one will shock them! This may just be my favorite white tea yet! I love it.