Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: The Mountain Tea Company
Tea Description:
It’s no wonder this tea is also called Champagne Oolong. This Oriental Beauty in compressed cake form tastes of apricots, thick with honeyed spice. Simply break off a piece and enjoy. 3.8 oz
Other names: Champagne Oolong, Formosa Fancy Oolong, Braggart’s Tea – Peng Feng Cha – 椪風茶, White Tip Oolong – Bai Hao Oolong – 白毫乌龙, Dong Fang Mei Ren – 东方美人
Water: 85°C
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oriental Beauty Cake from The Mountain Tea Company is one of the prettiest teas I have ever seen, let alone the pretties cake I have ever seen! There is also a lovely story about this tea’s creation and discovery here.
Well to begin this is an organic tea so points for that! Furthermore it is a pressed oolong yet has a distinctive pu’er flavor profile. Perhaps the pressing of this tea into a cake is only for presentation and novelty but I swear that in doing so it has manifested itself into a more earthy tea like a pu’er. Whatever the case may be – my imagination or reality, this is such a wonderful cup.
I will confess, I am getting a bit of a tea high while sipping on it. Either that or I just need a nap but I am feeling quite laid back and cozy in this sipping moment.
The aroma is a sensory explosion! Sweetly floral, and fruity, peppery notes, and the aroma of a wooded place. The aftertaste is so very familiar – what IS that flavor? Savory, vegetal, something buttered perhaps, GAH what is it? … Squash, Zucchini perhaps. I will come back to that another time it may drive me batty. It is delicious regardless!
I am surprised at just how bold this cup is. There is only a slight touch of astringency to it, but I like it as it has this slight bite then changes into that mystery flavor I was trying to pin point above.
I do also pick out notes of fruits, honey, and spices. It is in a way reminiscent of spending a day at the farmers market or maybe something a little more extravagant like a Moroccan market perhaps.
Ah the second infusion really brings forth the fruit notes! Now I get that raisin note that another reviewer had mentioned on Steepster!
I had got distracted while doing this review and came back to a very cold cup of tea and you know what. Its really good!
This really is not what I generally gravitate toward in an oolong but when I don’t think of it as an oolong I love it. Okay I love it even when trying to see it as an oolong. I think the point I am trying to make is, is that if someone handed me a cup of this I would think it either a black tea with some excellent layers in the flavor notes or perhaps a pu’er. I would be very confused.
I am also pretty sure this is the type of oolong served at a couple of the local Asian buffets here local to me. Now granted I do not think they are near this level of quality of an Oriental Beauty Oolong but hey at least its not Liptons!
So in closing I must say I am excited, surprised, confused, intoxicated, and wooed by this tea. I look forward to many many more steepings and sessions to come with this beautiful cake!
Kudos to The Mountain Tea Company for always having some of the best teas!
Oh and if you order from The Mountain Tea Company be sure to look for the button on their item pages that says “Tweet for Discount” if you have a twitter account you can get a code for 5% off your purchase.
Zhu Rong Yunnan Black Tea 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.
Honeybush Haze from Amoda Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush & Rooibos
Where to Buy: Amoda Tea
Tisane Description:
Apple Crumble with a hazelnut topping anyone? That’s definitely what this tea smells like. Green honeybush is the main ingredient and brings strong aromatics and a sweet apricot flavour to this blend. Combined with the dried apple this tea offers a lingering sweetness. And yes… there’s raisins in your tea.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Not too long ago, Steepster decided to put it’s “Steepster Select” program on hiatus. For those of you who do not remember, the Steepster Select program was a monthly subscription, and once a month, subscribers would receive a box of three different teas, all three teas pertaining to a particular theme, like “Around the Clock” or “Migration”. I loved this program because not only was it about TEA but it also enabled me to try some new teas from companies I might not have tried before. Plus, it was a lot of fun to see what theme would be explored and which teas were selected for that theme. Sure, I tried several of the teas that they had sent over the course of the program (I think it lasted for about a year!) but, for the most part, I was able to try quite a few teas that I might not have otherwise tried … or even heard of!
Well, Steepster ended it’s program in August of this year, and I was sad. I wanted another program like this one! Recently, I heard about Amoda Tea, a brand new company that focuses on monthly subscriptions – very similar to what we were getting from Steepster Select! The prices are comparable too!
The one difference: Amoda is in Canada, so I was unable to get the first box as it was limited to Canadian subscribers only. But, for the second box – November’s Box! – subscriptions opened up to the United States. Yay!
The theme of the first box is “The Last Days of Autumn” and this Honeybush Haze is the first tea that I’m sampling from the box. This tisane is blend that was created by a Tea Sommelier and chosen for Amoda Tea based upon the personalities at Amoda Tea! That is exciting in itself, because it’s a chance to try a new tea from a new company.
And this is really, REALLY good. First of all, it smells amazing. It smells like freshly baked apple crumble – piping hot, right out of the oven. And that’s what it tastes like too!
The tisane base is green Honeybush blended with green rooibos. This brings a fruitier flavor with only hints of nutty tones to the cup, which allows for the hazelnut flavor to really shine through and not be masked by the nutty tones of the herbs. The fruitier tones of the herbs also enhances the apple-y flavor really nicely. The raisin notes are off in the background, but, it does add a nice sweetness to the cup.
Overall, this is very much like a fresh apple crumble in a teacup! All that’s missing is a scoop of vanilla ice cream! I’d say that this monthly subscription program from Amoda is off to a GREAT start!
Pu-erh Cabernet from Vintage TeaWorks
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Vintage TeaWorks
Tea Description:
Inspired by Cabernet Sauvignon, we blended natural ingredients to create a Pu-erh tea blend that is full-bodied, dark and decadent with hints of black cherry, clove, vanilla and spice. Like Cabernet, Pu-erh is one of the few teas in the world that ages well.
Learn more about this Wine Inspired Tea here.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m just a little hesitant when it comes to Pu-erh. I’m getting better, certainly, but, the hesitation is still there. Even after I’ve brewed the tea, and it’s in my cup sitting in front of me, there’s hesitation to lift the cup to my lips and sip.
But, I’m hoping that this experience will change all that, because this is WONDERFUL! It is deliciously full-flavored, with notes of warm cinnamon and clove, soft vanilla, sweet cherry and even a hint of cocoa in the background. It’s so incredible!
Yes, that earthiness from the Pu-erh is there, but it exists mostly in the aroma and not so much in the flavor. I think that with the flavor, it sort of melds with the earthiness of the spices and cocoa notes, so, it is not at all peat-y tasting. Instead … it tastes smooth and well-rounded and oh-so-pleasant. I’m betting even someone who has sworn themselves off of Pu-erh would enjoy this one!
It has a mellowness to it, and it’s remarkably smooth … much smoother than most wines I’ve tasted (I’ll admit that I’ve not tasted any recently though!) It is free of bitterness, and there is very little astringency. It is smooth from beginning to end, and it is nicely round.
Raisin Oatmeal Cookie from Della Terra Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tea Description: Just like your favorite oatmeal raisin cookie! This delicious black tea blended with vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins will invite to have cup after cup with its incredible aroma and smell. Could it be you just baked a fresh batch of these in your kitchen? No, it’s the tea! That’s how perfectly created this blend is, it really is just like the real cookie in smell and taste! mmm mmm!
Ingredients: Black tea, vanilla and brown sugar flavor, cinnamonb, raisins
Learn more about this tea here: Della Terra Teas
Taster’s Review:
Oh goodness! THIS is delicious! Not only is it exactly as described but it will give you several re-steeps as well! Both my daughter and myself have steeped this same teaspoon of loose leaf tea several times and the flavor is still going quite strong! I rarely find myself able to steep and re-steep a black tea this many times, let alone a flavored black! All too often I find follow up steeps to be very lacking in flavor but Della Terra Teas has this blend down to perfection!
Now I am not going to claim that this fifth steep I am now having is as good as the first but I will say if I placed this fifth steep in front of you and did not tell you it was a fifth steep you would still love it!
The cinnamon is not over done which I often find that cinnamon can really take over the whole flavor profile of a tea. The raisins add a very nice note that dances off the brown sugar and what a nice black base they have used here. There is a wonderful bakey flavor to this tea that pulls everything together into the perfect Oatmeal Raisin Cookie tea!
I have a 19 year old son who never drinks tea, I really don’t want to know what he does drink lol but he absolutely loves Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and I am going to have him try this tea as soon as he comes over next. Never have I even considered introducing him to tea, moms are lame enough without pushing our tea love on our younger “adult” children, but this one is the one I will introduce him to the wonderful world of tea with and I am positive he is going to love it! I think however I will go iced when introducing it to him, maybe not as refined but this is a tea that can absolutely work in an iced format and I am pretty sure my son will be more willing to give it a try that way.
If you love winter blends, chai, hearty teas, autumnal drinks, raisin oatmeal cookies, things that make you feel cuddly and warm and longing for the holiday season, do not pass this up! I am sure this would even work extremely well with an alcohol additive if you consume alcohol.
I also would like to add that Della Terra has wonderful customer service and some of the best communication with their buyers that I have experienced. They reply to emails and Facebook questions quickly. That is always important to me and when applicable I like to mention it in my reviews.
I truly could not ask for more in this tea except for more OF this tea!