Hello – this is Anne – aka LiberTEAS – aka the Mad Tea Artist over at 52Teas! It’s been a while since I’ve written anything over here at SororiTea Sisters. I’m still an admin here but really, it’s more of an honorary title because truth be told, I do relatively little over here, administratively speaking (read: I do nothing) because I’m very busy with the aforementioned Mad Tea Artist thing.
Fortunately, I left control of the helm in the very capable hands of my co-founder Jennifer (aka TeaEqualsBliss) and Nichole (aka CuppaGeek) and they’re doing a really wonderful job – much better than I could have done given my time constraints. So I’d like to start off this article by offering a huge THANK YOU to these two ladies as well as to the many contributors we’ve had over the last eighteen months. I truly appreciate you coming in and keeping this blog going.
TeaEqualsBliss and I started this blog together back in 2010. We were both contributors at another blog and things were not really happening over there. The administrator had things going on in her own life and found less and less time to devote to the blog and let me tell you – running an active blog like this takes a lot of time and energy! That’s a lesson we both learned very quickly when we decided to pool our talents and start our own tea blog.
We were truly a team – I was writing at least two reviews per day and she was writing at least one while taking on the enormous task of reaching out to tea purveyors to obtain samples as well as get contributions for giveaways to generate some excitement around the SororiTea Sisters blog. I’m so grateful to her for all her hard work that she put forth in those early days and continues to put forth – she helped make my dream as a tea reviewer come true.
It may seem like an unusual dream to some but it’s something that kept me going back then. I had this intense passion for tea and I loved writing. The blog was the culmination of these two passions. My love and adoration of the beverage that is TEA is one of those things that got me out of bed in the morning (well, afternoon – I’m a night owl). It’s still what keeps me going, only in a different capacity. It’s still what keeps our beloved blog going – six years later – and it’s what brings others to us willing to write about their own love of tea. And – it’s what brings YOU here to read about our various tea adventures – your interest in tea is what keeps us going. It’s because of you – our readers – that we’ve enjoyed the success that we have over the years so you are just as responsible for us being here as we are – thank you.
We love sharing our joy of tea with others and this blog is a celebration of that – and I’m really proud of all the accomplishments that I’ve made with SororiTea Sisters.
Congratulations to all the SororiTea Sisters – past, present and future! – who have helped make this blog what it is today! Here’s to another amazing 5,000 reviews!
In honor of our 5000th review, we would like to do what we do best and giveaway some tea! We have a wonderful gift pack of teas from Blue Hour Tea and Virginia Tea Company and a lovely tea towel from Stylish Girlz included in this gift set. Perfect for those winter nights just ahead of us!
Iron Buddha Oolong Tea from Oollo Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong Tea
Where to Buy: Oollo Tea
Tea Description:
A present from the loving Bodhisattva of Compassion. Tightly rolled, the full leaves unfurl to emit pleasant stone fruit and wild honey notes with a hint of roasted nuts.
Origin
Varietal: Iron Buddha
Grower Name: Wang Family
Location: Pinglin, New Taipei, Taiwan
Elevation: 500m
Harvest: 2014 SpringTea Review
“It’s sweet with notes of honey, nutty and toasty with a very pleasant peach-like flavor. It’s very smooth with a silky mouthfeel.” –Soriritea Sisters
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Iron Buddha Oolong Tea from Oollo Tea is from the Pinlin, New Taipei, Taiwan Region and grown by the Wang Family. As you can see from the product description above this is the Spring 2014 Harvest and I must say that Iron Buddha Oolong Tea from Oollo Tea is a real winner! I think it’s one of my FAVORITE Iron Buddha’s thus far!
Iron Buddha Oolong Tea from Oollo Tea is incredibly (yet naturally) sweet, juicy, and delicious! If you like stone fruit – you may get a kick out of this one – because I agree with the description when it says it has notes of peach-like flavors floating about. This tea was reviewed by Sororitea Sisters (Anne) before and I thought it was time for me to write about it as well.
The roasted notes, for me, are more of an undertone. The peachy notes shine thru very nicely. I have noticed, however, that if you cold brew or ice this tea the roasted notes pop up more in the middle to end sip. This is also a nice tea for multiple infusions. Just another reason I’m a fan of Iron Buddha Oolong Tea from Oollo Tea.
Red Jade Black Tea from Oollo Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Oollo Tea
Tea Description:
A perfect marriage between Burma Ashamu and Taiwanese wild tea. The long twisted whole leaves give distinct smooth raisin, date and cinnamon infusions with traces of peppermint.
Origin
Varietal: Taiwan No. 18
Curator: Yoshi Lo
Location: Yuchi, Nantou, Taiwan
Elevation: 800m
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Red Jade Black Tea from Oollo Tea has already been reviewed by Anne here at Sororitea Sisters but some teas are worth reviewing more than once. This is one of those teas and I agree with Anne thoughts as to how AWESOME this tea is. The following are my additional thoughts on this tea.
As for the aroma it’s one I truly adore in a black tea. It’s toasty and date or raisin like. The aroma matches the first sip of the cuppa, too. I can certainly pick up on the raisin notes and paired with the dark, rich, carmelly notes it’s unlike anything I have ever tasted. The end sip of the pipping-hot tea is a mish-mash of heavy, dark black tea flavors and a sugary syrupy type taste all in one. Keep in mind there are NO flavors added to this tea! This flavor is all from the leaf! It’s all natural!
As I continue to sip the post-infused liquor cools with the room temperature – unassisted – and I notice the end sip morphs into something of a minty aftertaste that is very refreshing and welcomed.
No this isn’t ‘tea voodoo’ – folks – it’s just a mighty-fine tea that has levels and levels of complexity and for that I will appreciate it until the end of time. This is a marvelously-fantastic Red Jade Black Tea that should be celebrated at every turn!
Castleton Muscatel 2nd Flush from Darjeeling Tea Lovers
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Darjeeling Tea Lovers
Tea Description:
CASTLETON MUSCATEL is one of the finest muscatel teas that we have come across this season. This tea has been made from selective leaves that come from PURE CHINA BUSHES at an altitude of 6200 ft above sea level which is ideal for the MUSCAT FLAVOUR.
When this tea is steeped for 3 mins it gives a very SMOOTH MEDIUM GOLDEN LIQUOR which has a rich fruity aroma. With every sip, you get a very rich fruity flavour and it leaves a ‘twang’ of mint in the pallets. A perfect cup to make your mornings delightful.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The moment I removed my brew basket from my cup I could smell the distinct muscatel aroma in this Castleton Muscatel 2nd Flush from Darjeeling Tea Lovers. My mouth watered in eager anticipation for that first sip. Even though this is not the freshest Darjeeling, since I got it as a sample from one of my SororiTea Sisters, and have had it tucked away for awhile now, it is still delicious! The muscatel flavor is simply divine.
As my SororiTea Sister LiberTeas said it has such a crisp flavor almost a snappish like flavor to it. Like biting into a fresh juicy grape with a thick skin, you get that POP like flavor in the mouth! Perfection! The taste is lightly sweet which I prefer to refer to as naturally sweet, just as nature intended fresh fruit to taste, this tea exemplifies that perfectly! I can’t believe I have not made any of my own purchases from Darjeeling Tea Lovers, but I need to sometime soon.
After looking at their website, I am seeing some of my favorite Darjeeling and some I have yet to try, all in one place, it is like a smorgasbord of Darjeeling, my eyes widened in excitement just browsing the site! Seriously I am having to hold myself back from placing an order until I sip down some of the teas I already have in my stash, plus saving for college for my daughter in the Fall is a bit more pressing right now.
Regardless, if a tea from Darjeeling Tea Lovers from their 2012 harvest, which has been haphazardly stored this long tastes this good, I can’t wait to try some of the fresher and better stored teas!
As for this tea, well this tea, and me, will be spending some precious time alone with a good book, in the sunshine, while it lasts, both the sunshine and the tea.
It’s a Whole New Giveaway!
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! PLEASE VISIT AGAIN SOON TO CATCH OUR NEXT GIVEAWAY!
After a brief break during our Season of Giveaways here on the SororiTEA Sisters blog, we’re back with an all new giveaway! Our sponsor this week is Boutique Teas! I’ve had the opportunity to try a couple of their teas so far: check out my reviews for their Phoenix Oolong and their Big Red Robe Oolong!
This week, we’ll have not just one, not two, but THREE winners of a sample tin size of their amazing Phoenix Oolong Tea! And these are no ordinary “samples!” These tins hold enough tea to make 15 – 20 cups of tea. That’s a lot of Oolong goodness!
So if I’ve whetted your appetite for some delicious Phoenix Oolong and you want to win some of this amazing tea … here’s all you have to do to enter:
1. Post a comment to this blog. Your blog comment should include a way that we can contact you in case you’re the lucky winner! The best way to do this is to either join Steepster or Tea Trade so that we can contact you via Private Message at either one of these, or let me know your user name and which site on which I can contact you.
Want to earn additional entries? Here’s how!
2. Become a fan of Boutique Teas on Facebook. Be sure to come back here and let us know that you’ve done this, we do check, but all fans are not automatically entered into this contest … so please let us know!
3. Follow Boutique Teas on Twitter. Again, be sure to come back here and let us know that you’ve done so!
4. Tweet about this contest! It’s as simple as it sounds! Be sure to include #SororiTeaSister in your tweet so that we see it, and come back here and let us know that you’ve tweeted about the contest.
5. Share about this contest on your Facebook page. Again … easy peasy! Be sure to come back here and provide a link to your post on Facebook so that we can verify the entry when it comes time to tally up the entries and pick a winner.
Now … let’s get down to the nitty gritty … or … the fine print as some would say. You can enter now through February 10, 2013. On February 11, I will tally the entries and select three winners randomly via Random.org. This contest is open to US and Canadian residents. Your prize will be shipped within 10 days of receipt of your shipping information … so be sure to get back to us promptly if you’re notified as a winner! If you have been selected as a winner and I do not hear back from you three days after I’ve attempted to notify you, I will need to consider your entry invalid and select a new winner … so like I said, be sure to contact me right away when I contact you. This ensures a smooth process.
That’s it … GOOD LUCK!