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This was an amazingly pleasant surprise from a tea friend. I am in love with this company, and I love it when one of their products ends up in my tea room. I opened the package to take a whiff. The dry leaf carries a subtle smoky aroma. The package contained small black curls speckled with golden tendrils. I placed these treats in my warmed gaiwan and gave them a shake. The warmed leaf scent heightened to a black currant and a deep smoky undertone. I brewed up a cup and took in this aroma. The liquor was deep crimson ruby and smelled of caramel, malt, and slight dark chocolate. The initial sip was amazing and robust. The brew tasted of salted caramel, baked bread, and a hearty malt. This brew kept consistently bold and the flavors remained distinguished throughout multiple steepings. The tea became sweeter with a buckwheat honey undertone and blackberry flavor. This was yet another amazing brew from this company, and it suited well for an early morning tea session.

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I love Longjing on a warm sunny day. There is something about the delicate refreshing flavors that just put me in good spirits! I opened the package and revealed long elegant leaves of vibrant green and yellow. These flat slates carried the aroma of fresh silky vegetables and a slight robust floral hint. I brewed these beauties up in my glassware to watch them dance. My tea pot gave off a spinach and chestnut aroma as the hot spring water touched the leaves. I filled my pot in three short bursts to agitate the delicate leaves. I always brew Long Jing with cool water (175F) to get the sweet flavors out. The taste was so refreshing. This brew has a delicate vegetal flavor with a honey nectar sweetness. I can feel my body relaxing with each sip. I was able to pull three steepings out of this brewe, and I deeply enjoyed each one.

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This was a more deep and darker green tea than others of the spring harvests. The dry leaf is beautiful. I opened the package to reveal long forest green and golden hairy strands. They have the aroma of green beans and a fresh garden. I placed these fluffy twigs in my warmed kyusu and shook them up. I didn’t even have to open the lid to take in their scent. My tea room was filled with fresh picked kale and wet seaweed. I brewed up a cup immediately. The initial sip was light and sweet. This brew had a soft vegetal tone with a good bitterness at the end. It was a very refreshing cup, and it helped to get me going. The liquor was a lot darker than most greens. It was a tarnished gold and refracted the light well. I was able to pull three steepings from my pot, and the brew became sweeter with each steeping; as the vegetal tones faded. I really liked this tea, and it was perfect to help me start my morning!

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Ahhh this was amazing. I grabbed this because it was closest, and I wanted to try Japanese oolong. I had the perfect amount for a gong fu session. The dry leaf consists of small black, green, and slightly yellow curls. This resembles a baozhong but slightly darker. I placed these twirls inside my new warmed kyusu and gave em a shake. I’m going to be honest, the aroma wasn’t the most appeasing. It smelled like roasted wet tobacco. I washed the leaves once hoping to get a better scent, and it moved into wet charcoal. This is a delicate roasted oolong. I brewed it hot first and the brew was rough and bitter. I cooled my water just a bit (200F), and the real flavor rose up. This was an amazing and complex brew. It carried the taste of roast and char, yet it also had sweet and creamy tones of jade rolled oolongs. It was incredibly interesting to be bombarded with dark mineral roasty tones and then softened with a silky vegetal mouthfeel. I was able to pull about seven steeping out my kyusu. The brew grew more and more sweeter after each brew. The final steeping was thin and soft with nectar tones. This gave a strange almost novocain tongue feeling during the first three steepings which was a fascinating experience. I really enjoyed this tea, and I am so grateful to be able to try it!

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This is another wonderful spring tea of 2015. I opened up the package and reveled tiny cute (if tea can be cute) curls of forest green and silver. These little twirls had small downy hairs lining them, and they carried a strong vegetal tone of green beans with a honeydew sweetness. I placed them inside my warmed kyusu and gave em a shake. This sweet scent became a lot more deeper and robust. It changed into a bold spinach tone. I brewed up a cup and drank. The initial sip was a strong vegetal tone with still a honey sweetness. This brew became sweeter after steeping. The second steeping I used cooler water (175F) to get that honey tone to be more pronounced. The third steeping I used hotter water (190F) to get a deeper spring flavor. This was an awesome green tea! It had a nice and full spring flavor of a vegetable gardens with still keeping it sweet like honey.

Spring time means matcha time! This is one of the matcha that I have picked for this season. I opened the package, and the smell is intoxicating. Its a deep buttery milk chocolate scent that just smells so creamy! I grabbed my tools and prepared. I placed a generous amount of this vibrant green powder in my Chawan. The warmed matcha has a smooth peanut butter aroma. I thought this to be higher quality matcha, so I decided to brew Koicha. Sadly, I was mistaken. The Koicha turned out terrible. This brew had a dirty mouthfeel, and I almost choked. I added water to correct my mistake and it was still slightly dusty. I attempted twice (once with a sieve, the other without) to see if maybe I just sifted incorrectly. On both occasions it was still dusty and bitter. It carries a deep vegetal flavor with a lasting sweetness. This is still an enjoyable matcha, but if only prepared usucha. The main flavors mix well and create a balanced brew with a slight bitterness. I will enjoy the rest of my matcha thin. This would make a great beginner matcha for someone who is just starting out. I am still on the hunt for a stellar matcha to prepare Koicha.

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A company’s signature tea says a lot about the direction they are heading. This was a marvelous and unique tea. I opened the truly beautiful wrapping to reveal a small bunch of Maocha that was dark forest green with strands of silver and brass. The dry leaf carried an apricot and slight tobacco tone. I placed these long strands in my warmed yixing and gave them a whirl. The damp leaf had the scent of raisins and figs; I knew this would be a treat. I washed the leaves once and then continued on to brewing. The initial sip was very delicate. The flavors did not fully come out until the third steeping. This is an incredibly light and subtle sheng. The young sheng carries very little, if any bitterness. The qi was partially nonexistent except for a plateau effect. This brew was sweet and succulent. The drink had a dominant light and winter honey tone with undertones of nectar and honeysuckle. The taste grew sweeter with each steeping. I was able to pull 20 steepings out of this brew. The liquor was a pale golden colour with a light taste. I did not note any “richness” in this brew. It left my mouth with a lingering back of the throat sweetness and simmering tongue feel. Personally, I enjoy a bold and powerful sheng; this is why I prefer young sheng. If you are like me, this wouldn’t be your “cup of tea”. The brew was sweet and soft, like a spring flower. I prefer to be dropped to the ground and wrestle with the sheer force of qi, hahah. This was still a beautiful brew, and it kept me satisfied for the morning. Thank you for this opportunity.

I’ve always wanted to try this tea. I love cultural brews. Luckily, a tea friend came to the rescue and aided me in receiving this. I followed the instructions and went straight to brewing. This tea is gorgeous! While I was washing the flowers the liquor was a pale pink. Then, I brewed the flowers in my glass pot to watch them unfurl. The liquor became a pale jade. The flavor was perfect for after lunch. It was a smooth and salty beverage. The initial sip was of vinegar and salt. There was an undertone of floral and sweet nectar. I’m so happy I was finally able to try this. This is a very unique brew, and I loved it!

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This is such a beautiful brew! I’ve been waiting for quite some time to try this particular tea. I’ve heard nothing but amazing reviews on this leaf, and I knew I had to judge myself. I opened the package and gave it a slight inhale. I was greeted with fresh picked greens, watercress, and a soft nutty aroma. I chose to brew this in my glass gong fu pot. I actually had to try this twice, for the first time I over-steeped. This will be the review on the second attempt. I poured the warm spring water over the leaves halfway and then preceded with three short bursts of water to agitate the leaves. The sweet scent of spring and a smooth nut aroma filled my tea room. I watched as the emerald delicate dancers twirled in my tea pot. The morning light was filling my tea room and refracted the light within my brewing vessel causing for a beautiful experience. I poured myself out a cup. The flavor was calm and focused. The initial sip was a slight nutty tone with a silky floral undertone. The liquor was a pale green topaz and almost translucent. The brew became sweeter and caramelized with each subsequent steep. This was a memorable spring day tea session. I enjoyed this tea, don’t get me wrong, but it was not as good as I thought it would be. The flavor was rather lacking, and the leaf quality wasn’t as high as I had expected. In considering price, I wont be getting this again, but I am glad I was able to enjoy it :) I will probably use the rest on special occasions with guests.

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It’s finally hot enough outside for iced tea!! This was my choice to brew up while I bathe in sun. It was so refreshing with a lemon tang combined with smooth vanilla and coconut. The sencha added a light green base that lifted these flavors up. I placed a lemongrass and mint sprig stir stick in my glass and enjoyed this beautiful day.

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