Bird Pick Tea & Herb

Vanilla smell. Tastes like stereotypical green tea.

Tastes of milk. Very creamy. Easy to drink. Almost comforting.

Smells of roasted coffee and caramel. Not bitter, very easy to drink. Slightly smoky.

My first fruit tea and it set the bar for all the others. It’s deeply fruity without any overbearing sweetness. Once steeped the tea is a deep pink color.

This is FABULOUS! Sweet, creamy, and rich – but not in the same creamy way I’m used to – this is more like sweet cream rather than “warm milk” – and it is as if the cream has been sweetened with a fruit of some sort… I almost want to say plum, but a very sweet plum rather than a plum that is both sweet with a hint of tart. There is no tartness to this tea at all, just sweet, dreamy, creamy, wonderful flavor. Even the floral tones are significantly different. Not at all pungent or sharp, these remind me more of a cloud if it were a flower – something soft and fluffy, but still vaguely floral.

Truly lovely!

Got this bagged as a sample when I ordered from Bird Pick. A pretty good earl grey. I’m no expert on earls but I know I’ve had worse. The flavoring here is balanced and the tea is bold and supportive. Very nice for a quick convenient cup.

Thanks to Mercuryhime for this sample!

Okay, first off I have to agree with the others that this seems more like an oolong tea than a green tea. I used my glass teapot and steeped it for 3 minutes earlier this afternoon.

It is a very light colored infusion and it is very smooth. The flavor and aroma is much like buttered corn. I think Krystaleyn is right that this tastes like a milk oolong! Unfortunately milk oolongs are not really my favorite kind of oolong. It is nice and light, but I’m afraid I don’t get what the fuss is. It’s a bit like drinking boiled corn husks and I’d much rather have a grassy green gyokuro!

Just for fun, I gave a sip of this to the (green tea hating) boyfriend earlier and this was his reaction:

“You call this tea? It tastes like lightly flavored water!”

:-P

I certainly wouldn’t turn this down if offered a cup, I’ve enjoyed it, but it won’t go on my “must have” list.

Sipdown! Yay progress! This tea tasted a bit old to me, but I still got the lovely milk oolong flavour. Probably not worth picking up again as it’s just too inaccessible for me, but if you like creamy milk oolongs and happen to be near a Bird Pick Tea & Herb, it’s a great choice.

Yay, milk oolong time! Or, something similar. Thank you Mercuryhime for sending me this oh-so-delicious tea. It’s very much just in the same vein of milk oolong for me, so not one I’d need to replace as there are many more that are easily available. Still, a very tasty cup.

… if this isn’t an oolong, and a milk oolong at that, I’d be shocked. But, what it is or isn’t is really not important… the important part is the flavour!!

This one’s another one from Mercuryhime, so thanks again for gifting me with all these oolongs! I looked and it was technically only five oolong samples, but… mmmmm :D :D

The aroma here is classic milk oolong, to me. And the flavour is spot on for being a milk oolong. Not as intense as DavidsTea’s version, but definitely the same sort of flavour. Oh man…. this is fabulous. I wonder what the pricing on this one is… if they think it’s a green, perhaps it’s cheaper than a milk oolong…. Anyhow, the delicious milkiness melds wonderfully with a bit of rock sugary sweetness and a fabulous oolong flavour.

Mercuryhime – your swap package couldn’t have arrived at a better time, as I’m pretty sure I finished the last of my Quangzhou Milk Oolong from DavidsTea off with the cup of it I had a week or so ago. How nice is it not to have to go purchase something to satisfy a craving! And it looks like I have enough left for at least two more cups, if not a third if I’m stingy :D I do prefer a stronger milky flavour, but I’d pick this one up again to satisfy a milk oolong craving. Yum.

ETA: Oh man, this is heavenly. HEAVENLY. Second infusion (next day), 94C/4min is absolutely wonderful. Not only is it creamy milk oolong goodness, I am getting a sort of caramelly flavour as well. Seriously…. I am going to have to acquire some of this. Maybe there will be a Steepster out there who makes a mass order of this one and spreads it around. I didn’t look closely at their shipping policy/costs, but ordering one tea to ship to Canada is not likely worthwhile in the slightest.

ETA again: Third infusion, same parameters, same yum, although maybe a bit weaker. Reminiscent of sweetened condensed milk, without the sweet.

Guys, I’m totally stressed. There’s too much going on. I hope work will not always be like this. I hope I get along better with my boss. Not that we have conflict, but our work styles are so different I feel like she secretly disapproves of me, which makes me really anxious. I have performance anxiety. If I make the tiniest mistake, I’ll feel like I’ve failed everyone. I’ve been told I need to just loosen up. I can’t loosen up! I need to do a good job! Okay…. breathe….

Okay, I really do need to loosen up. It’s hard for me. Tomorrow, I need to have a gong fu session with some of the Verdant Tea that came in for me. That should help. :) It’s too late for caffeineful tea tonight.

I did have some of this tea at work today. To be honest, I was too busy and distracted to notice the taste too much. It’s tasty, as always. The same few leaves stayed faithfully by my side all day. I just filled my cup over and over again. yum. I am grateful for tea because even if I’m not paying attention to it, I know it soothes me just enough so that I know that things will get better.

As others have said, this is definitely an oolong. Perhaps they meant to call it a green oolong tea. I don’t know. But whatever it’s supposed to be called, this is good stuff. After seeing all those rave reviews on this tea, I just had to buy myself a pouch.

The first thing you smell upon opening the pouch is a lovely minerally condensed milk. The leaves are dark green and crumpled into messy little balls, as is the case with most green oolongs I’ve had. The liquor is a lightly colored and totally delicious. It’s creamy and milky and smooth and green and good. There’s a slight melon-y fruitiness as well.

After the first steep, the leaves get huge but are clearly capable of another infusion. Smells like it’s about to get vegetal! I’ll report back on how that goes. :)

Steep 2: Yes, this is definitely a bit vegetal now, but not much. The flavor here also reminds me of papaya. Still sweet and creamy but not so milky as the first steep.

This is a lovely tea, whether it be a green or an oolong.

My quest for an affordable everyday Dragonwell has landed me here. This is a good value Longjing, though nothing particularly special, that still lends itself to some of the complexity of higher grades I’ve tried. I purchase mine at the Pasadena, CA storefront and the photograph here is a good representation. The tea itself is partially broken, with a few full leaves and a very small amount of white lump. Though not as esthetically pleasing to watch brew as a higher grade full leaf, the resulting liquor is fairly good, though a bit cloudy. I start my day with this Longjing.

I first pour just boiled water directly into my 16 oz glass tumbler, after a few moments I then transfer the water to a 16 oz single wall glass mug. I introduce 3 generous teaspoons of tea to my empty, preheated tumbler, swirling it about the empty, but moist container, enjoying the telltale toasty aroma with hints of cocoa. When my glass mug is hot to the touch I find I’ve reached a good brewing temperature for this tea (about 175-180℉). Introducing a few oz. of water to the tumbler, I then swirl the tea gently, evenly wetting the leaves and enjoy the fragrance again, which introduces a richer nutty, walnut quality. Transferring the remainder of the water to the the tumbler, I allow the tea to steep for about 2 more minutes, or whenever the leaves begin to descend to the bottom of the glass. Mild agitation, literally picking up the tumbler will sometimes coax this process along. I decant the resulting tea into my preheated glass mug, leaving a nice root, enough in the tumbler to keep the leaves covered in water.

The first brew, as I said is cloudy, but has a nice golden color with slight hint of green. The taste profile represents many of the common traits one would expect from Longjing, soft, rich, toasty flavor, with a somewhat viscous mouth feel, but it also presents a nice combination of mild, tingly astringency, with a underlying lingering sweetness that reveals itself.

The second brew, less cloudy, I find the most satisfying. I fill my mug with the previously boiled water (or reboiled, if I’ve waited too long), allowing it to heat the glass a bit. I use this to fill the tumbler. The root has usually sat for a while while I enjoyed the first cup. Therefore I reduce the brewing time to about 1 minute or so, and often give the tumbler a slight twirl to allow the tea leaves to spin a bit and distribute their flavors more evenly. The combination of the cooled root and lightly cooled water yields a good temperature for this second brewing. The initial notes have softened a bit, and much of what I report of the first brewing is present, but with the introduction of some vegetal qualities. The mouth feel becomes lighter, and the tingly astringency and sweetness more pronounced, while not becoming bitter. This results in a pleasant clean aftertaste, leaving your palate energized.

The third, and final brewing for me, I tend to let sit longer, often 3 or more minutes. Again using the same cooling method for the water. I pour off the entire brewed contents to enjoy. Depending on how long I let it go, the final tea can sometimes verge on bitter, but as many of the initial smooth, nutty qualities have wained, I find this compliments the final brew. You are left with a nice, clean, tingly vegetal, somewhat dry liquor, that leaves you wanting more.

For $15/4oz. I’d say that’s a win.

After reading ashmanra’s tasting notes on this one it has been on my shopping list, and so I was thrilled when there was a sample in my package from SimplyJenW. You are too good to me! I opened the pouch and woah: total milk oolong aroma. Milky, buttery, a little sweet corn, it smells really yummy. It looks like an oolong, too, with it’s little balls of leaf. I kind of don’t believe that this is a “green” tea at all. Green oolong, yes.

Steeped with the parameters that some others have used. The steeped tea has those buttery, creamy scents, along with a hint of a floral note. Definitely that sweet corn/kettle corn scents as well. Flavors start out as leafy, vegetal, not very strong, but as it cools more buttery notes come out as well as a fruitiness (peaches? nectarines? some kind of stone fruit maybe). It definitely gets sweeter as it cools, as well. The mouthfeel is not as creamy as I might have hoped, but overall it’s a very tasty tea. I would definitely call this a milk oolong (not shocking as it’s origin is Taiwan), and it’s a pretty good one at that.

I usually don’t drink bagged tea often, unless there is a flavor I simply adore. I won’t turn down a cup of tea if it comes in a bag, I just prefer loose. :) I found this hidden away in my tea collection and decided it was the perfect time to drink it! The scent of this tea wasn’t the most appealing, but the flavor was much better than the scent had me believe. The tea base is smooth, light and sweet. I don’t think there is much of a difference between this Earl Grey and others I’ve had.. it’s not the best, but it’s also not the worst. I prefer Creme Earl Grey teas over regular ones, but I enjoyed this cup this afternoon.

If I were to judge this tea by the look of the leaves alone, I would put it toward the top.
The leaves are not as beautiful as Verdant Teas’ Laoshan Black, but that is what they are probably aspiring to. I’d almost say that this tea aspires to be Laoshan Black (though, I can’t say for sure, since I’ve only had the latter in a blend, but still got a good idea about it).

Nonetheless, I find it to be a solid, enjoyable black tea. It is slightly earthly, perhaps a bit floral, and only a hint of astringency that is of course enjoyable in a black tea. It seems to be one that would be a good base for blends, etc.

Today, I went ahead and made a full pitcher of it iced, plucked 6 lemons from our tree in the backyard and squeezed them in, added some brown sugar, and voila, fresh ‘Arnold Palmer’. It was a perfect balance of earthy, sour, refreshing, and slightly sweet.

Tea of the morning……

Usually, I don’t drink green tea in the morning. However, the aroma of this one just kept calling to me. It smells just like a milk oolong. The leaves kind of look oolongish, but still somewhat like a large leaf green when they are brewed up.

First steep. I have to admit that I was not at all blown away by the first few sips, but I totally agree with Indigobloom on this one, that it draws you in more with each sip. By the end of the cup, you are so taken, that you immediately resteep it, and the process starts all over. Second steep is not quite as rich, but it is still very good. First sips are lightly vegetal, and then the butteriness kicks in. I do agree with TeaEqualsBliss that it tastes like buttered popcorn. Definitely a keeper!

Mug method, about 180 degree water, 3 minutes first steep, 4 minutes second steep.

I dearly love this tea. My first taste of it came from a swap with quiltguppy, a Steepsterite missed by all who knew her. I guess she moved on to other things, as often happens, but some leave more of an impact than others.

It was so great that in my tea newbie exuberance I bought three bags of it. And then hoarded it, and I decided that I need to drink it and get some fresh tea in the line up. Even after all these years, this is good and my daughter is remarking on how perfect it is to drink while she reads to me. It is buttery perfection. We have been drinking it all weekend – blustery, wet weekend! This is a sip down, and I think I may replace it with Milk Oolong from Teavivre just to keep from paying extra shipping from a lot of different companies as I replenish some favorites. But if you haven’t tried this very one, and you like milk oolongs, you really might want to get this very one. It is buttered popcorn heaven.

Backlogging: A few nights ago I was feeling grumpy because I really wanted to get Chinese takeout. Hubby offered to pick it up but I knew we had a few expenses coming up that meant we needed to save all we can. With a chip on my shoulder, I started cooking and I made this tea to go with the meal.

I couldn’t stay mad. Every time I caught a whiff of the tea I smiled automatically. The teapot, the basket of spent leaves, it all smelled so good. Despite the confusion the name of the tea engenders, this is a milk oolong, not a green.

So thankful to the long absent Quiltguppy for introducing me to this one.

I think I know better now. I bought a ton of this when I fell in love with it, not realizing that I was doing that with every tea I loved, and you really can’t drink 200 teas before they get stale when you buy seven or eight ounces of each.

Still, as old as this is, it is delicious and I love it. It is labeled green, but it HAS to be a milk oolong. I realize it is also probably a scented one, but I love it anyway. It smells like sweet butter, like popcorn, like nomnomnom.

I served it to a student today (what is it with all these kids being willing to try new things? I wouldn’t have at their age! My first student is 9 and has fallen in love with white tea at my house. I invited her to come over to try my new white tangerine when it gets here.) She agreed that it is smooth and buttery.

Very nice that it resteeps well, too. When I run out of this one, I think I will replace it with a Teavivre Ali Shan.

I had given my son’s girlfriend a cup of green tea a few weeks ago and she noticed that it tastes a great deal like steamed kale, one of her favorite veggies. She liked it, but said she still found it disturbing for her tea to taste like food.

I set a pot of this on the table and walked away saying, “How would like to try a tea that tastes like buttered popcorn?” They continued playing their game and a few minutes later I heard her tell my son, “Taste this! Taste this! It tastes like kettle corn!”

This was new to me, as I always thought of buttered popcorn, but I can see where she got the idea of kettle corn from the natural sweetness of this tea.

It is listed with green tea on their website unless they have changed it, but I am convinced it is a milk oolong. I saw another review site where someone held forth that it as almost certainly an artificially flavored milk oolong.

I got nowhere when I called the seller to find out about the origin and precise description of this tea, but I can tell you that whatever it is, it is absolutely fantastic.

My daughter and new brand new husband invited us to spend a few days at the beach with them, and I packed this as a never fail take along. I know it was good and I drank two whole pots of it while we were there but I still have a somewhat stuffy head and a cough and it is affecting my taste worse now than it did at the beginning of this cold over a week ago.

While we were at the beach, a dear lady who taught us to work with stained glass at her studio there died from lupus and complications of H1N1 virus. She never ever complained but just kept going and blessing people with her generous heart and her art. If you think of it, raise a glass to Pati and say a prayer for those who will miss her so much. She was an inspiration.

This is one of those teas that I would build a special underground bunker for if its existence were ever threatened. When I got this in a swap from the sorely missed Quiltguppy I had to have it, and I ordered a LOT of it.

When drinking it by itself it tastes like buttered popcorn, heavy on the butter. Last night, my son and I had it with Asian buffet takeout and it. was. heavenly. I had it again today with leftovers and it was every bit as good. I even drank some of it cold and it was still amazing.

I wish I knew exactly what it was. They call it a green but it really has to be an oolong. It HAS to be. Just look at it. But what kind? I called the company and they told me that oolongs were roasty and when I told them that they can be roasty toasty or green, the clerk said she hadn’t heard of that and really needed to learn more. Sigh. So I have never found out.

If I ever was challenged to win someone over to green (or oolong) tea in just one try, this would probably be the one I would pick to do that.

Hubby used to drink only black tea, and even then it was loaded with sugar and milk. And sugar.
He got adventurous and started drinking puerh, greens, and oolongs – PLAIN! The past two weekends he has asked me after breakfast if I am making tea. When I ask what he wants, he says, “I don’t know. Nothing weird. Maybe something green.”

Today’s nothing weird something green was Premium Silky Green from Bird Pick, which we are pretty sure is a green oolong. It is so buttery and good.

On a side note, and only the forty and over crowd will probably know the answer: there was a comedian/magician who was on TV in maybe the 70’s. He sort of hummed this little song as he did a trick where he hit his hands together and he was holding up several fingers on one hand and they would magically “transfer” to the other hand. I think it was on Johnny Carson. I have googled and youTubed exhaustively and can’t find the guy. Does anyone remember who it was? I did find someone doing the same thing, but it was a much newer video.