Mandala Tea

Very smooth, earthy and shu-y. A really easy to drink shu. Deep, dark and slighty cocoa-y. This is good. It will never replace Special Dark for me but it is nice to have on hand. A very mellow and laid back start to my morning. I’m glad I have this.

Thanks to Terri HarpLady for the generous sample of this! I got to try it in both Western and Gong Fu styles, with some left over.

Brewed Western style (3.3g/8oz./208F/10 sec. rinse/1 min. pause, then 1/2/3/4/5 minutes), I smelled cocoa powder and tasted wonderful spice notes accompanied by a stimulating citrus essence that felt lively on the tongue in the first two steeps. The later steeps brought similar, although muted, tastes along with just a hint of Meyer lemon in the flavor.

Next I tried Gong Fu style (5g/100 ml/208F/15 sec. rinse/1 min. pause, then 15/15/20/25/30/45/60/80/105 seconds). A honey and lemon aroma coupled with a strong note of Meyer lemon dominated the first steep, which came across as being quite tasty. The middle steeps saw a shifting interplay of spices, citrus liveliness on the tongue and sweetness which were very enjoyable. The last couple of steeps saw an increase in the spice, but not to an objectionable level.

Of the two methods, I thought the Gong Fu preparation allowed this tea to show more layers of flavor, but if I were in a hurry I would not hesitate to steep it Western.

I’m just beginning my exploration of Chinese black teas so I’m not sure where this would rank in terms of other well known ones. Overall, however, it’s a very nice tea.

A sample – this is from a phatty cake (whatever that is). I’m trying to enjoy pu-ehr teas, but it is just not happening. This tasted fishy to me.

I received a sample of this. I do not care for pu-ehr teas and this was no exception.

My gongfu is… well less than optimal, so I decided to try and brew this Western style today, because it was calling to me. I looked at other, similar teas for ideas, and then just decided to go for it. Will update as I steep progressively.

Steep 1: 1 minute, 1 TB, 200F, 12 oz.
Thick yet light brew, rich, malty, mineral, earthy. Mineral more apparent at the end of the cup than anything.

Steep 2: 3 minutes, 200F, 12 oz.
Thick, dark like inky purple chocolate, smells earthy and chocolately, tastes more earthy and like minerals. Something sweet in the distance too, something that I fail to place, but it is quite lovely whatever it is.

Steep 3: 3 minutes, 1TB, 212F, 12 oz.
Increased the steeping temperature from Garret’s recommendation. This is a much smoother cup, almost silky in texture, and barely any mineral taste. Almost like a dark chocolate coffee.

Thank you Mandala and Garret for this great sample!

awesome! :)

So, going into this one, I knew it had a lot to live up to as it’s Dexter3657’s favorite, go-to, accept-no-substitutes Holy Grail Big Red Robe. I was a little nervous too, because frankly I’d yet to have any Big Red Robes I adore—they’ve never been bad or anything, but they’ve also never really stood out (and I’ve tried some from excellent tea companies) despite being such a famous and revered tea type. Very grateful for Dexter3657’s willingness parting with some, thank you!

As it turns out, I can breathe a sigh of relief—this is delicious, far and away the best BRR I’ve tried. It’s roasty, cocoa-rich, smooth, and despite all that roasty delicious sweet flavor it’s not a bit heavy in an unpleasant way. I want to say it reminds me a little of Herbal Infusions’ Moose Tracks, that delectable sweet but not sugary, roasty coffee quality, but it’s been a while since I’ve had that one so I may be off…would definitely purchase this. Not quite the same as coffee, but would make a great early evening substitute nonetheless because it hits similar pleasure center buttons while still staying true to tea and its strengths (for one, that magic minerality that’s compelling, interesting, but not so strong as to be weird, just sort of melds with impeccable subtlety with the other elements, comes out at the end of the sip…and as it cools a fruitiness, I’m thinking stone fruits, the tendrils of flesh that cling to a peach pit, emerges). Hooray to Dex and hooray for my first hit with Da Hong Pao!

Another wonderful, precious gift, this one from Dexter3657. Had these yesterday during husband’s band practice. The drummer, someone I consider a dear friend, didn’t have much to do (it’s not really practice and hasn’t been for months; they’re mixing the recording for an upcoming album) so we spent most of the afternoon sitting in the living room chatting while I drank cup after cup of this. This is one where the hype is warranted (or maybe I just love pearls?); 3 pearls yielded a seemingly endless stream of deliciously rich, chocolatey smooth delight I enjoyed over the course of hours. It’s sweet like an indulgence, but not cloying; it’s evened out by a textured-almost-like-plush sort of dimension that somehow makes it both eminently more easy-drinking and more interesting/compelling. Put me in a good, up-for-endless-socializing mood and may have been what powered me through a closet razing (10 garbage bags’ worth of old clothes and shoes to donate, some I had when I was still in high school, and there’s still two tiny hallway closets left to do!) that took me late into the night. I feel honored to have had the chance to try these precious, currently out of stock little wonderballs. Thanks so much Dexter3657!

This is great tea to start the day. Delicious, smooth, sweet, some malt.

My first cup had hints of fruit in the background, with a lighter profile. Second steep of these beautiful leaves…ahhh…rich, sweet, and so tasty. BF commented on how good it smells-he doesn’t drink tea.

Many thanks to Dexter3657 for sending this my way!

Here’s a check-in on some young, rapidly improving tea. I won’t do a number rating since I work for Mandala.

7 grams into a 5oz. yixing pot, quick rinse, water at full boil. I combined two infusions into one sharing pitcher for each tasting stop.

10 seconds (x2) – tastes a little like sweet corn with a slight cooling sensation at the back of the throat. Very clear tea liquor.

15 seconds (x2) – increased sweetness now with some grape flavor starting in and a lot more tongue-drying astringency

15 seconds (x2) – the energy of this tea is really hitting now – sort of a full cardiovascular system opener. Garret says, “This is why I called it HEART of the old tree!”

30 seconds (x2) – just getting tastier, the flavors are really rounded and well-incorporated. Clean.

1 minute (x2) – sweet cooking grain flavor and after-sweet are taking over. Less of that grape-like sweetness initially. Excellent flavor left in my mouth long after sipping.

Loving where this tea is right now and excited about where it’s headed!

mmmmmm so i’ve had this sample in my cupboard from gracebtlb for a while now. Not because i haven’t wanted to drink it, but because i try to take the time to sit and really focus on the puerh, at least the first time i have it haha. I have to say that this one shocked me with just how much i loved it. I’ve been pretty much drinking it since this morning – in between cups of other teas. This will be an order for sure in future!

I didn’t really take notes while drinking this as i was really enjoying it. but i did give it two rinses to start, as suggested to me by grace. After that i just kept adding 15 sec or so each steep.
-earthy; bold; smooth; a little sweet; leathery; sweet; sort of roasty…kinda

Just a really happy tea for me today in rainy ville. I need to start setting aside time every weekend for puerh!

I’m not usually a fan of blooming teas, but I can’t say I’d ever had a blooming black tea before. I can definitely say I would again now though! It’s beautiful from the presentation standpoint, but I was more thrilled with how it delivered in flavor.

These little flowers are incredibly rich and malty, with sweet caramel and honey notes. And two cones at 4 minutes makes a surprisingly flavorful cup. I could definitely see myself pick up more of these.

I got a big “Phatty” sample of this pu’erh from Dexter3657. Used the whole thing in a little gongfu glass pot so I could watch the particles break apart.

This is pu-pu-nom-nom goodness. It’s everything I love from a shou pu’erh! A little earthy, a little sweet, with a minty fresh finish.

The truth is, mini gungfu shots are just not doing it for me tonight, cause I want mooore of it right now!!!

Sorry for the “pu-rists”, but I dumped everything into a large infuser and steeped in a 16oz mug. Let me tell you, I am now unapologetically gulping it down as if there was no tomorrow. A satisfied fairy, that’s what a I am…sorry Mandala for such an incomplete review but sometimes, you need to keep things simple and just let the tea shine for you :-)

Thank you so much Dexter for sharing this with me!

I have a raging addiction to green tea and normally, I like it thick as pond water, sweet, dark, heavy on the tongue with powerful grassy notes (gyokuro is my baby). But this tea was a nice variation on that theme, lighter, but still distinctly vegetal. The first time I worked with this tea I did they way it was recommended and the flavor was too much of a tease. The second time I did it my way… steeped low and slow to bring out its darker side. It was a wise choice for my palate.

The first term that comes to mind when tasting this tea is comforting. There’s a sweet, almost creamy quality to it on the front end…I think they’d say it was the chestnut referenced in their description but I’m not tied to any particular nut :) Now we’re not talking cream like the milk oolong (be still my heart), but nevertheless, the characteristic is present. It recedes against a vegetal background and you’re left with a satisfying, mild astringency and the faintest reminder of fresh mown hay that lets you know you’ve done something with your time. When work sucks, this is like a hug.

As for the shop itself, I couldn’t be more impressed with their model. Jamie says they visit the sites themselves and have actually abandoned sites due to a lack of quality in soil, air pollution or lack of sustainability. I asked Jamie about the notes he and Garrett leave in the shipping and he said they’re love notes to their customers. I’ve loved every tea I’ve ever tasted from this shop (milk oolong WHAT?!?!!), I appreciate their philosophy on business and life, and then I receive regular love letters from them? Is it possible to fall in love with a tea shop?

Thanks so much, DigniTea! Excited to try a couple Mandala teas! I tried to follow Mandala’s instructions as closely as possible (1-2 teaspoons, 208 degrees, rinse, 1 min steep increasing to 3-5 min steep). The leaves look like a golden Yunnan.

Steep #1 // 4 min after boiling // rinse & 1 1/2 – 2 min steep
I tried to split the sample I had, so I went with 1 1/2 teaspoons of leaves. Someone at Mandala was kind enough to experiment with waiting for water to cool after boiling and taking temperatures. It definitely gave me a better idea with water temps, even if the conditions (kettle, air temp, etc) isn’t exactly the same. Either way, I was letting the water cool way too long for EVERY tea. To get to 208 degrees, I really should have waited only two minutes after boiling, but somehow it went to four. I’m not fast enough! So the temp was probably really around 205. ANYWAY: The flavor is lovely! I feel like these types of teas embody three distinct flavors: honey, squash/sweet potato and dark chocolate. It depends on the leaves what represents itself more. This one is pure squash and hints of honey. It reminds me of one of my favorites: cutting an acorn squash in half and roasting it in the oven with brown sugar & butter. The body of the tea itself is lighter (though the steep color reminded me of root beer), so the chocolate notes are not as easy to detect… they are present in the background. But sometimes it’s nice just to have the squash notes. I’m very impressed that all three flavors are in this cup, since sometimes it can just be honey flavored if the leaves are mostly yellow, or just dark chocolate.

Steep #2 // 2 min after boiling // 4 min steep
Mandala also suggests that one of the steeps is 3-5 minutes long. This results in a darker, deeper cup – yet not at all astringent. It’s closer to chocolate but not quite. The squashiness is less, but honey remains. It’s a completely different cup altogether. A nice cup, but I think the first is better. I should have had another steep in between these two with a three minute steep. I think that’s why Mandala suggests a one minute steep and then a 3-5 minute steep at the end… the lovely differences the leaves present.

I got this cake recently and it is my new favorite pu’er. It has a well rounded and smooth flavor with a creamy texture. It also holds up well to multiple steepings (I get a good six in my yixing, which is as much tea as I can handle in one sitting!) I would also recommend for people being introduced to ripe pu’er tea. It is a bit more well “behaved” than many other pu’er out there.

Method: Improvised Gaiwan (I say this because I broke my fav gaiwan so I am waiting on a new one from China, obviously long wait, so I am using my great grandmother’s houhin! Not really different but not a gaiwan!

8 grams

2 rinses

First Several Steepings: Began with 15 sec infusions and the aroma is thick and earthy, but not overwhelmingly. Relaxing, like wet forest floor after crisp dew is first cast by day’s new morning. The flavor reminded me of my visit to Yosemite National Park a few years ago during the months of drizzle and gentle touches of summer but before the full broil of mid summer. Relaxing, invigorating but inspiring. Earthy, bit of soil and a hint of mushroom with a finishing raisin note. Pleasant and simply pure. Really enjoying this pu erh and excited for later infusions.

Middle and Final Steepings: I lost count by this point. The liquor is still dark but slightly beginning to lighten, the aroma gentled but the flavor is still bold. Still earthy but sweetening. Feeling more energized but not wired, calmed and content. Just enjoying the moment and brew. After a few more infusions my fresh order of Tupelo honey caught my attention just glistening its flowing, amber, precious liquid incased in clear glass allowing the sun light to beam through just beckoning me to experiment. I am a mischievous and curious soul, as I am told; I stared at my dark brew clasped in my hand the white porcelain enhancing the color of this precious pu erh, a moment of inspiration touched my awakened mind. Why not? I said to myself as I tenderly poured but a small gesture of Tupelo into my cup then the pu erh. I never done this before with pu erh but I was so curious! The moment it tickled my lips, caressed my tongue I felt so happy! The flavor transformed into a completely different tea, so many more hidden notes felt enhanced and a slight touch of the honey flavor, wow, all I can say is wow! Dessert in my hands and now slipping down my tongue!! Oh wow! This is why I love pu erh! Thousands of teas in one changed in a moment! I am pumped! Loving every moment! Infusions from now have Tupelo and some I do not bother adding, just enjoying tea. Day is becoming vesper, almost foreshadowing the last remains of my fun brew. The flavor fading, more flower notes, liquor cleansing itself of the sunny day I finish off this pu erh almost sadly, but tomorrow always will dawn again the freshly born rays glistening my tiny pu erh blade for another battle on a long war I personally wage!

Thank you so much Garret for this magnificent brew!! Will be ordering more!

Drank this multiple times over the weekend while framing and hammering up new wall art, making soup, and continuing my old lady pose (but I think spring is shaking me awake a little…I woke up this morning with “Dancing in the Dark” in my head, due to the sentiment behind it I imagine). I still think Shang’s Silver Needle King is far and away the greatest white tea I’ve ever smelled or tasted (aiee!), but this offers that thing good whites often do, an indelibly luscious mouthfeel. It has a lot of layers going on too. Hopefully I can sit down and write a proper note about them next time, ack. Been drinking my tea all willy nilly in the midst of things (busy beaver spring cleaning and scheming and all that), without good logging. I fear I may never return to being an adequate, potentially helpful logger. :/ (beavers…logs…spring…my head’s full of fuzz!) This is becoming more and more just another diary. Whoops.

As I sit here living through another wintery day (it was -20C with the wind chill this morning), I sip on Wild Monk sheng by Mandala. My first Mandala order and I have to say I’m impressed. The teas are of great quality. :)

I ordered two cakes, holding on to some strange idea that I will be aging the second one. We’ll see about that, lol. The cake is so small and adorable and breaks easily. I’ve come to realize that I love breaking into puerh cake… It’s almost like a ritual in itself… lol

I used 8 grams for 7 ounces of water and steeped it for 10 seconds each time. I’m on a second steep right now. The tea is delicious. It’s earthy, smoky and sweet with a touch of fruitiness… no bitterness. Yum!

Brewed this one in the Gaiwan. Started out with 11 grams and a 5 second rinse. Did 3 short steeps of 5 seconds each poured into my 10 oz. mug. This has a nice floral scent after being rinsed. This one is nice with hints of apple and citrus. it brew very clean in the cup. It has an aftertaste wth a slight camphor touch to it. overall a pretty nice sheng.

I woke with a headache and having finished a big mug of Dark Beauty, I am having some Black Beauty for my second round of tea this morning. I have the Dark Beauty mixture so often and I frequently forget how gorgeous the BB is all on its own. Chocolaty, malty, keemuny and a sweet nectar on top that is helping chase away my headache.

Happy mouth.