Single Origin Teas

The dried tea is very pretty thinly rolled leaves with whole Camilla blossoms. It smells very much like a black tea without a noticeable floral aroma. It brewed to a lovely clear red orange color and the leaves opened up a bit into entire young thin leaves.

One of the most noticeable things about this is a spicy, almost peppery, note from the flowers which I’m guessing might be from the pollen. It’s delightful and rather surprising since I was expecting a up front floral perfume flavor like with rose or jasmine. The tea itself is mellow, a little tannic, and leaves a cooling feeling at the end of the sip. It’s good for a few infusions but after the first the spicy flavor fades away and your left with just the good base. I’m thinking I could have got three if I hadn’t bungled my strainer and dumped all the leaves behind the couch :(

I realized that I don’t have any unflavored black teas that I drink hot so I’ve been looking to try a greater variety. I thought this Scottish influenced African tea would be interesting (not that I know much about either) so I purchased a sample to try.

The leaves are very dark and almost have a greenish or blue cast to them. There’s a few stems but most of the leaves look like larger pieces. The smell is strong and good, like a fuller PG tips. The leaves expand quite a bit when brewed and turn a ruddy chocolate color.

The tea itself after brewing for five minutes was a very dark orange brown. I was kinda worried at this point that maybe I used too much and ended up with a tannic mess, but it was pleasant with very little astringency at the end of each sip. I can’t quite figure out how to describe the taste only that there is something just a little different about it than other blacks I’ve tried. I drank it too fast to really pin it down. I did rather enjoy it though and think it might become my ‘daily’ black especially as it’s priced the same as many flavored black teas I have with lower quality black bases.

I even got a second western style steeping out of this! It may be because of how much I used to begin with but it was still rather flavorful and surprisingly not bitter or astringent almost like a hei cha, but lighter and only faintly woody.

I love bold everyday teas and I love Japanese greens so getting some bancha was kind of a no brainer. Its leaves are lighter in color than the senchas I have and it brews up to a light green color. The brewed leaves range from small chunks to almost entire large leaves.

It’s taste is savory, grassy, and low in bitterness and astringency. It’s less floral than sencha and seems less caffeinated. I even did a second western style brewing and it’s still good.

This is definitely the type of tea I had while in various small establishments in Japan. It’s good with food and for cutting through sweets. One of my best experiences was being offered a cup of hot bancha with a matcha shaved ice. The contrast was so lovely, perhaps I’ll drink this with some ice cream?

Another sample. My only caffeine free one so my last one for the night. I’ve had lemongrass in other teas but never by itself. I like citrus flavors so I thought I would give it a try. It’s a darker green color than some samples I’ve seen in spice shops. It smells lemony and a little grassy as much as I hate to say that. It has a sort of lemony/yuzu/citronella flavor that’s good but also a little too reminiscent of some cleaners I use.

I don’t see drinking it much on its own unless I have no other caffeine free options. I think it’ll be good to add to other teas though. Maybe I can do something Tazo’s Zen but actually tasting like green tea. I might also try it with hibiscus to add some tartness so it’s more citrusy.

I’ve kind of been hoarding the last of this sample knowing I can’t order more until after the move, but today was cold and I didn’t think I could face going to work without it. So I regretfully brewed the last of it and remembered why I fell so in love with this tea. Nutty. Chocolatey. Dark sugar goodness. I even forgot about the second steep (damn you Dowton Abby!) and it ended up still great and amazingly sweet. I will not be facing another winter without this.

I ordered some samples from single origin and made sure to include this one. I’ve always sort of loved the idea of roasting chestnuts despite never having seen actual chestnuts until I was an adult. Thanks for nothing American chestnut blight! Im glad now I did get it because it has a lot more to offer than fictional nostalgia.

Opening the bag of this and smelling it was strange. It reminds me of like a dark chocolate I once had. Maybe a smoked one? Or one with toasted breadcrumbs? I can’t quite put my finger on it. There is also that toasty sweet smell I recognize from my one (unfortunate) attempt at roasting my own chestnuts.

All in all a fantastic, unique, and doesn’t require milk or sugar to taste right flavored tea.

From the Oolong Owl. Mmm… fruit. Smells like fruit punch fruit leathers when first brewed. Now I get more of a passion fruit scent. That comes out nicely in the flavour. Still reminds me of a tropical fruit punch.

very close to a green tea… hints of peach.

Holeee cats – the chili pepper & ginger in this just about knock you out to smell the dry leaf. Without sugar, the pepper is the foremost taste. Definitely a bite. Unfortunately, it kind of consumes the tea which is one of the main reasons I was anxious to get this blend. With sugar and cream it becomes an excellently scented, but moderately spiced chai and the pepper is moderated by the cream. Need to try again with some different parameters before rating.

This is indeed rich and full bodied. It stands up well to steeping when traveling under less than optimal conditions. There is a faint maltiness I think but I want to have this under better conditions than unknown water temp in a styro cup. Even at that this tea is definitely distinguishable as a cut above standard. It may be a suitable replacement for my beloved Crimson Horizon, which, until I run out, is my vacation tea of choice. I want to test these two side by side when I get home. Until then, no rating but suffice to say that any tea that manages to shine in these circumstances and a CTC that didn’t turn bitter left in the cup, is a quality tea in my mind and one that is like to keep on hand.

Sipdown!

I overleafed this a bit to finish off the leaf and it resulted in a nice, grapey flavour. I also used a slightly lower temperature (85C instead of 90). Nice and soothing, fruity, and haylike.

Backlog from this morning. A nice, unobtrusive tea. I probably have enough left for 1 or 2 cups, but I’m glad I got a chance to try this.

As it brewed, I smelled that grapelike smell that I assume must be what Darjeeling afficionadoes call “muscatel.” However, I’m fairly new to Darjeelings and I rarely drink wine, so this is something I need to research a bit more.

The brewed tea is a golden brown colour slightly darker than amber, and very clear. Although this tea was picked in the summer, it reminds me of an autumn flush Darjeeling that I used to have. My understanding is that authentic Darjeelings have a second flush that’s characterized by strong fruit flavour and a bit of sparkle. This tea, in contrast, is more muted.

Full review here: http://booksandtea.ca/2015/07/tea-review-jun-chiyabari-second-flush-nepal-by-single-origin-teas/

Any of my tea peeps out there fans of Futurama? Remember that one episode where Zoidberg goes all mating frenzy and tries to woo fellow Decapodian, Edna using some serious Cyrano de Bergerac skills. Well, there is one scene where he asks her how her day was and she goes into detail ‘well first I got up and had a piece of toast, and then I brushed my teeth…’ and it just goes on!! Well, that is kinda how my day was, pretty run of the mill, though with pizza instead of toast.

As you all probably know, I was at the Midwest Tea Fest last week (more on that tomorrow) and I picked up a tea I had a great desire to try, Single Origin Tea’s Orange Blossom Oolong. This tea is a blend of highly oxidized Taiwanese Oolong, Orange Blossoms, and a pinch of Orange Essential Oil, this tea was sourced from a tea shop in Edinburgh, Scotland, specifically Anteaques Tea Shop, which is pretty cool. I wanted to try this tea because I have a weakness for oranges and orange blossoms mixed with my teas, I just love it, especially since I cannot actually eat oranges, I get my cravings satisfied with these teas. The aroma is a Florida explosion! A blend of fresh oranges and orange blossoms evokes the groves of citrus country along with sunlight and warmth, it is very comforting. There is a tiny hint of loam and cocoa underneath the well balanced blend of oranges and blossoms, adding a bit of depth to the aroma.

Into the gaiwan the leaves and petals go for a nice happy steeping, and of course my whole tea area now smells like orange blossoms and oranges, it is rather heady and very enjoyable. Sniffing the now wet leaves reveals there is more to this tea than just citrus and flowers though, there are also notes of toasted sesame, chestnut, cocoa, and a woody finish. The liquid is so citrusy! So much orange, even a bit of tangerine, it is like a citrus party in my nose, and now with woody undertones, and of course delicate heady orange blossoms.

Yum! Yum! Yum!! This tea is really quite yummy, with a start of sweet oranges and a finish of sweet orange. The midtaste is a blend of sesame seeds and walnut shells, with a delicate heady blend of orange blossoms and a touch of hyacinth. The mouthfeel is pleasantly smooth, no dryness at all, and the aftertaste starts with gentle oranges and just lingers for an eternity. The sweetness does not ever reach levels of cloying, which is a huge plus.

The second steeping has a pleasant orange aroma, though it is a bit diminished this time around. This allows the aroma of walnut shells and cocoa to shine more though, along with the delicate orange blossoms. Tasting the tea, it starts off smooth and sweet, with notes of cocoa and woodiness, and just a hint of orange blossoms. The midtaste has a rich maltiness and sweet orange that starts off delicate and builds into a juicy intensity at the finish. If you let this tea cool it becomes very sweet and rich, me thinks I might have to cold steep this at some point.

For the third steep, the aroma is a mellow blend of oranges and orange blossoms, with an accompaniment of cocoa and a tiny hint of nuttiness. The taste has mellowed out a good bit this time around, it seems that the shining light of this steeping is the orange blossom, heady and sweet with a joining note of cocoa. The finish is that of honey and it lingers. I loved this tea, but I love oranges and orange blossoms, so no surprise there!

For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2015/06/single-origin-tea-orange-blossom-oolong.html

Super tasty! Though I am biased as I love chestnut teas!

The flavor is pretty natural roasted chestnuts without being too sweet. The black base, though light and pretty close to a high oxidized oolong (which this is actually a chinese oolong fully oxidized) with roasty caramel flavor. The base goes well with the chestnut flavor. I got a really good second infusion too!

Full review at Oolong Owl http://oolongowl.com/single-origin-teas-flavored-tea-review/

This was a fun black tea – a perfect afternoon tea with a tropical twist. The dry leaf has a dainty accent of blue, yellow and red teeny flowers and flavored with passionfruit. I tasted a malty black with a tropical vibe and dry finish.

Full review at Oolong Owl http://oolongowl.com/single-origin-teas-flavored-tea-review/

This flavored oolong is all about the orange flavor! It has a navel orange kind of taste, with a bit of a woodsy toasty oolong background. The blend is fresh, sweet and clean without any tart dryness. I’m thinking Orange Blossom Oolong would be best iced or cold brew.

Full review at Oolong Owl http://oolongowl.com/single-origin-teas-flavored-tea-review/

This was my breakfast tea for the morning, and it was pretty delicious. This has a similar resemblance to an autumn flush darjeeling. The dry leaves are large twisted knots ranging from dark brown gold to a mudded green. The flavor is very similar to darjeeling as well. It carries a crisp and light tone, but it has less muscatel. There is also a strong rose flavor throughout the brew. This was a wonderful tea to wake up with :)

It took me a few cups to find the perfect way to steep this tea. Single Origin Teas does not provide instructions on their website (other than to say not to use boiling water,) but once found my preferred time and temperature— all I can say is wow. The flavor is mellow, slightly sweet, and almost nutty; but what really stands out is the texture. This tea is exceptionally smooth and almost buttery when you hold it on your tongue. It feels almost as luxurious as the silk sheets I’ve been lusting over the past few years. Since tea is much more affordable than silk sheets, I think I’ll pick up some more of this while I’m in Kansas City. It will be perfect to enjoy during the hot days of summer.

You can read the full review on my blog:
http://www.notstarvingyet.com/index/2015/5/5/tuesday-tea-white-monkey-single-origin-teas

kimquat sent this one my way and i was excited to receive it, as it’s been on my wishlist to try for a bit now. this reminds me of darjeelings, but without that muscatel flavour. Instead this is sweet, with a flavour that is reminescent of hay or something. I’m not getting floral notes like others have mentioned, and that’s A-OK with me :) This is a really nice cup – enjoying it while surveying the destruction that we’ve managed to do to the house lol

thanks for sharing this one kimquat!

Sample from kimquat I have to confess that i’ve been meaning to order from single origin teas since Nicole introduced them to me, but haven’t yet found the time in my tea ordering line up. I’ve had some amazing teas from them since, and a few less wonderful. This particular one for me, falls somewhere in the middle. There’s nothing here to really knock my socks off taste wise, but it is a smooth sort of cup that i’d welcome as an every day sort of tea. There’s a little drying to this one, but it’s not overwhelming so i don’t mind it. A good solid cup of tea to start the day earlier today.

Dry leaves smell of plum and grass. Brewed tea smells of roasted grain and tastes citrusy with slight astringency

Oh my, this is a lovely tea. It taste has a light cantaloupe flavor and is also creamy. I drank the first steep far too quickly because I was enjoying it so much. The second steep wasn’t quite as sweet and had more of a hay flavor. Both steeps were delicious, but I have to say the first was my favorite.

Another really nice tea from Single Origins Tea.

This sample came from Veronica and I’m definitely enjoying it this morning. It has a lovely aroma wafting up from the cup straight to my nose!

This is a fairly hefty tea that has a fair amount of malt. I’m also getting the dried fruit note others picked up on, it has a raisin element. And some cinnamon too. Interesting, unique flavor profile. It seems a bit peppery in the finish. When I first tried it I was reminded of red wine. This is not a wimpy tea like the yunnan fancy that I had earlier today. It packs a wallop! It’s good plain but I also liked it with soymilk.

I think the only other Vietnam tea I’ve had is from Tea Geschwender and I liked that too. Thanks again, Veronica. I would add this to my next SOT order.

Now off to go be productive, wish me luck :)