Upton Tea Imports
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Happy last-day-of-2009! It took me a couple pots to realize that this actually tastes closer to a keemun than what I’m used to from other golden monkeys. As such, it becomes a late-morning/early-afternoon tea for me. The liquid is bright reddish-orange and I can smell hints of cocoa. It’s really smooth too—I find myself wanting to lick the front of my teeth every time I take a sip.
Upton is 2 for 2 so far and quickly winning me over.
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We have decided that we don’t like to go out to movies anymore. First, there are no cuddly dogs and cats at the theater. Second, too many people talk in the theater! And third, they do not serve stovetop chai at the concession stand!
Even though this is not my favorite chai by itself, it’s very good mixed half and half with Golden Moon’s Kashmiri chai. The resulting chai has a bit more oomph, and that little bit of chocolate is delightful. This tea can have flavor and astringency issues on its own, but the mixture helps tone them down. I don’t think I’ll repurchase this when it’s gone, but mixing it is a tasty way to use it up :)
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I will go occasionally to a “hoity toity artsy fartsy” movie theater (generally there are respectful audiences). It’s extremely rare for me to go to the movies nowadays for many of the reasons that you’ve given. I morph into a grumpy old lady and mutter “I won’t pay $10 to listen to other people talk or use their cell phones to either talk, text, or take video clips/pictures during the film.” I loves me some Netflix.
We had probably our worst “talker” ever at an art house when we saw Bela Tarr’s Werckmeister Harmonies. He pontificated about Tarr and the Hungarian cinema for a good third of the film – glares didn’t work, excuse me didn’t work, finally my husband had to say something to him! He was such a jerk that after the movie he came up to us and almost started a fist fight! Astonishing! We think we are “talker” magnets – they always sit near us!!!
We love Netflix too!
Doesn’t everyone have Netflix? My wife says that the more people I meet, the more I love my dogs.
Dan, you wife is a very wise woman!! (and dogs are a lot for us humans to live up to with their sweetness, cuddly lil cuteness, unconditional love, funny antics, and complete excitement when you get home!!!)!
I love watching movies with my dog he doesn’t talk and he’s too old to get up and down too much. Sometimes he does snore a little too loudly though!
we usually go to the firs showing, weeks after release, to a huge theater, and get the place mostly to ourselves
i don’t think we go too often though, once a month or less?
SoccerMom – my dog is an old snorer too!!!
AmazonV – we try and go to the first showing too – so much less $$!! We are talker magnets tho – even in an almost empty theater we get talkers!!!! We are also uncanny about getting in the slowest line at the market – ALWAYS the slowest line even if we get into it when there is only one person before us and the other lines have a bunch of people. Aaaaaahhh!!!
remind me not o go out to the grocery store with you! :) that is bad luck, perhaps the universe is telling you your home grown food is much yummier and it’s silly to go out to the market? :)
I made 3 teaspoons of this tea with a cup of milk, a cup of water, a teaspoon of Scharffen Berger cocoa powder…
…simmer 7 minutes…
…put a teaspoon of Tupelo honey in each cup…and strain into 2 cups.
It didn’t come close to Golden Moon’s Kashmiri Chai! It was very good but not nearly as good as that Magic Elixir!!! Gotta lower the rating on this one. Husband agreed.
We’re having a cold snap here on the East Coast. Tonight, I wanted something warm and spicy. I’m not getting any cocoa notes this evening! I used pure maple syrup instead of sugar for a bit of sweetness – could that be the reason why? Maybe honey would have been a better choice? I want my cocoa notes back!
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Upton’s description of this tea talks about “Burgandy nuances” and “hints of oak.” Mmm, no, not tasting any of that.
I knew I was going to like this Keemun better than some of my recent tastings of this genre just by looking at the leaves. While they were dark, they didn’t look like they were covered in creosote, which at least showed promise that this tea wouldn’t taste tarry like some other Keemuns I’ve had recently.
The liquor is dark and the taste has hints of dark chocolate, obscured somewhat by that incessant smoky thing so many Keemuns seem to have. Is there a perpetual forest fire in An Hui Province? What’s with the damn smoky overtones? And if you oversteep this stuff, it taste like tobacco, which isn’t something I necessarily seek in my teas or in any other aspect of my life. Overall, this tea isn’t bad, but I’d love to taste more of the chocolate thing and less of the smoldering fire.
From what I understand, most of the black tea made (if “made” is the right verb to describe tea) in China is for Western consumption since the Chinese themselves prefer greens and oolongs. So, if that’s the case, I’m wondering if there are really that many westerners who are really into these smoky teas. Keemun grades like Mao Feng, which I think of as being less smoky, command a higher price. Is there a correlation there?
I’ve got two more Keemun samples in the pantry, an organic OP and an organic FOP. But I’m kinda Keemuned out at the moment. Plus I just got a shipment in from Rishi that has a Yunnan bud tea in it (Ancient Tree Golden Needles) that seems to be calling my name — in some strange Midwestern accent, no less. “Rahb. Rahb.” I think I’ll leave the Keemuns alone for a while.
Keemun Dao Ming available for purchase at…
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Actually, Chinese do not prefer Green tea. Pu-erh (watered down) is generally the main choice of tea served in Chinese restaurants. I’ve never been to a restaurant where they’ve served green tea. It’s either that or sweetened chrysanthemum tea. For Oolong, Ti Kuan Yin, is very popular, but if I recall you know that already.
Green tea adheres to westerns for the health benefits, the same goes for tea blends. Chinese is more about keeping the tradition. As for smokey tea, Golden Monkey is popular among Chinese, but it’s considered high end. Err, there as another tea that was pretty popular that I can’t recall at the moment. Oh, yeah Jasmine flavored teas are pretty popular too.
I have wondered myself if the Keemun growing area is excessively smoky from wood-burning stoves. I had not thought that there was a perpetual forest fire but now that you suggest it…
Nice review.
Carolyn, you know I was kidding about the forest fire, right? I suspect that the tea masters who make this stuff are using smoky fires in the cooking process. I’d prefer, however, to taste more of the leaf and less of the chef, if you know what I mean. More like the teas from India, Sri Lanka, and some areas of Yunnan (although some Yunnans can be smokey, too).
Hi East Side Rob, Yes, I got the humor and enjoyed it quite a bit. I thought I was responding with light humor myself (thus the elipsis) but it is often difficult for me to know when normal prose style will do fine and when one must use an emoticon. (There should be a Strunk & White specifically for the Internet.)
I agree with your expression of exasperation about the smokiness. It often seems to me that there are wonderful notes covered up by that smokiness in Keemun blacks.
This is the most expensive tea I’ve ever bought and came in such a tiny amount (only enough for one cup) that I’ve been reluctant to try it in the course of my normal days. Today is the day I break open this excessively expensive packet of tea and see what the fuss is about.
The dry leaves are very similar to my favorite Upton tea, Bohea Select, which is not surprising since this is Bohea Select’s bigger and more elaborately hyped sister tea. The smell is similar to keemuns I’ve tasted with that slightly book-dry, slightly caramel smell. Upton says that there is a floral note there as well and I can barely smell it. As the tea develops in the cup it takes on greater sweetness. It brews into a paler color than my Bohea, but that just may be because I normally use a lot more tea than I received in this sample.
The taste is complex with the same keemun-like book dry and caramel notes as well as as a sweetness. There is no bitterness or astringency. It is a very enjoyable tea with a great deal of complexity that would be fun to explore. But is it worth $988 a pound to me? Probably not.
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Sounds like me and the uber-special Pu Ti Cha a while ago. I’ve still got the other half of that lying around and can’t make myself use it.
wow…that’s not a cheap one! at least it scored a 99 in your book!
@Angrboda think it is exactly the same situation.
@LENA Yes, because of the price it will never score a 100 sadly. But it is a very tasty and complex tea. Wouldn’t be wonderful to have all the money you needed to buy any tea you wanted over and over?
When I win the lottery, I’ll buy you a couple of pounds.
I woke last night with an anxiety attack and during my nocturnal research (with heart pounding) I came across the information that gyokura has the highest quantity of theanine (a calming component of tea). First thing this morning I fixed a cup of Gyokura (and ordered more). It has a nice nutty vegetal taste and it worked. I do feel calmer. Now on to something sterner.
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Thanks for the info!:) This is one Japanese green I haven’t tried yet but am definitely looking forward to it.
This was from a sample from Upton. When I ordered more this morning though, I ordered from Den’s because I’m really impressed by the quality of their Japanese green teas. I also used Den’s instructions (15 seconds at 160 degrees) instead of Upton’s.
I think you would like this and, if nothing else, it would give you the calmness to face those bad days you’ve been having. I certainly needed it this morning after yesterday and last night.
(What an endorsement! This sounds like something everyone should have on hand!)
Did you add anything to it?
No, I didn’t add anything to it. It really doesn’t call for anything. The taste is vegetal and wouldn’t match either honey or milk and it’s a fairly mild tea.
I agree, it is something good to have on hand, especially if one is prone to stress or anxiety. (Which I unfortunately am. I should probably meditate more.)
Wow. I’m going to have to keep this in mind. You are just a fountain of information. I mean, seriously.
During a panic attack it’s pretty much a choice of run to the hospital, leave state, or frantically do research on the Internet. I’ve found that running in a panic to the hospital is expensive. My beloved is not amused to be called in the morning from two states away with my explanation that it just seemed like a good idea to drive to Florida at 2 in the morning. So I do the frantic research. Maybe next time I’ll go downstairs and make the gyokura during the panic attack. (Though it may prove to be a bad idea to be that close to the car keys.)
32 oz water + 4 tbs River Shannon +1 Tazo Passion full leaf tea sachet + 24 hours + 4 tbs simple syrup = YUM!
This equation brought to you by the fact that I just paid my bills (bill + bill + bill + bill +bill + bill = no money to buy tea until April!)
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First iced tea of the season! I used 4 cups of filtered water and 4 tablespoons of River Shannon into my pitcher, and put it in the refrigerator for 8 hours. I then made simple syrup (1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, put on low to medium heat on stove til combined into clear liquid) and chilled it. When 8 hours elapsed, I strained the tea into a carafe and added 4 tablespoons of simple syrup to sweeten it.
It was really good! I love the cold brew method – no bitterness at all and the tea, which is normally a “puts hair on your chest” strong tea, was mild and delicious. I once made hot brewed iced tea out of a Golden Monkey tea for company (only once because it’s too expensive to use doubled like that!!) and this cold brewed tea reminds me a lot of that!
We have almost drank all 4 cups! I think I’m going to do this again tomorrow and also throw in a bag of the Passion tisane for a fruity variation.
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I was craving this after reading Dan’s tasting note. I arrived home cold, rain soaked and mud splashed (once again!) so this was a perfect antidote :) Strong and brisk, no nonsense, takes milk and sugar beautifully. I’m upping the rating a little – it really is the perfect tea for when you need to get warmed up but quick!! I also want to try it cold brewed for iced tea. I think that method would be great because it will cut down on any astringency.The price of this is so good, you don’t mind using it for cold brewed iced tea which needs a good deal of leaves.
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After having to put on my wet coat and go to class this afternoon, I was so DAMP! The damp went right to my bones. There is one tea that always works to get that bone chilling feeling away – River Shannon. After coming home and making a large cup of this no nonsense, strong black tea I finally felt warm again (changing into dry clothes helped too!). I always drink this tea when I’m extremely cold or extremely tired. It is so reviving.
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Today was SUCH a comedy of errors. We set out to buy some art supplies, and accidently put the wrong address to the store in the google phone GPS thingum – and wound up at the wrong shopping center (we only realized this after wandering around puzzled for a half an hour). Where is the right one? Another half hour away! Sigh – our whole day was eaten up just getting a few mat boards and canvases. FINALLY home, River Shannon to the rescue, double portion! Takes lots of comforting milk and sugar, and stays really flavorful. A good basic strong black tea to give you a little lift!
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You know those days when you are behind before you even started? I came in to work an hour late because of my dental appointment and EVERYTHING needed immediate attention! I was drowning, and my usual response would have been to grab a cup of coffee. I chose this instead. It sure did wake me up, but I don’t feel jittery like I would have after (the third cup of!) coffee. I feel alert, focused, and ready to tackle all of this work! It tasted wonderful too :) Very bold but balanced – cream and sugar lovely. This is now my go-to-instead-of-coffee tea!
Another day spent out in the freezing cold taking photographs!
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackiemania/sets/72157622999565681/)
I needed this bold tea to warm my bones!! I steeped it one minute less than last time (as per package recommendation) and it was smoother…I think I’ll add 30 seconds because I liked it a little rougher and brisker. That’s the whole point of an Irish Blend if you ask me :)
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This fine Chinese black tea is from Fujian provence, the same region that gives us ti guan yin oolongs and lapsang souchongs.
It’s a pretty good tea, and, true to Upton’s description, it has a chocolate taste, kinda like unsweetened dark chocolate, balanced by a very slight smoky aspect. I’m not sure why panyangs aren’t spoken of with the same reverence as Keemuns and Yunnans, but this tea is quite a decent congou. While I’m generally not a big fan of smoky teas (I loathe lapsang souchong), this tea’s smokiness is subtle enough to let the leaves speak — and they have some nice things to say.
Upton’s description also talks about a sweet berry note. Um, I’m not getting that, but the chocolate thing is definitely there. Panyangs are similar in some ways to Keemuns, but I haven’t been particularly happy with the Keemuns I’ve had lately, which have been too tarry/smoky, so this is a better brew than most of the Keemuns I’ve had, with the possible exception of Keemun Mao Feng.
This tea didn’t do quite as well on the second steep. The chocolate taste wasn’t as pronounced the second go-round, while the smokiness was just as strong, so the balance that was present in the first cup, wasn’t there on the second.
Upton’s Panyang Congou Select is organic, so you’re not getting a mouthful of pesticide residue and are, hopefully, supporting more sustainable farming practices, too.
Nice tea. And after sampling a bad bunch of teas lately — really weak Ceylons and tarry Keemuns — this was a pleasant surprise.
Order from:
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A nicely robust tea paired with creamy sweet vanilla. The vanilla is of a good quality, and I was delighted to see bits of the pod amongst the tea leaves. Extra cake like with milk and sugar :) A gorgeous treat on a chilly, rainy afternoon.
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From the annals of “what the hell was I thinking when I made this tea.” This tastes no different than the broken-leaf version of this tea that I tried last week. Not sure why I thought the whole-leaf version would taste any different, which is to say it tastes like nothing. Nada. Zilch. Bupkes.
It’s a beautiful-looking tea, but it has no personality whatsoever. The only difference is that, because this is a whole-leaf tea, it has a longer steeping time than its broken-leaf version — five minutes versus three.
But, overall, it tastes like Ashoken Reservoir water, which is what comes out of the taps Upper East Side Manhattan residents’ apartment, and which is what I made this tea with. This tea has a nuance of air and the rich aftertaste of a deep-space vacuum.
Can’t see writing much more about this. I wasted my time drinking this tea. I won’t waste your time making you read more about it.
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In fact, I want the last 3 minutes of my life back. I demand a refund.
Just kidding. Happy Holidays! Hope you drank something better than this let down.
Happy holidays, T. Enjoy the respite from school. I’ve got a slew of samples from Upton’s in the pantry and an order from Rishi that should be here any day now, so something better is bound to show up in my cup. And, hey, keep those entertaining posts coming.
Oh, I am. And I’ll be ordering some of that Yunnan stuff you keep yammering about. I suspect that Samovar and Rishi may source from the some of the same farms, so I’m going to laugh if I find myself getting some deja vu with some of this stuff.
And I’ll do my best to keep posting! Hopefully entertainingly. [That doesn’t look like it should be a word, but apparently it is. I don’t think I used it correctly though. Anyway, message deployed.] You keep posting, too! And everyone else, YOU KEEP POSTING, TOO! YOU HEAR ME, EVERYBODY?!
Rishi’s Ancient Tree Golden Yunnan is a great one-bud two-leaf tea, although it’s not necessarily a lot like prototypical Yunnan teas. (I actually like it better.) And then you have to try an all-bud Yunnan, like Rishi’s Golden Needles or Itoen’s Yunnan Golden Tips. It’s like dessert.
Oh, yeah, and regarding “entertainingly.” I think it was Stephen King who said, “the road to hell is paved with adverbs.”
@East Side Rob Clearly these are words to live by.
I had wanted to taste a Russian Caravan for a long time and I finally have with Upton’s variety. It smells and tastes to me like how one might describe the classic Darjeeling taste profile, except maybe with less sweetness, freshness, and more of that “autumn leaves” Oolonginess, (which I love). The taste is probably a consequence of it being a BLEND, and has most likely has Oolongs, Dars, and other black teas from SE Asia rolled into it.
I like this tea though, even despite it really not having a unique character of its own… it has blue blood.
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I love everything about this tea. It has a pretty funky look due to the ginseng coating, but the coating makes it like two teas in one…the 1st infusion and the 2nd are totally different experiences. Both great. This is one of the few teas that I buy in large qty to make sure I will always have some to drink, I would hate for it to become unavailable ;-) I recently found a small bag that was purchased well over a year ago and the tea was still great, I think the ginseng coating might help it stay preserved….maybe.
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Hmmm… a ginseng coating? The gensing green I have (from Adagio) isn’t coated. I love teas that change drastically w/ additional steeping- that way I can keep steeping thus save money, but not get bored w/ the flavor.
Yea, the leafs are rolled and coated in gensing. Kind of odd looking little nuggets. After the 1st steeping they open up and are quite large.
Happy almost New Year to you too!
Mmm, sounds good to me! Happy New Year!