Whispering Pines Tea Company

I got this tea as a sample along with some ripe puerh that I ordered from Whispering Pines.

Upon opening the bag, the smell of cocoa was so prevalent that I actually had to check to make sure it wasn’t a blended tea (even though I expect it in a Dian Hong). Brewed up, the cocoa was there in the background but along with a strong maltiness, with strong sweet potato and subtle spices. A very enticing cup of tea. I was impressed – very much in the classic Dian Hong range of flavors, but a very good example of the style.

Sipdown! I am now at 101 teas! How exciting. I hope to be at 80 or less by spring.

So this tea is a chai tea. I am not fond of chai teas and ingredients like ginger and sage make me cringe. However, this tea is quite pleasant. The white tea base is very sweet. The spicy mixture is more cardamon to me with just a bit of ginger and sage. If I was a chai tea fan, I would probably love this tea. Since I am not, I will enjoy this tea today and say goodbye to it.

Excellent – thoroughly enjoyable. Always remember to mix up the tea before measuring out the leaves or the vanilla flavor will be very weak. Very generous with the vanilla bean – there was so much of it! All of the main flavors others have mentioned were there: cocoa, vanilla, malt. Also a tiny bit of what I call “pavilion campfire” – just a touch of smoke. You can overleaf it a little, especially if you do multiple steepings. I’ll be back for more. Hopefully they aren’t out of stock completely, but I know chances are pretty good they are!

Gongfu brewed in my shiboridashi. Lord of the Lakes produces a very smooth blend that has a fair amount of sweetness to it. Another really good shou from Whispering Pines that deserves your full attention as this is not a casual drinking tea.

Gongfu brewed in my shiboridashi. The Huron Te Ji in cake form is stronger than the loose leaf variety. I would say it has more of the medium range of how shou goes. The tea yields a rich mellow brew with a clean mineral taste to it. Highly recommended as this is the type of shou that deserves to be set aside for the times when you can relax and focus upon the tea and only the tea.

This is a really old sipdown with a sample I got from JK7Ray over on reddit.

I rinsed this 15 seconds in cold water just because its been at the bottom of my bag for a while and I didn’t know what scents it might have absorbed.

Brewed ~2-3 minutes in 600 mL of hottish water (half boiling water, half cold tap water). Once again I end up with a deep orange/amber brew that smells medicinal and fruity.

This is one of those teas where you describe what you taste and wonder why anyone would drink that (puerh drinkers get it). It does have a medicinal chrysanthemum flavour (might be osmanthus) and the white tea is light and slightly vegetal. I get an overwhelming flavour of dill and dry grass. It certainly seemed medicinal, like what you expect dry osmanthus and dill to taste like. There is only one flower and no dill, but that sums up the major flavours.

This is quite a unique tea and I do recommend people try it, but it isn’t something I’d buy/trade for again.

Steep 1: 3 minutes, 80 degrees C water, 450 mL
Very light coloured liquid (light yellow), smells like stale dried flowers
Flavours of dill and white tea, slightly vegetal. Overall, very light in flavour.

Steep 2: 3 minutes, 80 degrees C water, 450 mL
More tannins and tea flavour. Darker liquid (yellow orange)
Tastes of dill and white tea still present, but there is also a flavour like…minerals? Not exactly ash. Maybe more like musty, but in a good way. Kind of like dried osmanthus flowers. The liquid smells like honey, but doesn’t taste like it.

Steep 3: 2 minutes, 80 degrees C water, 450 mL
Additional flavours of dried plant matter: bamboo leaf and corn husk. Notes of grain and lighht fruits are present, but I can’t say which specific fruits.

I bought this tea about a year ago. I was very pleased with the service I got from Whispering Pines, they were prompt with shipping and included a generous sample. I was intrigued to buy this tea for obvious reasons- it’s unique. I am not a black tea fan, but I decided I’d give this a shot. I was very pleased at how much “soul” this tea had. By far the best black tea I’ve ever had and probably one of the best teas I’ve ever had in general. I give it a 91 instead of a 100 because it is on the pricey side, but if you have the coin to spare go for it!

Got a free sample of this from WP in both of the orders I’ve made, so I’ve been meaning to get around to trying this. Steeped it gongfu style last night, and had to take some time to just admire the beauty of the dry leaves. Golden with a very fine down and an earthy aroma.

Each cup of the first steep tastes quite different to me. There is a hint of sweetness rounding out the earth and malt in the first pour, but the flavor is very subtle overall. The next cup tastes like whole grain cereal and has a sweet aftertaste. The last sip, from the very bottom of the cha hai, has the deepest flavor, and after emptying the cup, a bold sweetness clings to it.

I find the flavor really comes out in the third steep, which brings more depth and distinct cocoa notes. I have one more sample of this one and haven’t decided if we’ll do it gongfu again or western. Gongfu is our preference for almost everything, but I’d like to see how it tastes both ways.

We tried this tea out recently, on a chilly day. We figured a spicy chai would be a good relief from the cold and wind.

This chai is indeed very spicy. Opening the bag, the peppercorns really stand out, with ginger and cinnamon close behind.

We first tried tasting it straight. It wasn’t very enjoyable. Kind of like drinking peppercorn and ginger. Much too savory and spicy, without much balance. Good for clearing out the sinuses, I suppose. So, we moved on to adding milk and honey. This was much better and balanced the savoryness of the of the tea.

This is certainly a unique chai blend. Very spicy and savory, with the peppercorns and ginger overpowering everything else. If that’s your thing, jump on it. However, it just didn’t work for me. I would have preferred the black tea to come through more, along with the cinnamon and allspice.

Overall, it works with milk and honey, but for the price, I’ll pass in the future.

I picked this tea up during Black Friday sale. I quite literally purchased the last ounce available at the time. You may notice that this review is very similar to my Golden Orchid review; I comment on that below.

Opening the bag and taking a whiff is a real treat! A rush of cocoa and vanilla, with nice maltiness to back it up. A bit like fresh brownies.

The tea steeps a nice dark brown, and retains the lovely aroma.

The taste is exceptional! Smooth and full, lots of flavors. No need for sugar, as the vanilla beans give plenty of sweetness. The black tea blend is excellent, and would stand up well on its own without the vanilla. No corners were cut in putting this blend together. I should note that this tea is flavored with actual beans, which gives it a nice smoothness versus a typical “flavored” tea using extract or other processed flavoring.

A second steeping holds up well, but I find that I need to about double the concentration to maintain the same strength as a first steeping. (In other words, I use half as much water in the second steeping.)

Overall, a superb black tea! It works well as a morning wake-up or an after-dinner dessert companion. This is going on my must-buy list. I don’t usually enjoy “flavored” teas, but this one is done very well. If you prefer “straight” black tea like me, and you’re looking for something with a fuller flavor profile, don’t hesitate to pick this up!

I tried this side by side with Whispering Pines’s Golden Orchid. If you’re wondering, this tea uses Tahitian vanilla beans, while Golden Orchid uses Madagascar beans. I think the difference between the two is that Ambrosia has a more pronounced vanilla flavor. Other than that, they are identical in my opinion, so their reviews will be very similar. Whether Ambrosia is worth the additional price over Golden Orchid depends on how much you like a stronger vanilla flavor. I give both the same rating.

I was excited to see this back in stock, so I picked up a couple ounces. I’ve finally had a chance to sit down and have a real tasting, after having some nice cups with family.

Opening the bag and taking a whiff is a real treat! A rush of cocoa and vanilla, with nice maltiness to back it up. A bit like fresh brownies.

The tea steeps a nice dark brown, and retains the lovely aroma.

The taste is exceptional! Smooth and full, lots of flavors. No need for sugar, as the vanilla beans give just the right amount of sweetness. The black tea blend is excellent, and would stand up well on its own without the vanilla. No corners were cut in putting this blend together. I should note that this tea is flavored with actual beans, which gives it a nice smoothness versus a typical “flavored” tea using extract or other processed flavoring.

A second steeping holds up well, but I find that I need to about double the concentration to maintain the same strength as a first steeping. (In other words, I use half as much water in the second steeping.)

Overall, a superb black tea! It works well as a morning wake-up or an after-dinner dessert companion. This is going on my must-buy list. I don’t usually enjoy “flavored” teas, but this one is done very well. If you prefer “straight” black tea like me, and you’re looking for something with a fuller flavor profile, don’t hesitate to pick this up!

I tried this side by side with Whispering Pines’s Ambrosia. If you’re wondering, this tea uses Madagascar vanilla beans, while Ambrosia uses Tahitian beans. I think the difference between the two is that Ambrosia has a more pronounced vanilla flavor. Other than that, they are identical in my opinion, so their reviews will be very similar.

Art of Darkness is an all time favorite of mine. I don’t know why, but I fell in love with it as soon as I tasted it. Then, I heard about this tea, and I had to give it a shot. I am not one for flavored teas or blends, but Whispering Pines hits these right on the nose, and they are delicious! This leaf is a long slender leafed shou with a distinct scent of Jordan almonds. Also, the small black and dusty gold tendrils smell intensely of a sweet, creamy, nuttiness, with some fluffy tones on top. I warmed my teapot and scooped some inside. The scent opens up into a whipped crème atop dry cacao with some earth woodiness mixed in. A quick wash, and its off to paradise. The brew is thick in the mouth with a flourishing marshmallow flavor. The drink is like milk chocolate hot cocoa with vanilla syrup drizzled atop. The brew continues with each steep developing into a dense chocolate with a lightly fading marshmallow. The brew lasts for an extensive amount of steeps, and it is fantastic! This leaf is a lot like Art of Darkness except more direct, smooth, and long lasting. The brew is not overly complex, and that’s fine. I am not drinking a cocoa nib imbued tea for the complexities. The taste is great; however, I do wish it was a tad bit cheaper…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDBQ3PCTGU-/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel

i bought two cakes of this tea just based on the hope that it was similar to the mirkwood blend.. and it is. its very smooth and easy to drink lots of i find- its my favorite shou ive tried so far. even without the mushroom morsels its very “mushroomy.” i think i could have brewed it longer than 4 min to get a richer, darker brew, that would help me pick up flavours in its true form. its almost syrupy with some coco/caramel stuff going on. im also drinking this out of my new mug i got for xmas- it looks sort of rustic with white lining the inside so i can see the teas colors better. good qi to if i m not mistaken, even though i havnt drunk much yet.
anyways thanks for reading and happy teaing and happy new year.

-nycoma

After I finish with this review, the backlog will be empty once again. I’m sure that some of you who may stumble across this review know the tremendous sense of relief that comes with catching up all of your work. Part of what kept me from reviewing this tea sooner was that I made a point of trying to really savor it. I also pushed myself to see how it reacted to multiple methods of preparation.

I brewed this tea both Western and gongfu. I actually tried two different Western preparations. One was a one step preparation in which I steeped approximately 3-4 grams of loose tea leaves in around 8 ounces of 205 F water for 5 minutes. The other method was a three step infusion in which I steeped 3 grams of loose tea leaves in 8 ounces of 205 F water for 3 minutes and then followed that up with 5 and 7 minute infusions. For the gongfu session, I steeped 6 grams of loose tea leaves in 4 ounces of 205 F water for 5 seconds following a quick rinse. This infusion was followed by 12 additional infusions. Steep times for these infusions were as follows: 7 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 20 seconds, 25 seconds, 30 seconds, 40 seconds, 1 minute, 1 minute 30 seconds, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, and 5 minutes. This review will primarily detail the results of the gongfu session, though I will undoubtedly comment on the other preparations at some point.

Prior to the rinse, I noted that the dry tea leaves emitted pleasant aromas of dark chocolate and malt. After the rinse, I noted more pronounced aromas of dark chocolate and malt accompanied by hints of brown sugar and orange. The first infusion produced a similar, albeit slightly more integrated aroma. The mouth was dominated by dark chocolate, though I could detect impressions of sorghum molasses, malt, brown sugar, and wood just beneath the heavy chocolate flavor. Subsequent infusions introduced a fruitiness and creaminess on the nose and in the mouth. The dark chocolate, brown sugar, malt, wood, and sorghum were joined by impressions of cream, orange peel, and black cherry. Later infusions emphasized the wood, malt, and cream impressions, though traces of orange peel, sorghum, and dark chocolate remained. I noted that a slight mineral presence emerged both on the nose and in the mouth, as did a somewhat distant impression of black walnut.

While the gongfu session presented a very elegant, layered tea that revealed its charms over time, the Western infusions predictably produced a more balanced tea liquor overall. The one step infusion emphasized the tea’s woodier, more tannic qualities and presented a more astringent brew that nevertheless revealed strong notes of orange peel, wood, malt, cream, and dark chocolate. The three step infusion moved from heavy dark chocolate, wood, and malt presences during the first infusion to a sweeter, fruitier cup full of brown sugar, cream, orange, and black cherry notes during the second infusion. The third infusion presented a mildly malty, creamy liquor with wood, chocolate, fruit, and mineral underpinnings.

In the end, I was very pleased with this tea. I found it to be very sophisticated, yet also very approachable. While I do wish it had a little more bite, I think fans of smooth, nuanced black teas will find a lot to love about this one. I would have no problem recommending this tea to anyone searching for a high quality Chinese black tea with plenty of character.

A bold black tea that went perfectly with my mood while I was cleaning today and ironically organizing my tea collection at the same time.

The smell is nice and the black tea very hearty – I added a tablespoon, so that was more than enough. Steeped for a little over five minutes. I actually didn’t sense any smoke but I’m used to very smokey teas so I could have missed it. A little sweetness on its own, but I boosted it with a little sugar as I always do. Enjoyed the tea, a feel good blend.

A pleasant cup, although not what I was expecting. I don’t have the most sophisticated taste buds in the first place, but I missed a lot of the notes in the first try of this one. I have some left so I’ll keep trying. What I did get was a very pleasant, malty sort of tea with a rich bready taste. Good and comforting. My leaves weren’t purple, but I love the name and the label.

I recently received my first ever order from Whispering Pines. Since I’m sitting here looking at the ice outside, I thought I’d go ahead and review the tea I’m enjoying at the moment: Silver Needle. I’m tasting the Spring 2016 harvest.

The leaves are thick, fuzzy buds that look like little bananas. They smell like a nice white tea, very delicate with a little sweetness.

I followed the instructions on the package for my first tasting. I thought it was a little overdone, so I reduced the temperature just a little for this tasting.

The taste that stands out for me is “smoky”. It’s not powerful, but it is present enough that it stands out among the other flavors. Definitely more complexity than other Silver Needles or Silver Tips. The aftertaste is less sweet, and lingers for a while.

Overall, a very good white tea. Perfect for a winter afternoon.

I absolutely enjoyed this wonderful tea. Chocolate and vanilla, what’s not to love? It was very smooth without any hint of astringency. There are very slight fruity notes hiding in the background.
I really should have got more than the one ounce I ordered. It’s not too soon to make another order yet right…..

I’m falling behind on reviews again. I finished the last of this tea a couple days ago, compiled my notes, and then just left them sitting. I’m starting to get really bad about that. Anyway, I found this tea to be a rock solid Dian Hong.

I prepared this tea gongfu style. After a quick rinse, I steeped 6 grams of loose tea leaves in 4 ounces of 200 F water for 5 seconds. I followed this infusion up with 11 additional infusions. Steep times for these infusions were as follows: 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 20 seconds, 25 seconds, 30 seconds, 40 seconds, 1 minute, 1 minute 30 seconds, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, and 5 minutes.

Prior to the rinse, the dry tea leaves emitted mild aromas of wood, leather, and chocolate. After the rinse, I noted that the chocolate aroma intensified and was joined by a subtle scent of caramel. The first infusion produced a similar, though slightly more integrated aroma. In the mouth, I picked up on mild notes of leather, wood, caramel, and chocolate. Subsequent infusions were more robust and complex. I noted an increased woodiness, as well as the emergence of brown sugar, sweet potato, malt, orange blossom honey, and black pepper aromas and flavors. Later infusions were smooth and mild. Malt and minerals provided the dominant aromas and flavors, though lingering impressions of honey, brown sugar, wood, and sweet potato were just barely detectable on the finish.

This was a nice Dian Hong. This being a wildcrafted tea, I was expecting it to be earthier and rougher around the edges, but all in all, this was good. I would have liked to see more spice character and a little more robust flavor overall, but this was still a very respectable tea. I wouldn’t mind purchasing this one again at some point in the future.

This tea tastes like spring. There are happy, bright flowers. There’s honey and citrus. Maybe there are some orange blossoms.

Floral is the main descriptor though.

Good tea, but not my thing. I’m just not a fan of citrus.

Gave my packet a good shake this morning to try to mix up the vanilla. It seems to have worked. This time I am tasting more vanilla with my toast notes. It’s still not as creamy as I remember, but it’s also still better than any tea in my collection. Whispering Pines really is worth the money.

I’m so happy to have this back in my collection. I’ve never reviewed it, but I believe this is my third time buying it. Anyway, the last time I got a notification that it was in stock, it sold out before my lunch break was even up. I emailed Brenden jokingly, saying something like “Did Golden Orchid really sell out in an hour??” Turns out it had sold out in 3 minutes. 3 MINUTES! But Brenden is amazing, y’all. He had the ingredients to make more and made me a custom three ounces. He is the best!

That said, the vanilla in this batch just isn’t what I remember. My memory of this tea is richer and I can’t figure out if my taster is broken, or if maybe I’m doing something wrong. The black tea base is still incredible. Luxurious and toasty. But the vanilla is lacking. Can any of you give me some advice on how you personally prepare it? I went with 3 rounded teaspoons for 24 ounces of water for 3 minutes.

Still giving it a high rating because I have faith. And because I would love this tea without the vanilla anyway.

EDIT: I see somebody saying the vanilla-ness tends to sink to the bottom of the packet. I’ll give mine a good shake tomorrow.