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Sample package label: “Organic Makaibari Darjeeling”

Per: http://www.dellaterrateas.com/organic-makaibari-darjeeling/
“Ingredients: Organic Makaibari Darjeeling Black Tea”

“Suggested brewing tips
Serving Size: 1 level tsp./6oz serving
Water Temp: 210°F
Steep Time: 1 – 3 minutes”

Technique:
6-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 27 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 210*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer.

1 level Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

Dry leaf: well twisted, uniform sized, blackish brown – typical for an autumn flush

Fragrance: Reminds me of pipe tobacco

Liquor: Clear & coppery

3-min Infusion: Fresh crisp vegetal aroma, a lively full-bodied refreshing flavor without bitterness. There was a slight sense of astringency on the front center of my tongue.

1st Re-steep: 6-min Infusion Wow, just as enjoyable as the first infusion and now without any astringency.

2nd Re-steep: 12-min Infusion Nearly as enjoyable as the initial infusion! This very fine Darjeeling can go the distance!

Impression: Highly recommended! A truly excellent full-bodied black tea that’s suitable for morning or afternoon.

Thanks to David Worgul of Della Terra Tea for providing this free sample.

Sample package label: “Classic Earl Grey, Temp 195*F; Time 2min”

Per http://www.butikiteas.com/Black.html: “Recommended Amount: 2 teaspoons of tea for 8oz of water”

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 26 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 195*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer.

2 Tevanna teaspoons, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

Introduction: Most Earl Grey teas are light- to medium-bodied. While my wife loves the aroma and flavor of a well-balanced EG, she typically does not find them to be strong enough. To compensate, she will increase the amount of tea leaves and/or the brewing time. However, you can only increase those two parameters so much.

Fragrance: This black tea has a fresh classic Earl Grey fragrance without any hint of artificial additives – the genuine article!

Dry leaf – Dark brown leaves

Infused Leaf – red / brown hue

Impression: This is an elegant smooth, well-balanced Classic Earl Grey with a fresh subtle pleasing lemon aroma The harmonious blended tea base of Chinese, Indian, and Sri Lankan teas was well chosen. There was no hint of tartness, bitterness or astringency.

My wife enjoyed this tea but didn’t find it to be “The EG” she’s been seeking. She prefers a ROBUST version of Stacy’s very well balanced Classic EG. A full-bodied stimulating breakfast tea base with an equally strong EG aroma and flavor. An EG that will make you “Sit Up and Take Notice.” An EG on STEROIDS!

Butiki EG NEWS: Per Stacy, “We are working on a premium version that will replace this version but that won’t be ready for a month or two.” Given Stacy’s track record in providing high quality hand-blended teas, we can’t wait!

Thanks to Stacy for providing this free sample.

Sample package label: “Persian Choice Royal Earl Grey”

Per: http://www.alvinsofsf.com/persian-choice-royal-earl-grey-tea.html
“12oz Box; First Place Winner in the North American Tea Championship. Pungent, Robust, Smooth finish, Very complex body”

Details (See above)

Thanks to Hovik Azadkhanian at Alvin’s of San Francisco for the recommended brewing instructions: 1 tsp. / 205*F / 8oz.
“Steep Time is around 2 minutes. Again, this part is totally up to you. Many people steep for less time and then re-steep a second time.”

Given my wife’s love of Earl Grey tea and the First Place Earl Grey award in the 2011 North American Tea Championship, we were very interested to taste this tea.

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 26 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 205*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer.

1 Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

This tea has a fresh Bergamot fragrance perhaps with a hint of licorice.

Dry leaf – blackish brown long leaves

Infused Leaf – Bright coppery hue

First cup:
2-min: Smooth, pleasing, balanced, med.-bodied I then steeped it an additional min.
3-min: Smooth, medium- to full-bodied with a fresh mild lemon aroma and a lemon flavor at the finish. No hint of bitterness, astringency, or tartness.
4-min: Now nearly full-bodied

Second cup: 1.5 tsp.. / 205*F / 8oz.
2-min: Smooth, full-bodied with a fresh mild lemon aroma and mild lemon tartness. No hint of bitterness or astringency.

Third cup: 1.5 tsp.. / 205*F / 8oz.
3-min.: Smooth, full-bodied with a fresh mild lemon aroma and mild lemon tartness. No hint of bitterness or astringency.

Impression: This EG is a smooth medium- to full-bodied tea with a fresh mild lemon aroma and without any bitterness or astringency. My cup was empty before I knew it. My wife enjoyed this tea but didn’t find it to be “The EG” she’s been seeking. She prefers a strong black tea base with an equally strong Bergamot aroma and flavor.

Thanks to Hovik Azadkhanian for providing this generous size free sample.

Sample package label: “Ceylon Black”

Per: http://www.alvinsofsf.com/tea/black-tea/ceylon-black.html:
“Black Orange Pekoe, Ultra high grade, Extra long leaf size, Fresh floral bouquet with sweet citrus and cucumber notes and a dry finish.

Details
Our Ceylon teas come from the very best sources in Sri Lanka. Grown in the Highlands of Ceylon, this amazing black tea is the finest on the planet. Picked from the Camellia Sinensis plant this high grade Orange Pekoe leaf yields a fresh floral bouquet with sweet citrus tones. Hints of fresh picked grapefruit and cucumber with a dry grainy finish. This is our absolute favorite un-blended black tea leaf. CERTIFIED ORGANIC, FAIR TRADE, KOSHER tea leaves."

Thanks to Hovik Azadkhanian at Alvin’s of San Francisco for the recommended brewing instructions: 1 tsp. / 205*F / 8oz.
“Steep Time is around 2 minutes. Again, this part is totally up to you. Many people steep for less time and then re-steep a second time.”

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 26 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 205*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer. Brewed in a closed vessel – teacup w/lid:
1 Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

This tea has a strong pleasant fragrance that reminds me of licorice.
Dry leaf – blackish brown
Infused Leaf – Bright coppery hue

First cup:
2-min: Smooth, med.-bodied I then steeped it an additional min.
3-min: Smooth, bright & full-bodied with notes of cucumber, a light floral aroma, and a dry finish. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency.

4-min re-steep:
Smooth & a little lighter than the first infusion, but very enjoyable.

Impression: This Ceylon is a smooth full-bodied tea with hints of cucumber and without any bitterness or astringency. My cup was empty before I knew it. Very well done!

This tea changed my perceptions Ceylon tea. Previously, I’ve tasted a few Earl Grey teas that had a Ceylon base and were too astringent to be enjoyable. I guess the makers of these EG teas may have used a lower-grade Ceylon to reduce their cost and hoped the Oil of Bergamot would somehow hide it.

Thanks to Hovik Azadkhanian for providing this generous size free sample.

Sample package label: “Autumn Darjeeling”
Per: http://www.alvinsofsf.com/tea/specialty-teas-and-blends/seeyok-autumnal-darjeeling.html
“Malty, muscatel, and spicy notes; smooth yet complex flavor, Autumnal 2nd flush. Organic, Fair Trade
Details
Deep in the Mirik Valley of Darjeeling in West Bengal India, comes this autumn harvest 2nd flush Darjeeling tea from the Seeyok plantation. Its has a strong body with a refreshing crisp finish with strong hints of Mustat, malt and spices. A perfect morning or early afternoon tea. Certified Organic and Fair Trade.”

Thanks to Hovik Azadkhanian at Alvin’s of San Francisco for the recommended brewing instructions: 1 tsp. / 195*F / 8oz. / 2 minutes. “To really enjoy the complexity of the tea leaves I personally leave them in for a bit longer though this is totally up to you. (Sometimes I don’t even take them out!)”

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 26 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 195*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer.
1 Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

The fragrance of this tea is very enticing, but what is it? – A new very pleasing experience.
Dry leaf – blackish brown
Infused Leaf – Bright coppery hue

First cup:
2-min: Smooth, light- to med.-bodied I then steeped it an additional min.
3-min: med.-bodied
4-min: Smooth, lively & full-bodied with a malty character and a clean finish. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency

5-min re-steep:
Smooth & a little lighter than the first infusion, but very enjoyable.

2nd cup (same as above, but brewed in a closed vessel – teacup w/lid):
4-min: Smooth, lively & full-bodied with a malty character and a clean finish. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency. However, I now can appreciate the hints of muscatel. It reminds me of white grapes.

Impression: A very enjoyable Darjeeling – a smooth, full-bodied, malty tea with hints of muscatel and without any bitterness or astringency. Well Done!

Thanks to Hovik Azadkhanian for providing this generous size free sample.

Sample package label:
“Earl Grey de la Cream
Time: 3 minutes / Temp: 212*”

Thanks to David Palmerola founder of Steep City for the additional recommended brewing instructions: “Usually 1 tsp per 8 oz, but I like my teas stronger so maybe a bit more on the bold teas… Especially EG!”

Introduction: Steep City’s recently released Earl Grey de la Cream is the first EG Cream I’m aware of that uses vanilla beans (as opposed to just flavoring). It also uses an Assam/Ceylon blend. Most EG teas have a 100% Shi Lankan (Ceylon) base. Having the addition of an Assam black tea, was another significant reason for wanting to sample this EG tea. Our current EG has a Ceylon base and I can’t get past the astringency. My wife also loves EG.

This tea has a strong vanilla fragrance. Neither my wife nor I could smell the classic oil of bergamot fragrance.

April 18: 1 rounded to heaping tsp. / 8-oz. / 212*F / 3 min / No sweeteners, milk, or cream added

I brewed a cup of Earl Grey de la Crème for my wife – a life-long EG Lover. She noted a strong vanilla flavor, no discernible lemony oil of Bergamot flavor, and another flavor that she could not identify that detracted from the taste of this EG. She then looked at the Steep City website and specifically wanted to know about the vanilla and bergamot flavors.

My first impression of this tea (based only on a few stolen sips) was that it was full-bodied & very, very smooth w/o any bitterness or astringency – well done! The addition of vanilla beans was a great idea! However, as an EG tea, my wife was correct that the vanilla completely overshadowed the EG flavor.

Afterwards, I sent an e-mail to David asking about the vanilla and bergamot flavors. David told us that they use natural oil of Bergamot. “On the cream side, we are using natural flavors with some artificial flavors combined with the natural vanilla beans.”

April 21: 2.5 tsps. (All that remained in the sample) / 16-oz. / 212*F / 3 min. / No sweeteners, milk, or cream added (A cup for each of us)

3-min Infusion: A strong vanilla flavor, no discernible oil of Bergamot flavor, light- to medium-bodied, with zero hint of tartness, bitterness or astringency.
4-min: Improving
5-min: A strong vanilla flavor, no discernible oil of Bergamot flavor, strong hints of cinnamon, medium-bodied, with zero hint of tartness, bitterness or astringency.

In my experience, the tartness of citrus bergamia is a common characteristic of most Earl Grey tea. The addition of vanilla & vanilla beans definitely smoothed out the tartness.

In retrospect, as far as the full-bodied flavor on 4/18 and medium-bodied flavor on 4/21: I probably should have only brewed one cup with the remaining tea sample.

Impression: This tea is for creamy vanilla lovers.

For those who prefer a classic lemony Oil of Bergamot fragrance & flavor:
“It’s complicated.” The additional natural ingredients that give this Earl Grey its rich creamy vanilla taste are much stronger than the classic Oil of Bergamot EG flavor. Achieving just the right balance must be quite a challenge as the number of ingredients increases.

Suggestion: For those like my wife who love the classic EG fragrance & flavor, Steep City may wish to consider refining the balance between the vanilla beans / vanilla flavoring and the Oil of Bergamot so that these two key ingredients can be qually appreciated & enjoyed. Another consideration might be to eliminate the artificial vanilla flavor.

Thanks to David Palmerola founder of Steep City for providing this free sample.

Sample package label:
“CREAMY, SMOOTH, and delicious! We use spring select white tea hand blended with coconut, safflowers, and cornflowers. Delivers a sweet creamy texture with a light body and a good balance of coconut.

Ingredients: Organic Chinese White Tea, Organic Safflower, Organic Cornflower, Organic Coconut, Natural Flavors
Caffeine: Medium, Steep: 1-3 Minutes”

Thanks to Joey Landford, The Tea Merchant, for the additional recommended brewing instructions: 1 heaping tsp. / 180*F / 8oz.

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 21 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 180*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer.
1 heaping Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

This white tea has a tropical coconut fragrance
Light gold hue

Infusion:
1-min: Smooth but light-bodied I then steeped it an additional min.
2-min: Improving
3-min: Sweet, creamy, smooth, mellow, & light-bodied with a mild coconut aroma. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency.

Impression: An outstanding, well-balanced, afternoon white tea and a very enjoyable way to receive your antioxidants!

Thanks to Joey, The Tea Merchant, for providing this generous size free sample.

Sample package label:
“The Perfect Tea for the coffee lover looking for a healthier alternative. This impossibly smooth malty organic tea comes from the Assam region of Northern India. It brews a rich golden infusion with lots of character and may be steeped multiple times.
Ingredients: Organic black Tea
USDA Organic, Caffeine: Medium, Steep: 3-5 Minutes”

Thanks to Joey Landford, The Tea Merchant, for the additional recommended brewing instructions: A little less than 1 tsp. / 205*F / 8oz.

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 21 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 205*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer.
1 scant Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

The fragrance of this tea has hints of tobacco
Golden hue

First cup:
3-min: Smooth but light-bodied I then steeped it an additional min.
4-min: Improving
5-min: Smooth & medium bodied. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency. Since this is an Assam, I suspected more tea was needed.

2nd Cup – 1 Rounded Tsp.:
3-min: Smooth and medium-bodied.
4-min: Smooth and full-bodied.
5-min: Smooth & full-bodied with a malty character. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency

6-min re-steep:
Smooth & lighter than the first infusion.

Impression: This Assam is a full-bodied, malty tea without any bitterness or astringency.

Thanks to Joey, The Tea Merchant, for providing this generous size free sample.

Package label:
“Ingredients: Pure tea buds and leaves
Original Place: Qimen, Anhui, China
Distributor: Teas and Thes (China) Ltd.
Room 3-241, Hui Zhan Nan Wu Road
Xiamen, Fujian, China
www.teavivre.com
Production date: 5/15/2012
Storage Instruction: Store in Airtight, opaque container in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
Shelf life: 24 months
Net Wt.: 3.5 oz. (100 g)

Brew Guide:
1-2 teaspoons for 8 oz. of water
Brew at 194*F (90*C) for 2-3 minutes”

Per their website: http://www.teavivre.com/keemun-hao-ya/ this Keemun is a handmade Gongfu process tea that also has EU Organic Certification.

Introduction: Since I thoroughly enjoyed the sample of this Keemun Hao Ya, I ordered 500 g. (See my initial review.)

4/18/13 Western Teapot Technique: 32-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 19 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 194*F (90*C) – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer.
6 Tevanna teaspoons (1.5 tsp/cup), without sweeteners, milk or cream.

Results:
This tea has a wonderful mild smoky fragrance as well as a fruity fragrance that reminds me of red wine.

Vibrant copper hue

3-min Infusion: It’s a creamy smooth, well-balanced, full-bodied breakfast tea with a natural caramel-like sweetness, a fruity / wine-like flavor, and a finish that leaves you with a wonderful full mouth feel, which lingers on the tongue for an extended period of time. It’s truly outstanding!

2nd Infusion:
4-min: Initial taste – another minute was needed
5-min: Yes, the 2nd 32-oz. steep was as enjoyable as the first! Just a tad lighter.

Impression: This premium-grade Keemun, clearly sets itself apart from “Keemun Panda #1” in that it is certified organic, provides a natural caramel-like sweetness, and a wonderful full mouth feel, which lingers on the tongue for such an extended period of time.

Congratulations to Mr. Jiang, the tea farmer responsible for this superb Keemun!
“He and his workers are well known to produce some of China’s most sought after Keemun teas, illustrated by their Keemun winning gold medal for best tea at the Shanghai World Expo.”

This is our first TeaVivre black tea and it’s provided a wonderful first-impression. Premium Keemun Hao Ya Black Tea should not be missed! – A truly exceptional Keemun! Very well done!

Thanks to TeaVivre and Angel for providing the original free sample.

Sample package label:
“USDA Organic, Fair Trade certified
Suggested Steeping Guide:
One scant tsp. / 212*F / 3-5 minutes”
http://www.arborteas.com/organic-keemun-hao-ya-a-black-tea.html#

Introduction: Kevin @ The Whistling Kettle first introduced me to Keemun tea: http://steepster.com/looseTman/posts/152917#likes I’ve purchased several pounds from him and have thoroughly enjoyed it. When I saw that Arbor Teas offers two different organic Keemun teas, I had to sample them. This second review is of their premium Keemun.

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 25 ppm, heated to 212*F
1 “scant” Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

Results:
This tea has a mild smoky fragrance.
Dark brown hue

1st cup:
3-min Initial Impression: The taste is medium-bodied & smooth. It’s not at all bitter or astringent. (I then let it steep for an additional two minutes.)
5-min: Too long – It now has a prominent roasted quality that overshadows the subtle wine-like Keemun flavor.

2nd cup:
4-min: It’s a deep, smooth, rich, full-bodied breakfast tea with a slight smokiness and a subtle wine-like Keemun flavor that’s not at all bitter or astringent.

5-min re-steep:
Still enjoyable and a little lighter as you would expect. In fact, the classic wine-like Keemun flavor is now a little better appreciated.

Impression: A smooth, full-bodied, organic Keemun that is more robust than their less expensive organic Keemun. However, it has a subtle classic wine-like Keemun flavor, which one would not expect of a premium Hao Ya A.

Suggestion: Using teaspoon measurements such as “scant” “rounded”, “generous”, “heaping”, etc. are sometimes too imprecise. Adding the weight of tea in grams to the brewing recommendations would insure an optimum first impression and be more time efficient.

Thanks to Arbor Teas and Aubrey for providing this overstuffed free sample.