Geoffrey Norman

I received this in the mail completely by surprise from SeyKayYay. I wasn’t expecting it, but I was overjoyed to receive it. This makes the third US-produced black tea I’ve tried. The first and second belong to Charleston. And, I will echo every other description here when I say it’s unlike any other black tea I’ve tried. If I were to come up with a metaphoric comparison, it would be a Yunnan gold taste with an Assam body and a sweet Keemun finish. That’s the closest I can come up with. It’s also the only black tea I’ve come across that *requires * at least a four-minute steep to get the full effect. I tried it at three first, and it was too light. At even four minutes there was no astringency, no bitterness, a chocolaty palate, and a smooth maltiness. Different, indeed.

…AND it lasts two very strong infusions. Just F.Y.I.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2011/01/15/review-samovar-hawaii-grown-black-tea/

I required some severe wake-me-up on a Sunday morning. Actually…it was afternoon by this point. Still, I needed something strong and hearty. I went with this single estate Assam, brewed it on the light side – like I do most blacks – and waited. The liquor color was lighter than a usual robust Assam, which had me worried. Was it not going to have the strength I needed? That fear didn’t last long on fragrance and flavor. All blunt and malty.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/12/06/review-davidsons-tea-assam-banaspaty-2/

While they don’t say on the Red Leaf site whether or not this is a Lapsang Souchong, it certainly smells like one. It smells like campfire. I like that smell…and I hate camping. The taste was much smoother than the average Lapsang. Instead of instantly tasting “burning”, it went down smooth. It betrayed a malty/floral note along with the smoky attributes.

The second best smoked tea I’ve ever tried.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/11/29/review-red-leaf-tea-double-smoked-tea/

Everybody knows yerba mate has grand health benefits and wake-up properties, but it doesn’t really taste that good. Guayusa has about the same properties but with a sweet finish that compliments the leafy aspect. This tropical blend contains ginger and orange peel, and – frankly – the ginger dominates a little too much. The orange peel almost makes zero impression beyond scent. Thankfully, it’s still a good blend with a lot of the natural guayusa taste coming through when fused with the ginger. Think of this as a ginger blend with a dash of sweet leaf.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/12/16/review-mark-t-wendell-runa-guayusa-tropical-ginger-citrus/

I knew this was a first flush when I laid eyes on it. Got this in the mail from SeyKayYay, and while I couldn’t tell from scent alone if I’d like it, I was pretty sure it would be something unique. After a two-and-a-half-minute brew-up, the liquor colored to a pale gold with a spicy-nut nose. Same attributes translated to taste. While I have tasted spicier Darj’s, this had all the wonderful trappings of it’s season. The best bit, though, was the complete and utter lack of astringency. Nothing, not even on a double-timed second steep. Wonderful.

Up to that point, I tried my fair share of Dian Hongs (Yunnan blacks) but never the “golden” variety, which was apparently the best way to get it. And, boy, the sommeliers are right. This IS the way to get it. I felt like I was drinking buttered candy with a cup of straight beer malt. It was clean, subtle, but somehow…manly. Also worthy of mention is a cinnamony note on the scent and aftertaste. It was a perfect black tea.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/12/26/review-zen-tara-golden-yunnan-special/

I received a one-shot sample of this from a Twitter friends. I was very curious about it after a couple of false alarms on my Milk Oolong search. Sure, the others had some detectable creaminess to them but nothing awe-inspiring. This smelled like buttered popcorn right from the get-go on dry leaf alone. After the brew-up, that feeling still stayed. I wouldn’t have thought that I’d like a “butter” taste to my tea (aside from a slight buttery-floral note), but I was wrong. I welcomed the cornucopia of creaminess. A surprisingly and superior cup.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/11/21/review-american-tea-room-milk-oolong-2/

This is a second flush from Margaret’s Hope. I “think” I’ve had others from this Darjeeling Tea Estate, but I haven’t a clue. Some vendors don’t list origin. Anyway, this is a shy bit different than the usual second flush. The liquor is lighter, brewing to a vibrant gold rather than amber or red. And it’s lacking some of the requisite muscatel character. That said, it’s a floral cup with a feather-touch spice finish and still worth your valuable morning.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/12/14/review-canton-tea-co-margaret%E2%80%99s-hope-silver-moon/

You wouldn’t think a company that specializes in Chinese teas would know anything about Darjeeling. Well, given that this is called “Giddapahar China Delight”, I guess it isn’t too much of a stretch. This is everything one comes to expect from a first flush Darj; spice, malt, muscatel, magnificence, etc. It’s not quite as perfect as some of Giddapahar’s second flush teas, but it definitely holds it’s own torch.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/12/08/review-canton-tea-co-1st-flush-darjeeling-giddapahar-china-delight/

I had this again for only the second time since receiving it. The first time around – which was for review purposes – I thought it was good, but not earth-shattering. The second time was a peculiar experience. It tasted lightly sweet on the finish like a good Keemun, and I didn’t have any of the initial bitterness like the first time. Not sure what I did differently with Round 2, but I’ll take it.

First Review Here:

http://www.teaviews.com/2010/10/22/review-thepuritea-assam-1/

I got this little herbal offering from Seykayyay. Now, I’ve had Frank’s offerings before, and I can say – with no hint of irony – he is the mad scientist of blenders. And this is no exception. It’s loud, it’s rambunctious, it feels guilty to drink…but it’s all awesome. Taster notes aren’t needed, it tastes like its namesake suggests. Granted, I didn’t do this as a traditional “tea” by any stretch. I brewed it as a latte, for I think that’s how this works best. Tastes like cheesecake that’s been melted by dragons, forged in awesome, then returned to my lips.

I was in the mood this morning for something orange pekoe-ish. I dug through the recesses of my Darjeeling tin o’ samples, and came across this again. I hadn’t touched it since my initial review, and it was just as wonderful as I remembered. Maybe even more-so since I changed up the infusion a little.

Full Review Here:

http://www.teaviews.com/2010/07/22/review-chateau-rouge-sikkim-temi-1st-flush-ftgfop1-2/

I tend to like my black teas on the light side; Earl Greys included. This American-spun, bergamot-scented pekoe was not only light but “first flush” light. Makes sense since it is a pekoe after all. Taste-wise, it had more in common with a Ceylon in its floral and clean characteristics. The bergamot provided a slight sour tap but nothing overly discernible. Someone used to stronger Earl variants would have a hard time finding it at all. That said, I liked it. It makes me want to kiss a Governor in gratitude.

Er…after election season, of course.

PS – Thanks to Jaime for the blend.

On steam aroma alone this smells exactly as this tea is titled…like classic black tea. It unfurls further malty/creamy excellence on taste. It’s a very robust cup with a smooth taste – buttery in parts – with only a slight astringency, depending on brew time and temp. There’s even a cocoa aspect detectable in the finish. It’s not a surprise this won accolades.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/10/05/review-art-of-tea-classic-black-3/

I could find next to nothing on the company that produced this. As a result, I don’t know if it’s pure artichoke, or if it was blended with other things. I hate actual artichokes, but this “tea” smelled delicious; shades of fennel, chicory, and licorice root in the scent. Taste-wise, it was a little woody on the foretaste – like dandelion root – but settled to a creamy center like unsweetened vanilla bean or cocoa nibs. There as a faint impression of artichoke hearts…but it was thankfully minor.

PS ~ Thanks to SeykayYay for my sample of this. :-)

I thought it a good time to taste some Douglas Fir tea. Being from Oregon, we’re nowhere near short of Douglas Firs… but I haven’t tried it in tea form. Thanks to Jaime – a fellow Steepster pal – I was able to finally try some.

And it tastes like Oregon. And Christmas. I guess I would have a different opinion if this weren’t the verge of the holiday season. But…it’s late, and it’s Winter. And…well…I loved this pine-tasting shtuff. There ya go.

I’d been wanting to try this tea for a couple of years now, ever since I found out about the Charleston Tea Plantation. Why? Because it was “Amurrcan” gash-durrnit! Seriously, it’s from one of only two active tea growers in the country. And it’s a robust, sometimes average, blunt, spry, and crisp orange pekoe. Not unlike a certain upstart country I’m proud to live in.

PS ~ Thank you, Jaime, for sending this one along!

The idea behind this masala chai powder is that it’s supposed to be prepared traditionally…but economized slightly. Preparing an authentic chai requires a saucepan, milk, and infinite patience. If these were normal bulk herbs, it may have taken longer…but it would’ve been simpler. The powder was difficult to sift and filter.

That said, it tastes great, compliments milk perfectly and…whisper voice…you can bag the powder yourself and brew it normally. It’ll still taste good that way, too.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/08/24/review-tipus-chai-authentic-indian-chai-decaffeinated-concentrate/

When I think of Assam, I think of MALT!. In caps, embolden, and carrying a large boot and sledgehammer for those very difficult mornings. This Assam is a bit of a different beast, possessing a smoky texture like a Russian Caravan. I was puzzled but pleased. And, boy, does it pack a wallop. Definitely not a mid-afternoon or evening tea. Well…unless you like to be awake at all hours.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/10/09/review-kteas-assam-reserve-2/

Sure, there are decaf Earl Greys out there, but for the caffeine sensitive folks, an “O’Doules”-ish substitute won’t do. Especially at night. Most of those still have some caffeine. This may not taste like the sour-citrus Earl to a “tea”, but it offers something unusual; the feeling like your tasting a mint-laced tangerine, dipped in honey, then lit on fire.

Full Review:

http://www.teaviews.com/2010/11/20/review-red-leaf-tea-honeybush-earl-grey/

If you don’t like your teas flavored or blended with fruit, you’re not gonna like this one. It’s a Ceylon black (and a light one at that, my favorite) blended with actual raspberry pieces. And, boy, does it taste like it. You won’t be able to make out the floral Ceylon aspect in the dry or wet scent, but it comes through a bit in the taste – mostly on crisp texture. Being an impurist, I rather enjoyed it.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/11/26/review-bourgeatea-decaf-raspberry/

This is an oolong blend, even though it doesn’t quite say so on the Mountain View Tea Village site. I don’t really have a whole lot to say other than it lives up to its namesake. The taste, the scent (dry and wet), everything…it’s all peach. Kudos to the flavoring used.

Big Red Robes seem to be everywhere these days. A year ago, I didn’t even know what the hell it was, now I can’t trip over a tea bush without seeing a damn robe. That said, of all the ones I’ve tried, this is the only one that lives up to the hypothetically expensive promise of its regal origins. Sweet rice and fruit notes aplenty.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/12/02/review-canton-tea-co-big-red-robe-oolong-3/

Powdered sencha is pretty much considered “ghetto” matcha, since real matcha uses tencha leaves that are given extra shading. This one breaks the formula a little bit for being a powdered tamaryokucha (or curly green tea); probably the only type of sencha I’ll ever drink again.

The flavor is slightly grassy, but also possesses a melon-like note similar to a white tea, and ends on a sweet (if vegetal) finish. It may not be top-o’-the-line matcha, but it’s a high grade substitute. After my review sample, I actually had to buy a batch. I think it’ll last me four months or so.

Full Review:

http://www.teaviews.com/2010/10/25/review-mellow-monk-matcha-style-powered-green-tea/