Bonnie

First Review. I Love Dark Chocolate! I buy a certain brand of dark chocolate that has sea salt on it… and I put the candy bar in the freezer…so that every night I can break off a square and eat it slowly all by myself…umm. I love this salty, creamy dark chocolate!

My tea cupboard was lacking a chocolate tea. I ran into a review by IndigoBloom some time ago about STE Black Chocolate…and my son Aaron was bringing me some tea from their store in San Francisco…so ah ha…I decided to put this on the “get me this one too” list.

I am fussy about my chocolate. I still was skeptical about a tea that could deliver the kind of REAL dark chocolate flavor rich enough and authentic enough not to make me gag! I was NOT looking for cocoa. NO milk chocolate. DARK CHOCOLATE ONLY PLEASE! I want a chocolate to play with… ( to add some chili, some maple bacon, some lapsang souchong, salt etc….mad scientist at work!).

Excited for tasting this morning, I brewed a nice big 24oz pot. The pour was dark and promising. First gulp…CHOCOLATE! Not malt or mocha…DARK CHOCOLATE! Yippie (sorry)…but I’m so glad that this measures up to what I desired. Rich, dark chocolate that is deep enough to add sweetening and cream to (which I did of course). There is a little malt but it is natural and very subtle, a chocolate maltiness… not the sort that resembles yam or graham crackers. Thankfully, there is no bitterness, tannin or acid. The finish is smooth vanilla. I went back later after the pot was empty (didn’t take me long to swig down 24oz of this black velvet!) to taste the cold drippings under the brew basket. The rich liquid was still not bitter.
I’m going to have to order more of this tea! 1oz will not last long!

If you notice the new picture by my name, that’s Rocky Mt. Bighorn Sheep…a little picture I took on Wed.

First Review. I’m back. I’ve been staying at my daughters house for a few days with her brood of 6 permanent children and 2 foster babes while my son et al were at my condo. He brought me tea from The Spice and Tea Exchange at Pier 39 in San Francisco. (Well trained!).
A highlight of this week was our venture to Rocky Mountain National Park about 1 hour from my house. We saw 8 Big Horn Sheep close up for the first time and several herd of Elk (50-100) which are very common and often run around town (Estes Park). We went up to about 11,000 ft to the snow line where the panoramic view of the valley below was spectacular! I wish that I could show you a photo…me drinking tea 50 feet from a huge grazing Elk with a meadow spread out wide and golden…then jutting, windswept mountain peaks topped with snow blowing high above and far beyond me.

Today…family is off flying home again. I spent 4 hours driving to and from the Denver Airport. I am home. Time for tea!

Green Tropical is a low caffeine tea and the packet says that it is great iced. I Am Not an Iced Tea Fan. “I may try it some time,” I said, “but not tonight.” I do like pineapple which this has in it, so I’m hoping for goodness. Green tea is not what I choose to drink as a rule. This is light and mild. I can taste some pineapple, a tad of strawberry but no other fruit. I’m not really liking this hot all that much erh. I have to take action!!! So, change of mind will mean a change of preference.
Dashing…to the freezer for ice, I have given in to chilling the tea! Also, it needs sweetening otherwise, it is bland. The iced taste is much better, still weak, but refreshing enough to enjoy on a hot day. I get it. This isn’t my favorite tea but not the worst and better than average.

Thank you Invader Zim for this generous Sample!
Tonight I decided to do a LONG brew of this Rooibos. I read the reviews first, the discriptions of the rose, lavender and strong red rooibos but I remained unafraid (pretty much). The steep time went 8 minutes…ok…reasonable and not too daring.
The liquor was fairly dark like red wheat beer. The scent is fantasticly sweet like walking into one of those le frou frou boutiques for lingerie that smell like dusting powder, lavender and roses. Of course there was no hint of old perfume flavor or acid…no, no…that would not do.
A bit of sweetening and “Voila” I want to speak French. NO!, I WANT TO BE FRENCH! (Well, maybe I can visit my Nephew in Paris one day at least!). The lavender warms this tea and is a perfect addition with the rose. The average person cry…“Beware!” but don’t fear. This is very good.
I can’t imagine brewing this tea in a weak and insipid manor…yuck! Don’t do it please! It should be a Gerard Depardieu strength brew not a Pepe le Pew oooooow.

Perfect to have with plain cookies or lemon cookies or shortbread.

Thank you to Stacy, owner of Butiki Teas for this Sample!
I have visitors this week! Last night I drove to the Denver Airport and back to pick up my ‘gulp’ 43 year old son Aaron who lives in San Francisco. Getting to bed at 2AM, I haven’t had time to review any new tea’s until this afternoon. This nice bright sample with a large plump blueberry all juicy looking appeared to be a healthy choice. Blueberry=Antioxident! I was in need of rejuvination.
The steeping time was 5minutes at 160F. The liquid pour was light brown with a hint of lavender. I made sure. I held my clear glass cup up to the window and there was a tinge due to the blueberry skin more than likely and not from the purple tea base. You smell heavenly blueberry. It is the same blueberry as breaking open a blueberry muffin all hot and steamy. The flavor straight up is very light, not astringent but a bit creamy and lighter than expected on the blueberry flavor… almost floral. I added a bit of sweetening (not too much) which enhanced the blueberry flavor adding a nectar like taste. Honeysuckle! Truly Honeysuckle Blueberry!

As the tea cools the astringency level increases. Beware. Don’t lose your cup to over cooling.
I think that I would have this again with a piece of toast spread with Creme Fraiche. It would be like having blueberries and cream…with a little bread butteriness.

Thank you Ashmanra for this lovely sample! This all came about after a review of Spice and Tea Exchange’s Chocolate and Strawberry Puer…and Ashmanra (probably others also) were wondering if Lupicia was close to the same flavor or markedly different. Generously offering a sample for a side-by-side comparison, she sent me a sample.
So, I have 2 cups by my side and have taken time to sip and reflect on what I taste in each.
To be fair, this listing is under LUPICIA and this Puer is super fresh tasting Strawberry! More than anything this is dominant. I wish I could taste some chocolate but I don’t. No mocha, no chocolate at all. I could smell Puer when I placed my nose close to the wet leaves in the steeping basket but I realize the Puer flavor as richness and body in a general soft caramel way. I added sweetening and cream which made a latte which is very delicious. I consider this bright, robust Strawberry Puer. Tasting the Spice and Tea Exchange afterwards I noticed that the Chocolate is definately present up front with a more muted Strawberry woven around it. You can taste the Puer in the background and is more complex.

Both tea’s are worth having as unique flavor profiles. They are not the same at all. I am giving a rating for the Lupicia.

First Review. I have been impressed with the flavors from Butiki Tea’s and with the customer service. Stacy always adds a handwritten note and has me choose the samples I want to try out. This current tea is not a sample but one that I wanted to try based on reviews from other Steepsters.

I made a PIG of myself FEASTING yesterday for Pascha!
At 3AM there was a light food bash in the Church Hall right after the service…then I went home for a nap.
At 9AM I was 50 miles away at St. Lukes with the grandkids for another feast (Prime Rib) followed by a:
2PM feast of Whole Roast Lamb at St. Spyridon for 350 people…OPA!
Whew! Pant, Pant, I’m not done…at:
5PM Ribs and all the fixings at my daughters home at: UH! I drove about 140 miles and ate more than I should have…BAKLAVA oh YES…and tea before bed!

So, this morning…I decided on NO FOOD…(Wonder why!) and a lighter tea. The Pumpkin Creme Brulee was calling out to me…“Bonnie, you want to try me this morning, you will feel better if you do…” like some kind of a hangover remedy. Ok tea. I’ll try you out and see if you can deliver.

The steep didn’t produce a perfume of Pumpkin that was room filling and magical. It just was mild and ok. I took a sip of the tea and noticed that it was not too overdone. Relief! Hate tea that quickly becomes nauseatingly gaudy. “I AM PUMPKIN HEAR ME ROAR!” Yuk! Not for me folks! I would rather tea like this one, subtle and refined…“Hi there cutie, I am pumpkin and I would like to move in with you. Your cupboard would suit me fine if you are pleased with me.” (I like the addition of the Hi Cutie). There is a peppery bite on the tongue to break up the creaminess. You don’t lose track of the tea…I mean that it does not get lost in the pumpkin flavor. You can sweeten and add milk without this tea becoming a mess. I hate to add milk and you end up with no tea left just milk and sugar and a spice but no tea. This blend laughs at that…ha ha…I can take it all and still be defined as Pumpkin Creme Brulee. This is one that would be good with toast for breakfast. Warm and Soothing tea.

First Review. Tea and stories. I tell stories, as anyone who has stopped to read my reviews can tell…and I ramble on many times. I come from a family where Faith was part of the daily pattern of life and I always liked that even as a child. My dad and brother went to Seminary, so I weave my personal stories in naturally…but not to preach. The stories are part of the rhythm of my life. Tea is also that to a different degree.
This morning I awoke after a LONG evening of services leading up to
Pascha ( Orthodox Easter) which will be late tonight.
So this morning…I see the Holy Basil blend. Fr. Evan says Greeks usually grow basil in a pot by the front door so that the aroma blesses a visitor to your home. Also, Holy Basil fresh leaves were used by the Priest to bless my house, which is done every year. The leaves were dipped in Holy Water and sprinkled around each room while he sang even on me (my grandkids came to join in and Fr. Even did magic tricks for them).

Tasting notes start here
What would Holy Basil Spa Blend taste like. I wanted a morning where a refreshing tea was in order. This is a good day for that. I steeped 4 minutes and took a sip. Ummmm. The mint and ginger did not overpower this blend at all and I am thrilled! I don’t appreciate having a blend where you only can taste the mint or ginger because the tea blender only cares about the major flavors and sees the supporting cast almost as fillers. Right away I am enjoying the mild pepperiness. There has been attention given to how the tea will coat the mouth and it is silky and rich. You would not expect this from mint and ginger, but the burdock root and fennel bring body that I like, giving depth and warmth not dependant on ginger’s heat. I grow basil in several varieties but this type I associate more like incense so it evokes those calm reflective responses. I love the taste and scent. I could smell the licorice root in the wet mash but it doesn’t stand out on it’s own which again I am happy for. The licorice is supporting the basil. This is juicy. The fennel makes me want to bake bread. I love the way this little addition stops you from going down the mint track and brings you back to the ginger and burdock in a circle of cool, warm, cool, warm. The pepper at the finish is nice and hot at the tip of the tongue. I added sweetening but not honey. I hate to mask the flavor of tea. Maybe next time. If I make a Mayer Lemon honey I might try that iced this Summer…sounds refreshing with a sprig of basil! I would keep buying this blend!

Great relaxation tea. No caffeine! Wonderful mixer potental! I can see this as a tea with Greek food or chicken or salad with feta and capers. Good with Greek yoghert and fresh figs and honey or berries.

Second Review. Have you ever intended to write a proper review and then something distracts you? And this distraction happens AFTER your tea steeping has begun and time has to be attended to? FREAK OUT! As the realization hit me this morning, that I had gone 4 minutes past the recommended steep time I fully expected that I had ruined my pot of tea. Only one way to check …so I poured the deep dark liquor and braced myself taking a hearty swig. Ahhhh! As perfect (yes I said perfect) a cup of tea one could wish for! Because it is morning, I added milk (no soy or artificial white stuff) and sweetening sighing with satisfaction. "Perfect ",I said out loud. I love this tea so much that I’ve ordered more (afraid they’ll run out!) .

I can’t wait to jump right into the taste of this tea…but wait…catch my breath…first things first. The aroma of the dry leaf is very inviting and sweet pastry. The color of the liquor…ah..deepest pure bright honey gold 24K.

The flavor, oh my….Wonderful!
This tea is like the best homemade, still warm from the oven wheat bread…soft and steaming (my daughter bakes all the bread for the family). You want it now and can not wait to put unsalted fresh butter on it…and finally the whole messy lump is melting in your hands. Heavenly! It is one of those best memories for both kids and grandma’s.

Now on to the honey assertions. Honey is a harder flavor to pin down since there are soooo many honey’s out there. I know what the Verdant Website discription is getting at…but in this case I think that the bread itself has the sweetness and if anything it is a sweet malt from the wheat that I taste. Perhaps further steepings may change my mind. I added some sweetening after a bit which enhanced the flavors further and was delightful.

This tea is absolutely rich and special. I would recommend it especially as a brunch or morning tea because of the toasty flavors which would brighten up the day and give an excellent start. I imagine this would go well with strawberries and cream.

Here is a piece of music I love and sing in English (this is Russian):http://youtu.be/IHtfYkL71dI

Second Steep I had great success on a second steeping with no weakening of the brew. Very hardy. I think I know what I taste instead of honey for sweetness! Yam! It is fortuitous that I had been baking yams and the scent called to me. Once cooled, I tasted one… did a double take and a lightbulb went off in my head bing…YAM SUGAR! which can be very honey, brown sugarish. This is my final answer!

Second Review. This review will be shorter because I will not be putting my nose to the pot watching the Pu-erh break apart and all that. What I’m after is taste. How does this taste on another day when I may be a whole other person…the cameleon that I am. The mists of yesterday are gone and a cool Spring morning is begging me for Pu-erh.
I did a cursory rinse and then a 3 minute steep. It is pretty nice and strong the way I like it without bitterness or any off taste. But, it’s not quite to my liking. The flavors are fighting each other for control. “Hey..buckwheat/mushroom, honey-pepper…STOP ALREADY!”, I demanded. I think I will have to tone this down into a latte, I thought, and I did…which made the flavors behave better.
Awhile later, I prepared a second steep and let it go 6 minutes. The mash of Pu-erh leaves smells like paint which some of you will like (you know who you are!) and I actually like the memory of six years of art classes and paint all over my fingers. This pour is more like it! Subtle and at peace with it’s complexity. The pepper is content to bounce off the end of your tongue. The honey is lingering in a pool at the bottom of the roundness of the other flavors and the buckwheat and mushroom have joined together as partners woven into a more gentle earthiness. You can sip this without sweetening or milk. I have a hard time saying this since I love Pu-erh lattes. But it is good straight.

Thanks to Stacy at Butiki for this sample. I recently tried gunpowder for the first time and asked Stacy for this sample because I was wondering what it would taste like with mint. Who wouldn’t right?! My mind is always combining flavors and thinking about what would go well with what. Anyway, after steeping the sample 3.5 minutes, I could smell lots of mint…fresh and juicy. The tea liquor is very golden and bright. I like mint so much that I grow lots of it…pineapple mint, chocolate mint, apple mint, orange mint, regular mint, banana mint…so I don’t usually buy mint tea since I can make it out of fresh leaves. Blends are more interesting though. The gunpowder toned down this mint flavor a great deal. Instead of a leafy green and bright minty brew this is smoove (yes smoove) and gentle in a laid back, mellow mint cuppa way. Now I do love my in- your- face mint. Zzzzz Yes I Do! But, there is something to be said for groovy and mellow!

First Review. My First Ever Assam I had to highlight this so I can find it among my reviews since I do go on and on…blah blah blah! Anyway, I was so glad to add this to my recent Butiki order since I keep running into people commenting on how much they love Assam as a staple in their Tea Cupboard or how much they dislike Assam. There seems to be no wishy washy feelings here. It’s a dramatic like or dislike. My vote on the matter was going to be cast. I was going to have to judge an Assam for myself.
I did not read any notes on Assams before tasting just to be fair to my easily influenced sponge brain.
This was my breakfast tea today and it is a very fine misty Frontrange morning.
There is first a fine malty, bready fragrance. I had steeped 4.5 minutes before pouring and added a bit of sweetening (not too much) and some cream. The liquor was nice and dark which I like when adding cream. The flavor is super rich and malty without astringency or sourness which would ruin the homemade bread quality of this tea. My daughter makes bread and the aroma fills the air when baking. Her sourdough is super fine. This tea reminds me of homemade bread but without being too yeasty or sour. I think it’s something about the crust or crumbs that I’m reminded of in the tea. I drank a 24oz pot of tea and was disappointed. Ar…I wanted more. I’m going to make another pot before going to Church later. This will keep me sharp! I am voting a YES on Assam…or at least on this Assam!

Another sample from Stacy at Butiki…Thanks! I have avoided Apricot flavored tea’s. They seem to go all sour and bitter. Is it just me? Have you noticed that too? It takes nerve for me to try this tea and the only way I’m trying it is because it doesn’t say ‘Black Tea’ but Guayusa…so I’ll give it a try.
I had some California Rolls for dinner with WASABI! I really love WASABI with soy sauce and pickled ginger. Oh yeh! I was thinking that the Apricot Guayusa would be a nice after dinner drink which proved to be so true.
This is a Brilliant and restrained version of Apricot Tea. The best Apricot Tea I’ve had or am likely to have. I don’t think I’ll even try any others. No bitter overdone sour fruit here but subtle, mellow and round flavors, almost melon like. There is warmth. If you’ve ever eaten an apricot right off the tree…when it is warm and fuzzy…then you have had this melony creamy flavor that has no acidity. Truth is that some sweetening enhances the apricot flavor and brings the fruit alive in your mouth.
For all those who are Apricot Tea haters, give this a try. I think you will be won over!

Sample from Butiki thanks to owner Stacy. Naturally Purple Tea! Of course I had to try this! For me it’s like going bunjee jumping but less dangerous! Tea Adventure!
Not knowing what to expect when I followed directions for 8oz. steep 4min. 160F. the liquor turned out to be a pale yellowish lavander. The scent isn’t very strong and reminds me of a hint of wine…like someone has left a few drops in the wine glass but my glass pot and the cup have not been used for tea recently and are sterile. My first sip proved a little sweet and astringent in a pleasent way. I didn’t want to make a comparison to my recent tasting of muscat tea but kept coming back to that flavor. It tastes faintly like mulberry and muscat wine. I know, I know…it could be a phantom…but as much as I try to force the flavor away, it comes back as a yes to those flavors. Since this is a new varietal, I hope it is successful and that Butiki continues to carry it. I’d like to try some more!

Second Review. In my opinion, I think the reviews on this tea are lower than they should be because people have not eaten Muscat Grapes. Most people have only had sweet Muscat Wine or Jelly possibly, but not the raw luscious delicate grapes. The grapes are pale, slightly yellow with a purple blush and quite small (Central California Orange Muscat Grape). They are so sweet that you have to eat them soon or they will become syrupy. The flavor is like sugared sunshine so bright and unique and definately not like gummy bears.
When I taste this Muscat tea, it has that same fine fresh grape flavor. You should add plenty of sweetening to it to have the true Muscat grape flavor and no milk. This is key.
Without sweetening it is just not Muscat. Lupicia has several Muscat tea’s but I particularly enjoy this decaf because it is so good and available to drink whenever I want to drink it. I made a large pot 24oz. boiling water 1TB 1tsp. Tea and steeped 3min.
Love it. If you steep too long this will go bitter so beware! Do not oversteep! This is black tea with natural Muscat Grape!

Second Review. I decided to have this again this morning. Needed to finish up my taxes, I OWE BIG MONEY! BLEH!, and do other paperwork…so Puerh it is! Need some caffeine! I created this mix before I had much tasting experience…so it’s time to review. As it goes, I almost forgot it was steeping and it went a bit long…which was not too bad for a latte. Lucky for me it didn’t go bitter! The mix of chocolate tea, puerh and some orange was light and easy. You get quite a bit of tea in the custom blends from Adagio for sure! This is good for just brewing up some tea instead of studying tea for an hour or two. More of a hit and run…have some puerh, make a latte…go out the door type of thing and it tastes good. Nuff said.

Oh, the picture is Douglas Lake behind my daughter’s house looking at the Frontrange. I live closer up against them. Looking the other way from her house is the spot where all the atomic clocks and watches are set time to (this is for trivia buffs) in a field…little red lights flashing on long pole towers like aliens.

First Review. Flavored Puer’s are intriguing to me. Some sound downright aweful! I don’t think I will ever try a fig puer! Chocolate and orange make sense, chocolate and strawberry worked better than I expected and toffee was a good choice. When I saw the Cinnamon Cookie, I would have passed it by if it had not been from Lupicia. Their reputation is pretty good for flavors and since I was ordering Cookie Tea, which is very tasty, as a Pascha gift for my daughter, why not give it a whirl! Puer junkie r me!

For this pot of tea: I used 1TB in stainless mesh basket for 24 oz. boiling water and steeped 3min. (just over the Lupicia recommended time). (Yes I drunk oops drank it all up by myself!)

I poured a sublimely rich dark coffee colored liquor with a bold, sweet cinnabon cinnamon cookie fragrance. Could not wait to drink this! Sipping! Boy this was good! The cinnamon is sweet, a very good quality cinnamon, and the cookie is like the sweet Danish butter cookies at Christmas. The puer gives body to the brew like coffee, but there is no coffee flavor…just a hint of mocha…but not much. You are missing everything if you don’t add sweetening and milk or cream. This is THE morning cuppa or THE dessert tea if you are looking for RICH and CREAMY and SWEET! I am loving this tea!

This was a surprise tea for me. I was not expecting to like these flavors with my beloved puer as much as I do. Granted this is not fine puer tasting. But this is rich and I love richness. Puer is healthy and I love that also. This is delicious, what’s not to love…heh…whatsa wrong with that?!

First review. Visually this is the prettiest loose leaf tea I’ve had. It almost looks like baby’s breath laying on some grass. The liquor is lovely yellow and the fragrance is truly real deal melon. You know that by now I’m excited to try this tea. Cantaloupe in the Springtime and Cream! Uh!
The first taste is heavenly, smooth and creamy with a cross between cantaloupe and honeydew melon. You would expect a nice light flavor but this is more than that. The melon coats your mouth with silky smooth flavors and lingers there a minute, continuing to remind you of the creaminess. The next time I have this tea will be with my son next week. I am going to have salty Halloumi cheese from Cyprus which you can pan fry for breakfast with pita bread and olives. This Cantaloupe and Cream Tea would be delicious to play against the cheese. This is a superior melon tea. I’ve tried others that fall flat by comparison. This is very good!

My tea Addition to Steepster and My Photo that I took on the Island of Santorini Today after church, my friend Peter (who was born on the Greek Island of Lesbos..and refers to himself as a…well you can guess…) gave me a quart container of big silvery green leaves tinged with yellow…very interesting looking with big buds. It was labeled in Greek. Peter read the label and told me it was Greek Mountain Tea. COOL, and thank you Peter! Couldn’t wait to get home and look this tea up. Rushing home, I logged into the computer and googled Greek Mountain Tea…which brought up lots of information including health benefits and ancient history. This tea is a tisane. Officially it is Sideritis.
How to brew:
Directions were odd… 1/2 oz. in 1 Qt. boiling water for 10minutes (no more) then add honey and lemon if you wish. Drink 1 cup a day for health. Of course I had to break this down to cuppa quantities. I began with 1 TB in 8 oz for 9 min. The liquid finished pale yellow and has an herb type fragrance in a mountain meadow way that reminds me of living in the Northern California foothills as a kid during the Summer when you could smell the dry brush and Arbutus bushes and scrub Oak. When I tasted the tea it had a Greek oregano saltiness with a mellow herb flavor all it’s own. I added sweetening but no lemon and this was so different and delicious that I really liked the unique taste. As I sipped away, I was reminded of so many days playing outdoors when I was young without a care in the world. This is one of those memory tea’s in the same way that Lapsang Souchong reminds me of fires in the fireplace and camping. No wonder Wikipedia says that it is used as an anti-anxiety tea…I’m chillin!

First Review. My Butiki Shipment came in today! Cool! This is my first experience buying from this company and I am impressed! When I ordered online I heard back from the owner, Stacy, and she asked which 2 samples of tea I would like? Really?! OK then, I picked 2 samples that looked interesting and told her that if those 2 were not ok here are 2 alternates that she could subsitute. She sent me all 4 samples and a nice thank you note. She also let me know when the items shipped and when they would arrive. Pretty great service! Both Butiki and Verdant get my vote for A+ customer service!!!

Now to the new tea!
When I saw the Pistachio Ice Cream tea on special…I could not resist. I bought one for me and one for the grandkids. My biggest glass pot is 22 oz. with a stainless mesh infuser which I filled with 1TB. tea and heated my water to 160. The steep went to 2.5 minutes. The smell is….um….so good! I took a sip and was blown away by how naturally sweet this tea is straight up! Creamy, nutty in a pistachio, vanilla, milky and almost almondy way…so interesting and good that it’s hard to pin down all the complex flavors. I think this is wonderful tea! I know that I like to say that when I find tea that I like and you’ve heard it before so this may not be the best tea I’ve ever had but it is pretty unique! Not bitter or too sweet, not overly nutty or sour, really well thought out and delicious.

This is fun tea! Good as Dessert…please add sweetening and WOW! My grandkids are going to love this tea! (no milk…it looks wierd and makes no taste difference whatsoever)

Honey, I Love this Chai! This is the best Chai I’ve ever had and I mean that! Usually Chai’s are a little too spiced…a bit heavy handed. But, the masterful blending of herbs and spices developed here are so subtle and warm that I am delighted. As soon as I finished the 4 minute steep and poured the amber liquor into my mug the air was filled with the scent of fresh baked gingerbread. Not too biteing or bitter but toasty gingerbread the way I make it at Christmas. Almost creamy. After a taste straight up I put in some milk and sweetened my cuppa…oh…yes! There is nothing better than this! Who needs a fancy car and diamond rings when you can kick it with a cuppa the finest Laoshan Village Chai! This my friends is the best of the best! Feet up, mug full!
*I shared this with my granddaughter Schey who agreed that this is a wonderful Chai. A second steeping worked well and was not watery or weak. Chai resteeped usually fails to keep the same level of spiciness but never fear, this tea has backbone! No tired old spices but honest top notch flavor.

First Review. My Verdant Shipment Arrived! I’ve been watching the mailbox and it’s here with this tea, the new 2004 Pu-erh the Laoshan Chai and 2 samples of new tea’s with a nice handwritten note (now who does that anymore)?! I am so excited. I’ve been out getting a hair trim and could use a good strong black tea this afternoon. This one sounds like such a perfect choice.
I checked the steeping time first…3 minutes, 2 TB. for my glass teapot size and boiling water (I know, filtered!). Tic, tic, tic, ready.
I like to watch the tea steeping in my glass teapot basket. I’m like a kid watching fish in a fishbowl and my nose is going to get burned one of these days. These tea leaves are gnarley and dark and when steeping they look like inky octopi dancing about. The liquour turns to the color of root beer an smells malty. Time to pour and sip…slurp.

This is full bodied, toasty with some remote almond or hazelnut taste. There is malt but not the brewery malt, a bakery maltiness without sourness. I was a doubter about the buckwheat comments. Really? Buckwheat? Seems a strong flavor. I had to see for myself. I went to my spice cupboard and picked out the Buckwheat Honey and poured a little in some hot water. Sniff, sip, taste the tea now and… right-o… BUCKWHEAT! Straight up this is tasty tea. Add sweetening…which many of us do….and this is really a good dessert tea.

The Chocolate has not been addressed yet. I have not found Dark Chocolate notes as yet. Some Milk Chocolate I can grant… but I am a Dark Chocolate LOVER! I do not taste Dark Chocolate! Maybe I will some other time, who knows.

What I have to say about this tea is…BRAVO! I hope this tea becomes available on a permanent basis because if so, it will be a staple for my cupboard. An Awesome Tea!

Thank you Ian for this sample! I’ve taken some time getting to the bottom of my sample box so I’m sorry to keep Ian waiting. Now I’m in an hurry waiting for new deliveries to arrive from my April purchases (I’m an addict) and want to start with all the waiting reviews finished.
For Happy New Year, I followed regular steeping regulations for a Bai Mu Dan which was a mistake. Too short on the steeping and too cool a temp. I should have read the vendor review in this case first because it says steep 7 minutes and much hotter water. Explains why my first pot was flat and weak at 2 minutes. Not giving up, the first extraction was so poor that most of the tea essence was still inside the leaves ready for a proper second go.
Now the second (almost first) steep at almost boiling and 7 minutes. If this is highly forgiving tea like the vendor says, then I must agree that any other tea would have gone all bitter and this didn’t. There is a little vegital flavor but I can’t taste any floral notes. Maybe if it cools a bit. I’m waiting. And waiting. And waiting. No floral notes.
Not very impressed to tell you the truth. I’ve been spoiled with other Bai Mu Dan’s that are so beautiful that maybe I’m looking for the same here. This is just flat. There is a bit of astringency and vanilla cookie on the finish sort of. I’m feeling that I’m in a wind tunnel with this tea wanting to like it because everyone else does…but I don’t. Every time I walk towards the wind…I get pushed back to the wall. This is not good to me.

Second Review. This is one delicious flavored Pu erh! The Strawberry is super rich and holds it’s own next to the Chocolate and Pu erh flavors. Dessert, Dessert, Dessert!
If you had a big chocolate 6 layered cake with a thin layer of mocha caramel cream and some strawberries piled between the layers and plopped whipped cream on the top (I added cream and sweetening just a bit) this is what you have in a cup of this Pu erh (well not exactly but close to it). And… being a pu erh, you get to keep pouring and have some more…(I now laugh my feverish mad laugh…wah ha ha).
You have surmised that I do in fact like this tea a bunch!