Charles Thomas Draper

This is another treasure that has been sitting at the back of my tea cabinet. At first when I looked at the leaves I thought it was a black tea and not an Oolong. This tea has been in the tea cabinet stored in a Harney container for maybe 10 plus years. The intial steeping in my Gaiwan resulted in a throughly enjoyable brew that really is so borderline black tea but with the Oolong traits as well. It was honey sweet and it had this coppery glow with a darkfruit flavor. An energizing quality as well. I am assuming this was good tea to begin with but with the aging this tea is so nice.

Today I lowered the steep time to 3 minutes and used a lower water temperature that yielded a beautiful, smooth and flavorful brew. Truly one of the finest teas I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. I am getting that fresh baked flavor with a lovely good morning tea buzz that is not over the top with caffeine. Teavivre should be very proud of this one….

I was more generous with the leaf today with a 3 or 4 minute steeping. The aroma is heavenly. I was getting a wine or dark fruit scent. The flavor is on the money. I began my tea journey years ago with black tea. I started out with Irish and English Breakfast and as I continued on I discovered Keemuns. There is a reason why they are on the China Top 10 list. These are great for starting off your day. Invigorating. I have to up the score on this one.

In all honesty I have no idea how old this tea is. One of those teas that I have in back of the cabinet. I read that Keemuns keep longer than any other black tea. I brewed this basket style as you will now assume is my method of brewing black tea. I like it this way. It works. It’s delicious. Anyway, this I used maybe close to 2 tsps and according to many reviews of Keemun Mao Fengs, I steeped it for close to 6 minutes. The result is a glorious dark red brew with a slight smoky aroma. This tea is absolutely fantastick! Was it the aging? I know it was a good tea to begin with. This tea is penetrating and complex. A Keemun lovers dream. Thankfully this store is close to me. This tea is well worth putting aside for an experience like this….

This is the type of tea I would think of for teatime. It’s a wonderful pick me up. So full of black tea flavor. Bold yet so incredibly smooth. I brewed this basket style which seems to be my favorite method of brewing black tea. Perhaps 1.5 tsp and approximately 4 minutes steeping yielded a luscious brew. Truly a winner in my eyes….

I did this in the Gaiwan again and I have just enough leaf left for a cold brewing. This time I used less leaf than the previous tasting. I did steep it for two minutes. It’s the same flavor profile as before with the extra steeping time. I must admit with the first sip one thing stood out. It was not the color or the flavor or the aroma. It was this immediate tea buzz. That nice little something-something that courses through your body and lets you know the tea is busy at work. Nice empty cup aroma too. Great color. This is a very nice tea….

Once again, on a rainy day, a Lapsang Souchong is the tea of choice. I am now using 2 tsps and the result is glorious. I think I may be limited to one cup. It is warming. It is glowing. There is an energy here. I am not one for flavored tea but for some reason I do enjoy a smoked tea. I have to up the score on this one….

I had a touch left of my sample so I cold brewed it in a Mason Jar that was half full. I let it steep for 2 days. I am getting this citrus-burnt- orange- cinnamon- wood flavor that is really wild. Very refreshing and very exotic.

This is todays noon brew. Brewed one cup basket style. This seems to be the winning brewing style with me for blacks. I used 2 tsps and the result is fantastick as always only better with the increased leaf amount. It is a great first cup of tea. It really gets you prepared to tackle whatever the day has in store. We know the flavor profile. It’s a winner. Did someone believe this was the same as the Bailin Gongfu? My second steep is so rich and smooth. Truly a black tea lovers paradise….

This was yesterdays noon tea. I brewed it basket one cup style with the whole pouch. Needless to say I was on the go. The flavor and aroma are top flight. Truly on of the worlds finest teas in my opinion. Warm and sweet with a cocoa-caramel flavor with a hint of a dark honey. There is a reason why people on Steepster have been raving. This is the real deal. I literally was buzzing the rest of the day. I did not need anymore tea. I love this….

I cold brewed this overnight and the results are wonderful. So fresh and full of flavor. The pale liquid is deceiving. The flavor is intense….

This tea has me mystified. The first steeping was very delicate. I followed the directions for a 1-2 minute steep and let it go for 2 minutes. I used the whole sample bag. The tea is visually stunning and very fresh as it seems all of Teavivre products are. I somehow expected this tea to weaken after 2 or 3 steeps. It did not. It got better. It got to the point where I was leaving it to steep in the Gaiwan for 5 or more minutes. Each different timing yielded a cup of wonder and enjoyment. My experience with white tea is limited. What I do know is what I love. I loved this. I love the delicate flavor and the way that this tea made me feel. This was tonights late night tea. I wonder how it would be in the afternoon? Also I noticed on the expiration it says “permanent preservation”. Interesting. This is another tea that I will be purchasing.

This morning I am enjoying this Precious Eyebrow. This is my first time with this tea so I followed the instructions of a 30 second steep. The first steeping yielded a mild cup with a light aroma. The second steeping has picked up in intensity. I am getting the smoky, chestnut flavors others have spoke of. As always, more experimenting is required for teas that I am not accustomed to. Overall from my first experience it’s a very good tea….

I have had many Dragon Wells before and this one is at the top. When I opened the bag I was so impressed that this was very fresh. I brewed it in my Gaiwan with about 2 tsp for 2 minutes. When I removed the lid the aroma was so beautiful. I knew that I was about to have a special tea. The best Dragon Wells are described as “an exceptionally light, clear liquor with a complex, expansive aroma that rises off of the cup, at once both distantly sweet and faintly herbaceous, and a delicate , yet lingering, haunting flavor. It is tea at its most refined, an ethereal brew for contemplation, and one of the worlds great teas.” There is a reason that Angel has the confidence to bestow these upon us. This tea is a treasure….

This is a delicious Pu-erh! I brewed this up in the Yixing and the result after 1 minute was a glorious dark purple brew. The rose flavor was so delicate. This will be purchased from Teavivre. I know my Pu-erhs and I love this one….

This is my 3rd day in a row drinking a Golden Tea. When I opened the bag I was impressed. It really was unique. The visual and the aroma were both beautiful. I somehow, when I brewed this in my Gaiwan, thought I was getting a soft cocoa flavor with a hint of cream. It was a fascinating flavor. Absolutely splendid. More notes to come. Thank you Angel ….

I brewed this in the Gaiwan today. This is a very strong Pu-erh. The first steeping was somewhat fishy. I know I should rinse it. When I doused the leaves with boiling water for the second steeping the liquid becomes quite dark quickly. The fishiness is gone and the liquid is very robust even after a short steep. Flavors that I envision are old leather chairs in an old building with dark wood. To those who like Shu, you will love this. This is not for beginners. My GF would say it tastes like Chinese medicine. Well, maybe centuries ago this was.

I used a generous amount of leaf in my Gaiwan. One thing I try to do when tasting is to always close my eyes. I believe somehow this helps me to better evaluate the flavor. With the amount that I used, which is probably twice the amount I used before, the liquor is strong and very warming. I steeped this twice and I am loving it. I will taste this again later because even closing my eyes cannot rid my mouth of the flavor of the “everything” bagel that I had. One thing that I can be certain of is the energy that this tea posesses. In all honesty I cannot handle another cup….

This is the remainder of yesterdays brew so it is my second steeping. I let it steep for maybe close to ten minutes. Or should I say I forgot about it. The result is perfect. I am getting that sweetness. A soft sweetness that is so smooth even after a more than adequate steeping. A very unique tea….

I brewed the rest of my sample up basket-style with more leaf than before. I expected more because lately I have been experimenting with steep times and the amount of leaf that I use with my black tea. Obviously with more leaf and a greater steep time you are going to get a greater complexity and more strength. I did not get that today. I honestly think my taste buds and my sense of smell were off today because I know what this tea is capable of.

I am upping the dosage on all black tea after yesterdays Mao Feng. Todays tea from Zhi is already a well known winner. I have tried to make it better than I have had it in the past. More leaves and a longer steep are the perfect recipe for black tea. This tea is not only energizing but so full of flavor….

This is my first cup today. I was very generous with the leaf amount and the steep time. I brewed it basket-style and today it is superb. Hints of cocoa and fresh baked bread with an aroma that is superb. Maybe another reason it has improved dramatically is the water quality now that I have the PUR water filter. All of the tweaking paid off with a tremendous cup of Mao Feng. I must up the score….

I brewed this in the Gaiwan this time. I feel this is the best vessel for truly tasting a tea. It’s blowing me away. It is a touch bitter on the 1st and 2nd steeps but it’s a very flavorful bitterness. It is an incredible eye opener. This so different from any other Sheng that I have had so far. One of those teas that you feel with each sip. I cannot place a particular flavor other than earth and roots and vines. This is what’s coming to mind. This tea is scary good. And the bitter taste lingers and it’s a beautiful bitterness. I am upping the score on this incredible tea….

This is last nights late evening tea that I left to steep in the Gaiwan until I drank it tonight at 11pm. I may have steeped it 4 or 5 times yesterday before deciding enough was enough. I had been drinking Sheng all day and to be quite honest I was on overload. Tonight this Alishan was the most beautiful golden liquid with the flavor we all know and love. I could not possibly drink this fast. This was savored . Truly a tea of beauty and wonder.