Dragon Pearl Whole Teas
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Water quality really does make a lot of difference in how good your tea tastes. This tea tastes terribly mediocre, with almost a hint of coffee, all because I made it with some hot water from a local cafe instead of my own purified water. Thank goodness this tea is so quality, otherwise this cuppa would taste horrid. As it is…it could be better.
totally agree. my water filter started to give out 2 weeks ago, but i didn’t want to change the filter so close to the end of school. at least if i drink flavored teas, i can’t tell the difference.
With the hard water that comes from the tap in the area where I live, you can definitely tell the difference when you make tea with it, versus having filtered it (or used bottled water, which admittedly is not very earth-friendly, especially with how much tea we all drink).
The exception, of course, is making a very strong flavoured tea, though even those, sometimes, have their flavours changed a bit by un-filtered water.
For this review, I’ll be using a two cup teapot and the recommended amount of two tablespoons (one per cup).
While the water was boiling, I took a moment to look at the leaves sitting in the glass teapot. Crinkled and shriveled, the colours range from dark green to dark brown. They appear, in this state to be very small. The smell is rich, with a bit of what seems to be almost a spicy bite, when the dry leaves’ aroma is inhaled.
After steeping the tea for two minutes with just-boiled water, I poured a cup. The pale orange liquor has excellent clarity, and reflects light well. Inhaling the smell of the tea, I noticed that any bite that I had smelled in the dry leaves is gone, replaced by a smooth, rich aroma, with what almost seemed like the faintest hint of cinnamon in the undertone.
Taking my first sip, I notice that this tea sits very light on the tongue. The mouthfeel is incredibly smooth, yet the flavour is still quite rich. It seems as though just drinking this tea relaxes one immensely, clearing and settling the mind at the same time. The taste of this tea is not strong, but it has a subtlety bold flavour that grabs your attention if you let it and pleasures one’s senses. There is just the faintest hint of bitterness, but the light astringency is very pleasant.
I was eager to finish the first steeping so that I might steep it again, but at the same time I was thoroughly enjoying this first pot.
For the second steeping, I gave the tea three minutes, during which I gazed on the now-expanded leaves. Their colour was a very uniform green and of good size, though quite a few of the leaves had torn up edges, and a decent number of the leaves had what looked like bruising on them.
The three minutes were not enough. The second steeping at three minutes was much more pale and the flavour a bit flat. So I left the tea for a bit longer. At six minutes, I figured it had had enough time, so I poured another cup. Mmm, I am glad I waited.
The aroma was much the same, but the flavour tasted like it had expanded to twice the size it was before. Very, very smooth mouthfeel, the tea is absolutely delicious. Smooth, almost creamy, is the best way to describe it.
I highly enjoyed this tea and would give it a 90/100 on my personal enjoyment scale. This is one tea that is both affordable and delicious, and I would definitely recommend it.
Preparation
I’m probably embarrassing myself here, but I’m a bit intoxicated.
If not for the backspace button, this would be a VERY incoherent review.
At that point where my typing sucks, but I can correct it.
Jack Daniels!
This tea must REALLY suck, because I find it sucky even when drunk.
What does that tell you?
Yeah, bad tea.
End o’ story.
So, I went to the supermarket at 1AM to buy some water and a few groceries. And some teas. To review. Someone save me.
On to the review. Wait, not yet. Lemme critique the tea’s description instead, K? Just one line of it, really:
Oolong tea is often called the “champaigne of teas”.
Point A: You mean “Champagne”? Or “champaign”? Because the world you put doesn’t exist. So let’s assume it’s the former, seeing as “champaign” refers to “level, open country”.
Point B: “CHAMPAGNE” of teas? You mean Darjeeling teas?
Okay, that aside. The tea sucks. It has a flat, two-dimensional taste, and it just leaves an unsatisfactory taste in my mouth. The leaves, though not broken, look a bit ravaged. You can also tell by the way they look dry how… bad it will taste.
I think I bought this tea to hate it. And, in that sense, I was not disappointed. Also the leaves aren’t that fragrant.
Okay, I’m not done criticizing not just this tea, but the company. The site makes me sick. dragonpearltea.com
The worst part is the customer comments section.
Hey guys, who am I?
“This is the bombest tea ever!”
I’m Jordan. No last name provided.
These customers obviously have no knowledge of what good tea really is, and have probably only tasted bag teas.
So, I’m done being a jerk with this tea. Onto my next tea. It’s gonna be worse.
By the way, anyone want the left overs? I know for a fact that I’m never going to brew this again. You can even have the tin. According to the label, there should be 29-39 servings left ;)
Thanks, but I’ll be sticking to actual champaigne.
Little annoys me more than spelling and grammar errors on packaging or other promotional material. I mean, COME ON, guys. Really?! [Unless there’s a clear language barrier thing going on and then it becomes amusing.]
Very true on the language barrier. While I was in China, I purchased a canned matcha milk tea. The description bragged that it was “really a decent drink!”
Am mixing the last bit of this with the Supreme Yunnan from last night. What can I say, Fujian Premium Black. It has been a long ride, and you, in all your mediocrity, have stuck by me through thick and thin. You were a decent daily drinker.
