Shang Tea

Life lately hasn’t been conducive to lingering, reflective cups of tea or notes about them. After a day in jet-engine adrenaline overdrive, I grabbed this hoping that a cup of something delicate and elegant will help crank down the blood pressure.

I was going to write that the flavor is spot on, but that’s stating the obvious—it is honeysuckle, rather than honeysuckle flavored. The scent is wonderful and I keep wondering where the bees are.

No notes yet.

Backlog:

A really enjoyable black (Red) tea from Shang Tea … thank you Azzrian for sending me a sampling of it! This is really good, hints of chocolate-y tones, lovely fruit notes with a honey-esque undertone. One of those teas that you just … want to keep drinking and start missing the moment you finish the last sip! A delight … a very memorable tea!

Hubby brought home a couple of vanilla beans for us to play with. I snipped off a few slivers into a second steep of this.

Even at Steep 2, the honeysuckle is so strong, I’m not sure I was getting any of the vanilla. I think can steep this same batch of leaves well into tomorrow without putting a dent in the strength.

P.S. Have any of you seen the lid to my Finum brew basket that mysteriously disappeared from my kitchen counter? It’s green.

I made a cuppa last night with a big wad of leaves (yep, it calls for a whole tablespoon) and let it go as far as I dared—two whole minutes. Added a generous squoze of honey, and it tasted/smelled so authentic, I felt just like a bumblebee.

(Been watching old SNL Season 1 shows…loved the bees.)

Giving this an opportunity to prove its calming and anxiety busting properties. Flavor is growing on me. Sort of like a sharper and sterner version of chamomile.

I am a hairball of anxiety this evening. Cancer found in my mom’s routine x-ray; moving into lungs and liver. Looks like an additional round of bureaucratic warfare is looming to prove that we paid to have our post-tornado ruins privately bulldozed and that we don’t owe the city for (not) doing it. Just when I think we can finally put all that behind us…

My mom (82) is facing the news wonderfully: “I know how it ends,” she says. My God has promised to provide for my needs and I believe that includes whatever it takes to slog through another tornado-related worry. Now if I could just get the Not Knowing Monster to remove his fangs from the back of my neck…

If this is as calm-producing as purported, I may have to buy it and tulsi by the bushel for the months ahead.

(P.S. Speaking of needs provided for in wacky and wonderful ways…a neighborhood stray cat, black with a few streetwise scuff marks, wandered into my yard for a cuddle earlier this week and has extended his hangout. Climbed into my lap and did that paw-paw thing that lowered my blood pressure 10 points. I haven’t broken down and bought a bag of Fancy Feast yet, but a friendship may be developing.)

Either a) this is an acquired taste or b) this cup had a few more chrysanthemum heads than the previous couple, but this round is a bit sweeter than the previous ones without additions of any kind. Less leaf mulchy. I think we’re finally getting acquainted.

Chrysanthemum has some powerful health mojo: (www.bewellbuzz.com/wellness-buzz/10-health-benefits-chrysanthemum-tea/)

Tastewise, I’m not sure what to make of it. My first experience with chrysanthemum tea was a bagged version that tasted like stale dead flowers. This one from Shang Tea has a savory dried herb taste. I keep thinking it reminds me a little of unsalty chicken or beef boullion.

However, if the good-for-me aspect is really as good for me as I’m reading, I’m willing to keep experimenting!

So…what does chrysanthemum taste like to you? Do you sweeten?

Sipdown, 235. Thanks to Kasumi no Chajin for this tea! I brought this sample home yesterday because I wanted to brew it in a smaller mug than what I had at the office. So I have it now!

I have always wanted to try more of Shang Tea’s teas, because what I have had from them has been great. This has a lovely, soft jasmine scent, but its not as honeysuckle sweet as some jasmines. The flavor is nice and light, without being perfumy to ‘thick’ in the florals. The white tea is nice; it prevents the base from being too vegetal, but it isn’t so hay-ish like some whites. There are a hint of savory buttery notes as well which are quite nice. Overall quite a lovely jasmine that is fairly unique. I could drink it all the time!

Nothing like a tea bag tag hanging out of a cup to make a great conversational opener with a new co-worker….and a whole new avenue for swaps :)

New Guy was highly complimentary of this little tea vendor in downtown Kansas City and brought a generous sample. Huge, fresh-fresh-fresh looking leaves, gently floral without being perfumey, I’m getting some white tea flavor (and you know that says a lot if I can detect anything white-teaish after only a 1 minute steep)!

Another soft hint of spring on a cold, clammy day with used snow on the ground.

Wow. This stuff unfurls to crazy size!!

And wow, does it ever sweeten. I used 3 pieces and steeped along with some Sungma darjeeling from Harney. There is a slight aftertaste that I associate with non-sugar or honey sweeteners. Enough so that I wouldn’t use this again with a tea not as light as this darjeeling. However, I will definitely try using it with the afternoon chai at work tomorrow. This should be a good compromise with those who don’t want sugar every afternoon and those of us who like our chai sweeter. :)

Rating is based on how likely I am to use it again, not as a tea to drink on its own.

The last of my sample! I will be sad to see this one go, as its very tasty. A little floral, a little citrusy, and lovely black tea underneath.

Also I am doing a tea stash clean out over on the Swap thread with quite a lot of teas, so check it out if you want!

Friends … please remind me NEVER to leave the house without tea again. I thought that today would not take as long – daughter was testing for college entrance. Apparently she did well as she was in there for almost three hours. The test is designed so that if you do not do so well you don’t “progress” thus the test is shorter. Anyway … I was without tea for what seemed like a lifetime.
It is so good to be home having this wonderful delicious amazing tea.
Previous notes on this one although I now know what kind of tea it really IS lol still please look at those Im too much enjoying this cup right now to express how wonderful it is.
AHHHHH TEAAAAAA SIGH

Loose
Appearance: dark bi coloured med curl
Aroma when Dry: floral, sweet, (eastern) buttery, malty
After water is first poured: light floral, buttery, salty
At end of first steep: floral, jasmine notes noticeable, buttery, creamy, salty
Tea liquor:
At end of first steep: light meadowy yellow
Staple? Yes
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first: deep buttery floral, sweet (eastern) jasmine notes, hints of rose,
As it cools ? gets a bit salty, notes mellow, melon notes surface, tea gets creamy
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? yes, with mild buttery floral notes

Second Steep (3 min)
gets grassy, brothy, salty, floral notes start to fade out

Would be lovely chilled

Loose
Appearance: crinkle, curly bicolor, deep black leaf
Aroma when Dry: salty, vegital
After water is first poured: intensely floral
At end of first steep: floral, vegital
Tea liquor:
At beginning of steep: muddy green
Staple? Possibly, first tasting
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first: deep floral, buttery
As it cools ? Malty notes surface, salt notes increse, floral notes lengthen, cocoa notes and nuttyness close
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, floral, hints of spice, slight chewyness, lastly, slight sea salt notes

Second steep (3min)
Aroma: salty, hints of malt
Taste:
At first: malt and salt notes
As it cools: malty notes lessen, salt stays, tea gets brothy

Backlogging I got this from either Azzrian or Nicole in of the free christmas offers. Sorry I am not good at keeping track sometimes who specificly sends me a tea. So please I hope you don’t feel insulted or offended. Thank you very much for gifting me this.

This is a good tasting black tea that is a tad strong to what I used to. Its still good though and kind of tastes like a yunnan tea. And has a good brisk flavor. And I did add some sugar.

Another real winner from Shang Tea!
Full review on SororiTea Sisters on the 28th but here are some snippits:

Bai-Lin Kung-Fu Classic Red Tea from Shang Tea is quite spectacular! The aroma is like a malty black tea with aromas of cocoa, hay, and maple. My first reaction when smelling this while steeping was Mmmmmmmm. A deeper inhalation of this tea brings forth some berry aromas as well. Yet there is also something savory about this tea. My mouth was watering while I patiently waited for my tea to cool just a tiny bit so I could indulge!

This is not a tea for the faint of heart, it is bold, robust, not shy at all. It wakes you up and perks you up as it presents itself with a hearty “Hey there! Bet you weren’t expecting me!”

Its a bit sweet, a bit saucy, and all attitude!

If I were going to take a trek through the country I think I would take this tea along with me.

I can’t believe I haven’t logged this yet. It’s yet another of Shang’s reds made from white tea that is amazing. So smooth, so clean. An exceptionally clear tasting tea.

I need to go pick up some more soon!

FINALLY a good tea for the evening. After 2 bad choices, I decided to go back and try this one again. I followed Nicole and Shang Tea’s advice and steeped for 1 minute. It made a huge difference. I love how delicate the flavors are in white teas. This one is smooth and light. Floral teas like this are soooo yummy! I could see this being a staple on my shelf :)

This tea is amazing. I’m just going to start with that.

This has been on my “to try” list for it seems like forever. The idea of a lightly flavored floral-citrus blend, and the fact that it is unique in being a red (i.e., black) tea created from white tea leaves, were very appealing to me. Fortunately Azzrian was kind enough to send me a sample, and so my wishes have been fulfilled. And this one, lucky for me, lives up to my expectations.

First of all, it smells wonderful, like tangerines with a light floral note. Like orange blossom water with the addition of a brightish black tea base underneath. Flavor-wise, definite yum. It’s such a light and bright black tea, but still distinctively a black tea. The flavoring is present but light and natural. This seems like a scented tea, like the tea was dried with tangerine blossoms (like how jasmine greens are made), and maybe it was. In any case, I am very much enjoying this cup and this will definitely go on my “to order (once I gain control of my stash)” list.

I love jasmine tea. Another wonderful sample from Nicole. The jasmine is a bit on the strong side. Next time I make it, I plan to steep for a shorter time and see if that a difference. I don’t feel like I could give it a fair rating right now. I’m going to wait for the next try :)

Just had to add this note. This was the tea I drank all day at work today. The smoothness of this still amazes me. I guess it is from being an oxidized white tea?

Anyway, I wanted to add that I steeped this 5 times today, using about 10 oz of water per steep to 1/2 tablespoon of leaves. I steeped the last time for 5 minutes, but it still had a very nice floral tone. The 5th steep was not as strong as the first, but it was still very good and nicely flavorful.

A centering and calming tea that will take you away to a far better place when you are feeling chaotic and stressed.
My full review will be on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 26th but don’t hesitate to grab some of this before it is gone.
I love Shang teas and am so happy that they are located somewhat close to me!
A really soothing cup!

We have debated for awhile about whether or not we should post notes about our own tea, but we thought it might be fun to just occasionally share our thoughts on a particular tea that we carry (without rating the tea that is!).

So we thought we’d start off with our newest tea, our special reserve green tea. While our owner, Zehua Shang, was on his friends wu-long tea farm, they visited a wild growing section adjacent that hasn’t been used for commercial use in 10+ years. We decided to pick some of these wild tea leaves and process them as a green tea and the result was better than we could expect.

The taste is incredibly fresh with a delicious buttery and sweet grassy complexity. We sipped it throughout the evening tonight and brewed it about 5-6 times, enjoying the changing flavor and color of the tea. We love this tea and hope you will too!