Teavivre

My third round of Teavivre teas arrived today! I couldn’t wait to get home and get started.

This is my first Golden Monkey. I know, right? How could I be such an avid black tea drinker, but missing out on this? Anyway, I opened the packet to smell it as the water heated, as usual. Faintly smoky, with hints of cocoa, hay, fruit, and malt. So deliciously promising.

Even after only two minutes, the tea was a dark red amber. It smelled less smoky and more malty, still reminding me of fresh clean hay. The taste, of course, is fantastic. It reminds me a lot of some of Teavivre’s other black teas… they all have a distinct cocoa-like taste that I’m starting to think may come from their tea region itself. It’s delightful, and I haven’t tasted it anywhere else so far. But it’s difficult to describe. I know it may seem weird, but it kinda tastes the way a new, clean piece of printer paper smells. I’m also getting the yam/sweet potato taste others have mentioned, and I really like it. This is such a savory, satisfying black tea.

Thank you to Angel and Teavivre for this sample.
When I opened the sample pouch it was like a batman comic – ZIP BAM POW!
The aroma was intense and intoxicating!
So yummy of an aroma of spinach, butter, and sweetness!
THIS was going to be A MAZE ING!
I let my cup steep a bit longer than recommended as I tend to find all green teas a little too light for my liking so allowing it to steep 3 minutes I have a very full brothy cup of buttery vegetable goodness!
This green is a bit more intense than most I have been drinking as of late and I appreciate that! Often I feel green teas to be just too light, too lacking, but this has a full wonderful flavor profile!
I have actually been drinking many pure greens as of late but hesitant to log them because I kept feeling maybe I was doing something wrong. Not only has this tea been quite enjoyable but has affirmed that I actually do know what I am doing but have been drinking inferior green teas!
I probably didn’t even need the extended steep on this one but even still I did not get any astringency or bitterness by allowing it to steep longer! Yes I know I am supposed to add more leaf rather than let a tea steep longer but I was getting a bit frustrated with adding more and more leaf only to get no added flavor results form those other greens!
So with that said I am truly loving this tea.
Thank you Angel and Teavivre for allowing me to sample this!
NOTES: Buttery, vegetal, creamy, full mouthfeel, brothy, strong flavor, intense aroma, crispy long stringy leaf pre steep, long puffy delicate and fluffly feeling leaves post steep, rich flavor that leaves me wanting more!

I love how these leaves are so “matter-of-factly” – they are sturdy and stand their ground! Precise, skinny, longish green-grey leaves…lovely!

Upon opening the bag I was stunned with how FRESH and amazing the aroma was – very much like dark leafy greens, spinach, and something sweet…sugar snap peas, perhaps! Very nice! Powerful nose!

Once infused the aroma mellowed-out quite a bit.

The liquor color was that of a yellowish-green…bright but light with little to no texture to the eye.

As for the flavor…a tasty, slightly vegetal, slightly green-veggie type broth taste. There is a bit of buttery-goodness, to it, too! Very nice! This is completely FRESH and CLEAN and CRISP!

Mao Feng’s are among my favorite greens! This is superb!

What an excellent Dragon Well this is! It’s extremely pure and clean and crisp! It’s makes my mouth water and it’s sweet. I thought the flavor was sort of like the ‘water’ of water chestnuts (not the texture of).

This was wonderful!

I had a hot cup and a cold cup and LOVED both!

Light and flowery without being too overpowering. I almost get a linger nutty taste, almost like sweetened walnuts. Over all a good tea. Worth trying but not something I would personally buy a decent amount of.

Setup:

- 8 Oz glass teapot
- 7 gram dry leaf (2,5 tsp.)
- 95 Celsius water
- Infusion time: 1 min – 1,5 min – 2 min

Leaf & Infusion:

Dry leaf – small, tightly rolled pebbles with dark olive tone and roasted glaze glint. Aside from sturdy roasted notes there’s some fruity twist to it, best associated with plums and peaches.

Wet leaf – leaf gradually opens and fills out 2/3 of the teapot after the third infusion. As leaf starts to open it holds many fine notes that are equally present in the cup and leaves room for succeding steeps. After the third infusion leaf is entirelly open with signs of wearing off as the tone shifts to more bright green.

Infusion (1st) – First steep gives amber and thick liqour with initial dry and astringent aroma. First sip reveals thick and pleasantly astringent mouthfeel that balances with citrus sourness. Right after swallowing roasted and lightly smoked notes make a lingering comeback and gentle tickling on the tongue. After few sips a more fruity profile develops as one can sense notes of dried fruits. When compared to an average gunpowder this one gives a very clear first infusion and it’s well balanced.

Infusion (2nd) – Even though the liquor tone doesn’t change in second infusion, it gets a bit murky which is common with gunpowder, sometimes right of the bat with first infusion. As mouthfeel is equally thick like in previous steep in this one has a diminished roasted aftertaste and astringency as citrus-sour notes gain the advantage as fruitiness is still ever present.

Infusion (3rd) – Equally murky as previous with just a hint of sourness and astringency. Suprisingly, this cup is more sween and leaves a nice nutty film on the tongue leaving out the fruity part.

A recent bit of excitement in my life involved the reception of a special box from Teavivre, containing samples of their new green teas for spring 2014. So excited was I to share these teas with you that I decided to share reviews even before the next Tea Review Tuesday arrived!

I cannot say for certain what made me choose Bi Luo Chun as the first of the samples to taste, but I am glad that I did. From the moment in which I opened the packaging, the smell was entrancing. As a bit of a disclaimer, I am not typically one to “oooh” and “aaah” over the smells of green tea. If anytime, I might do so, when drinking a particularly rich shou pu’erh or oolong. But this green tea pulled me into the aroma. Fans of greens will know of the intensity of which I speak, when I describe the tea as smelling sweet, fresh, and vegetal. In some respects, it is akin to fresh grass, but the sweetness embodied within is so much greater. Make no mistake, this is not by any means a sugary sweetness. This sweetness is entirely clean and natural, almost like a fruit, yet not fruity. I had yet to even brew any tea!

Teavivre recommends that this tea be steeped for 1 to 6 minutes. Since I was using enough tea for two cups, due to my choice in mug for the morning, I picked 3 minutes as my steeping time, figuring that such a length would work to gain a good strength in flavor. (The ratio was about 1.5 teaspoons of tea to 8 ounces of water.) Taking a last deep breath of the dry leaf aroma, I pour the water over the leaves and set my timer. In the middle of the steeping, I leaned over the mug and wafted some of the steam toward my nose. Subdued a bit, the sweet grassiness remained! I could tell that this cup was going to be a joy to drink.

At last, the timer rang, and I removed the infuser basket from the mug. The aroma rising from the cup was absolutely bold, and my first sip agreed. Bi Luo Chun might have fruity notes, but this is no weak tea. And to think it was only harvested a month and a half ago (according to their website). The freshness comes through in the taste. I prefer my tea to be a bit stronger. While the flavor was not bitter, I could tell that a longer steep would have caused some astringency. The taste profile seems well-balanced and well-rounded. The aftertaste is full of a memory of the same flavor. Drinking this tea brings one down to earth, rooting the senses with bold aromas and tastes that do not require a connoisseur’s trained nose and tongue to appreciate.

If the other offerings from Teavivre’s spring 2014 green teas are as good as this cup, this will be a line of greens, which you do not want to miss. The Bi Luo Chun in particular is a hit. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this green tea a 95/100.

Carrying one of the longest names I have ever seen in tea, Teavivre’s Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun (also known as Pi Luo Chun) is a non-fermented green tea with a bold taste. In my tasting, I used three teaspoons of leave in two cups of water for one and a half minutes of steeping. The leaves do give off a fruity aroma, and I wonder if the tea will taste the same way.

This tea is certainly far less vegetal than others, such as gunpowder greens. “Fruity” does not not quite describe it, but it has a certain fruit edge to it. Other prominent flavors include a distinct nuttiness and natural sweetness. This tea is quite pleasant and provides an enjoyable drinking experience. For green tea fans, it is well worth a try. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would give it an 85/100.

Understand that this is the 1st Pu-erh I have tried. I purchased the black tea sampler and would probably never have tried it otherwise. So I am no expert. Also, I sweeten all my teas with stevia. However, my husband doesn’t sweeten his tea and he liked it too. All I can say is I like this wonderful tea a lot, it’s good hot or iced, really good. I steeped it for 30 seconds the 1st time and added 30 seconds for each subsequent steeping. I plan to try the Gaiwan brewing instructions next time since this method is highly recommended for pu-ehr. For iced I brewed it double strength and added ice while hot. I have now ordered the TeaVivre Pu-erh sampler so I can compare this one with others.

Steep Information:
Amount: 7 balls
Water: 500ml at 212°F
Tool:Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 1 minute 30 seconds
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: coco
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet, coco, toasty
Flavor: toasty, sweet
Body: medium
Aftertaste: coco, toasty
Liquor: translucent dark orange brown

Resteep:
same as first

I enjoyed the nice toasty and coco notes!

Rating: 3/4 leaves

Blog: http://amazonv.teatra.de/2012/08/10/teavivre-loose-leaf-black-tea-fengqing-dragon-pearl-black-tea/

Dry Leaf: Has a fresh grassy aroma with some sweetness.I was also able to notice a very soft wild flower aroma.
Wet Leaf: Has a vegetal aroma something I would associate with like a boiled leafy green but their is a subtle sweetness that is in the background.
Liquor: Has a bright and beautiful golden color.
Taste: Has a dry grassy flavor. I can even understand if someone says hay or straw like flavor.I also got a very gentle dryness in the mouth there is a nice sweet sensation that builds up in the mouth and goes to back of mouth.
Overall Opinion: I give this a solid 91. This tea had a fresher feel to it and had a nice showing of character and sweet build up in mouth.
Vessel: SAMA DOYO Gongfu/Kungfu Teapot. 10 grams of leaf to 220ml or 7oz. of water in inner cup.

Dry Leaf: Has a fresh grassy aroma with some sweetness.I was also about to notice a very soft wild flower aroma.
Wet Leaf: Has a vegetal aroma something I would associate with like a boiled leafy green but their is a subtle sweetness that is in the background.
Liquor: Has a bright and beautiful golden color.
Taste: Has a dry grassy flavor. I can even understand if someone says hay or straw like flavor.I also got a very gentle dryness in the mouth there is a nice sweet sensation that builds up in the mouth and goes to back of mouth.
Overall Opinion: I give this a solid 91. This tea had a fresher feel to it and had a nice showing of character and sweet build up in mouth.
Vessel: SAMA DOYO Gongfu/Kungfu Teapot. 10 grams of leaf to 220ml or 7oz. of water in inner cup.

Revisiting this one after quite some time. For some reason, I have developed a strong liking to Ginseng Oolong. Maybe, it’s because my taste are still developing. It’s possible, this development is due to try several different ones. Nonetheless, this tea is excellent and my previous rating must be adjusted. With the quality that I find from multiple infusions, the rating is now raised!

It’s hard to compete with a yin/yang type of taste during and after the sip. The first texture is brisk, yet a good dryness, almost bitter – that carries an overall ginseng taste. The dryness swells and becomes sweeter, then more minty. It is a very nice lingering tea.

Definitely delicious! I’m glad I tried this one again!

Thank you Angel at Teavivre for this nice sample!

This tea really through a curve ball to my taste buds. The dry leaves smell really good – like fresh cut sugarcane, dripping with liquid honey. When you take your first sip, there is a certain pungency,slightly bitter, very direct and distinct , but not unpleasant. The feeling to the tongue feels medicinal, almost overwhelming.

Then, there is a pause in the tornadic winds of taste, to a gentle breeze of sunshine and sweetness. It brightens just as quickly as it was dark, now there is something special. A rainbow of smooth oolong with a very minty, lingering aftertaste. The sensation in the mouth is clean, pure and tranquil peace. Exactly what one wants and NEEDS after a long week.

I’m shocked by the multitude of flavors found in this oolong. No wonder why it’s a popular choice of tea!

Thank you to Bonnie for this Sample

This was a very good tea for a “Black Tea” (slowly opening to the world of black teas ;) I think this tea would be of interest to “Black Tea” enthusiasts and Non-Enthusiasts, because of it’s very smooth, bright in character, “iced Tea Flavored” (reminded me Alot of strong iced tea;) , that became quite strong/more concentrated in flavor on it’s 2nd steeping !! :) This is a very well made tea I would’nt mind drinking again :)

I’m very excited to try this one because it says in the product description that Vitamin A prevents scurvy…since I have been ‘workin’ my alter-ego as a pirate lately…I decided it might be a good idea to slurp some Vitamin A…just in case…

On a more serious note…

This tea infuses to a comfy-cozy light to medium orange-brown in color. It’s VERY YUMMERS. It’s a little malty for an oolong. It’s also a tad brothy…the texture is thicker than I anticipated. I like that. It’s satisfying. It smells a little like charcoal but it doesn’t really taste like it. There is a bit of floral flavor right in the middle of the sip…not really at the beginning or at the end, oddly.

This is…Rrrrrrrrr-right…MATE-E!

Wow. This is a great tea.

I have beeen enjoying 6-9 cups of Dragon Well every day for the past two years or so. I have tried Dragon Wells from roughly a dozen different suppliers over the years. Recently, I decided to switch to organic to avoid pesticides.

My search for a good organic Dragon Well was difficult. It seems like alot of them lack flavor. Thanks to TeaVivre, my search is over.

This tea produces a very light, clean cup. It was the first sip that reminded me of why I fell in love with Dragon Well in the first place.

This is the brewing method I used. I don’t claim to be a tea expert.
- pour 24oz water @ 175f into my ForLife teapot
- add three large teaspoons tea leaves to the basket
- steep for 3 minutes
- let finish for 3 minutes
- enjoy with small cup

I have not tried resteeping with this one yet. I know that drives some people crazy. Please don’t hate me for that.

Another clear indication to me that this is a great tea is the “tea high” I get from this tea. Here’s my discussion on “tea high”: http://steepster.com/discuss/1905-does-anyone-else-get-a-green-tea-high

I have only had one Dragon Well that compared to this tea. It was not organic and cost over twice as much.

This is a great tea. Thank you TeaVivre!

Thank you Angel at Teavivre for this sample!

For some reason, I really like the Frozen Summit Oolongs! This one is certainly no let down.

The smoothness is accompanied by the lack of fruity notes, resulting more of a grassy flavor. It resembles a light, more subdued Pearl Green Tea.

There is a mild sweetness to the after-sip, that leaves you satisfied. I will be coming back to this one a couple different times, I’m sure.

Thank you Teavivre for this great sample!

Pure chocolate-y goodness! Malty, thick and smooth, along with a tiny amount of good astringency.

The recommended time to steep was 1-2 minutes, of which I choose to go a little longer. The liquid was still much tamer than a bolder Assam, and had a medium brown appearance.

These nice sized pearls were delightful to watch unfurl. They seemed more to explode in slow motion, than unwind. There is a ton of great looking leaves in each of these balls.

The tea is definitely quality enough to steep a couple different times. The second steeping was very pleasing as well!