Verdant Tea (Special)

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81
drank Yu Lu Yan Chai by Verdant Tea (Special)
15019 tasting notes

sipdown! Working from home today because i don’t want to get my colleagues sick. Finished off the last of this that i had with a few steeps to just enjoy the flavours in this brew on this COLD morning! Sad to see this go, though i do prefer laoshan chai a bit better heh

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81
drank Yu Lu Yan Chai by Verdant Tea (Special)
15019 tasting notes

i totally had a cup of this in the afternoon and it complete got away from me. just that kind of day.

still in search of a way to get the O dor in canada or the US….

Fjellrev

Do you find the coriander in this very strong?

Sil

not entirely..but i think i prefer some of the other chais verdants done a bit better. but i also love coriander heh

Fjellrev

Ah ok, cool. Yeah, I love their Village Chai.

JustJames

you mean as opposed to shipping through france? sorry…. walking in on a conversation.

Sil

yeah james… from their website it’s 25euro + 6 euro in taxes… which is a little steep for me just to mail stuff this way. esp when i picked up DF teas for 8 euro shipping

JustJames

okay….. ask about ‘alternate modes’ of shipping. yeah, that’s the technical term. if they refuse (which they may) let me try a group order approach tomorrow after my presentation, k? i’ve been looking for an excuse…. =0) that way we split it.

Sil

i was looking at an older thread where they did a giant group order from MF… haha

Bonnie

Get someone from the USA to send it to you. I think it’s way cheaper from here to there than visa versa. Verdant uses boxes but individuals can use bubble envelopes. Find someone close to the border and swing a deal.

MissB

Heh. I think we found our way, a year or so later… ;)

Sil

hahahaha yeah we did

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81
drank Yu Lu Yan Chai by Verdant Tea (Special)
15019 tasting notes

I want to try and brew this like real chai with the next steeping. I had multiple steeps of this in the early morning and it is a terribly delicious chai. I’m quite happy with this monthly blend over some of the previous ones :) The base really works in this one to blend with the spices going on. I’m beginning to think that Verdant has got their chai going on, as I am a fan of a number of them :)

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It looks pretty as it steeps, it turns into a neat murky red berry colour. Like natural dye. :)

Tasting it, I get tulsi and fennel. That’s pretty much it.

I don’t care for this one so much, so do any of my current swap peeps want to try?

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 5 min, 0 sec
OMGsrsly

Edited to remove the rating…

Bonnie

I treat this like I would a mulling spice mix. Better with Apple cider, wine or cranberry juice mixed in…or some black tea and honey like chai.

OMGsrsly

Good to know, Bonnie. :) My offer still stands. As the tea is cooling I’m getting loads of coriander and it’s starting to taste soapy. I don’t think this one’s for me! (I have a love-hate relationship with the herb. Sometimes it works, sometimes it really doesn’t!)

MissB

I’d love to give it a go!

OMGsrsly

In your bag! :) Along with some jam. I need to go through my teas and add some for you tomorrow.

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94

This is really good and robust. Not an average cup of Chai~oh No!
Please try it with honey to bring
the full complexity of it through fruition.
I taste the Ginger in it first & most predominantly.
Thank God for the Ginger this morning as
my tummy was really hurting when I woke up.
The Cinnamon and the Cardamom
make the Ginger more complex and palatable.
The Sweet Potato and Peppercorn are far more subtle
and the honey…draws it all the way out.
There is not enough vanilla in it for me to taste, but enough
to make it creamy. This is the dark and spicy chai
you are dreaming of folks.
If you are a Chai lover…call Verdant and ask for this…
It might not be available YET,
but with all this fuss…surely it will be in everyone’s fortune cookie <3
I did not mention some of the other ingredients, but that is not that they did not contribute.I believe the making is in the mix ;-)
I steeped for 2 minutes and added 2 tsp honey and
a tablespoon of cream
(vs the 1/3c. of milk listed on the TOMBC sheet)
This is likely something you have to play with yourself as I suspect most people have a peculiar preference
as to how they prefer their Chai.
Try it your way~ you cannot go wrong :-p

CelebriTEA

The lingering aftertaste has a earthy taste of the burdock root
with ginger and a subtle hint of saffron…the aftertaste alone will leave you begging for more.

Bonnie

You had this the same way I love it too! This isn’t like every other Chai, not a better version of an old favorite but really unique. I also called and emailed David and Lily because this is so good.

mrs.stenhouse12

I am going to send them a facebook message about this one as well! I still have to try it stovetop, I am hoarding it just in case it doesn’t become available, I don’t want to run out of this one! Love the earthiness and the ginger. I need to try it with honey too!

CelebriTEA

Loved your note, Bonnie~ made me try it!
Miss Lena, I don’t blame you for hoarding it :-)

CelebriTEA

Ok, I just did a resteeping of this for an afternoon dessert…
Very rich and fulfilling Bonnie was so RIGHT~
Not like any other Chai, and this NEEDS to be a regular.
I just feel so bad for anyone not getting to try this….Special Chai

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93

While this chai is pretty good, it does not compare to the classic masala of Chandernagor by MF. This one has all sorts of different flavours that all try to work together, but it’s just not working so well for me this morning.

It’s – dare I say – too complex.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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93

I found this, I drank this, and it’s mostly good.

It has a weird dirty flavour that other people seem to call “chocolate” all the time. I know I said this was really good before. And objectively it is a really really good chai. I’m glad I got to try it, but it’s not for me.

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93

1 tbsp for 5 minutes in my travel mug.

This is pretty darn good. I generally really like the blends from Verdant. I added a splash of soy creamer, and yep. This is definitely a tea I’d buy again. For some reason, the blend of spices doesn’t let the coriander get too soapy for me.

Total bonus.

(I really dislike cilantro/coriander.)

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 5 min, 0 sec
Bonnie

I just bought some more! Love it!

OMGsrsly

I would, but I haven’t finished enough of what I have to make another $40 order. :)

Bonnie

I had a $10 off coupon!

OMGsrsly

Soon I will. :)

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93

I steeped leftover leaves for 5 minutes in hot almond milk and water, then added a bit of sugar.

So good.

Really, really good.

I’m getting a lot more cinnamon and delicious sweet thick tea. But even though I’m getting more cinnamon, it’s pretty balanced.

Yum.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec
Bonnie

Me likes honey too…. yum….

OMGsrsly

I love honey in teas, especially teas with honey notes. :)

Bonnie

I usually only add it to chai…but it brought out the pepper really well in this one.

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93

I actually like this! I really like it! :D

It is so different from the one from Mariage Freres. That is a classic restaurant chai. In fact, it reminds me strongly of the blend used in my favourite restaurant.

This one is very thick tasting. It has very deep and rich flavours. It’s bordering on too earthy for me, but the tea plus the additions work well. This is definitely on my shopping list. I really hope this one makes it into the regular stock.

For me, at least, it’s not very spicy. I can tell there’s ginger, but instead I get a lot of bitter spiced chocolate cake flavours. I added 1/4 tsp honey to my 16 oz mug as I’m not feeling so great today, and it’s even more awesome now. (Bitter isn’t the tea. It’s the chocolate.)

I used 1 tbsp tea.

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 15 sec
mrs.stenhouse12

I love this chai! It has to become part of the regular stock!

OMGsrsly

I hope so! When I smelled it brewing I thought I’d hate it, but it’s just on the right side of earthy/chocolatey so it doesn’t taste like dirt. Haha.

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89

Having a cozy, sweet and spiced cup of this tonight while I READ (yes, I am actually finally READING a book for pure enjoyment! I have missed it so much!) a new book I bought while shopping today. This cup is tasty with the addition of honey as usual, a bit toasty, mostly a rich sweet flavor from the fennel and berries. I am nearly at a sipdown for this, one more cup! It’s been kicking around since last year, so it will be nice to finish off and decide if I need to restock! See previous notes on this tea :)

Fjellrev

Haha yeah, reading for leisure is always bizarre once you’re down with school.

mrs.stenhouse12

Haha agreed! It’s taken me so long to get back into it..I used to read all the time. Now, not so much..but this might be the start at least!

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89

Oops, my restock of this never made it into my cupboard count lol. Oh well, a sipdown was had earlier today with this one, I really enjoy this herbal, although I will confess I preferred the first blending of it a bit better. The second one was more cinnamon and coriander, less of that berry taste, and it didn’t brew up as purple haha. But still quite tasty with honey, which is how I had it this morning out of my travel mug. Yum, this one might make it’s way back for a third stocking in my cupboard..after I restock my beloved Ginger Sage Spa blend first though haha. See previous notes!

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89

Got my oz bag of this and loving it as usual. i think theres a bit more cinnamon in this bag than last, ans it makes it so cozy!! Lovely tea! See previous notes :)

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89

Mini sipdown..because I have another oz on it’s way to me from the Black Friday Sale! Yay! I need to try mixing that batch with some cider, this one I’ve just had either plain or with honey. Today it’s with honey, not as much leaf as I’d like, as the liquor isn’t purple haha, but still tastes very good. Going without caffeine this week is going well so far, I need a break again from it sigh, too much on the weekend lol. See previous notes on this tea!

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89

Last tea of the night, short note as I reviewed it yesterday, but OMG it brews up a dark deep purple!!!! I love it!! Yesterday I didn’t make it in a clear mug lol. So pretty! Anyways, see previous notes for a better review here :)

Preparation
Boiling 1 min, 0 sec

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89

The last blend from the box this month – the herbal I look forward to. I am always on the lookout for new caffeine free teas that rock, and verdant’s have been consistently good. Ginger sage spa blend is my favorite of all time. So on this miserably cold and snowy night, I made a cup of this.

That cooling elderberry taste is definitely present here. It reminds me of eucalyptus always, and a blend made to fight colds and strengthen one’s immunity. This tea has the same bold feel, but is tempered by the sweetness of fennel and all the other spices. I don’t think I’ve had mulled wine ever, but the comparisons to this tea make me want to try it! This blend is cozy and comforting, like a warm blanket. And maybe it’s because I saw someone else (Dinosaura) said this tea brings them Montana memories, I am associating this one with skiing at my boyfriends parents cabin there! The wood fire, curled up with a book under the blanket, snow falling outside…. Wonderful memories evoked. This tea is the one of the month that tugs at my emotions and takes me to a happy place. I live when teas do that. I can’t wait to try it with Apple juice or wine, and definitely will add honey. Another I’d very much like to see on Verdant’s website permanently (or at least seasonally). November teas – 3 for 3. Rating: 93. :)

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84

Sipdown of this today in my travel mug..I knew this would be an awesome morning tea, it’s cinnamon toast crunch at my desk with mild caffeine hit! I need more caffeine on this St. Patrick’s Day morning though, I’m so tired almost asleep at my desk…and I forgot to wear green :( Happy St. Patrick’s Day steepsters! I will be having green tea later I think on this fine occasion! See previous notes on this tea :)

Flavors: Cinnamon

keychange

So tired at work today too! :(

mrs.stenhouse12

Yeah I’m like a zombie today..Monday doldrums I guess..hoping I wake up soon! You too!

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84

Mmm this is really good tonight, resteeped it this time too and it’s still delicious. Cinnamon toast, yep, yet fresh, still savory. I actually gulped a large bunch of the first cup from being thirsty, and it was refreshing, but still cinnamon toast, so weird that something sweet can also be savory! This blend is growing on me pretty quickly, I would probably purchase this again to have kicking around. So differ from regular genmaicha, but similar characteristics. Oh, and second steep had a but more oolong. Yummy! See previous notes!

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84

Tea 2 of the BOMC November! This one intrigued me, I love verdant’s origin genmaicha, so I was interested in trying one made with an oolong base, rather than green. Actually I don’t know if I’ve seen a genmaicha made with oolong before! Anyways, onto the tea.

The dry smell is spicy to me, like coriander and black pepper, with a hint of toasty rice. I brewed with boiling water for 1 min, with quite a bit of tea, I never know how much 5g is haha. The steeped smell is like cinnamon French Toast! I kid you not! So much cinnamon with the toasty rice, wow it smells so yummy!!

As for the flavor, this is a pretty good tea too! The initial taste is definitely a floral tieguanyin, sweet and light. Then it melds into this wonderful cinnamon toast flavor (I want to say cinnamon toast crunch cereal, but I don’t know if I’ve ever had it lol), wow, and the aftertaste is strongly of coriander and cinnamon for a while after, prolonging the toast feel. The first sip I didn’t get much oolong actually, but later sips seem to be brought out by the aftertaste from the one before, if that makes any sense. The mental picture I get from drinking this is eating French Toast then putting orchids on the toast and eating it haha! That’s what it tastes like to me. Not getting a strong carob flavor, it might just be blending into the overall yumminess though. Very unique, not your standard genmaicha at all! Verdant, you have stunned me again with a bizarre, yet good blend! I even made the bf taste some, he doesn’t drink many blends, but he said it tastes like cinnamon toast too, and he got some oolong in the second sip too! Awesomely unique, I love this blend club! Rating: 87.

Preparation
Boiling 1 min, 0 sec

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