Show me your tea!!

I am putting together a list of teas to try, a kind of hit list, to minimize my buying and ease discipline.

I would love to hear about your favorite teas, one you recommend to find your taste and ones to steer clear from!!

I understand that taste is relative, but I trust the Steepster community and know this will be a great place to start!! :)

36 Replies

These are some of the teas that I’ve tried within the last month that have really made a good impression on me:

Persimmon Gelato – The East Indies Tea Company (Rooibos)
Thailand Sticky Rice “Khao Hom” – What Cha (Oolong)
Yuzu Temple – Mariage Freres (Green)
Wai – PONO Infusions (Herbal Tisane)
Australia Hojicha – What Cha (Green)
Peach Vs. Bergamot Ft. Formosa – Liquid Proust Teas (Oolong)
Muscat Green Rooibos – Muji (Rooibos)
Yun Nan Dian Hong Golden Tip – Teavivre (Black)

However, if there are particular flavors you know you love and ones you don’t that’d be helpful to know because then we’d be able to recommend something a little more specific to your tastes.

Great recommendations! I usually steer towards black teas, Pu-erh and oolongs. But, I’m open to trying the others you’ve mentioned, also!! :)

If you don’t mind me asking, I love Teavana’s “Youthberry” but … I hate contributing to the Starbucks empire.

Do you know of a tea that is similar to “Youthberry” which is a orange-and-berry flavored white? I want to stick to white tea so that my teeth don’t get too stained.

I feel you on not wanting to contribute to Starbucks; I’m not sure if I know of any good orange/berry teas, but DAVIDsTEA recently came up with a blend called ‘Berry White’ and while I personally haven’t tried it I’ve read some good reviews.

Thank you Roswell! The Berry White is just what I had in mind! Also, the selection looks well-suited to my tastes. Thanks! :)

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AllanK said

One of my favorite puerhs is the 2008 Song of Chi Tse ripe from Berylleb King Tea. It has the unusual characteristic of being a ripe whose fermentation flavor has cleared. Few teas under fifteen years old will have cleared to this degree.

I have so much to learn, Yoda! Definitely going to look for this!!

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Thanks for starting this discussion! I am new to tea too!

If you don’t mind me asking, I love Teavana’s “Youthberry” but … I hate contributing to the Starbucks empire.

Does anyone know of a tea that is similar to “Youthberry” which is a orange-and-berry flavored white? I want to stick to white tea so that my teeth don’t get too stained.

I don’t know a lot about whites, but I liked Rockstar, by Tea LC. It’s Berry, but not really orange. They also have Crush on You, which reminds me of red jello.

Thank you for the recommendation! And thank you for letting me ask a question on your discussion. I appreciate it!

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Equusfell said

This sounds like a fun thread! I love floral teas, and tend towards greens and green oolongs, so I may not be totally in line with your tastes but:

Nuit a Versaille – Dammann Freres (Green tea blend with violets and fruit)
Rose de Mai – Dammann Freres (Green oolong)
Yunnan White Jasmine – Verdant Tea (Best Jasmine scented tea, silver needle white)
Magnolia Oolong – Tea Ave (Green Oolong)
Milk Oolong – Mandala Tea (Green Oolong)
Golden Honeydew – Lupicia (Green Rooibos)

Those are just some I can think of off the top of my head. I would also say any fresh Dragonwell green tea from Yunnan Sourcing or Verdant Tea is going to be a winner in my book as well.

I’ll ‘vouch’ for Magnolia Oolong and Golden Honeydew as well – both are fabulous teas!

Also seconding Magnolia Oolong, and Mandala’s Milk Oolong. Both very tasty. Haven’t tried any Dammann Freres, unfortunately.

Great recommendations!

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Nicole said

Leaning towards blacks and pu-erhs, you probably can’t go wrong with much from Yunnan Sourcing, What-Cha & Mandala. All of their teas that I’ve tried have impressed me even if they aren’t quite to my taste sometimes. And the Amba Tea Flower Ceylon from Single Origin Teas is hands down the best Ceylon I’ve had – it’s a must have in my stash and I am not the biggest Ceylon fan.

I’m going to have to try those!! So far, I LOVE Mandala and Yunnan! I’m going to add that Ceylon to my list! I’ve only tried one and wasn’t a fan, but I’m not giving up! ;)

To add to the Ceylon bit, I used to look down on the region, but the Amba with Tea Flowers and Capital Teas LTD.’s Etambagahawila Estate Ceylon OP1 taste like drinking honey. MMM

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I have been working on the list of teas that I will stock up on :)

Blackberry Lime Guayusa- Butiki (I can’t stock up on this…)
Champagne Formosa Oolong- Art of Tea
Tong Mu Phoenix- Capital Teas
Madame Butterfly Jasmine- Capital Teas
2005 Ginseng Scent Ripe- Bana Tea
Imperial Gold Bud- Whispering Pines
Kurihara Heritage Gyokuro- YUNOMI
Furyu Batabatcha- YUNOMI
Japanese Shade-grown Black Tea ISE- (only sold in Japan)
2015 Okinawa Saemidori- Lupicia (only sold in Japan)
Supreme WuYi Lapsang- Streetshop88
Jinjunmei- Wuyi Mawuyan
2007 Third Grade Black Puer- Pure Puer
Mojian Golden Bud 214 Spring- YS
Candy Floss- Bluebird Tea Co.
Lan Gui Ren- Teavivre
Dragon Lychee Pearls- Tealux
Zhenjiang Anji – Han Xiang Ecological
Wild Monk Sheng 2012- Mandala

Great list!!! Love it!! And I already know I will love that Dragon Lychee Pearl!! BTW, that Keemun blend you sent me was amazeballs!!

What was the Keemun blend?

The Blackberry Sage Keemun. http://wp.me/pHDIS-14x

Oh… well, news on that is found on the last post here: https://www.facebook.com/LiquidProustTeas

Yay!!! Marking my calendar!! :D

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Anything from Naivetea.. Lychee oolong is amazing :D

TeaNTees said

I second this!!!

LuckyMe said

I third this! It’s a mind blowing tea

Equusfell said

Oh man, I forgot that one! Also on my favorites list!

Julie, I think the people have spoken ;)

Lol Agreed. Needless to say, this us going on my list and will probably be my next purchase!! :)

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If you are looking in the flavored tea variety- Plum Deluxe is fantastic. I love their monthly subscription plan. They also have a tea shop where you can just buy certain blends instead of committing to a mo plan.

I’ll look into that! I’m open to pure teas, too!! :D I love them all!

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Uniquity said

I’m primarily a Chinese black drinker, with some other blacks and shou pu as well. I tend to restock at Verdant, Teavivre, and Davids (for a few faves). Another company I really enjoy, though the $ is prohibitive is Mandala.

At Teavivre, I regularly stock:
Golden Monkey
Black Dragon Pearls
Bailin Gongfu
Yun Nan Dian Hong (I prefer the lowest grade, actually!)

Verdant:
Laoshan Black

Davids:
Nepal Black
Wild Black Yunnan
Jasmine Black Pearls (When they have them, ideally on sale)

These all sound great! I think we must be kindred tea spirits! I’m such a huge fan of Dian Hong!!

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Elle said

They’ve already been mentioned, but a couple of my favorite companies, are Verdant, and Teavivre. One of my all time favorite teas, is Big Red Robe(Da Hong Pao Oolong) from Verdant. Another favorite is Teavivre’s Superfine Keemun Fragrant Black.

Yum!! Definitely adding these to the list!! Thank you!!

AllanK said

Teavivre has a lot of good tea for value prices.

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