Check it out. I am drinking a tea grown in Russia! I find that really cool. Had I even known in my youth that tea was grown in Russia, it would have been unimaginable that I would one day get to try it. But here I sit with tea grown in one of the most northern plantations in the world. I expected a very brash tannin laced cup but this is a smooth and mellow tea with no bitterness. Amazing considering the 4 minute steep. The scent is sweet (honey) and malt with a bit of grain. The taste at first makes me think Dian Hong without the sweet potato or caramel. It is lightly malt. Then for a moment I entertain a connection to Nepal as this has a slight woodsy/raisin flavor, but the total mellowness of the cup stops the reference in its tracks. With the second mug I lose all reference to other teas. This is still very smooth but the raisin is greatly enhanced. Along with it are notes of mushroom, earth, and mineral. This is a unique tea and a unique experience that few in the west will ever have the pleasure of trying. I realized as I was writing my blog review how tea makes the world somehow smaller and more connected than I had imagined. To paraphrase Kermit, why can’t we be more tea?
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I’m very intrigued by What-Cha’s Russian offerings as well. Thanks for reviewing and sharing with us!
A Southern Season sells a tea grown just upwind of Chernobyl. LOL! I understand that there is some sort of agreement to keep high standards for Russian tea by requiring that all of it be orthodox processed by hand. Don’t know if it is true, but that is how the write up tried to sell Georgia Gold.
ashmanra, I just had a look at Southern Seas website and I think you are referring to a Georgian tea?
Just for reference, Georgia and Krasnodar (Russia) are located to the south east of Chernobyl and the radiation is focussed upon northern Ukraine, Belarus and parts of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Austria and Switzerland. You would probably have a great chance of consuming food affected by Chernobyl from those countries than from Georgia or Krasnodar.
Not all Russian or Georgian teas are made by hand
I’m thinking glow in the dark tea could be real handy first thing in the morning, or maybe that’s just me. No glow here, and no black helicopters circling overhead so I am not concerned.
I couldn’t find Georgia Gold on A Southern Seasons website. Ashmanra, have you tried it?
(Off to Google for a geography refresher.)
i’m jealous.
I’m very intrigued by What-Cha’s Russian offerings as well. Thanks for reviewing and sharing with us!
A Southern Season sells a tea grown just upwind of Chernobyl. LOL! I understand that there is some sort of agreement to keep high standards for Russian tea by requiring that all of it be orthodox processed by hand. Don’t know if it is true, but that is how the write up tried to sell Georgia Gold.
ashmanra, I just had a look at Southern Seas website and I think you are referring to a Georgian tea?
Just for reference, Georgia and Krasnodar (Russia) are located to the south east of Chernobyl and the radiation is focussed upon northern Ukraine, Belarus and parts of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Austria and Switzerland. You would probably have a great chance of consuming food affected by Chernobyl from those countries than from Georgia or Krasnodar.
Not all Russian or Georgian teas are made by hand
I’m thinking glow in the dark tea could be real handy first thing in the morning, or maybe that’s just me. No glow here, and no black helicopters circling overhead so I am not concerned.
I couldn’t find Georgia Gold on A Southern Seasons website. Ashmanra, have you tried it?
(Off to Google for a geography refresher.)
i’m jealous.