Magnolia Puerh

So I ended up checking out Earth Fare and buying too much and putting it on the card my mom pays…hey if you’re gonna steal my spring break, I’m getting this Numi sampler and asparagus and bacon and smoked cheddar cheese.

So I opened the box and this one fell out, so I figured I’d have it first. I gave it a quick rinse and steeped it for three minutes. I added wildflower honey because I wasn’t so sure this would be very good, plus it is a pretty floral wildflower honey so it might help bring out this magnolia.

This isn’t too bad, I think sweetening it really helps bring out a floral taste…not really sure if it’s magnolia. There’s also a kind of weird aftertaste that almost reminds me of the way freezer burnt food tastes…so yeah.

Found it quite weird that even though this is labeled as a puerh on the bag and obviously by the name of the tea, green tea is listed as the first ingredient.

Perhaps my sense of smell and taste aren’t keen enough, but I’m not picking up the magnolia or anything else flowery really. It’s basically like a plain pu-erh although it is on the lighter side and quite smooth. The flavour is earthy/peaty though unlike some it doesn’t bring to mind eating dirt, and it also has some sweet hay-like notes. It’s pleasent enough as far as pu-erhs go, particularly a bagged one, but the name feels like false advertising.

My fiancee made this and let me take a few sips of it because I wanted to try it. It confused me because it smelled like a normal pu-erh (dusty and full of damp earth) but when I tried it I tasted flowers. It was light and smooth and floral. It felt like it was a contradiction to my senses. I think I like the chocolate pu-erh better.

This was one of the tea bags that came in our goodie bags from the NYC Coffee & Tea festival. I’m a bit meh when it comes to most pu-erhs… I don’t hate them, but I also don’t tend to enjoy them a ton either. I’m really not sure what made me decided to brew this one up this afternoon, and I almost regretted it for a bit when I was thinking if I wouldn’t be better off with a tea I loved after this morning’s disappointment, but in the end I’m happy enough with it.

The tea bag smelled straight up like hay and wood shavings. I’m sure the paper bag isn’t helping. Steeped, it has those same woody notes but overlain with a sweet magnolia aroma. It’s definitely a woody, oaky kind of puerh, reminding me more of the base notes to ATR’s Toasted Fig than some of the other puerhs I’ve tried. The magnolia lends a sweet, lightly floral note to the mix that’s rather pleasant but not perfumy or anything. Definitely better than I was expecting, but I can’t say I’ll be using the coupon on the back of the card.

Working my way through the Numi puerhs…

I wasn’t really sure how to prepare this one. The instructions said use boiling water, but that didn’t sound right to me since the main ingredient is green tea, though I know higher temperatures are recommended for puerhs. For my first try I went with a lower temperature and shorter steeping time on the theory that this was mainly a green.

At that temperature and steeping time, this seemed to me to be essentially Emperor’s Puerh lite. Same leathery smell and flavor, but less so. There is a softness to the flavor that is probably the green tea, but could also be the floral influence. I grew up around Magnolia trees and I’m not picking up a distinct Magnolia quality, but there is definitely a floral note in there. The green and floral notes are most noticeable in the aftertaste, where they provide a fresh, gentle uplift to the intensity of the puerh.

I am going to try this again at a higher temperature and see what difference that may make. I’m not ready to rate this one until I think I’ve arrived at the best preparation technique.

Bagged

Aroma when Dry: Floral, slightly sour
After water is first poured: Soft earthy floral
At end of steep:
Tea liquor:
first color: Light brown
At end of steep: Ruddy

Staple? Yes, will try loose leaf version next.
Time of day preferred: Morning
Taste:
first notes: floral, deeper then Jasmine. Being my first Magnolia I have tasted, I have to go by comparing it to what the flower smells like on a tree. Earthy, woody fragrance follows, and deepening taste.
As it cools? Notes blend into floral woodyness.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No.
Lingers? Not much, leaves with a flat dustyness.

Sometimes Green Puerh can be a bit acidic for me, but this blend is awesome! It’s smooth, floral, and surprisingly easy on the stomach. If you’re in Oakland, try some @ NUMI – 2230 Livingston St.

I didn’t associate this with Magnolia. I grew up with several magnolia trees here in the south, and this was definitely not it. Disappointed.

Hm, I’m just not that into this one. When I think about it, this tea has a light earthiness that’s not too strong and easier to take for someone newer to puerh (me) while having some floral overtones, so I shouldn’t be surprised by the taste. The “magnolia” sets up an unreasonable expectation for me that this tea will be more floral, which I know is silly. I guess this is a good tea to drink if you want the health benefits of puerh but don’t really like the usual strong earthy flavor, but I wouldn’t expect floral. I imagine this disappoints people who like puerh because it’s not as flavorful as a strong puerh and disappoints people who like floral teas because the earthiness overwhelms the magnolia. It’s a hard one to win, I think. With my expectations in check, I’ll probably enjoy the next cup more, as I’ll know what I’m picking.

Smooth and pleasant. I drank it with honey. I left the bag in my large mug as I drank, and it tasted good when steeped 5 minutes and tasted good when steeped 20. It’s not something I will step over babies to get again, but I wouldn’t refuse it if it were given to me (as this bag was).

I’ve never had any other magnolia-scented teas, so I’m not sure how to rate this one. I like it, but am not enamored with it. Not like jasmine, anyway. I probably won’t buy it often, but it does in a pinch. I’m having some now with a few drops of lemon in it. The lemon doesn’t detract, but actually compliments.

This didn’t seem like anything special. I could smell the floral scents a little, but it was pretty bland. If I were given it, I’d drink it again, but I wouldn’t seek it out.

Not my thing.

Decided to try this one when a Numi sales rep was visiting my local Whole Foods – I got $3 off! I’ve been drinking it at work, and I just love the scent. The puerh itself is nice. Nothing special, but great for daily drinking, esp at work when I’m not paying attention. I went back to snatch up another box a $3 off. The only thing – can’t really brew this more than 3 times unlike loose leaf, though I suppose green peurh is less robust with more brews.

Not a favorite of mine. Perhaps it is the use of green puerh? Who knows. But it mixes great with hot cocoa and once I am outof tis classic, it will not be restocked. Sorries.