Silk Dragon

Uh oh, this tea is AMAZING.
Reminds me a LOT of DavidsTea’s Vanilla Oolong, which I haven’t had a taste of since the Christmas sampler.

As soon as I smelled the dry leaves, I had a serious craving. Like an addiction. Ah!

Working on a longer review for the blog – will post ASAP but first – prepping a chicken for the slow cooker. And enjoying this tea with some homemade English Muffin bread and honey! Happy Hump day!

Well well this may just be the vanilla you have been looking for!
The first thing I want to say about THIS vanilla tea is that it is NOT cloying nor does it have that fake vanilla after taste commonly found when a tea company is trying so hard to give you that really strong vanilla flavor, YET this does have a strong vanilla flavor WITHOUT that nasty after taste!
I have not added any sweetener and it has a sweet sensation to it without any clinging lingering effects on the mouth that come with sweetened teas. I really like this one.
Its calming and unpretentious and is not trying to shove vanilla down your throat yet it had such a nice presence!
The aroma is to die for!
I would indeed stock this tea and keep it in my stash for when I want a nice straight vanilla tea. This tea is not confused about what it is trying to be! Could be a nice mixer with other teas as well as it is strong enough to hold its own but not so over done that it would mask other flavors!
The only downside here is that the oolong is pretty mellow. Its not a strong oolong. Being an oolong lover I could use a bit more of that kick I am used to.

OH my!

This is really very good. The vanilla melds so beautifully with the Oolong to create a very creamy sensation for the palate. Sweet, creamy, rich vanilla flavor. I taste hints of orchid. A slight earthiness. And hints of citrus toward the tail. And even a hint of peach-like undertones. But mostly what I taste is vanilla. Smooth, creamy, decadent vanilla.

If you like vanilla – You’ve got to try this!

My final sample from The Tea Merchant.

Wow! Thanks for this one. The sip on the first cup is vanilla. No surprise there. The aftertaste is a lingering green oolong. There is just a hint of citrus that I catch high up, to where I can’t determine if it is a taste or a smell. This has a creamy feel to it. This is a really nice cup. The more it cools the more the mix of flavors is making sense. Each sip is a blast of vanilla that slowly fades through citrus into floral oolong that lingers until you take the next sip You can gulp this, but don’t. Slow down and enjoy journey.

The second cup is very different. This starts out plant like. My brain immediately thought geranium, but since there is marigold in this, maybe that is what I am sensing. This changes quickly into green oolong. Just as quickly it changes to vanilla briefly and then back into the long lingering floral oolong aftertaste. I would swear this is a different tea, had I not prepared it myself. What a roller coaster ride. Totally different than the first but also a really nice cup.

The third cup starts with the plant/flower notes mixing with the floral oolong. The vanilla is light and mixes with the creaminess. The whole thing ends with the lingering aftertaste. The sweetness of the cup, mixed with the floral oolong flavor, reminds me a bit of watermelon.

This is an interesting cup. If at anytime you don’t quite like what you are tasting (though I don’t know how that is possible) just wait until the temperature changes of for the next cup and it will be something else. This is definitely worth trying.

My second sample from The Tea Merchant! The name of this tea is so lovely, I didn’t even need to know what flavors were in it before I immediately wanted it. Once you smell it, the name makes sense: the vanilla is silky smooth and I suppose the long, elegant oolong leaves are similar to a dragon. And man, is this vanilla-y smelling, almost like pudding! It smells soooo good, I could barely pull my nose out of the bag. In fact, once I let my dad sniff it he immediately wanted some too!

Thankfully, the vanilla is a bit toned down when you steep it. It’s lighter, airier, but still rich and creamy. Less dessert, more “afternoon treat” if that makes sense! The oolong flavors were pretty prominent for me, maybe because I started with the second steep (my dad got the first!), but there are floral and fruity elements popping up as well. The citrus is mild and really only in the very end of the sip, a finishing note. It’s a bit lemony, but very toned-down and not overpowering. For some reason, the vanilla + citrus are reading a bit cupcake-y to me, like a fluffy vanilla one without any frosting. Very nice!

Wow, that’s some vanilla! I received this sample from The Tea Merchant and am steeping it up while at switchboard. Thanks to The Tea Merchant! The dry aroma is in your face vanilla, it reminds me of vanilla pudding in a way. THere is something hiding behind the vanilla that I can’t quite place. Steeped for three minutes, the liquor is a pale yellow and the immediate aroma is of corn. Wait, what? Yep, corn and vanilla. I gotta say, this makes me worry. I don’t like green tea or really green oolongs. We’ll see!

The flavour isn’t as aggressive (yay!) but I do get a bit of that corn I was smelling, and then it’s a smooth vanilla right after that. I enjoy vanilla, but I’m very specific about it. This is yummy, but getting dangerously close to too much vanilla (when it starts reminding me of coconut, which I loathe). I also am getting a weird hint of mint which I want to blame on my mug, but I haven’t had mint in it in ages. Very strange.

As I progress through the cup (and it cools) the flavours are coming together more and a hint of the oolong is peeking through. It’s a bit green for my preferences, BUT it works. Very light and refreshing though there is a creamy aspect from the vanilla. I think the beau might really like this one, I’ll have to get him to try it. Overall, this is a yummy tea but a bit overdone on the vanilla. I might like to see a bit more oolong in the taste OR change the name to Vanilla Explosion or something, hah! : )

After an icky Monday, it was a treat to find a box from The Tea Merchant waiting at home! (And props for the nifty little packaging touch—a wax seal on the bundle of samples.) Of the samples I received, this appeared to be the lightest for an after-dinner unwind.

The dry leaves smell wonderful—vanilla potpourri. I aimed for mid-range of the prescribed 3-5 minute steeping time, and was right on target: got a beautiful, blonde-gold cup that has the vanilla sweetness of a golden Oreo or a homemade sugar cookie. The citrus elements are faint accents, not leading themes.

It’s medium-thick on the tongue and … oh, shoot … so much for accurate adjectives. It just smells and tastes great. Fortunately, the sample pack was generous—I can have more!

Yikes, THIS is vanilla! oh yes it is. SO much ‘nilla.
Reminds me of David’s tea Vanilla Oolong, only much better. Smooth like butter, but not exactly buttery… in the first steep anyhow. Second infusion, there is a teeny bit less vanilla and a little more creamy oolong goodness.
Now, I’m not a huge fan of vanilla flavoured things in general so I spent most sips thinking “oh this is awful” OR “wow this is realllllly good”. Looks like I have a split opinion about this tea. Seriously. Ha!
Anyhow, if you enjoy vanilla, then I guarantee you will love this tea. It’s very well made. As much as it isn’t for me, I know quality when I see it. Big thanks to The Tea Merchant for sending me the sample!!
Rating… undecided!

This came as a free sample from The Tea Merchant – thanks!

The more I drink this, the more I seem to like it. It’s rich and creamy and develops over several steepings. I don’t really have the energy to write a ton about it at the moment (in between talking to The Boy and doing Education homework, my mind is a bit fragmented) but it’s nice and soothing.

Thank you for the samples, The Tea Merchant! I planned to start with Trinitea but saw “iced tea recommended” on the page on here, so while it cools in the fridge, I figured I’d try this.

This is everything I wished the vanilla oolong from DavidsTea would be. It’s in your face vanilla, but you can still taste the the oolong underneath it. It has a lingering, green aftertaste from both the oolong and the lemon myrtle. I get more of an herb taste rather than a citrus taste, though I can smell lemon.

Steeped, it smells like a mix of spice cake and sugar cookies. The dry leaf straight up just smells like cake, and the oolong is so pretty, green and twisty.

So much vanilla. I love it. So sweet, creamy, and smooth. I still get a lot of oolong, some nice green and floral notes, and I imagine it comes out a bit more on subsequent steeps that I probably won’t do today because I have to wake up at 8 for the first time in I don’t even know how long.

I will definitely consider purchasing this one!

Thanks, The Tea Merchant, for providing this sample!

Smells absolutely heavenly. Light yellow liquid that smells very vanilla-y. The vanilla is indeed strong in this tea, which is just fine – I love vanilla teas! I don’t notice a citrus to this at all, though. The oolong isn’t strong, either.

I do love how oolongs look when brewed. This one with the marigold petals looks almost like dragonflies. Perhaps “Silk Dragon” is a very apt name. :)

Oh, and I love the packaging. The sealing wax was a great touch!

Holy Yum.
It really really really reminds me of DavidsTea vanilla oolong.
This tastes like delicious vanilla pudding. It’s creamy, sweet, and oh-so-vanilla!
Lovely orchard notes lingering about at the end of the sip as well. Really well rounded tea. Comforting for sure!
Thank you very much The Tea Merchant for this sample!

I’ve been so spoiled with amazing teas lately! The Tea Merchant sent me this free sample that sounded like a very unique & interesting blend. Also, I really love that it was packaged with an old-timey wax seal with the company logo!

First steep: 3 1/3 min.
The scent of the unsteeped leaves is intriguing and delicious! I don’t think I’ve heard of a vanilla flavored oolong before. Vanilla anything is my absolute favorite. The steep color is a light yellow. The flavor is very vanilla! Yum! There isn’t too much of an oolong flavor, however. I also can’t tell that there is lemon myrtle here. It is subtle — but I think it might be making the vanilla taste unusual!

Second steep: 5 min.
The vanilla flavor seems to have disappeared a bit but the oolong flavor has gotten stronger! It’s evolving… most oolongs seem to do that more than any other tea. I wonder why there aren’t more oolong teas with vanilla, since they seem to compliment each other well!

Third steep: 6 mins
The vanilla flavor is still disappearing but the oolong is getting even better. It has that lovely floral taste that the best oolongs have. The steep still has the same yellow color too.

Fourth steep: 9 mins
The oolong flavor seems to have become weaker now and there is a tangy flavor to it. But that may be because I had it steeping for 9 mins with just boiled water. I’d say the best steep for the vanilla flavor was the first and the best steep for the oolong flavor was the third.

On my new oolong flavor scale of one (lightest & floral) to five (stronger), I’d say this is a two. It was fun to see the oolong taste get better as the vanilla disappeared. Very unique! Another tea I’ll have to buy when my tea stash gets lower! Overall, a delicious blend from a great new company! I can’t wait to see what they do next!

Uh oh. I think I killed this poor tea. I was talking to my roommate and wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing with this tea. I accidentally poured boiling water in, and didn’t realize until afterwards. I was hoping it wouldn’t affect the tea too much, but I’m getting hardly any taste at all! Of course, it could be my taste being off because I’m sick, but I didn’t really have trouble with the others I’ve had today. Definitely trying this again once I’m not sick, and with proper brewing conditions, as the reviews for this are wonderful.

Sample package label:
“A unique blend that is exotic, balanced and complex it will engage you from the second you open the bag with its intoxicating creamy vanilla aroma to your first sip. Creates a smooth, rich flavor with hints of cream, vanilla and a stimulating citrus finish.
Ingredients: Oolong tea, Organic lemon Myrtle, Marigold Petals, Natural flavors. USDA Organic – Caffeine: Medium – Steep 3 – 5 minutes – Fair Trade certified”

6-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 24 ppm, boiled, left to stand so only steaming hot.

1 heaping Tevanna teaspoon – Not easy to do as the leaves are sooo long! Thus, I made certain to fully fill one side of a spring-loaded mesh ball infuser.

This tea has a wonderful vanilla fragrance!

Silk Dragon also has a festive colorful appearance with the contrast of Marigold Petals against the oolong tea.

Very light hue as one would expect with an oolong base.

3-Minute Infusion: I took a quick taste and decided I would enjoy this tea more with a full 5-min infusion.

First 5-min Infusion: I think The Tea Merchant has accurately described this tea.

2nd 5-min Infusion: I was surprised that the “Silk” flavoring was still present and enjoyed finishing this cup.

Impression: Silk Dragon achieved just the right delicate balance between the oolong base, the natural creamy vanilla flavoring and the other organic ingredients – well done!

I truly enjoyed Silk Dragon even though I’m used to drinking full-bodied black teas. While this oolong-based tea is not as full-bodied, it‘s a very smooth rich tea. Silk Dragon is an enjoyable change of pace for the afternoon or evening that should not to be missed!

The Tea Merchant 4 Organic Tea Sample Series Conclusion:
Of the four organic teas I’ve tasted: English Breakfast, French Earl Grey, Earl Grey, & Silk Dragon, the English Breakfast black tea was my favorite breakfast tea and the Silk Dragon oolong tea was my favorite choice for afternoon or evening.

Thanks once again to The Tea Merchant for providing these generous size free samples.

I tried this tea a few months back and have to agree with most of the notess below; it was really a great tea.

Each steep I had was delcious. Maybe I noticed more caffeine than others, but this one had a lot of caffeine for me. I am sensitive because I usually drink Pu’er or other not so highly caffeineted drinks. This s not a bad thing, just saying.

I liked the vanilla hint also, a lot.

A great tea!

The Force is strong with this tea!

Extremely good and tasty, as if Yoda himself blended this tea! Ok enough starwars references, the down and dirty is this is a tea you should not miss out on. Full Oolong leaves that are not broken, mixed with marigolds (the yellow leaves i think) was a good sign of quality.
Dry this tea smells of vanilla and cream. The liquors aroma is vanilla and a very slight citrus.
The taste is creamy vanilla and with a smooth feel in my mouth, just so good and light.
I loved every aspect of this tea from the dry tea leaves smell and look, to the light yellow brew and taste to die for.

I get scents that remind me of vanilla and butterscotch in the bag. After a quick rinse and then steeping, it takes on a more fresh-floral scent, mixed with the minerally notes one often gets from an oolong, and the vanilla scent is still there but less pronounced. On drinking, the tea tastes just like it smells. I can definitely taste the oolong in here. Everything is pretty well balanced. I’m getting an interesting creamy mouthfeel as it cools. Good stuff, and good customer service as well.

Amazing! If you like Oolong and french vanilla you are doing yourself a disservice by not drinking this tea! This is a new staple for me though i have the feeling i will be running out all the time.

Wow heaven in tea. Oolong yes, Vanilla yes together is its almost sinfully good! So glad i went to that famers market otherwise never would have experienced this!
The Tea Merchant　がんばってよ！