SimpliciTEA

_{Backlogging, and based almost entirely on my memory, as I have almost no notes on it}

Experience buying from Seven Cups http://steepster.com/places/2824-seven-cups-online-tucson-arizona

Date of Purchase/Age of Leaf: harvest date: spring 2007; bought Spring 2011; first brewed up not long after getting it.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: like any standard Chinese red tea; very aromatic, almost smoky, and kinda like leather.

Brewing guidelines: Ceramic six-cup teapot, tea in large metallic tea-ball; stevia added.
I brewed this as I do any black tea (see my profile for details).

Color and aroma of tea liquor: < I can’t remember, I may update this the next time I brew this up, if I remember to, that is. >

Flavor of tea liquor: Like leather, but in a positive way (I wish I could better explain that). It has a smokiness similar to Seven Cups Lapsang, but it’s flavors are more subtle, and more complex.

Appearance of wet leaf: I remember being very impressed at the quality of the ‘leaf’, being comprised of mostly full, small-looking buds, with very few stems or broken pieces.

Value: Very pricy at full price (about $13/25grams) but I got it at 70% off (it is no longer available). Although I could not personally justify paying full price, depending on what you want in a tea—and given the fact that you could probably coax at least 5 good steepings out of it—it may even be worth it at full price (esp. as it’s organic).

Overall: This is, hands down, one the the most amazing black/red teas I have ever had (after trying at least a dozen different loose-leaf unflavored black/red teas by now). It may be the very first loose-leaf unflavored black/red teas I ever had, and it still has a special place in my black tea repertoire. The first time I steeped it I believe I steeped it seven times, and it was on the seventh that it finally gave out. I don’t have much of it but I have brewed it up here and there since I bought it. I brewed it up just last week, not long after trying Verdant’s Laoshan Northern Black, and I remember thinking, “This tea gives Verdant’s a good run for the money.” It has staying power, and it’s complex, aromatic, and unique; it’s simply amazing. It doesn’t look like they carry a keemun with this name anymore (with ‘Spring Dawn’ in the name) so this may be the last of this crop. So I’m holding on tightly to what I have.

Experience buying from Jing Tea Shop http://steepster.com/places/2780-jing-tea-shop-on-line—

Age of leaf: I received this tea in early June 2011 and first brewed it that summer (the tea is listed as 2011 early spring harvest).

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: Fairly standard appearance for a Chinese red tea: lots of small, uniformly-colored dark leaves. However, the aroma smells strongly of what must be lychee fruit (I have had a canned version of lychee fruit once with an Asian friend, but I don’t remember much about it, other than it was mildly sweet, had the texture similar to a pear, and had a mild flavor I had never tasted before). This smell of the dry leaf is stronger than I remember the fruit tasting, but I like it.

Brewing guidelines: Traditional ceramic six-cup teapot, with large metallic tea-ball; stevia added.
……….1st: Near boiling; 2’………Great flavor
……….2nd: Nearer boiling; 3’…..Good Flavor
……….3rd: Boiling; 4’……………..Decent flavor
……….4th: Spot-on boiling; 5’…Not much flavor

Color and aroma of tea liquor: nice caramel color; and a light aroma akin to the taste.

Flavor of tea liquor: strong flavor, similar to other Chinese red teas I have had, with the lychee fruit flavor not overpowering, but rather complimenting the standard red tea flavor.

Appearance and aroma of wet leaf: Standard medium-grade chopped leaf; pleasantly aromatic.

Blends well with: I added a tsp of SpecialTeas Java OP to today’s mix and it didn’t seem to interfere with the overall taste.

Value: A great price for $5.20/100g.

Overall: Before today, I had this tea twice, and although I didn’t remember much about it, I remember liking that it was a little different than any other Chinese red tea I have had before. I decided to brew it up today for my wife and I, as I was hoping this tea would be the one Chinese red tea we could both enjoy together. I wasn’t sure what she would think of it, because she doesn’t seem to be too fond of Chinese red teas: she tried one Lapsang, at least one Keemun (I have two), and she may have even tried a Yunnan—none of which she liked. : ( And, of course, as I myself bought them, I enjoy drinking them all! Now it happens that, although she likes just about any flavored black tea she has tried (most, if not all, of which, I believe, are artificially flavored; I prefer teas that are not), I prefer Chinese red teas (I just checked the description on Jing Tea Shop’s website, and it simply describes this tea as ‘flavored’. So I don’t know if it’s artificially flavored or not. I was assuming it wasn’t. Bummer. I may want to eventually email them to find out). So, after brewing it up, with my fingers crossed, I give her her cup, and she sips, and sips again, I try to act nonchalant while watching her reaction, as she makes one of those faces we make when we think we like something but we’re not sure, she begins to slowly nod her head in affirmation, and says, “I like it.” Phew! Funny, but since I know she doesn’t like Chinese black teas I didn’t tell her up front what it was, so, I waited until she had tried enough of it to confirm her initial impression before telling her that it was a Chinese red tea (this happens on occasion when I want her to try a new tea). Luckily, I too was also impressed with the flavor (not too overpowering on the lychee fruit flavor). So now we can enjoy a Chinese red tea together! Ahh, the work we go through to get our close ones to enjoy tea with us. In the long run, it’s worth it, though, wouldn’t you agree? : – )

_{Backlogging, and based on my notes and on a fairly recent tasting}

Experience buying from Jing Tea Shop http://steepster.com/places/2780-jing-tea-shop-on-line—

Age of leaf: I received this tea in early June 2011 and brewed it as soon as I got it (the tea is listed as 2011 early spring harvest).

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: Standard look and aroma of any other quality Long Jing I have seen: deep-green sword-shaped leaves, with a fresh, nutty, and some other pleasant aroma that is both hearty and light.

Brewing guidelines: Glass Bodum pot, leaf free to roam; stevia added.
……….1st: 170; 1’…….Mild, but good: sweet, vegetal, nutty
……….2nd: 175; 1.5’….Decent amount of flavor
……….3rd: 180; 2’……..Very mild flavor
……….4th: 185; 2.5’…..Not much flavor

Color and aroma of tea liquor: Very light green in color; mild, standard Long Jing aroma.

Flavor of tea liquor: My wife and I both like the sweet, nutty and vegetal flavor of this green tea.

Appearance and aroma of wet leaf: Impressive, especially for the price. This seems to be from a true Mao Feng (two leaves and a bud) pluck. Leaves on top during all steepings.

Blends well with: I have blended this with much success with at least one other green tea.

Value: About the best price I have found for a decent Long Jing, at about $2/oz.

Overall: This tea literally has a front row place on our teas shelf due to the solid position it holds in our green tea retinue: it is well priced, composed of fresh, good-looking leaf, and fairs well enough in the flavor department. Until recently (due to tasting lots of samples and getting new teas) we have been drinking this tea regularly. I plan to start brewing it more regularly again, and I will likely buy more of it if-and-when I make a purchase from Jing Tea Shop after the 2012 spring green teas become available.

_{OK, almost 40 mins for that last one, lets try again! … Well, then again, it turns out that this was not a good one to try to rush through!}

_{Backlogging, and based almost entirely on my notes}

Experience buying from Harney and Sons http://steepster.com/places/2779-harney-and-sons-online-millerton-new-york

Age of leaf: Lot # 11203: puts ”production” at end of June of 2011 (although according to their website, all their Japanese tea is from previous years harvest). I brewed it about three weeks after receiving it.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: They say enough for 3-4 cups, but, although I don’t know how to measure this tea, as it is incredibly dense (lots of small, chopped bits), for many reasons I believe this was enough for a full pot of 6-7 cups (at least by my standards), so I believe this was at least a half an ounce, if not more. Very small cut pieces (as advertised), color and smell similar to Harney and Son’s Gyokuro, but not as dark, and not as sweet smelling.

Brewing guidelines: Glass Bodum pot, with metal infuser/plunger; stevia added.
_{Please see my profile if you are interested in my reasons why I steep the way I do}
……….1st: 155; 1.5’…. Very strong grassy flavor (mostly like spinach).
……….2nd: 160; 1’…….More cloudy, more astringent, and not as sweet, but still lots of flavor.
……….3rd: 147; 45"…..Sweeter, and best taste yet!
……….4th: 152; 2.5’….Very dark and cloudy, good flavor.
……….5th: 162; ???’…Not as cloudy, and still flavor!

Color and aroma of tea liquor: bright lime green color (similar to Gyokuro); like any other quality Japanese tea, some of the smallest bits make it through the holes in my Bodum press to henceforth sit on the bottom of my pot (I guess they don’t like being held captive?). The nerve!

Flavor of tea liquor: I enjoyed it, but my wife did not like it’s spinach-like flavor. (Note: it became sweeter and more astringent when cooled).

Appearance of wet leaf: Like just about every quality Japanese tea I have had so far, it looked a lot like cut grass (I have cleaned many lawnmower and this looks a lot like the grass clippings! Upon second inspection, it is a lighter green color than the cut grass I remember). There are a few large pieces of stems mixed in with the “clippings.”

Value: For a sample, great, considering what I got for $2 (it is roughly $10/oz otherwise).

Overall: Per my notes, this was an adventure in brewing and tasting (probably the most fun time steeping a green tea I have ever had)! This tea stood up amazingly well to different times and temperatures all the while maintaining flavor throughout (with little astringency); having more experience with Japanese greens since then, this is very surprising, as my understanding is that you are lucky to get three good steepings out of one. I noted that I felt unusually calm and centered on the day I drank this (Because of lots of theanine? Who knows …). I even ate some of these leaves, and although I am not a fan of cooked spinach, I liked it! The more I read over my notes, and think back on my experience with this tea, the more I think I will have to revisit this tea sometime in the near future! Thank you Harney and Sons, Japan and the green tea industry over there for allowing me to experience this tea!

_{So I can get through all the review of about 30+ teas I have tried last year, but not reviewed, I have set a goal of doing about one every 10 minutes or so for the next hour and a half or so. Here I go!}

_{Backlogging, and based almost entirely on my memory}

Experience buying from @Ashley: I bought this tea from Ashley when she was selling all of her tea. I received the tea quickly through the mail and my package was filled with many surprises. Thank you Ashley!

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: A combination of fine and larger dark bits of tea and other things; strongly smells of a spicy chai; lovely!

Brewing guidelines: Ceramic sixteen-oz cup and lid, tea in metal basket strainer; stevia added.
Based on feedback provided by this community (thank you LiberTEAS and SimplyJenW for your replies to a question I had earlier this winter!), I heat a few ounces of milk (currently unsweetened soy) in my wife’s ceramic cup just before pouring the water. I still remember the response from someone (SimplyJenW?) that steeping it with the milk (rather than adding it later), makes it all feel as if they all belong together. I love that viewpoint!
_{Please see my profile if you are interested in my reasons why I steep the way I do}
……….1st: Near boiling; 2’
……….2nd: Nearer boiling; 3’
……….3rd: Boiling; 4’
……….4th: Spot-on boiling; 5’

Color and aroma of tea liquor: The color seems to be different than the other chai’s (we have a bunch of different ones now) when mixed with milk: it looks richer, somehow. I like this! Smells as good as any chai with milk.

Flavor of tea liquor: I have had only had a few sips of this (so then, why am I writing this review then? Huh? ^Huh!? I don’t know! I guess because my wife’s not a writer, per se, and so I don’t think she would ever do it!?), but I remember it being rich and tasty. I believe this is still tasty through four steepings.

Blends well with: I would think this would blend well with any other chai.

Value: I don’t find the teas of 52Teas to be priced to fit within our budget, but for someone who wants a unique tea delivered to their doorstep I think 52Teas’ standard charge of $9/2oz (delivery included) is reasonable.

Overall: As I allude to above, I got this more for my wife than for myself (she loves chai). It’s possibly the best chai we have on hand. I know she likes it (she asked for it just last night). We both love that its decaf, and I love that it’s a handcrafted tea!

_{Backlogging (so, based almost entirely on my notes)}

Experience buying from @Ashley: I bought this tea from Ashley in the fall of 2011 when she was selling all of her tea. I received the tea quickly through the mail and my package was filled with many surprises. Thank you Ashley!

Date of steeping: I steeped this up not long after I got it.

Aroma of dry leaf: Smells good: vanilla.

Brewing guidelines: 1 tsp tea, 1 cup water. Ceramic eight-oz cup, tea in metallic basket strainer, stevia added.
……….1st: Near Boiling, semi-warmed cup; 2’…Wonderful!
……….2nd: Boiling, warmed cup; 3’……………….. Delicious!
……….3rd: Boiling, warmed cup; 4’…………………Less flavor, but still good.
……….4th: Boiling, hot cup; 6’………………………..Not much flavor.

Color and aroma of tea liquor: Dark brown color; smells like freshly made waffle cones!

Flavor of tea liquor: I love the taste: rich, delicious vanilla flavor, with a possible chocolate note hiding in there: it’s like eating a fresh waffle cone!

Overall: What I remember most about this tea (having brewed it up about two to three months ago) is the aroma that filled the kitchen when I brewed it up: it made me feel like I was in an ice cream shop smelling freshly made waffle cones! I guess the vanilla flavoring gives it this wonderful aroma? Anyway, I will have to try to remember to buy some of this tea the next time I order from H&S: it definitely ROCKS!

Experience buying from Teavana online http://steepster.com/places/2822-teavana-online-atlanta-georgia

Date of Purchase: Purchased at their 2011 end-of-year sale at a discount, and brewed up my first cup right away.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: Pretty,: a few light-caramel-colored leaves mixed in with mostly dark chocolate-brown leaves; a little sweet, and like any standard Indian black tea, not too aromatic, and definitely not as yummy as it tastes.

Brewing guidelines: Ceramic cup and lid, tea in metal basket strainer; stevia added.
……….1st: Off boiling, mildly warmed cup; 2’ …Awesome!
……….2nd: Near boiling, warmed cup; 3’…….Still Awesome!
……….3rd: Boiling, warmed cup; 4’…………….Great!
……….4th: Boiling, very warmed cup; 7’………Still good flavor!
……….5th: Spot on Boiling, hot cup; 10’ ……..Oh, well, just mild flavor.

Aroma of tea liquor: < later >

Flavor of tea liquor: I really liked the flavor of this Assam. I am still new to the unflavored black arena, but this tea reminds me of a good Yunnan in that it was sweet and carmel-y; I think full bodied applies here, too. Oh, and I just remembered the malty question (“How do you describe what malty tastes like?”) I asked on Steepster a while back; I remember LiberTEAS (and others) trying to help me to understand what malty truly tastes like (like the wort of pre-fermented beer, OR bread-y, yeast-y; these all helped), and I remember someone suggesting to try a good Assam. Well, here it is, but I’m not certain I am any wiser. Next time I brew this up (I am writing this up a day after drinking it), I need to sit down and really take in the flavor of this Assam and pay attention to what comes up for me. Next time.

Appearance of wet leaf: Looks like mid-grade Indian leaf to me, although it says, FTGFOP-1. Really? It doesn’t look much better than the leaf in a Java OP I have. I guess I don’t know much about the grading system of Indian black teas, either. Which begs the question, what do I know, anyway? : p

Value: This tea is less than $1/oz at 75% off the original price (I am estimating it was about $3/oz.). I think full price isn’t even that far off the mark, considering the flavor.

Overall: This is what I consider to be my first Assam (although I have very likely had one before, and I didn’t know it at the time). A minor note: It gave the inside of my white ceramic cup a light chocolate colored stain that I don’t think any of the other black teas have done (but I guess I normally steep black tea in my traditional ceramic teapot, so doing it in a cup is kinda new for me, and said tea did sit for a while during at least one steeping). I admit I wasn’t expecting much out of this tea, as I get the impression the Assam’s are the run-of-the-mill Indian black teas. Well, either I am dead wrong (happens often enough) or this is an exceptional Assam, for, this … tea … ROCKS! I love the sweetness, and the caramel flavor. I am impressed that it yielded four good steepings. I look forward to brewing this up again (and I wish I had bought more, now that it’s sold out!).

_{I am striving to get these reviews written as soon as I can, which means it may initially be missing some data which I hope to supply later.}

Experience buying from Teavana online http://steepster.com/places/2822-teavana-online-atlanta-georgia

Date of Purchase/Age of Leaf: Purchased at their 2011 end-of-year sale at a discount, and brewed up my first pot right away; no information on date of harvest available (I don’t like that they can’t—or won’t—tell me the harvest date on their green teas, and I don’t like to admit it, but it’s honestly a little annoying to me).

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: I was in the store a few days prior to buying this tea online, and when I looked at it and smelled it, I thought it was a Huang Shan Mao Feng (it’s not a part of Teavana’s name for this tea, but it looked like one to me). I asked about it, the sales associate looked it up, and she verified that it was indeed a Huang Shan Mao Feng (HSMF). Having said that, this tea looks and smells like any other HSMF: wiry, slightly twisted leaves, with a somewhat sour smelling vegetal aroma overlaid with some smokiness (Although I generally like the appearance and the taste of HSMF, I don’t really care for the smell of any of them).

Brewing guidelines: Glass Bodum pot with metal infuser/plunger. Stevia added.
……….1st: 170; 1’
……….2nd: 175; 1.5’
……….3rd: 180; 2’
……….4th: 185; 2.5’

Aroma of tea liquor: < later >

Flavor of tea liquor: Sweet, mildly vegetal, and surprisingly smooth; I don’t think there was any smokiness, either (my wife does NOT like smoky green teas, and so she normally does not like HSMFs, but she liked this one). No astringency or bite in it what-so-ever. Yet, I don’t think it had great flavor on the forth steeping.

Appearance and aroma of wet leaf: The leaf in this tea was not as impressive as the leaf in the Golden Jade (it had a few broken pieces), but it was still clearly from a quality pluck; standard vegetal aroma.

Value: This tea is a steal at 75% off the original price (what they state as $9/oz.) → $2.25/oz.

Overall: I suspect that this tea is some slightly lower grade version of their HSMF Reserve (which goes for $10/oz.), and that they don’t want to discontinue this tea, so they just renamed it, and put it on sale (they did not carry this tea until their end-of-year sale. Interesting, huh?). One piece of evidence to support this: the picture for both teas is EXACTLY the same on their website. Anyway, it doesn’t really matter. What matters most is that this is an exquisite tea for those who want a sweet green tea without the normal vegetal/astringent notes that are commonly present in Chinese green teas. And it is sweet. I look forward to brewing it up as a treat every now and then this winter.

_{Backlogging (and based almost entirely on my long term memory)}

Experience buying from Teavana http://steepster.com/places/2895-teavana-st-louis-missouri

Packaging: this tea was bought in-store in one of their tall, oval, brownish-colored 8-oz tins (as were the previous three Teavana teas I recently reviewed). They are definitely good tins for storing any light and fluffy, or really leafy teas in (like just about any white tea, or a tea that needs lots of storage space, like a HSMF).

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: Very aromatic.

Brewing guidelines: Traditional ceramic six-cup teapot, with large metallic tea-ball. Stevia added.
……….1st: 160; 2’
……….2nd: 165; 3’
……….3rd: 170; 4’
……….4th: 175; 5’
……….5th: 180; 6’

Color of tea liquor: a clear pink color, almost like pink lemonade!

Flavor of tea liquor: Light and fruity.

Blends well with: I almost always blended this with Teavana’s Snow Peak Downy Tips, and they complimented each other very well.

Value: I can’t remember the details on the cost, but I know it was a good price at 75% off.

Overall: This tea looks, smells, and tastes good. It is a great accompaniment to any tea to give it a fruity kick! We have a little of this left, and I look forward to using up the rest.

_{Backlogging (and, based almost entirely on my longer term memory)}

Experience buying from Teavana http://steepster.com/places/2895-teavana-st-louis-missouri

Date of Purchase/Age of Leaf: Purchased at their 2010 end of year sale at a discount, and brewed up during much of 2011.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: At first it looked (and smelled) just like a green tea to me, but later I was able to tell a few differences: it’s lighter in color, and has a more fruity scent than a green tea. Although it looks nothing like Silver needles, or Bai Mu Dan, it is an attractive looking tea.

Brewing guidelines: six-cup ceramic teapot, tea in large, metal tea-ball; stevia added (parameters below are all from memory)
……….1st: 160; 2’
……….2nd: 165; 3’
……….3rd: 170; 4’
……….4th: 175; 5’
……….5th: 180; 6’

Color and aroma of tea liquor: a very light soft-pink color; pleasantly fruity aroma.

Flavor of tea liquor: pleasant: light and surprisingly fruity for an unflavored white tea.

Appearance and aroma of wet leaf: not very impressive looking (similar to Teavana’s Three Kingdoms Mao Feng): the leaf was pale and shriveled looking, and had lots of broken leaves, a number of bits and stems, and very few whole leaves or buds.

Blends well with: This blended very well with one of Teavana’s flavored white tea blends: Emerald Bamboo Forest.

Value: Expensive at regular price ($6/oz), but reasonable at 75% off, or $1.50/oz, which is what we paid for it.

Overall: I am not certain what kind of white tea this is (as it seems to be neither Silver needles nor or Bai Mu Dan), but it was tasty. Their description says it was grown amongst fruit trees (peach, I think), and the flavor certainly seems to demonstrate this. We often enjoyed this tea in the evening. I bought way too much of it last year, thinking at the time that white tea had high levels of theanine in it, as many green teas do, but this didn’t seem to be the case, at least not with this tea. Luckily, I was able to give lots of this tea away to a friend whom seems to appreciate it. One interesting thing to note: when I first bought this tea I was able to get three or four good steepings out of it. But, recently, the second steeping has an odd taste to it: not stale, but more like bitterness. So, I guess that’s what happens when this tea gets too old (even while carefully storing it, as I do all of my teas). That’s OK though, I enjoyed it while it was still fresh (and a lesson learned about not buying too much white tea!).

_{Backlogging (and, based almost entirely on my longer term memory. This one, too, has been a long time coming …)}

Experience buying from Teavana http://steepster.com/places/2895-teavana-st-louis-missouri

Date of Purchase/Age of Leaf: Purchased at their 2010 end of year sale at a discount, and brewed up during most of 2011.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: pretty standard for a decent quality green tea: nice looking medium-sized dark-green leaves, with a sweet vegetal aroma.

Brewing guidelines: Glass Bodum pot with metal infuser/plunger; stevia added.
……….1st: 170; 1’
……….2nd: 175; 1.5’
……….3rd: 180; 2’
……….4th: 185; 2.5’

Color and aroma of tea liquor: A clear yellow, tinged with green.

Flavor of tea liquor: A good sweet, vegetal flavor. It always held up well through three steepings (which is my standard number of steepings for my daily green teas).

Appearance of wet leaf: After buying and analyzing the leaves of unflavored green teas from Tea Trekker and Seven Cups, I noticed how most of the leaves and buds of the teas from those tea retailers were unbroken, and very fresh looking (even their older teas which I got on sale). So when I looked more closely at the leaves of this tea from Teavana I was surprised to see that the color of the leaves was a little pale, and that there were a number of bits and broken leaves, not many buds or bud sets, and quite a few stems (the teas from Seven Cups and Tea Trekker had almost none). I don’t exactly know how that affects the overall taste, if it does at all, but I suspect smaller/broken pieces won’t keep as long as there is overall greater surface area which can be exposed to air. But then again, who knows? Maybe it doesn’t matter. At least it didn’t seem to affect that taste.

Blends well with: I often blended this with other higher quality/fresher green teas, and it gladly took backstage to support the more noteworthy flavors of the accompanying tea!

Value: Although it is no longer available, it was not bad even at its regular price (I think it was a little less than $4/oz), but at the 50-75% discount, this tea was a bargain.

Overall: This was more or less the standard unflavored green tea I brewed up for much of 2011, and I am grateful for it’s exposing me to what a decent green tea has to offer. It was not finicky, had no off-tastes, or was ever astringent. Although I have a little of this left, having in the intervening months learned much about what to look for in a quality green, I have since moved on to other teas (strange, but in a way I feel like someone who just ‘dumped’ this tea for another. : – } ). Still, Teavana’s Three Kingdoms Mao Feng was my my first reasonable-quality, pleasant-tasting, loose-leaf green tea, and I will never forget it for the joy it gave me (I almost feel like I am giving an epitaph! Weird …).

This was my very first experience buying from a Teavana, and I will never forget it. It was the day after Christmas, my wife and I were walking in the mall, and she (not me) noticed Teavana had a 50% off sale. It never occurred to me to go into their store, as their teas are all beyond my price range. We met the best tea sales person I have ever met (Sean), bought four tins of tea at 50% off, and we walked out happy (and remained happy), having bought the Three Kingdoms Mao Feng and The Citron Sinota without even having tried them (A big risk, that happened to pay off). Anyway, it was a joyful experience, and I want log it as such. ; – )

_{Backlogging (and based almost entirely on my longer term memory)}

Experience buying from Teavana http://steepster.com/places/2895-teavana-st-louis-missouri

Date of Purchase/Age of Leaf: Purchased at their 2010 end of year sale at a discount, and brewed up during all of 2011.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: Lots of little colorful bits of fruit and flavorings; strong citrus aroma.

Brewing guidelines: Glass Bodum pot with metal infuser/plunger. Stevia added.
……….1st: 170; 1’
……….2nd: 175; 1.5’
……….3rd: 180; 2’
……….4th: 185; 2.5’

Aroma of tea liquor: Citrus-y!

Flavor of tea liquor: light and citrus-y.

Appearance and aroma of wet leaf: Since this is a blended tea, I never really looked that closely at the base tea in it.

Blends well with: I have blended this with many an unflavored green tea with much success.

Value: They don’t sell this anymore, but I think it was about $3.50/oz, and we got some for 50% off, then later more at 75% off. It is worth it at either discounted price.

Overall: I like just about everything about this tea: its appearance, its aroma, its flavor. Interestingly enough after about 9 months (even while doing my best to safeguard the tea from heat, light and moisture by keeping it in one of their tins), the tea liquor started to have a kind of stale taste to it (maybe a better description is, it started to taste, flat). After brewing it at least once on its own when I first bought it, I used it frequently to flavor many of my other unflavored green teas. This is a tea I consider to be amongst the better flavored green teas.

Experience buying from Teavana Online http://steepster.com/places/2822-teavana-online-atlanta-georgia

Age of leaf: No information available on website.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: very fluffy and light; a mixture of both moderately sized light-green and dark-green leaves with a light brown leaf mixed in here and there; vegetal, and sweet—like a quality Chinese black tea.

Brewing guidelines: Loose in glass Bodum pot. Stevia added.
……….1st: 170; 1’
……….2nd: 175; 1.5’
……….3rd: 180; 2’
……….4th: 185; 2.5’

Color and aroma of tea liquor: amber, with a yellow/green hue (if that’s possible; maybe it’s just my knowing that this is predominately a green tea).

Flavor of tea liquor: very unusual for a ‘green’ tea; the flavor provided by the black tea leaves seems to take front stage, but there is still a vegetal flavor. Maintained good flavor though four steepings.

Appearance and aroma of wet leaf: Very high quality pluck: lots of whole leaves, buds, and bud sets, with very few pieces; smells vegetal, and dare I say, sour?

Blends well with: I would imagine this to blend well with many standard tasting green and Chinese black teas.

Value: Expensive at full price ($9/oz), but definitely worth buying at Teavana’s 50-75% off sale ($2.25/oz)

Overall: A year ago, when I first encountered this tea, I remember the Teavana salesman telling me that there is about one black leaf per every six green leaves; and now looking more closely at this tea that seems to be true. It is interesting, because the flavor of the black leaves seems to predominate in the taste. For black tea lovers (like myself, albeit a fairly new convert), the strong presence of a quality Chinese black tea in the flavor is definitely good; it seems to be a well balanced tea where the vegetal green tea flavors co-mingle nicely with the sweet/caramel-y notes (which take center stage). My wife did not care for the first two steepings (she is not a big fan of unflavored black teas), but she thought the third steeping was OK. Although this tea did not have a standard green tea flavor profile, I really enjoyed it. It is pretty amazing that this marriage works out, as I brewed it at normal green tea temperatures, which are considerably lower than what a Chinese black normally calls for. Teavana usually discontinues any teas they put on sale, but it looks like they’re keeping this one around. I’m glad, as it’s definitely a keeper.

Experience buying from Teavana Online http://steepster.com/places/2822-teavana-online-atlanta-georgia

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: It has a very strong citrus scent, which I really like. It doesn’t look like there is much green rooibos tea in here, but it may be that much of the tea is on the bottom of the bag I am currently using; lot’s of apple bits.

Brewing guidelines: four tsp tea, four cups water; six-cup ceramic teapot, tea in large, metal tea-ball; stevia added.
……….1st: Off boil, slightly warmed pot; 2’
……….2nd: Boiling, warmed pot; 4’
……….3rd: Spot on boiling, warmed pot, 8’

Color and aroma of tea liquor: light yellow color, mild lemon scent.

Flavor of tea liquor: The lemon flavor is strong: we could both easily discern a lemon note on the middle of our tongues (is this where the taste buds that detect citrus-y flavors, are?). This tea reminds us both of Teavana’s Citron Green tea blend, which is a tea we have both enjoyed.

Blends well with: I would think, because the flavor is not too strong, that it would blend well with many different teas that don’t conflict with a lemon flavor.

Value: Great at 50-75% off the regular price (same as Teavana’s Zocolatte Spice: $1.70 for 2oz at 75% off).

Overall: Even more than the Zocolatte Spice, my wife and I both enjoyed this tea from start to finish. It has a great aroma and very refreshing flavor. Yet, as with the Zocolatte Spice, I think it may take more than one tsp of tea per cup of water to give it as strong a flavor as we would like, which is why I wouldn’t want to pay full price for this tea; still, luckily I bought lots of this tea on sale, so, I look forward to brewing up this delicious lemon lime tea all throughout the year!

Experience buying from Teavana Online http://steepster.com/places/2822-teavana-online-atlanta-georgia

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: Lots of light and dark brown bits, with a delightful splash of red color from the peppercorns; strong smell: like chai, but with chocolate notes.

Brewing guidelines: four tsp tea, four cups water; six-cup ceramic teapot, tea in large, metal tea-ball; stevia added.
……….1st: Off boil, slightly warmed pot; 2’
……….2nd: Boiling, warmed pot; ~4’
……….3rd: Spot on boiling, warmed pot, 7’

Color and aroma of tea liquor: light brown; I though it would have been darker; smells strongly of clove (even on third steeping).

Flavor of tea liquor: My wife and I both like the taste of this tea, which tasted somewhat like a chocolat-y chai, but lighter tasting; still some flavor on the third steeping.

Blends well with: For those that like chocolate, I would think this tea would be a great addition to any chai.

Value: Great at 50-75% off the regular price (it’s $1.70 for 2 oz at 75% off).

Overall: My wife and I both enjoyed this tea from start to finish. I think it may take more than one tsp of tea per cup of water to give it as strong a flavor as we would like, and that’s why I wouldn’t want to pay full price for this tea; still, I look forward to brewing up this no-caffeine tisane on cold evenings throughout the winter!

_{Backlogging (so, based almost entirely on my notes: this review has been a long time coming …)}

Experience buying from SpecialTeas http://steepster.com/places/2931-specialteas-online-stratford-connecticut

Age of leaf: I do not know because I ordered over the phone, and, alas, did not ask.

Packaging: The two pounds of tea was packaged in a fairly standard looking sturdy silver-colored plastic bag with a small label containing the name and weight of the tea.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: The same as Teavana’s Yunnan Emerald Buds: a mixture of both very light-green and dark-green smallish leaves; very aromatic: vegetal with a strong smoky overtone, and a hint of licorice.

Brewing guidelines: This is all from memory of brewing it on occasion over the last year: glass Bodum pot with metal infuser/plunger. Stevia added.
……….1st: 180; 1’
……….2nd: 185; 1.5’
……….3rd: 190; 2’
……….4th: 195; 2.5’

Color and aroma of tea liquor: pale yellow and somewhat cloudy: not very inviting looking for a green tea; mild aroma.

Flavor of tea liquor: about the same as the leaves smell, but not as strong: vegetal, and slightly smoky with a note of licorice. I remember that I would have a slight dry-mouth feeling after drinking this tea (as with Teavana’s) which I think is attributable to some astringency in it; it’s not overwhelming, just worth noting as I don’t find that I get this with any of the other greens I normally drink.

Appearance and aroma of wet leaf: Standard chopped leaf: medium to small pale green looking pieces of leaves and buds, with a fair amount of stems; not very fresh looking; mild aroma similar to dried leaves.

Blends well with: This blended nicely with at least one Huang Shan Mao Feng.

Value: Awesome at $9.99 for 2 pounds; that’s about 32 cents an ounce. Not bad, huh!?

Overall: I believe this is the same tea as Teavana’s Yunnan Emerald Buds, so my description of each are almost identical. I tried steeping this tea a number of times to find the best temperature to coax out the most flavor, and finally found that it needs to be steeped hotter than your standard green (start at 180 rather then 170). Based strictly on memory of when I first tried this tea at the beginning of last year, I remember the flavor overall being mild, and don’t think it had very much flavor at all on the third (let alone forth) steeping. Otherwise, it seems to be the same as Teavana’s: a standard green tea vegetal flavor with a slightly smoky overtone and a hint of liquorish added in at the end. Although mild, a fairly standard—albeit interesting tasting—green tea.

Experience buying from Teavana Online http://steepster.com/places/2822-teavana-online-atlanta-georgia I need to update that review to include my new purchase experience, which was generally positive.

Age of leaf: No information available on website.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: a mixture of both very light-green and dark-green smallish leaves; very aromatic: vegetal with a strong smoky overtone, and a hint of licorice.

Brewing guidelines: Glass Bodum pot with metal infuser/plunger. Stevia added. For reasons I mention below I went with higher-than-normal temperatures.
……….1st: 180; 1’
……….2nd: 185; 1.5’
……….3rd: 190; 2’
……….4th: 195; 2.5’

Color and aroma of tea liquor: pale yellow and somewhat cloudy: not very inviting looking for a green tea; mild aroma.

Flavor of tea liquor: about the same as the leaves smell, but not as strong: vegetal, with smoky and licorice notes. I noticed that I had a slight dry-mouth feeling after drinking the second steeping, which I think is attributable to some astringency in the tea; not overwhelming, just worth noting as I don’t get this with the greens I normally drink.

Appearance and aroma of wet leaf: Standard chopped leaf: medium to small pale green looking pieces of leaves and buds, with a fair amount of stems; not very fresh looking; mild aroma similar to dried leaves.

Blends well with: I imagine this would blend well with any other smoky green—like a Huang Shan Mao Feng.

Value: Expensive at full price ($4.90/oz), but worth buying at Teavana’s 75% off sale. Interestingly enough, even at the sale price it is still about three times what the SpecialTeas version was going for (on sale) last year.

Overall: Based on the name, the appearance, the aroma, and the taste of this tea (and the fact that Teavana bought out SpecialTeas about a year ago), I strongly suspect that this tea is basically the same tea as SpecialTeas China Green Yunnan Silver Tips (which I still have from about a year ago). SpecialTeas Yunnan Silver Tips seemed to give it’s best flavor at higher temperatures (that’s why I decided to go with the higher temperatures on this tea). The Teavana version is probably from a newer harvest (I hope so, at least) than the SpecialTeas version, and it does seem to fair better on the third steeping than the SpecialTeas version, and this version was surprisingly smooth tasting and still had decent flavor on the third (if I can reproduce that the next time I steep this tea remains to be seen, though); this impressed me, as the third steeping of many green teas usually don’t have that much flavor to speak of, and this third steeping wasn’t astringent tasting either (although I had that somewhat odd dry-mouth sensation). So, what stands out most about this tea? the licorice flavor (and that it had good flavor on the third steeping). All of that said, I am still amazed that this tea is three times the price of the SpecialTeas version (at 75% off it cost me $9.99 for two pounds of it). This only reminds me of the unfortunate event of SpecialTeas going out of business. Oh well. At least SpecialTeas very existence was (and still is) a testament that tea retailers can produce teas that are as good as Teavana for a much better price. Hail to SpecialTeas!

Experience buying from Harney & Sons http://steepster.com/places/2779-harney-and-sons-online-millerton-new-york

Age of leaf: from memory: reasonably fresh lot #, bought in later summer 2011, brewed up a month or two after I got it.

Packaging: In a sealed silver bag inside one of their standard tins.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: Similar in appearance to Teavana’s Three Kingdoms Mao Feng, but smaller leaves; standard green tea aroma with some other interesting smell I could not pin down.

Brewing guidelines: Glass Bodum pot with metal infuser/plunger. Stevia added.
……….1st: 173; 1’
……….2nd: 178; 1.5’
……….3rd: 182; 2’
……….4th: 185; 2.5’

Color and aroma of tea liquor: Golden yellow; mild sweet aroma.

Flavor of tea liquor: good, sweet flavor, with little to no astringency. Not much flavor on the third and forth steepings.

Appearance and aroma of wet leaf: Dark green, chopped leaves with a number of brown stems/twigs, but otherwise decent looking; fresh vegetal aroma.

Blends well with: I bet this tea would blend very well with just about any other green tea (it blended reasonably well with a few flavored greens I had).

Value: No longer on their website, but it was about $3/oz; not a great price for this tea, but not too bad, either.

Overall: I just finished the last of this today (to make room for all of the new tea I recently bought). I enjoyed this tea. Although I have never seen the likes of the brown twigs in the leaf, the flavor was good. It is definitely a solid green tea.

_{Backlogging (so based almost entirely on my notes from late summer 2011; I think I previously had something written electronically and stored about this tea but it was accidentally deleted. Bummer.)}

Experience buying from Harney & Sons http://steepster.com/places/2779-harney-and-sons-online-millerton-new-york

Age of leaf: I don’t have it in my notes, but I remember that all of the samples from H&S I bought over the summer of 2011 had a relatively recent lot # on them.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: Amazing. Looks like pine needles; the aroma was both very unusual and yet familiar, definitely fresh and good: possibly like pine needles?

Brewing guidelines: Loose in glass Bodum pot, Stevia added.
……….1st: 170; 1.5’
……….2nd: 172; 1.75’
< I only see two steepings in my notes, but I am certain I did at least four steepings, as I almost always do the first time I steep a new green >

Color and aroma of tea liquor: Light green, (and I don’t have it in my notes, but I think it had an aroma I really liked).

Flavor of tea liquor: Note after second steeping, “still incredible flavor, fresh, spring, incredible”

Appearance and aroma of wet leaf: “looks fresh, smell eludes me: vegetal, but some other smell is beneath it, hiding from me!”

Value: VERY expensive ($20/oz), but definitely worth trying once as a sample (it was only $2, as all of their samples were, but now it’s either $3 or $4).

Overall: Based solely on memory, this was the most amazing green tea I have ever had. I have had nothing since to match it (although some of Verdant’s green teas come close). It was so amazing, when I originally sat down to write the review, sipping at it and taking in its amazing flavor, wrestling with how to describe it, I was moved to write this little piece (I had to really dig to find it, but thankfully I finally did. I think I made edits to a version of this that was lost. Again, bummer). I hope you will allow me to share it with you as a tribute to this incredible tea:
I imagine my wife and I, having wandered peacefully along a mountainous-forested path, discover ahead a clearing, and finally, a ridge. As we approach hand in hand we stop at the rim, and wonder at the beauty of the deeply forested mountain range that stretches away from us, quietly giving way in the distance to a hazy multicolored landscape as it meets the azure sky. Then, closing our eyes, we slowly and deeply take in the scent of pine, feeling the firm yet moist earth beneath our feet. And, upon hearing a beautiful song, we look out and into the windswept vista before us. Tiny movements catch our eye as we look skyward to witness the graceful song sparrow with her colorful mate, both spinning and weaving, freely trilling out their bliss at the wonder of the day as they soar up, up into the deep blue sky. And we, simple beings bereft of the gift of flight, allow ourselves to be transported with them, sharing in the simple joy of being alive.

_{Backlogging (so, based almost entirely on my notes)}

Experience buying from @Ashley: I bought this tea from Ashley when she was selling all of her tea. I received the tea quickly through the mail and my package was filled with many surprises. Thank you Ashley!

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: I remember really liking the aroma.

Brewing guidelines: I used a metal basket strainer inside a ceramic 16 oz. cup, such that I put a lid over the top to keep the heat in. Cup was warmed before steeping. Stevia added.
I did four steepings, probably with my standard green tea parameters.

Aroma of tea liquor: Strong, and awesome! A quote I noted from my wife when she walked into the kitchen after brewing it, “I smell apples!”

Flavor of tea liquor: Very impressive flavor.

Overall: This one surprised us both. We didn’t think it would actually taste like apple pie, but it clearly did (really surprising with green tea as the base). Way to go, David!

_{Backlogging (so, based almost entirely on my notes)}

Not much to say here (I have very few notes), but I do remember liking it. I brewed it at 160 for 2 minutes, and it was good. Not the best tasting of the David’sTeas batch of samples that Ashley sent me with my order, but still good.

_{Backlogging (so, based almost entirely on my notes)}

Experience buying from @Ashley: I bought this tea from Ashley when she was selling all of her tea. I received the tea quickly through the mail and my package was filled with many surprises. Thank you Ashley!

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: Decorative: tiny colorful candy-like stars mixed in with rooibos; very aromatic, very good!

Brewing guidelines: I used a metal basket strainer inside a ceramic 16 oz. cup, such that I put a lid over the top to keep the heat in. Cup was warmed before steeping. Stevia added.
…………….1st: two minutes off boiling (heated cup); 2’
…………….2nd: near boiling (heated); 4’
…………….3rd: boiling (heated); 6’
…………….4th: boiling (heated); 10’

Flavor: Great! It had good flavor right through the forth steeping.

Overall: I have very few notes about this tea, but I do remember really liking the taste and the aroma. I would be happy to try this tea again!

_{Backlogging (so, based almost entirely on my notes)}

Experience buying from China Cha Dao: < more later, but positive overall, with some reservations >

Age of leaf: Stated as harvested in spring 2011, received in late fall, brewed up not long after.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: Looked and smelled like other Dragon Well teas I have had.

Brewing guidelines: 2 tsp tea, 2 cups water.Loose in glass Bodum pot. Stevia added.
……….1st: 170; 1’
……….2nd: 175; 1.5’
……….3rd: 180; 2’
……….4th: 185-190; 2.5’

Aroma of tea liquor: Good, sweet smell.

Flavor of tea liquor: Familiar Dragon Well flavor. Held up fairly well though four steepings.

Appearance and aroma of wet leaf: < no notes here >

Value: moderately priced at about $4/oz.

Overall: Nothing stood out about the tea. It is about as good as other Dragon Wells I have had for a much better price (Jing Teas Shop). I wish I could say more.

_{Backlogging (so, based almost entirely on my notes)}

Experience buying from Teavivre http://steepster.com/places/2857-teavivre-online—

Age of leaf: advertised as spring 2011. Received fall 2011, brewed up days later.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: Beautiful looking leaves which look similar to Jing Tea Shop’s HSMF; smells fresh and possibly not as smoky an aroma as other HSMF teas.

Brewing guidelines: Based on information from their website, I went a little hotter of the later steepings. 10 grams tea, 5 cups water. Loose in glass Bodum pot. Stevia added.
……….1st: 170; 1’
……….2nd: 182; 1.5’
……….3rd: 186; 2.5’
……….4th: 192; 3’

Color tea liquor: pale yellow.

Flavor of tea liquor: Good, mild. Second steeping had a little more flavor, with a hint of something like cinnamon. The forth steeping had little flavor.

Appearance and aroma of wet leaf: They have a fresh, deep-green look to them, with a possible hint of cinnamon.

Value: Reasonable for a HSMF at less than $3/oz.

Overall: I was not very impressed with this tea. Nothing really stood out about it accept the appearance of the leaves. Looking at the wet leaves revealed a quality pluck: mostly bud sets with a number of whole leaves and buds. And in general I like the way HSMF leaves look (I can’t think of what it is about them at the moment, though). We tried China Cha Dao’s grade 3 HSMF the same day, and we liked the flavor of China Cha Dao’s better than Teavivre’s (although the quality of China Cha Dao’s leaf was clearly not as good). If you like HSMF, then this is an OK tea for the price.