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For me, the smokiness of Lapsang Souchong has relegated it to an afternoon or evening cup. Until now. This Black Dragon variation from Upton Tea is worthy of the first-cup position in my day! The smoky edge is simultaneously subtle and evident, and the underlying tea is smooth and flavorful.

While I might generally describe Lapsang Souchong as “perfect for a cool, blustery day,” I would be quick to define Upton’s unique variation as simply “perfect”. No caveats.

What a treat! I was only recently introduced to Lapsang Souchong, and was warned it was a love-it-or-hate-it type of tea. We’ve had the opportunity to try several renderings of this unique tea, and the ZS20 from Upton proves to be the most mellow, but with no loss of flavor. The smokiness adds a nice edge to a super smooth cup. Trusting across the board assessments that souchong is naturally low in caffeine, I liked it enough to get on Upton’s website and order a tin.

This is seriously delicious tea! The creaminess is buoyed by a light floral undertone that’s more evident in the aroma than the sip. There’s something in the lingering flavor which reminds of a toasted marshmallow – difficult to put my finger on, but it’s quite unique, and even more evident as the cup cooled.

The leaves themselves unfurled into large, whole, deep green leaves during steeping. I’m glad I got plenty of this particular harvest – I think I’m going to enjoy having it around.

This is more what I thought tea was before I started drinking it. It’s what kept me a satisfied coffee drinker for so long. Nothing wrong with it – the Jasmine is aromatic and evident, the Vanilla is sweet and delightful – I just enjoy the flavor of tea more than I do the “extras”, I guess.

My wife enjoyed it, and it’s low enough on the caffeine scale to enjoy pretty much anytime. For me, what I have left will sit right where it is until I make her some more.

Easily the best surprise I’ve had in a long time just streamed from the gaiwan to my cup. This is an amazingly complex and delicious treat! At first I had a problem defining what my senses were rejoicing in, but after some contemplation over 2nd and 3rd pots, I will take a stab at it: Nuts. Chocolate. Real chocolate, not that ooey, gooey stuff that make into hollow bunnies.

This Korean tea is amazingly good! I lived in Korea for a while and learned a little about cooking and other fun things to do with rice, but nobody – nObOdy – told me about this stuff! Balhyocha is a secret which needs sharing. Great pick from Teabento.

Another great sample from teabento!

I prepared the tea in a Kyusu at about 170 degrees. The pleasant (but not overpowering) jasmine aroma was evident shortly after the water hit the leaves, and grew stronger as the leaves began to unfurl.

The first infusion was really more a 1-minute rinse, and produced a nice cup. The second infusion was shorter – around 30-seconds and produced a delightful and aromatic cup.

The tea is light, minty and refreshing. The jasmine is very evident when it’s warm; as it cools, the flavor profile takes on a honey-like edge and the lingering taste of mint is more prominent.

Delicious, delightful and delectable!

After trying other Silver Needle teas, I was expecting something light and difficult to discern. This Vietnamese tea is actually quite distinct. The aroma is somewhat spicy, but still has a gentle floral tone to it.

The cup is delicate and creamy, but has an edge of smokiness to it. Overall very pleasant – infused four times in a gaiwan, ranging from 30-seconds to 5-minutes. This is interesting enough to order more and play with the times and temps a little more.

I know ashmanra is not on anyone’s payroll, but she is making a lot of tea vendors happy. Shortly after sampling Queen Catherine, I got an email from Harney offering discounts on their breakfast teas. A fan of black tea – I ordered. Several.

Harney’s Irish Breakfast is a brisk, malty Assam blend bursting with both flavor and aroma. Methinks there may be an “Irish Lunch” somewhere in my future…

When I first got this sample, I overlooked it, thinking it was a chocolate heart in its gold foil wrapper. Once I saw the label, I started plotting the perfect day to give it a shot.

Wow! This could easily become a habit. This smells exactly like sticky rice (a staple in my home). The aroma is so powerful I can’t help but taste it with each sip. There’s a hint of mushrooms or something similar, too.

Now I need to invite my wife to try it to justify an inevitable order. Ho-o-o-o-o-ney!

From Ceremonial and Premium to flavored Culinary, I’ve tried several grades of Matcha in the past month. This is by far the creamiest and least bitter of them all.

I received a sample as a gift, and in consideration of the price, I realize how blessed I am to have a friend like ashmanra. Even with my discount coupon I’m inclined to buy Harney’s Thick Grade, but this is worth the price.

It whisked easily into a creamy froth, and any sense of bitterness quickly melted into a lingering sweetness. I just might splurge on this matcha – but maybe as a gift for my wife, who would most likely share.