1192 Tasting Notes
Hot: This has a jammy strawberry taste with almost no hibiscus tartness when hot. It’s quite lovely and I always end up finishing my cup without even realising it.
Chilled: This one has a scent almost like those strawberry Campino candies (does anyone remember those?) — like a creamy, strawberry. The taste is much more hibiscus mixed with strawberry. The hibiscus is definitely toned down and I really get any tartness. The overall flavour is quite nice.
Preparation
I don’t know why it never occurred to me to order the regular EG from CS, since I adore the Earl Grey Cream. So I added this sample to my recent order.
The bergamot is really lovely here, against a smooth black base with no astringency (my favourite). I don’t know how to describe the flavour except to say that is is like the essence of Fruit Loops!
Preparation
This one is really good! My favourite thus far, for sure. The orange is really clear and at the same level of the bergamot. I can’t get over the orange flavour really, it’s so juicy! The flavours are very complementary and the base tea is smooth and not astringent (which has been true of all the Nordqvist black teas and much appreciated).
I would actually consider ordering this one. It could be perfect for the office!
Preparation
This is apparently a new blend, because I don’t remember it (and website didn’t helped me) :)
I am glad that you are enjoying them. I was too.
I noticed it’s only in packets of multiple blends on the website so far — unfortunately. Hopefully they come out with this one on its own!
This one smells really good! The taste has a subtle blueberry flavour and then a creamy sweetness to it. The best way I can think to describe this is like a faintly blueberry flavoured icing — but an icing from a grocery store cake as opposed to a buttercream or something fancier. Honestly a unique and enjoyable cup.
Preparation
I found this one to be quite tasty and easy to drink. The ginger was more at the forefront, with lemongrass closely behind. The green tea base was subtle and all the flavours complementary.
Preparation
Nordqvist. You are bringing me back memories. Have you ordered directly from them or you have some Canadian source?
I actually ordered their advent calendar (the Moomin version) because I thought it would be a chance to try some of their teas. :) I haven’t made notes on all because life is a lot right now. I ordered from a vendor in Canada — Viking Foods — that carries a number of Finnish products!
I see. Cool that you have available shop with Nordic products. I have searched for something similar, but noone carries Finnish products. Only Swedish, if any.
This tea was pretty good. The baked apple flavour was definitely there against a decent black tea base. The base tea has no astringency, which is nice and the flavour isn’t obnoxious or over the top. The apple flavour came forward even more as it cooled.
Preparation
2022 sipdown no. 23
I really love green oolongs, particularly when I’m studying. They seem to really help my concentration. This one will most certainly be reordered!
I have planned out a CS green oolong cart, but does anyone have any other spots they would recommend? I thought about Mountain Stream, but with the exchange rate, it’s a bit much for me right now, so I’ll have to go back to that one later.
Preparation
Cha Yi has some nice green oolongs if you want to stick with Canadian companies. I really liked their Alishan, and their Cuifeng and Shan Lin Xi were also good. Sebz Tea had a floral Li Shan several years ago that I enjoyed.
Thanks! I had the Shan Lin Xi in my CS cart as a new one to try, so that’s exciting that Cha Yi also has it. I was also considering the Li Shan (though a bit prohibitive with the price).
I like the Shan Lin Xi from Camellia Sinensis, as do a lot of other people. :) I’d say it provides more value than their Li Shan, though that’s also a nice tea.
I enjoyed the Shan Li Xi (winter harvest) I tried from CS too! I tend to like it (and Ali Shan) a bit more than Li Shan, but all are good green oolong!
What-Cha has some great ones, and an especially affordable Li Shan. If you want quality ones, Wang Tea and Tillerman are good.
I second What-Cha’s affordable Li Shan, and their Jade Oolong is great for the price. I haven’t had any other green oolongs from What-Cha. Tillerman has free shipping to Canada, though I got dinged by customs and had to send in some paperwork to get my money back. Wang’s teas are fantastic, but their free shipping threshold is $150.
This is all so helpful! I’ve made a note of the tea companies I hadn’t heard of yet, and the teas you’ve all mentioned! It does seem like these green oolongs from CS would still be a good call too. I have some decisions ahead!
What-Cha’s Long Feng is superb too as well as their Wenshan Baozhong. I haven’t had their Shanlinxi in a while, but it’s good too. It was a little bit more texture than flavor forward the last time I had it, but the newer reviews seemed promising.
You also can’t go wrong with the Jin Xuans, though the Jade Oolong is spades higher, but again, I still think the Li Shan is the best for price and quality.
Yes, you can’t go wrong with What-Cha and all the ones Daylon & Leafhopper named (haven’t tried the Wenshan Baozhong though; need to remediate this asap)! Just polished off Long Feng and I’m still sad about it; it’s usually top tier for me. What-Cha’s usually such safe, consistent bet that I’ve been hesitant to explore other vendors lately.
The Shibi oolong I picked up from Taiwan Tea Crafts left a good impression too, but I’ve no clue what “lot” I purchased anymore; it was like a tropical dream.
CrowKettle, I’m glad there seems to be a consensus about What-Cha’s oolongs. I recently had two nice Baozhongs from other vendors, so it’s great to hear that theirs is also good.
The Shibi oolong from Taiwan Tea Crafts is another favourite. They have a lot of green oolongs, some of which I’ve liked better than others. “Tropical dream” is a good description. :)
I’ve always wanted to try the Shibi. I never have because I get confused about which lot and have seen a lot of variability.
Ooh! I have a package of Shibi from winter 2020 (or is it spring 2019?). I’ll open it up and give you a sample, Daylon!
Camellia Sinensis is having a 15% off sale this Thursday. I will not buy more oolong… I will not buy more oolong… I will not buy more oolong! (But their Shan Lin Xi is really good!)
I got the email as well! I may place my oolong order haha. I’m trying to convince myself against it.
LOL, that makes two of us! I know that next month all the spring 2022 teas will start coming out and I’ll want them, too.
Guess what I found in my tea museum: around 300 g of tea from Camellia Sinensis from about four years ago! I was thinking of getting at least two of these things in today’s sale, but maybe that’s not such a good idea. Still, that Shan Lin Xi is calling… I never have any of that left!
Tea museum and 300g had me laughing!
I just placed an order this morning XD (50g Si Ji Chun, 50g Jin Shuan, 50g Shan Lin Xi, and of course 250g Earl Grey Cream, plus my first gaiwan)!
It is my favourite as well! I just order the 250g quite regularly haha. I drink at least one cup per day, but often more!
Glad you were able to place an order for all those green oolongs! Maybe you were the one who snagged the last of the Shan Lin Xi. :P I hope you enjoy your gaiwan!
I had a session with my four-year-old Feng Huang Hong Cha and it’s still surprisingly good, but the new black tea harvest will be ongoing for the next couple months and I! Don’t! Need! More! As my spending on oolongs goes up, however, I do want an everyday black tea that I like, but I don’t think this will be the one. It would also help with my nonexistent “supply issues” if Canada Post would actually let me have the packages from TheTea and Martin.
Oh no! I placed the order at 6:30 MT, so it’s possible haha! I noticed that the Ali Shan was gone by the time I was placing my order, so I wasn’t the only one looking to stock up. :)
I understand the daily black! Aside from the Earl Grey Cream, I love Yuchi Wild Mountain Black from TTC (but with the shipping costs now, I am savouring what remains in my stash).
Uggghhh, Canada Post. I do hope your parcels clear and are delivered soon!
This one has a fairly strong rose smell which is quite perfumey as I go to sip the tea, but it doesn’t really come across in the flavour (thankfully). There is no astringency, which is lovely! The rhubarb and strawberry flavours however, I’m not quite sure if I really get those. There is a flavour in the tea, but it’s very subtle and I’m finding it difficult to identify. Not a bad cuppa, but it would be better without any rose.
I had to go look up Campino—they aren’t what I thought they were (which was the hard candy filled with a liquid center my grandpa kept all the time).
I know ones like that too! There were delicious strawberry ones in a red and green wrapper (these may be different from the ones your grandpa kept): https://www.google.com/search?q=hard+strawberry+candy+with+soft+center&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiwpcvV1tf3AhUaATQIHarHARUQ_AUI-QcoAQ&biw=1440&bih=692&dpr=2#imgrc=fxsiE_tsFRCydM
I have had the same ones as gmathis, but never heard of Campino. I will check World Market for them!
Yep, those are the ones, although he also kept tins of assorted hard Christmas candy—both filled and plain—that got kind of sticky and hairy in the summer ;) Didn’t keep us grandkids out of it, though!