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I got this gorgeous sample from Terri Harplady, here on Steepster, who is so sweet and is helping me learn more about tea!!!!!!!!!

The leaves are twisted, tan, and a pretty clay mud color; like a rhino’s hide!!! So cute and aptly named!!!

The scent of the brewed tea was very intriguing. To me, it was very much like the scent of dried mulberries which I love and get at the health food store every once in a while. It also has a strong essence of honey.
The liquor of this white is a deep, very auburn color so it is definitely a different style of white!!

The flavor is very good. It has flavors of orange which is a neat surprise because I didn’t detect it in the scent. There are notes of cream and a touch of persimmon fruit.

This is a very delicious and unique white tea!!!!!

Tried a second steeping and it is just as delicious with notes of honey and caramelized sweet potato or sweet potato with marshmallows at Thanksgiving.

I love the name of this tea!! I found online that it means ‘Great Fortune Tea’ and it is tradition in Japan to drink for the New Year to bring good luck.
The dry leaves look like a gyokuro,,,,, very moist, grass -clipping-like, thin, and dark green. But it is a Sencha. Smells good, like salt and red lettuce.
Brewed, the liquor is a lovely bright spring green color with scents of mineral and cooked mixed veggies.
The flavor is a deep green, grassy, salty mineral taste with notes of fava bean and the sorrel (which I haven’t had in a while but it has tangy notes).
As it cools, the tea is getting hints of pine and a zing of eucalyptus which is actually not my favorite aspect. Overall, a very nice green tea.

From the Steepster Select Box, January 2014

This tea is packaged in air-tight, oxygen free packaging from Taiwan within the Rishi box.
The dry leaves are tightly rolled little nuggets and they have a scent of soda bread and minerals.
Brewed, the leaves unfurl into curly-cues with stems and the liquor is a dark golden color with essence of toasted chestnut just as the packaging suggests. It really smells wonderful.

Wow, the flavor is smooth. It is a roasted flavor but not a strong roast, it is just enough.
As the tea cools, subtle flavors and scents of vanilla orchid come thru. There is a tiny tiny astringency.
Really delicious and awakening tea but not harsh with caffeine, it’s just right.
Lovely tea.

Upon the second steeping, I am getting a bit of stomach upset as more tannins are probably coming through with the leaves being more open. The Iron Goddess is not showing me mercy :( :( :( Must be sure to drink this one with a full lunch.

The dry leaves look like flattened yellow-green color raffia. They have scents of yellow squash, mung bean, rocks, and a hint of lemon.
Brewed, the leaves smell very much like mung beans. Very clear tan liquid. The liquor is very Earthy and again, the domant essence is cooked beans.
I always drink green teas with lunch and this one is nice and somewhat neutral-tasting. Tastes like my favorite Chinese restaurant’s green tea.

From the Steepster Select box, January 2014

Second steeping, I added way less water. I might have given too much water to the first one. Now the liquor is yellow-green color and has a nicer roasty aroma and flavor. There is a definite almond accent with collard green notes. Astringency cleanses my palette.

The dry leaves have essences of vanilla, mango, and lychee. They are long, black, and twisted.
Brewed, the liquor is a beautiful light golden amber with scents of honeysuckle and peach. The leaves unfurl and turn moss green.
The flavor is mostly floral and it has a slight astringency. All of the nectar and honey notes are in the scent and the flavor is all flowers.
This Oolong is amazing in its transformation! Now I see why this is called the Phoenix!

I like that Tea Wing sends its tea in oxygen-free packaging,,this was the freshest Gyokuro I have ever had and am glad I tried this company.

I used my Gyokuro Tokoname serving set for this because you gotta be quick!!! I love the Gyokuro set because you basically pour the water in and in no time, pour into your drinking cup and consume.
The liquor is an amazing spring-green color and the salty broth of it has lots of umami and a buttery note.
This tea is excellent to pair with food because of the savory aspect.

I love Gyokuro and this one was excellent!!!

The dry leaves are dark brown, curled and twisted; they have a sugary & earthy scent.
Brewed, the leaves and liquor have the dominant scent of roasted nuts. The liquor is a pretty amber color and as it cools, I detect the caramelized sugar as the package suggests.

The flavor is all caramelized sugar!!!!! OHMY!! It’s like cracking the top of a crème brûlée !!! Amazing!!! This just became the type of tea I will devote to my first Yixing pot. Unicorns and Euphoria!!! So delicious!!!!

There is a caffeine high too—this is why I usually drink white tea because I don’t want a lot of caffeine high. I had to make myself stop drinking this after I had drunk it all and re-steeped it and was drinking that too all in a short time instead of my usual throughout the day.

I wish we could purchase this particular tea but I will definitely be purchasing more Da Hong Pao Red Robe type teas.

From the Steepster Select Box, January 2014

The dry leaves have the scent of cocoa and rocks. They each have 2 leaves and a bud with the fuzziness of Silver Needle.
Brewed, the liquor is very inviting with scents of mulberry and honey.
I love white tea, I can’t wait to taste this.
The flavor is very honey-tasting with touches of nectarine pulp and a hint of almond biscotti in the finish as you breathe out. This is fantastic white tea!! One of the best I have tried!

The dry leaves are beautiful, they look like flattened yellow-green raffia. They have the scent of hay, sea salt, and rice.
The liquor is a beautiful lemon-green color with scent of lemon-cooked potatoes and a bit of toasted oat.
The flavor is a nice, mild, toasty green tea with essences of crackers and green beans.
This is a nice tea with food because it enhances the food rather than overpowering it.
As the tea cools, I catch a touch of pretzel stick.
This is a nice, toasted, everyday green tea.

Drinking this with lunch today and I am getting way different notes than I did last time. I love this green tea. It has a hint of raw unsweetened cocoa along with nuts, peas, potato. I love these roasty, nutty green teas to eat with meals. Very delicious to always keep on hand for an everyday green tea.
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8/4/14
Threw some of this into my gaiwan after my long jing gave all it could and I still had some hot water to use. This is really good Bancha though it definitely tastes minerally if you have just drunk long jing right before lol.

The dry leaves are tightly rolled into a ball with stem so they look like tiny crabapples. They have the distinctive oolong scent with a hint of pineapple and a tiny bit of strawberry blossom.
The wet leaves unfurl into little green branches with 3 leaves and stay a pretty deep green.
The liquor is a beautiful clear forest green color. I love this color bc I also love green tea and its beauty. The wet leaves smell like flowers and cooked lentils. The liquor has those same notes.
I am very excited to try this tea.
The flavors are very floral. I took my cup outside in the garden to listen to the birds. The aroma and flavor is nasturtium and a hint of pineapple. I am catching a bit of astringency in the end.
This is a very cleansing tea. Could be a great one served after a dessert at the end of a meal.

**My second steeping, I added way less water. I feel that I might have added a touch too much water with the first one. Now the liquor is a deep golden color and the liquor has a very distinctive pine essence. There is astringency and it is very cleansing. Very interesting and expands my knowledge of oolongs because I have never tasted one like this!!

From the Steepster Select Box, January 2014

I am glad that the Steepster Select club gives us a couple servings of the same tea to try because I think I gave this one too much water the first time by accident and didn’t get to experience it correctly.
Today was much different and I really got some great notes from this and upped my rating as a result.
The dry leaves have a nutty, creamy aroma and it is great to brew this tea in a vessel that allows you to watch the tiny little " crabapples" open up. As it brews, the floral aromas awaken and give off a creamy, flowery, fruit candy scent.
The liquor has a beautiful golden jewel color and the flavor tastes like pineapple cream cake with creamy flower notes. Very Hawaiian in essences. This is very beautiful tea!!!