294 Tasting Notes
I let this one steep for perhaps 5 minutes and the result was a gorgeous dark brown-reddish liquid. Very strong yet none of the offensive flavors or odors we sometimes encounter with Shou. I have come to love and appreciate a fine Shou and this is on par with some of the better ones that I have had.
The second steep is lighter yet still full of flavor.
I enjoyed this last week as well and after the third steeping I used the rest for iced tea. I left it sit for maybe a week in the fridge and actually forgot what it was until I tasted it. It was nothing short of wonderful.
Well I have to agree with my fellow Steepsterites about this one. I have to admit certain people influence my purchases. I only got a sample of this because I am not familiar with Darjeeling. I should buy more. The dried leaf smells heavenly. Of springtime. Sunshine. The brew is utterly intoxicating. I have 3 samples of FF Darrjeeling from Upton and this is the clear winner. This is truly a winner.
That’s the way I feel about first flush darjeelings. The smell of the leaf alone is almost worth the price. And then there’s that sweet honeysuckle flavor!
I have certainly been infatuated with FF darjeelings this year but too bad I didn’t try this one. :)
This year’s FF are so good I cannot wait to get my hands on the second flushes.
Amy, I still have some of this one if you want to coordinate a swap.
Amy your reviews made me thirsty for these FFs
And yes, Jim of course….
Is this Singbulli FF TD 95 or TD 93? (I am such a nerd, I know)
Mine is the TD95
For the less nerdy, this is the organic option.
TD 95
Note: TD93 is over here: http://steepster.com/teas/upton-tea-imports/25647-singbulli-estate-sftgfop1-cl-first-flush-dj-8-td93
Jim, thanks for the offer but I’m planning an order from Upton as we speak so I might as well throw a sample into the mix. :)
I gave up coffee when I was in the hospital. I am planning on ordering samples of breakfast teas from Upton. Any suggestions?
I don’t actually like breakfast blends, myself. I don’t like blends, in general, honestly. In the same way I don’t like blended scotch. The predictability brings with it a cost of a kind of flatness that I don’t like.
I find shou style pu-erh a better coffee substitute than anything else.
I’m not a big fan of blends either but I have found that Upton’s African teas pack a big punch and are pretty tasty.
Thank you….
Actually, I am looking for that early morning punch. The eye-opener
Charles, I like either TB51 East Frisian BOP, or TB52 East Frisian TGFOP. TB52 is smoother than the BOP version.
Thanks Scott. I’m ordering both
Assam or African would be the way to get bold punch.
Also, broken grades or fannings steep faster and will be much bolder than whole leaf.
Less nuance and interesting flavor, but “pow”.
This is my first tea other than Lipton in many days. All through Memorial Day weekend I was feeling fluish. Sick. I had know idea how sick I could get. Finally on Wednesday I called my Mother and she took me to a doctor. When he took my blood pressure and it was 50 over 35 it was off to the emergency room. After explaining my pains, the nurse asked me if I was bit by a tick. I said yes. According to my symptoms they treated me for Ehrlichiosis. The IVs went in and it was 5 days of intense fever, coughing and body aches from hell. This is my first good tea since then. I am sipping it slowing. I will comment more in depth later when my sense of taste returns. In the meantime, this tea has made me feel so much better.
I’m so sorry you were ill and hooray for the sense to call MOM! Welcome back to tea world! We’re here if you need us!
Yikes – I am so sorry to hear that! Glad you’re better.
Wow!! So glad you are better Charles.
Thank you. It was without a doubt the sickest I have ever been.
I’m glad you’re feeling better!
Glad to hear you’re better, and take care!
I’m sorry about this, I hope you get better. I have a friend who went through the same, just make sure that feeling tired keeps you from moving around and becoming weaker. Eat well, get well; welcome back.
I hope you can get back on your board soon.
That’s scary!! I hope you get better quick!
Oh my! So thankful that is behind you. Rest and restore!
I am feeling much better. Thank you again kind friends.
Glad!
glad you’re feeling better…life gets scary sometimes, guess it makes you appreciate it even more…
Thank you Tea Fairy. Thank you everyone
I love starting my day with a cup of this wonderful tea. I am always generous with steep times which borders between 6 and 8 minutes. The result as always is splendid. There are dark fruit notes with a touch of smoke. Rich, invigorating and flavorful. All in all this is a very nice tea. I am now deciding on a Darjeeling order from Upton. Lately my fellow Steepsterites have made me very thirsty for some….
Do it! hee hee…
The last few years I have been leaning toward Thunderbolt Tea-I have never been disappointed. Now I sampled the Glenburn-YUM, & Amy got me hooked on the Risheehat from Upton’s! :))) I can’t speak to other ff darj’s, from them but the Risheehat is “…Real, and it is SPECTACULAR!” IMO, it was so good, it made my mouth water, and stimulated my hunger reflex.
Yes the two of you. And Jim Marks. You are making me crave Darjeeling. I respect your opinions. I know I’ll be in for a treat….
This is what I chose to rejuvenate myself. I brewed this basket-style for 3 minutes. I wanted this to be strong and flavorful and it is. This is one of the better Dragon Wells that I have had the pleasure to enjoy. It is an opener of the eyes and the mind. The dried leaves look very fresh even though this is a harvest from 2011. When I drink this tea I feel I am sipping something very special.
This tea is developing a bite since last time I indulged. The flavor profile has remained the same. The calm, soothing feeling has intensified. This is a Sheng that I recommend for late evenings. I drank 2 steepings from my Yixing and started to feel sleepy. So it’s back to the tea cabinet for some late noon rejuvination. My third steeping will stay in the Yixing for a few hours and we will see where that goes….
I was also amazed at how much flavor came out of these small leaves in just 30 sec. Even the other steeps did not require more than 45 sec. I stopped at 3 ( lack of time) but I ‘m sure I could get more out of it next time… the taste is also very different from other greens I’ve had, lovely tea!
A very interesting tea ….
I let this steep for 5 minutes in the Yixing and I knew what to expect. A strong, dark very flavorful brew. No rinse. This went straight to my head. I could feel this tea immediately. I noticed a vast improvement since my last tasting. I have several young Shu such as this that I will sip from time to time to see how they are aging. This one is getting there. Another raising of the score….
How do you store your Shu? I have a few that I want to store but I’ve been given mixed advice on proper Shu storage. Thanks in advance.
I have a cabinet in my dining room where I store all of my tea. It’s dark. Cool and airy. No odors. Most are kept in the cardboard box that they were delivered in.
Ok, great! that’s the kind of setting I was going for. Thanks! now I have to chen how to keep shengs.
I tend to brew my ripe pu erhs for around five minutes in most cases. Ilike them strong and musty!
Hooray for you!!!! I thought I was along here making Iced Puerh! It’s really good and satisfying…and I like this one too! I like to take this in the car when I’m running around town because it keeps me from being tempted to stop and eat something and blow my diet!
A couple of times I have cold brewed some leaves that still had staying power. I was surprised to find I quite liked it that way!
I figured that you might…you have good taste Amy!
This was the brewed tea. I tried to cold-brew Puerh before and it was’nt that good. Black teas also. I will save cold-brewing for greener teas….
I DON’T cold brew it I use a gaiwan or brew basket then brew how…let it cool down and bottle. If it is too strong I sometimes dilute a bit and sweeten then bottle.
I love shou iced, but I brew it hot and then pour it over ice. Because shou brews so strong, it works out very well and an interesting sweetness comes out.
This shou from Tea Vivre is surprisingly good — as are many of their teas.