TWG Tea Company

This was a pretty tasty cup tonight as we worked out a group order from Lupicia. Not something I need to restock, but I am a fan. I appreciate charlottezero sending me some of this to try out.

Final Count: 138 (tooooooo slow!)

I’m going to have to agree with CharlotteZero on this one in that it smells wonderful, but it one of those teas you have to brew cooler and for less time, lest it turn into a messy less amazing tea. All that aside though, this was pretty tasty, and i’m looking forward to playing with it a bit more before i land on a final rating :)

Mildly spicey , floral.

I have had bad luck with finding a chocolate tea that I really like. This one smells amazing (chocolate & cream), but when it’s brewed according to the instructions the cup is pretty tannic mid-sip. I think I may have over-leafed this, so perhaps it will turn out better next time. I might also try lowering the steeping temperature to see if I can make the tea taste more like the dry leaf smells smells.

This French earl gray by TWG is quite a disappointment. It is still a nice cup of tea. However, the aroma and scent of bergamot is very mild that it doesn’t qualified to be a nice cup of earl grey. Plus it is kind of expensive. So anyone who is looking for earl grey with a more than mild taste of bergamot, this shouldn’t be the choice.

Brewed leaves have a super-bright & fresh lemongrass smell with sweet pine notes. The tea is a bit more subdued version of that, but also earthy with creamy tree bark. After the assault of potent aromas from leaf to brew to liquor, the taste is unexpectedly smooth and the lemongrass mildly well balanced. The citrus/lemongrass flavor does seem to fade with temperature as the tea cools.

Not surprisingly, a slice of lemon goes really well with this tea. In an odd way, a slice of lemon actually brightens it to the point where it no longer needs any kind of sweetener like honey or stevia and it exhibits a “false sweet” I can’t describe. This vanishes once iced, so if you plan to ice it you’ll probably want to be adding stevia, honey, or some other sweetener.

Crisp, refreshing, different.

TWG finally managed to let me down, wow. I picked this up from Dean & Deluca instead of a TWG salon, just because I was there and I wanted to try a few new TWGs.

Looks like a shoumei white, leaves with no buds and brews fairly dark. This makes sense as well, since the characteristic TWG floral blend you find in a lot of their other main teas is present and pairs well with the lightly fruity crispness of the lower quality showmei whites. The strength of the floral and berry notes is dialed way down to make room for the tea to come through, but in my opinion is still too strong and the white tea is too low a grade to warrant their name being on the label or to even notice this is much of a tea at all. I think this is one of those “mass market/appeal/bulk” teas some larger firms pump out to milk their brand value to appease the accountants and shareholders, while keeping a portfolio of much better single-estate and higher quality blends to keep the connoisseurs and fans attached.

I’ll finish what I have, strip the label and keep the double-lid tin for future teas I buy and bring home from their tea rooms, but unless I find some for darn cheap it probably won’t make its way back into my collection.

Picked up 100g of this at the TWG salon in Manila while on a trip and restocking my 1837. O..M..G… Absolutely, wholeheartedly, definitely my top #1 white tea of any kind, one of my top 5 teas of all kind, period. I had been a fan of whites and good/fresh silver needles before, but this just completely blew me away. The problem now is that I’m spoiled when it comes to silver needle white tea, and while I keep searching for that more affordable replacement I also don’t have to travel halfway around the world for, and some have revealed “hints” of this tea in the background, the closest I have gotten is maybe 60%.

The first time I brewed this I was a bit scared.. at over a dollar a gram, I wanted to brew it a bit more conservatively, but I followed the shop’s recommendations and went right to 190F / 4tsp-300ml / 8 minutes. Was not let down at all. The brewed leaves smell like a cross between a creamy custard and hazelnut coffee creamer. The liquor smells like sweetened and toasted almonds and egg shells, tastes wonderfully complex, sweet and smooth for a perfect evening drink-a-thon. There is not even a hint of grass unlike some other not-so-fresh silver needles, and I have put this through 5 infusions (8, 10, 15, 15, 20 mins) without much muddling of flavors or appearance of straw/hay notes or astringency. I have experimented with some other brewing methods including cooler temps and longer/shorter infusions but I keep coming back to what the twg folks recommended.

What really sets this apart has been only what I could describe as this very unique eggy-custardy-flan-caramel-vanilla-ish profile I solely associate with whites and silver needles now, and am very excited when trying a new white when I think I sense a faint note of that…. just because I hate the fact I have to travel really far and/or spend huge bucks to get this.

Really unique and prized in my collection.

This has got to be one of my all-time favorite black teas, I have yet to find something to replace this at my #1 spot, and although a few have come close nothing has de-throned it just yet. Being one of TWG’s signature teas, I usually pick it up at one of their salons while in Asia or UK and keep a good supply of it so I don’t run out. Awesome value for the price too, IMHO.

The brewed leaves smell of ripe forest berries muddled with black Vietnamese sugarcane, makes me want to eat them. The aromas of the liquor itself are a bit more subdued, kind of like a hot caramel was poured on top of said berries. The taste is very smooth, but surprisingly not fruity like you would expect based on the smell — center stage are some wood barrel notes, like ones used to age a berry wine or liquor. Although it is excellent unadulterated, 2-3 tsp of raw honey (per 300ml) makes the berries explode to the forefront while the caramelized sugarcane balances it out, reminds me of a dark berry creme brulee. Rockstar all the way.

I taste more of the bergamot than the rose and the jasmine. But all in all, a very elegant cup of tea. I enjoy drinking this in the morning or in the afternoon.

nice spicey change.

This was a Christmas present… Over a year ago. I haven’t been very active on Steepster, so I never logged it when I first got it. This is my last cup, now.

I find it quite similar to Tea Desire’s Seven Green Treasures (which luckily I still have LOTS of); strawberry and pineapple in a base of green teas.

Well I can’t believe what a 10 secs difference makes. It worked, tasted better, bergamot’s a bit shy but it’s presence lingers quite well & finally feels like it pairs well with the rose petals :D

I’m disappointed. Super dark liquor. Ceylon base is neutral, a bit woody. I smell a hint of roses blended with citrous that fades to a minimum aftertaste. This is my second cup, so reading your reviews are keeping me hopeful, I’ll steep longer next time.

Thanks for passing some Alfonso down to me, OMGsrsly! The whole bag smelled like… peaches, I thought, and not mango. I had to separate it from the other samples because all the plastic bags were fruitastic.

I seriously thought it was peach this entire time, though. Like peach juice crystals, or sugary peach cocktail. I agree with OMGsrsly’s tip to ice this, so I made a nice jug o’ cold brew.

I still say it’s peach and not mango. I happened to have some dried mango earlier today and the two are worlds apart. The base is also a little on the dry side. Don’t know how else to describe it.

To be honest, now that I think about it, I’ve never been a fan of peach-flavoured things even though I love fresh peaches. Peach yogurt? Gross. Peach cocktail? Eh. But FWIW, for anyone who does like their peach-flavoured drinks, this is a much healthier alternative.

Mmmm mmmm mmmm good! I bought this tea for my sister-in-law as a bridal shower present. It smells and tastes delicious. Enjoyed it with some cream and sugar. So yummy.

huh…mango you say? I think not. I’m going to have to try this one again to see what i can make of it but colour me unimpressed with my first try of TWG teas courtesy of omgsrsly! :)

the science continues…

This tea is very romantic. It’s also very expensive. I bought this without knowing the price and without knowing that it’s a decafe blend. It is 34.00/100g!!! Ouchie.

At first sniff: It is very floral and berry like. I love the smell of it. It’s very elegant, regal, decadent in a gentle way. The vanilla enhances all these smells. It’s what sold me on getting the tea in the first place. The tea is pretty plain but hidden in the leaves are some dried strawberries.

At first steep: It’s definitely floral, so for those of you who don’t like floral teas, you might want to turn in the other direction and walk towards another tea. I like it with a little milk and sweet. Today I had it without any sweetener. I’m letting the aroma do the talking. I wish it wasn’t decaf, it might be a little cheaper then. I’m not sure if I’ll restock once this 100g is gone, it’s lovely, but is it worth the price?

Room temp and Re-steep Note

Room temp – the tea is very subtle, it looses a lot of the kick to it that I love about it.

Re-steep – the citrus note when smelling it is much higher, compared to the first steep. It’s also weaker and I steeped it for 7 mins again with less water in it. I could probably get away with it if I steeped it for longer, so the flavour is stronger, but I find it’s a watered down version.

OHHH Christmas Tea, Oh Christmas Tea, how lovely are your brannchesss (I’m fetching a little on this one, but still.)

You know those smells, those smells that reminded you inexcusably of Christmas. I’m talking those candles you sniff that take you back to the kitchen where all the spices are being used for baked goods and holiday dishes… smells of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, citrus, brown sugar, yams, butter… OH MY!

This tea is the tea version of said candles or other such scents. It literally oooozes Christmas when I smell it. I am a Christmas lover, my door has a wreath on it November 1, and after November 11, it’s fair game, and I go Christmas nuts. I love the smells, the cool air, the snow (if we’re lucky enough to get any) and the colours of Christmas. It is by far my favourite time of year, that an autumn. OHH Christmas Tea.

Dry Smell: Smells of ginger, cloves, citrus, with a very SLIGHT smell of almost medicinal qualities to it. It takes over your nose and has you close your eyes and just think of the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year!”

Steeped: It smells exactly the same, filling the entire room with the lovely smell of Christmas time. Pine cones, ginger, cloves, gingerbread all wrapped up in one luxurious tea. It’s one I come back to over and over when I want a herbal/rooibus tea that doesn’t need sweetening and is so so so satisfying. It does have a slight medicinal quality to it as well, and I find it’s better straight, as oppose to adding milk. It coats your mouth with a fresh feeling, while warming your insides like you’re sitting next to a fire.

I haven’t tried re-steeping it yet, but I was thinking of trying it today, as the tea is a little on the pricey side (20.00 per 100g) because it’s hoity toity. It’s hands down by far my favourite rooibus tea. No fake taste here, just pure joy. I gulp it down it’s so good, sometimes I have to remind myself to let the taste simmer in my mouth.