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I like this one a lot, and makes me feel relieved in terms of budget. I was actually recommended this one as a bagged, and based on the descriptions of caramel, I had to try it.

First time, I tried to do it Gongfu, but wound up Western on accident. I definitely got something like a spicier yet lighter black tea, but the more subtle notes like caramel were overwhelmed after two minutes. There were even seaweed notes that were kinda good, but something I have to be in the mood for. It got sweeter in the later steeps with something that reminded me of a cooked cherry, but not entirely.

Finally got to do it Gongfu tonight, with a ten second rinse at 195 degrees, using six grams in six ounces. The first rinse had a taste that replicates rose water. This tea is VERY close to a Laoshan black because it has the same type of rosy, cooked fruit character. Laoshan’s are one of my favorites, and in comparison, this one is a lighter brother or cousin that does not have the robust malt or chocolate of a black. It also doesn’t have the same dehydrating effect that a black does.

Steep two, 30 seconds, and still very rosy with a faded molasses bitter sweetness. Steep three, a full minute, and darker, redder, and something closer to a black tea. Four at two minutes, and something like a cherry black, but lighter. Five at three, and cooked cherry.

I really liked this one, but it is a toss up. When I’m in the mood for it, I would probably rate this one a 90; when I’m not, an 80. I still need to figure out better steeping parameters for this one. It was sweet, but not as sweet as I was expecting. I didn’t get the full caramel or honey like described, so I’ll be back on this one pretty soon.

WARNING: LONG REVIEW.
I’m sure that the samples I had were probably of Spring 2015 itself, but this is what comes the closest to in terms of the tasting notes I looked up. The first time I steeped my first sample, I followed the instructions of four grams for six ounces of water, fifteen second rinse with 205 degrees F water, and got nothing. One bare note of creaminess. I steeped it twenty seconds. Still, bare creaminess and floral notes, but otherwise, hot water. Then I did something outrageously stupid: I upped the amount to seven grams of leaves, half of them dry, half of them not, and brewed for 3 minutes….still way to light and barely present in ANY flavor. Other than my shining example of burning impulse, I didn’t know what I did wrong. I could barely get a taste-I was drinking light flower water.

And so, I decided to get another sample as a freeby with my order. I honestly couldn’t let the backlog above as my impression for this tea. I knew it HAD to be better. It was. This time, I used the full seven gram sample for seven ounces of water near 190 degrees F. The dry leaf smell offered so much more than the previous one: a very distinct vanilla orchid aroma invited me. There was almost a jasmine like sweetness to it, and the smell was amplified once brewed in hot water.

I rinsed it for fifteen seconds, drank it, and decided to do it western. I was really hoping to do it Gongfu style, but the tea was not quite strong enough for me personally to do it that way. Steep one: one minute, and primarily orchid, some sweetness and creaminess, with a vanilla accent. The mouthfeel was light, yet smooth and creamy. I was hoping for a little bit more taste, but the aroma made up for it therapeutically. Steep two, near two minutes, still seven ounces like the rinse and steep one, and got the full profile. Orchid, cream, vanilla, and flowers. Steep three was pretty similar at three minutes, but more floral, peachy and green than creamy and vanilla, and not quite as sweet as say a lychee, honeysuckle like steep two. Now on steep four, it’s light, but creamy and peachy with an undying floral faint character. I’m not sure if I’m going for steep five, but this one has a purity that I can savor.

I honestly had really high expectations for this tea, and was more critical than I have been of others. Tie Guan Yin holds a very special place for me. I was introduced to Green Oolongs by it, and unlike all others I’ve had, Tie Guan Yins have a distinctly divine quality. If you want to believe in the legend that names this tea, it is indeed divine in nature.This tea was, or rather, is a gift from the Iron Goddess of Mercy,the Bodhisattva Guanyin. When I drink a good Tie Guan Yin, I immediately think of this legend, and feel as if I’m drinking something from heaven. This is the type of tea that I can meditate to, the kind of healer that purifies me of all the leaching negativity of daily life.

Again, I have very particular expectations, and this time, they were met. This is purity in a cup like a good Tie Guan Yin is supposed to be. There are others that I might recommend over this one, but very few that hard to come by. I’d still recommend it, though more so for an experienced drinker. I wish I knew how to steep it better Gongfu, and I honestly might not recommend this to a newer drinker because of inexperienced steeping parameters (as clear in my prior dunce).

Rating is a bit difficult for me on this one. I think that it deserves a range in the 90’s, but in terms of my preference for slightly stronger teas, I’m putting it at an 85.

Thank you David for this wonderful tea!

Wow…this is by far one of my favorites that you’ve granted me, Liquid Proust. Rocks, leaves, cedar, and Fall are what I smell in the dry leaf. There was something familiar about this one, like one of the ones you made…I shall not tell.

It was consistent in the third steep at 50 seconds, but was closer to roasted nuts. I can see why people describe this tea as having a “cinnamon” note. It doesn’t really taste like cinnamon itself, but it has a weird, spicy metallic character that is very similar.

On the Tour of Oolongs, this is by far one of my favorites. I can now say that it’s an Oolong that I definitely prefer, especially compared to a Bai Hoa and the Li Shan’s I’ve had. I like the woodiness of the Wu Yi’s I’ve had, but the problem is, well, they taste like wood which is something I don’t always want to have. The Li Shan’s are usually hit or miss: they either have a sweet, almost fruity character and buttery mouth feel with some sort of floral aspect that I LOVE, or they taste like flavorless water with a salty or buttery texture.

This tea fits all of my preferences. It’s crisp and deceives me into thinking that it’s lighter, but it is more complex and sophisticated than presented. There’s full range of flavor and it is sweet enough to be perfect on its own. This tea could really be brewed Gongfu or Western, but I personally think that it is sweeter and more nuanced Gongfu while Western would be more robust and maybe earthier. Officially one of the best teas I’ve had because of its sophistication in the guise of nutty simplicity. I’m not sure who I’d recommend this to. I really think that this one would apply to a pretty broad audience.

I was at a frozen yogurt place, and saw the options of tea they had, being all mighty leaf. I’ve always wondered about Houjicha and whether or not it does have a nuttier taste like people described. Well, I had a try western style keeping the bag in as I drank it. The leaves were fairly full in the sachet. I didn’t get too much of a smell because I was having some allergies. I also didn’t get too much of a taste either-it just tasted like a roasted green tea. But then I added a dash of honey, say a teaspoon, and it was much more complex. There was almost a butterscotch quality to it that I didn’t expect. It wasn’t overly sweet, not overly smokey. I enjoyed it, and it certainly satisfied my cravings for something smooth.

It’s a sad bit that the tea came out more with the honey. I prefer my teas without sweetener, but this one depended on the honey as a spotlight for the other notes. I’d maybe recommend it to a friend or someone who wants to try something different. However, this is great yet by no means a “wow”.

The version I’m reviewing is the re-released one. Again, I’m a sucker for ginger, and that’s the dominant flavor. The lemon grass adds a sweet, mild tartness that I actually like with the ginger. The green tea provides a fresh body for the ginger, but is slightly overwhelmed again by the ginger itself. You know for sure that you are drinking a green tea, but again, the ginger is dominant. I like this one on it’s own or with honey, and it’s actually pretty good for when I’m sick.

Definitely not the best tea I’ve had, albeit enjoyable nevertheless.

Down in Florida, one of my friends gave me a tea bag of this one. I was kinda surprised. I knew that I would doubtless like it being a mangosteen green tea, but I wasn’t expecting it to be as sweet as it was. I drank it without honey, and it was still fruity. I also left the bag in my cup, and it is not over steeping at all. More for a newer tea drinker definitely, but solid for my tastes. Not something I’d recommend to purists.

Thank you again, Liquid Proust!

I was kinda disappointed with this one. Great mouth feel like a buttery milk or any other mountain oolong I’ve had, but a little bland. All I got was roasted, butter, and salt notes with every steep, with only a little bit of variation. I tried to do it Gongfu, 15 second rinse, then 50 seconds, then nearly two minutes, then three. It might be better western, it might not be. I admit that I’ve gotten pickier with every cup, but I was wanting something more.

I’ve always wanted to try a roasted Tie Guan Yin, and Liquid Proust, you made that possible!

Anyway, I experimented with this one to see if I could do it Gongfu. I did a ten second rinse of it first, and I tasted it to see if it would be strong enough for a session. Strangely enough, it had a taste that kind of reminded me of cocoa. I sipped it again just to see if it was just me wanting that flavor, but no, it was totally there. I drank that, then made another 45 second cup. Unfortunately, the cocoa disappeared, and there was more of a paint, woodsy, roasted character. The same went on for the other few steeps. I had high hopes, and those hopes were satisfied in rinse one, but then left wanting in the others.

Thank you again, Garret!

I had a hard time with this one. Really earthy, and musty-almost smelled like fish food. The taste was significantly better-earth and somewhat sweet as described with a brown, burgundy, and slightly purple color. I could Gongfu only one cup, though. I wasn’t feeling great the day I was drinking it, and I could not drink any more. My review may be skewed, but don’t let it detract you from trying it. This is a connoisseur’s tea, and one for the adventurous.

Thank you Garret! I really enjoyed this one!

This was one of the recent samples I got from my last Mandala Order. Pu-Erh’s were in my budget since there typically cheaper, and I wanted to get one cake, the Noble Mark, as a preemptive hangover strike for my 21st a few months from now next year (it helped my roommate out and I looked up that it helps detox alcohol). I also got it in case the price goes up with age. And I needed something to replace my morning coffee, and for about four bucks per ounce plus free shipping, I decided it was worth getting some, though I’ll drink it more in the winter and next year.

So for this one: I’m still slowly getting over the “pooh” smell in Pu-Erh. It made me hesitate, but I reminded myself that Pu-Erh very rarely tastes like it smells. I was right. I rinsed it twice, first five seconds, then ten. The first 45 second steep brewed something that highly resembled coffee in color, with a little bit more orange and burgundy, or even purple undertones. The taste was like a very smooth black tea, albeit with a dark earth, yet somehow silkier body. There’s some woodsiness that also reminds me of some Wu Yi’s that I’ve had. The second and third steeps were approximately between 45-50 seconds. It somehow got sweeter and more minerals later one, which I started to prefer. There’s some chocolate there, but I almost did not notice it-to me it was much more like a dark chocolate.

The thing that I really liked about this tea was how smooth it was. Astringency was only slightly there, but almost nonexistent. The only bitterness was from the earthiness of the Pu-Erh, but again, it was not so present and yields smooth.

This tea is definitely for a more experienced drinker. My mom is pretty experienced herself and she liked it, but she also had to get past the smell to drink it. NEWBIES BE WARNED. Tea snobs, come loving it.