Crimson Grove

Oh! Mellow Monk – among my favorite MONKS :)

I got this in the mail today and what an experience! WOW!
First, let me start by saying this is a black tea made from green tea varietals! Ahhhhh!

This has a sweet tomato-soup-like flavor to it with a gentle smoke almost like a bisque type note underneath. As the sip progresses the smoothness increases! It’s really special!

This is completely warm and comforting without spice. It’s not bitter or astringent – it’s sweeter and it’s lovely!

Groovy!

I dug the heck out of this Japanese black tea (or “kocha”). It reminded me more of a Taiwanese black with a kukicha consistency and a mild fruit note. What I greatly appreciated was the lack of black tea astringency and/or a bitter foretaste. It was all honey and metaphorically reminded me of sweet tree sap in texture. Quite good.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2011/03/06/review-mellow-monk-crimson-grove/

Mellow Monk really wasn’t high on my list of tea companies to order from until I looked at their web site. I liked the idea of all their teas being grown by small, family-owned farms, imported directly from Japan. All of their teas are first flush. I also like it that all their tea comes from the southern island of Kyushu, which never had high levels of radiation last year. I’m impressed that MM only chooses teas that are popular locally and not primarily produced for export. They shipped really fast. My tea arrived safe and sound but I’d appreciate a little sturdier packaging than a plain, brown kraft envelope.

So, a black tea from Japan seemed like such an anomaly that I had to try it. Upon opening the pouch, I am hit with a slightly smoky scent that reminds me a bit of a Formosa Keemun and/or Dark Roasted Oolong. The dry leaves are short and mostly chocolate brown with a smattering of chestnut colored tips or bits of twig in the mix.

The brewed leaves smelled a bit like a Taiwanese Ruby Red-slightly malty and minty. The liquor is fairly light-darker than a FF Darjeeling, but not much else. It has hues of burnt orange, amber, and chestnut brown.

The flavor is very smooth, zero bitterness or astringency, and about as mellow as you can get with a black tea. As for specific notes, I am having a hard time gleaning those. I can’t say that my cupping mimics what MM describes. To me, it tastes mostly similar to a Formosa Keemun (not exactly like) but I feel like I am still figuring this out. I think my rating number may change the more I drink this.

Brewing based on MM’s instructions, I got two cups of tea. I think maybe I can get a third if brew a little longer.

I wouldn’t recommend this based on the smoke alone, because I don’t think there’s enough of it for those who really enjoy smoky notes. However, if you like milder black teas or just enjoy the idea of a black tea from Japan made with green tea varietals, you may like this tea.

Taste is pretty mellow- not a ton going on- I feel like I don’t have to think about the taste much (unlike say a Yunnan black).

Good but not mind blowing. It’s $19 for 100g and worth a try just because it’s a Japanese black and it’s from Mellow Monk. I dig them.

MM recommends steeping for 2-3 minutes, then 1 minute for the next two steeps. I found the 2/3 steeps to be a bit light for my tastes at only 1 minute. But then again, this is a different kind of black so the experience is meant to be different.

I need to spend some more time with this but I probably won’t be buying it again.

This tea is different. The leaves looked chopped up. The liquid was a dark color and It has a smooth and woody flavor. It is like a darker oolong tea. I like this tea’s flavor.

I love green tea(and drink it every day) but sometimes have a taste for black or it happens to go better with what I am eating. This tea is a very happy blend of both worlds. Has a very nice aroma and love the bit of sweetness and smokiness.

This is a nice mellow black tea. When you don’t feel like green and you don’t feel like a deep black tea, this is a happy medium.

Backlog:

I’ve not had a lot of Japanese black teas, but the few that I’ve had I’ve really enjoyed. So it was a real treat to have the opportunity to sample this Crimson Grove from Mellow Monk.

A tea with sweet and warm notes. Hints of smoke and nutmeg. Not an overly aggressive type of black tea, this isn’t the tea you’d want to turn to if you need a vigorous shake awake. Instead, this is the kind of tea to turn to when you want something cozy and contemplative.

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2014/08/24/crimson-grove-black-tea-from-mellow-monk/

One of my Steepster friends told me about this company. I wanted this tea because it sounded interesting. It smells different, like a darker green or dark oolong. The flavour is on the sweet side, with some smoky taste. There is mostly a smooth and mellow cup, and the smoky taste is subtle enough to be present and not overpowering.

Overall, it is very plesant and kinda makes me think of the forest of Mirkwood.