This will be a short review, with a more detailed tasting coming after Oct 14th. It’s the end of the season where I work, and that means I’m basically on every day :( Luckily I have 5 months to recoup, and will be drinking TONS of tea!
This is my favorite tea from Verdant. Don’t get me wrong, I have loved all the teas I’ve tried, but this aged TGY is a stand out in my mind. #2 would be Laoshan Black, and while its not fair to compare an oolong and black tea, my preference lies with this aged jem! Subtle, but profound…it may be oxymoronic, but this tea has a subtle, yet very complex taste, one that builds over multiple steepings, and lingers on the palate for longer than anything I’ve tried, short of puer. The tea is somewhat floral, but not overtly so, it’s balanced by a caramelly, roasted flavor. Also, I taste a mineral, yancha taste that I normally get from wuyi oolongs, interesting since this is an anxi oolong!
But the most memorable quality of this tea is chaqi. To be honest, before this tea I really had no idea what it meant to be “tea drunk.” I knew what it meant after my 3rd gongfu type 4oz steeping! Hello clarity! Hello calm! It was so noticeable, that I’m surprised I’ve never had the feeling before…and so pleasant, as well!
Well, I’ve rambled a small post into a long post…all without having this tea in front of me! It was that memorable! Long live my 4oz of aged TGY, you are by far my favorite, and will be heartbroken when you are gone :(
That is, until David finds another…
Comments
Wow, amazing review. I can’t wait for my package to arrive so I can sip alongside you (so to speak) ;)
Why thank you so much! I sure hope you enjoy the tea! I forgot to include that both my mom and sister say that this aged TGY is the favorite tea they have sampled thus far… They are not tea diehards like me, but I always make them take a couple sips of each tea I brew :) So that’s another interesting aspect of this tea I find intriguing; I think this tea appeals to both non tea drinkers, and experienced(I’m still a novice, though) tea drinkers alike!
And let me know what you think when you try the tea, I find traces of Verdant’s Big Red Robe in the taste of this tea as well… I’m waiting on a cake of the Fuhai sheng puer, my first puer cake! Though I find it much harder to describe sheng puer, I’ll try my best :)
Thank you again for the kind words :)
I ordered the cake (MY FIRST) also, this is going to be a great addition! Love this tea too! I get that tea drunk off Laoshan White and the Xingyang 1998 puerh. REALLY GOOD STUFF!
Hey there Bonnie :) I haven’t been on steepster very often in the last month :( But ill be on a lot pretty soon! I have so many teas to log…if I stopped buying tea today, I’d have enough to last probably 10-12 months… While I always get stuff from Verdant, I feel guilty as I had to try some other companies too, I think I got 4 different teas from Upton…And finally got my order from Dragon Teahouse, 8 different kinds. I feel heretical :(
I work at an Italian Ice business, and we have somewhere around 65 flavors, so I always have to try something, but Mango has always been my favorite. While I may not have it every time, it’s always there as my standby.. I guess you could say that Verdant is my Mango! While I will always try other teas(there’s just too many for just 1 company) when I want something I know I will like, I always find myself wanting something from Verdant!
Hope everything is going well, Bonnie! And isn’t it funny how you can start off a review by saying its going to be short, and then it just morphs into something much longer than you expected? Lol, the things good tea will make you do :) Take it easy, ill be back with some regularity in about two weeks :)
Wow, amazing review. I can’t wait for my package to arrive so I can sip alongside you (so to speak) ;)
Why thank you so much! I sure hope you enjoy the tea! I forgot to include that both my mom and sister say that this aged TGY is the favorite tea they have sampled thus far… They are not tea diehards like me, but I always make them take a couple sips of each tea I brew :) So that’s another interesting aspect of this tea I find intriguing; I think this tea appeals to both non tea drinkers, and experienced(I’m still a novice, though) tea drinkers alike!
And let me know what you think when you try the tea, I find traces of Verdant’s Big Red Robe in the taste of this tea as well… I’m waiting on a cake of the Fuhai sheng puer, my first puer cake! Though I find it much harder to describe sheng puer, I’ll try my best :)
Thank you again for the kind words :)
I ordered the cake (MY FIRST) also, this is going to be a great addition! Love this tea too! I get that tea drunk off Laoshan White and the Xingyang 1998 puerh. REALLY GOOD STUFF!
Hey there Bonnie :) I haven’t been on steepster very often in the last month :( But ill be on a lot pretty soon! I have so many teas to log…if I stopped buying tea today, I’d have enough to last probably 10-12 months… While I always get stuff from Verdant, I feel guilty as I had to try some other companies too, I think I got 4 different teas from Upton…And finally got my order from Dragon Teahouse, 8 different kinds. I feel heretical :(
I work at an Italian Ice business, and we have somewhere around 65 flavors, so I always have to try something, but Mango has always been my favorite. While I may not have it every time, it’s always there as my standby.. I guess you could say that Verdant is my Mango! While I will always try other teas(there’s just too many for just 1 company) when I want something I know I will like, I always find myself wanting something from Verdant!
Hope everything is going well, Bonnie! And isn’t it funny how you can start off a review by saying its going to be short, and then it just morphs into something much longer than you expected? Lol, the things good tea will make you do :) Take it easy, ill be back with some regularity in about two weeks :)
Yes! Definitely notes of Big Red Robe (my favourite notes too!) but I am totally with you when it comes to being tea drunk thanks to this tea. I only have an ounce – but I have a feeling it’s going to go quick! Amazing tea