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My friends went to China in Oct 2001 to adopt a baby and came back with my God Daughter Chloe, and some really good Ginseng Oolong tea. Elise went back with a friend for another adoption two years later, and another Ginseng Oolong tea, and this Ginseng Oolong tea is reviewed here.

I must say that the first Ginseng Oolong was better, due to it being a first experience of this type of tea, or the fact that it was brewed in a Tokoname teapot, or maybe it really was better. We all agreed to this fact.

To celebrate the Chinese New Year I chose this tea, and first cupped it last Friday night. The dry aroma was amazing and full of licorice. This tea is formed into pellets dusted with licorice and ginseng. The first two cups were steeped by info below.

The first cup wet leaf aroma was filled mostly with licorice aromas while the ginseng was noticeable but secondary. Wet leaf aroma in the second cup was slightly more licorice, with fuller ginseng aromas. In the third and fourth cups, the wet leaf aromas exhibited more ginseng and less licorice, with the licorice notes faded in the forth cup. The cup color was a medium yellow, getting darker with each longer steep (1.5 & 5 min).

The flavor in the first two cups exhibited amazing licorice flavor, not to intense—very delicious! The ginseng was well represented here, but the two flavors traded places in the third and forth cups. The ginseng was more prominent here and by the forth cup, the ginseng ruled the cup. I love the sweetness of the licorice, and the way it coated my tongue. My experience with straight ginseng is that it has a natural sweetness, but alone can be bitter if oversteeped. No bitterness was noted with it here and I found the ginseng to have a sweetness of its own.

Today, (Jan 24th), I made four more cups with longer steeping times and slightly more tea. First two cups were steeped at 1 minute and again the licorice came through beautifully and deliciously! By the third and fourth cups steeped at two and five minutes, the sweetness of the licorice faded and the ginseng and its sweet qualities edged forward. Today’s steeps were fuller and sweeter, and the two stars complimented each other well. There was no bitterness in the ginseng at all. The oolong itself was much less noticeable, and in the wet tea, there was much less actual oolong tea.

This tea is very delicious and sweet and relaxing, and for me addicting, even though the oolong itself was sparse. I love it just like I love my God Daughter Chloe. Happy Birthday Chloe!! :)))

Cupped: Fri, Sat, & Tue, January 20, 21, & 24, 2012.

Reviewed: Tuesday, January 24, 2012.

I’ve cupped this tea over the last three nights and mornings, because I wanted to try to be accurate in describing my tea experience. Since this is a multi-steep tea, my evenings brewing this one often took me into the next morning.

Monday night when I smelled this tea, the leaves smelled of fruits, yet had a roasty/nutty aroma. The wet leaf aroma intensified these qualities! The first two steeps at 45 seconds were the best, and what I got was a yellow cup color, with a fruity sweetness I can only describe as peach-like. This flavor did stay on my palate, but I also got that roasy/nutty quality. There is also a creamy or buttery quality, which made this even more smooth and delicious. My other three steeps consisted of sweetness, but slowly fading qualities of the first two cups. My one mistake was not using hotter water and a longer steep for the fourth cup, leaving the fifth cup rather flat. :-//

Others talked about a milky quality, but I didn’t pick up on any of that in the aromas or flavors. Also there was a fuzzy feeling on the back of my tongue after swallowing, which was OK, but then I noticed a slight taste I can only describe as a powdery finish. This was present after every cup and I didn’t like it. It is not horrible, but it does influence my slightly lower rating.

The next night, I smelled what I thought could be that milky quality (in the dry leaf aroma) I missed the night before. Little to no fruity tones were present, but that nutty/ roasty quality was still there. The info below is for the first two steeps. It’s funny because, in the cup and on my palate I was getting less fruits, and more of the roasty, milky quality. I went with it—I let the experience take me where it would. I found it interesting. How could I not sense this milky quality the night before? I don’t know, but it was definitely there. The smooth, creaminess was also there. This milk like quality was more than just the buttery aspect of the tea, because I could smell it in the dry leaf aromas! A really creamy, delicious tea! :)) That is, until I noticed that same powdery finish (albeit slight), from the night before. :-//

Last night I added slightly more leaf and got more roasty, milky aromas. The first two cups were filled with peach like fruitiness, and I also got more roasty/ nutty goodness. The buttery smoothness was also there!! I got more of the milky quality in the dry and wet leaf aromas and not in the cup or on my palate. Third cup was steeped at 1.5 min and near boiling. Flavors and aromas were still present but fading slightly. My fourth cup (5 min, boiling), was still very tasty, smooth and sweet. Each cup exhibited that slight, powdery aftertaste :-//.

Overall, a very good Oolong, and if it weren’t for that odd powdery aftertaste, this tea would rate a little higher. I can’t recommend it as a Milk Oolong, because I have no other milk Oolong to compare it to. Was that powder note due to artificial infusion to get that milk quality?? I do not know. I will try another milk Oolong that proclaims to be a naturally infused milk Oolong. :))

Cupped: Monday-Thursday, January 16-19, 2012.

Reviewed: Thursday, January 19, 2012.

I’ve been having a problem reading my NOTICES section since Friday, so now I have 40 unread! I wish this was fixed. Anywho, I also thought that meant I couldn’t post reviews, but here I am posting a review.

I have a another problem. I tend to save samples, especially if a special tea is sold out! It’s weird I know, but thankfully I was coaxed into drinking this one. :)) Let me start by saying this tea looked and smelled amazing!! Dry leaves are beige/brown spirals smelling of intense chocolate aroma, with an earthy back note. Watching the full leaves unfurl in glass is just beautiful. Cup color is medium dark brown-but was lighter along my cups edge.

The wet leaves smelled like Autumn leaves with a burnt brown sugar sweetness. As the leaves cooled, the Fall leaf aroma intensified, while the sweetness mellowed to the background. Smelling above the glass rim, I got some oxygen, mixing with the fall leaf aroma, reminding me of walking through piles of leaves on a cool, crisp autumn day! Totally immersing my sniffer, I got full blown fall leaf aroma. After cooling further, the fall leaf aroma gave way to an earthy mushroom aroma. Finally I took the wet leaves to my nose and sniffed deeply. I smelled fall leaves with a sweet note….but something deeper…like burning leaves. AMAZING!!

The cup itself was more earthy, with mushrooms, and a honey/woody sweetness. The flavor was fantastic-like fall leaves in a cup, with a mellow earthiness, and slight mushrooms. I’ve never done it, but it tastes like eating fall leaves. :)) A very full mouth feel, the flavors stay on the palate a long time!

A total, complete, multi-layered tea experience for the eyes, nose, tongue, and throat! I could go broke drinking this tea…….should have bought more. :-/ WAIT!! WHAT IS THIS? My tea is gone, but I can still smell Autumn in my cup! WOW! Post cup aromatics. Now that’s a perfect tea experience! :))

Cupped: Friday, January 13, 2012.

Reviewed: Monday, January 16, 2012.

Quite a few years ago I remember not liking coconut very much, because my mom used to make coconut cake that was too sweet. Then I had macaroons at a Chinese buffet and loved them. Then I tried Thai food and loved the way coconut was a part of their delicious food. So now I, “Really digg coconut man!” Harney’s crafted this blend a few years ago, and I always wanted to try it…….so last year I bought a tin.

Surprisingly, I reecently found this and tried it today. I immediately smelled the coconut…it just hit me in the face! I inhaled the blend deeply and smelled lemongrass, and there was something else. What was it? The aroma was secondary to the other two but…SSNNIIFFFF….AHHHH, there it is—vanilla! Those were the three scents I detected, and I couldn’t detect any ginger. Amazing aroma, and I couldn’t wait to drink a cup. My mouth was watering!

In the wet leaf aroma I could actually smell the green tea now. This looked like a Bancha green and not a Sencha. Bancha is more mild than a Sencha, and it works really well in this blend. A yellow colored liqour greeted my eyes as I waited for the cup to cool.

At 3.5 minutes, the coconut, came through very well, and the lemongrass was quite noticeable and refreshing. What I really like is that the vanilla was well represented, but more of a background flavor. Sometimes vanilla can be overdone, but not here. I really like it when you can taste the TEA and the added flavors. The tea is really good bancha with no bitterness, but there is good flavor. A really good balance of the green tea, coconut, lemongrass & vanilla.

My second cup was steeped at 4.5 and around 200 degrees. Here the flavors come through well enough, and the longer steep made thee green tea pop, and made my mouth pucker. This was not bitterness at all. I enjoyed this cup too, but the green tea was more prominent than the flavors here. I think to achieve a good balance I would steep this blend at 3.5 minutes, but no more than four. I aso used more quantity “leaf” per cup, probably closer to 1 1/2 tsp.

This is one of my favorite blends and Bankok Blend would go perfect with Thai food. It is also a delicious dessert tea. I probably could drink this every day! It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. :)) I could see myself drinking this in the warmer months—this would make a great iced tea. Right now it is too cold here to drink anything iced though. In the Summer, when I ice this tea, I need to remember to buy some tiny umbrellas! :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Friday, January 13, 2012.

Another tea that will mark the beginning of 2012 for me. Ok…….again a week late. I’ve only had one other Feng Huang Dan Cong, so I was eager to try this one. Upon opening the bag, I smelled stone fruit notes and woods. The leaves were darker than those of the other Dan Cong I tried. The wet leaves smelled great-fruity (peachy) and of woods.

I kept the steeps short, because Dan Congs have a bitter edge to them (in a good way), but if you’re not careful, the bitterness overtakes the tea. First two steeps were at 30 seconds at around 170 degees. Really got some nice peach flavors here and yet some notes of woods too. Not as peachy as I remember my other Dan Cong to be but is probably due to lower steep times. There was no back end bitterness noted, but will probably make an appearance with later steeps. Delicious full flavor, with lots of staying power on my palate! Third steep was 1 minute at around 170-175 degrees. Very consistent flavor notes and aromas through the third steep with no bitterness, yet same full mouth feel.

I’m really enjoying this and hoping to get three more quality steeps. :)) More to come!

The flavor of my fourth and fifth steeps were tainted due to food I had eaten, but I can say the 4th steep was still quite delicious. Aromas and stone fruit notes fading, and just a little back end bitterness. Steeped 190 degrees at 2 minutes.

Last steep was good even though the flavor was fading here, and a little bitterness, but surprisingly not much. Steeped 205 degrees for 5 minutes.

Five steeps using roughly 6 to 7 grams of tea!

I loved this tea. Five good quality, delicious, juicy, cups with this Dan Cong. :)) A keeper for me. Although bitterness didn’t make a grand appearance here, I still recommend keeping steep times on the short side.

Cupped and Reviewed: Sunday/Monday, January 8 & 9, 2012.

I love Senchas and got a sample of this about a year ago (maybe longer). :p Last night I saw a capsule of events, that marked 2011 forever in my (our) minds. Perhaps the most memorable, albeit tragic, event in my mind is the earthquake & tsunami that devastated Japan. I can still see the giant wave destroying everything in its path!! To ring in the New Year, and in homage to the Japanese people, I will enjoy this tea tomorrow! Peace, health, and happiness to all of you in the year to come. :))

Just opened the sample bag today and this is my first tea of 2012! I need to drink more Japanese green teas this year. I didn’t realize how much I missed a good Sencha until I opened this Hand Rolled Sencha and was hit with that fresh vegetal aroma! The leaves are so small and aromatic, but the wet leaves smelled more vegetal and delicious. The wet leaves are also so tender. I’ve never done it, but I wouldn’t doubt they’re quite edible. :))

Then I poured the hot water, on the leaves I could smell this great Sencha aroma. Steeped at 1.5 minutes was perfect. The mediuum yellow cup looked very inviting. I always let the cup cool a while, because the flavors tend to intensify, as does the aroma. Swirling the warm tea in my mouth, I got fresh, clean, vegetative qualities, with a full mouth feel. There is a sweetness to the cup & a mild sencha bite. It is in no way overpowering or bitter, but it does make my mouth pucker a little. :)) I like the way the tea coats my tongue and my throat-such a smooth, warming quality that stayed with me.

This is a very good, fresh sencha. I will update with more infusions later!

Second infusion is better than the first with more of the same aromas, flavors, and qualities. The best cup of all infusions.

Third cup was still good in flavor, but the aromas were fading. Increasing water temperature and steep time another 30 seconds would have made a more enjoyable cup.

At boiling and 3.5 minutes the fourth cup possessed waning flavors and aromas. While still good, the qualities all around were on the weak side.

I typically only get 3 really good, quality infusions from a quality sencha. I missed having a good sencha around & this Hand Rolled Sencha was a perfect way to start the New Year!! :))

Cupped: Sunday/Monday, January 1-2, 2012.

Reviewed: Sunday/Monday, January 1-2, 2012.

Tea review to come later today!……………OK, I’m a week late on this one, but better late than never! There is a light dry leaf aroma for this tea, and the leaves are larger than other FF Darjeelings I’ve tried. Pretty multi-hued, white tipped leaves, that really become noticeable when wet. Nice fruity, sweet aromas come through here.

Steeped for 3.5 minutes, the aromas and flavors are light and fruity sweet, with a light orange cup color. Use slightly more leaf for fuller flavor. Although this is a lighter cup, the experience is quite enjoyable. There was no noticeable astringency, which struck me as unusual for a First Flush Darjeeling. It really is a nice, smooth cup and a good change of pace.

My second cup was steeped using slightly more leaf (approx. 1 1/2 tsp), with boiling water for 4.5 minutes. Still lighter in flavor and aromatics when compared to other FF Darjeelings, the cup was a deeper orange, with more sweetness and fruity notes on the palate. There was also mild astringency in the second cup.

This Darjeeling is a great tea. While I typically like a little more astringency, the more astringent Darjeelings can easily become bitter if you are not careful. This Puttabong is a little more forgiving, and is at best (or worst) only mildly astringent. I believe this is due to the larger, tippy leaves. A top notch, refined Darjeeling that is smooth and delicious, and a worthy tea for everyone-not just Queens, or Kings for that matter. :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Saturday, January 7, 2012.

I ordered from Thunderbolt Tea in 2009, but my tea order was returned to India because I wasn’t home to SIGN for it! So in 2010, I ordered this gem. I love Darjeeling teas, and this was the best Darjeeling I could remember tasting in 2 or 3 years.

The dry leaf smelled nutty (like almonds), and of woods. Wet leaves were pretty, varigated leaves of green and brown. I wish I had a picture to show you! The smell was fantastic-sweet, flowery, fruity, all in some combination. The smell of the wet steeping leaves in the cup is….Aaahhhh….so fresh, clean, crisp. The cup color is a beautiful orange color, with the same-although a little subdued-aromas as the wet leaves.

The cup exhibits flowery, fruity, fresh goodness on my palate. So fresh and clean like a new Spring day. I also detected secondary nutty characteristics in the tasting. Typical muscatel tones linger on the tongue even long after the tea is swallowed. The best description I can come up with here is to think of the “bite” of a sour grape on your tongue. This is not bitter, but only tangy deliciousness. This is one of the things I love about FF Darjeeling teas (and what some people do not). :))

Really the best Darjeeling I’ve had in a long while! I started cupping this after Thanksgiving, and even a year later it is so fresh and delicious! Reminds me of Spring in a cup.

Cupped: Mon, December 19, 2011. Reviewed: Sat, December 24, 2011.

I’ve always liked lavender—it looks and smells sweet. When I saw this tea on their website, I just had to have some. The dry purple buds smelled fantastic! Steeped for ten minutes, I was expecting a deeper color, but didn’t see it. This is straight lavender tea, so the wet tea buds smelled awesome!

In the cup I noticed a darker purplish color with a strong lavender aroma, although not as strong as the wet buds. Others have noted a soapy quality in the cup flavor. I can understand that description, but do not consider it soapy. That is just how lavender is…….some things are what they are. The aroma was awesome and the flavor was smooth, perfumey lavender goodness. I really enjoyed how it soothed my throat and stayed with me in the aftertaste.

If you don’t like lavender or scented teas you probably wont like this tea. For me it is soothing, smooth and delicious! A high quality, super lavender tea. This is a perfect herbal at night, when I sometimes avoid caffeine. A truly satisfying tea! :)) The tea still lingers on my palate—now—long after the cup is gone.

Cupped and Reviewed: Wednesday, December 21, 2011.

NOTES**** Tried steeping this at shorter periods. First cup about 200 degrees for 3.5 minutes, which resulted in milder flavor and perfume aromas. Second cup, 212 degrees for seven minutes, still very flavorful and aromatic. I think two shorter steeps is the way to go on this one, especially if you are overwhemed by the flavor and aromatics of lavender tea.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays everyone!!. Here’s a video if you care to watch it. It is one of my favorites! I just love her voice. :))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF70A6t4EiU

Cupped:Thursday, December 22, 2011.

Reviewed: Sunday, December 25, 2011.

I ordered this tea in the late 90’s because the description really sounded intriguing. I mean c’mon son, if this tea was good enough for eight world leaders, it was good enough for me, so I ordered it. Back in the day, I really liked it alot! I’ve been meaning to reorder it for years and I finally did so.

I have been cupping this since November trying to accurately pen a review. So here we go.

Upon opening the tin, I could smell the Assam, Darjeeling, and white Jasmine. Yes, there are full, white Jasmine leaves blended sporadically throughout this blend, which was noticeable. You can actually see all of the different leaves here. In the wet leaves, the Jasmine & Darjeeling come through mostly, among the mixture of other teas.

The cup is a very dark brown, and when I stood directly over my cup, the light hit it just right and made my tea look nearly black. I watched the steam rising off of the darkness, looking like ghosts dancing on my tea! There was a decent, sweet aroma, mainly of Darjeeling, Jasmine, and Assam. Those three teas seemed to stand out in the flavor profile as well, not dominating, but more like vying for position, each wanting to be noticed. I will say the Darjeeling probably got the slight edge here. I honestly couldn’t distinguish the other teas specifically; however, occasionally I noticed a burst from a Keemun. Or was that a Yunnan?? Or a Puerh perhaps, pointedly prickling my palate?? Eight teas can be confusing to the taste buds, much like a totally tenacious tortuous tongue twister!

WWHHEEEWWW!! The key here is that this is a smooth enjoyable cup of tea. An interesting and solid-yet not stellar-blend, with medium aromatics, flavors, and briskness. Lower water temps and a little sugar may unlock more nuances in this tea, increasing my rating. If this tea is good enough for me-and it is-then it is definitely good enough for you too! :))

Cupped and Reviewed: Saturday, December 17, 2011.