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Another first-flush experience from Vahdam Teas. As others have noted, this one does not have a strong presence of muscatel grape to it, if any. The base of the tea is a woody, nutty body, from which there bounces some buttery, vegetal, and spice notes. The aftertaste maintains the woodiness and nuttiness, but there is substantial floral and fruity presence.

I don’t know how Darjeeling aficionados feel about the lack of the grape leaf/muscatel flavors, but frankly, I welcome it. It is nice to have an experience that is still easily identifiable as first-flush Darjeeling without being a cookie-cutter replica of the standard flavor profile.

This is the first tea I have had where the woodiness is complex, interesting, and tasty – like a good whiskey with good cask influence, or a nice oaky red wine.

A really nice, unique experience that has a great balance of savory and sweet.
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Dry leaf – grapeleaf, sassafras, licorice, dried parsley, raw nut, peanut shell. In preheated vessel – roasted nut, wildflower honey, and stewed tart red fruit (red currant, raspberry)

Smell – raw nut, peanut shell, buttery vegetal (asparagus)

Taste – hardwood, raw nut, buttered green vegetables, buttered yeast roll, hints of cinnamon butter, fresh parsley, cilantro, sassafras. Aftertaste of orange flower, gummy fruit, red currant, dried date, and fruit leather.

This is an interesting green tea. Frankly, it reminds me of a young raw Menghai-area pu’erh, on its sixth or seventh infusion. It has a mushroom broth body with dried and fresh herb notes. The finish is the fruity, gummy sweetness you would find in a Menghai pu’erh.

It does not go for many infusions (I gong-fu’ed it!), but that is fair considering that it is a green tea and that gong fu style is not the traditional method of preparation.

The experience was interesting and tasty, although there were only two infusions that were really nice. The others had a fairly flat arrival and development, although the gummy, fruity aftertaste was persistent.

Certainly an interesting experience for a green tea, although I would be much more likely to reach for a pu’erh, where I could get similar flavors with more of a kick.
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Dry leaf – noticeable spice note in the bag (turmeric, ginger, coriander), dry cut grass, hints of popcorn, sassafras, and charred mesquite wood. In preheated vessel – sweet grass, some red-fruit notes.

Smell – mushroom broth, campfire log, hints of incense/sandalwood

Taste – arrival of mushroom broth, hints of charred mesquite wood. Development of sweet grass with hints of sassafras and dried parsley. Finish has herbal (fresh parsley and cilantro) and arrival of gummy sweetness. Aftertaste of gummy sweetness (pear, peach, mandarin orange combo) with lemongrass.

I’m really enjoying my adventure through Indian teas. This is yet another first-flush Darjeeling that was offered in a black tea sampler by Vahdam. I started my journey with the most expensive FF Darjeeling in the sampler (Arya Diamond). Maybe I shouldn’t have done that, because it sort of warped my perception. Not really fair to compare everything to the absolute best.

Nevertheless, this one still had great nutty, fruity, and honey-sweet flavors all supported by the muscatel (I call it “grapeleaf”) flavors. It lacked the complexity of the Arya Diamond, but still was really tasty. Definitely still one of the top-tier offerings ($26 / 100g). This one was much more straightforward in its delivery, but had a wonderful syrupy aftertaste that lingers.

These first-flush Darjeelings are occupying the same place in my tea drinking habit as Taiwanese high-mountain oolongs. For me, they are a little too expensive to buy any significant amount of, but I will absolutely buy a few from time to time to treat myself. A really unique and quality experience.
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Dry leaf – grapeleaf, raw peanut, hardwood, dried parsley. In preheated vessel – blackberry syrup sweetness prominent.

Smell – peanut, grapeleaf

Taste – arrival of peanut nuttiness. Development includes grapeleaf, dried parsley, sweet cooked vegetables like carrots and fresh greens, fresh parsley. Finish is syrupy sweet – wildflower honey and blackberry syrup.

OK – yellow tea. Has to be a gimmick, right? So elusive and mysterious…hidden long-lost recipes and all that…

Well, I was still excited to see what the hype was all about.

First, it is not a gimmick. This thing is crazy good. Imagine a vegetal and sweet, nutty bi luo chun crossed with sweet floral Anxi green oolong. Oh, and some sweet grass and fruit flavors of Xinyang Mao Jian. There was incredible complexity to the tea – from the dry leaf scent all the way through the experience in-mouth.

The flavors are strong, but complementary – switching from nutty to sweet, vegetal to floral. Incredibly dynamic. The mouthfeel is thick and unctuous. The aftertaste is expansive and long-lasting.

This is an excellent tea, and the price is great for the quality of the tea. Highly recommended for green tea lovers especially.
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Dry leaf – sweet corn (like Bi Luo Chun), creamy fragrant floral (like Anxi oolong), popcorn, speculoos, orange flower. In preheated vessel – candied pecans, praline, sweetcorn, tomato vine, sweet grass

Smell – sweet corn, sweet grass, tomato vine

Taste – arrival of sweet vegetal – sweet corn, green oolong leafiness, sweet grass. Development of complex but muted sweetness (marshmallow, graham cracker) and fragrant floral. Finish of sweet floral – orchid, orange flower, rose. Aftertaste of sweet floral, candied pecan, coconut, with hints of orange soda and red fruit/raspberry.

This is a wonderfully balanced and complex green. There is an incredible give-and-take on the palate between a thick honey sweetness and a vegetal corn savoriness. There is also a refreshing fruitiness that adds just enough tartness to keep things interesting.

Once again, another Darjeeling green that was a really fun tea to drink. While not on the same level as the Emerald Arya Darjeeling green tea, this is incredibly affordable ($12/100g) for what it delivers. I am between making Lu Shan Yun Wu or this as my go-to green tea to buy in bulk. Really a great tea.
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Dry leaf – chocolate powder, carob, dried parsley and cilantro, hints of coriander seed. In preheated vessel – wildflower honey and stewed red fruit notes arrive.

Smell – sweet corn, cooked zucchini, clover honey, honeysuckle; hints of chocolate and citrus.

Taste – sweet corn, bean sprouts, sweet grass arrival. Honey notes consistently appear throughout development, finish, and aftertaste. Hint of chocolate. Cooked blackberry. Mint and fresh herb in aftertaste, coriander seed. Orange peel and tropical fruit appear well into the aftertaste.

I’m continuing to trample through the tea fields of Darjeeling, and I like what I see. Taste. I like what I taste…

I greatly appreciate the herbal notes that cut through the more familiar black tea richness. I really like Chinese black teas, but they can definitely be a bit much whether with maltiness, nuttiness, or even fruitiness. The greenness of these FF Darjeelings are like a good aperitif – the sharper flavors stimulate your taste buds and create waves of flavor with the underlying richer flavors.

I should note that I am continuing to gong fu these teas. I really want to experience all the nuances with flavor. Maybe once I commit to purchasing something more than my 10g samples I will branch out and try some more traditional preparations.
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Dry leaf – peanut shell, pistachio, hay, wheat bran, grape leaf, dried parsley, hints of sassafras, stewed tart berry. In preheated vessel – thick wildflower honey and pungent stewed red fruit notes arrive.

Smell – roasted nuts, grapeleaf, note of lightly toasted marshmallow

Taste – arrival of very nutty notes – peanut and pistachio, with grapeleaf and milky black tea. Development of light malt, marshmallow. Finish of dried parsley, red currant, and hint of milk chocolate. Aftertaste of mint and parsley with hint of chocolately sweetness with tangy red fruit.

Well, I don’t think you’re going to get any better than this. This is easily the most complex green tea I’ve had, with layers and layers of flavor that were an absolute treat. It has the highlights of green tea, high-mountain oolong, and young sheng pu’erh all in one cup.

My notes for this tea are a total mess because this thing just kept transforming and becoming more nuanced literally with EVERY SIP. There were vegetal and herbal notes of green tea, spice and fruit notes of oolong, and complex sweetness and menthol of young sheng. This thing knocked me back in my chair as I sat realizing that I was in the presence of tea greatness.

At $28 for 100g, this is still more than what I (like to) spend on tea, but I am confident in saying that this tea is worth its price. It is an absolute treat, and would be a fantastic gift for any green-tea loving friends. Or really any tea-loving friends, for that matter.
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Dry leaf: first apparent notes are of honey-lemon and bergamot. Afterwards, herbal notes appear – dried parsley, dill, and mint. Some green twig notes. In preheated vessel – thick honey syrupiness and continued bergamot notes.

Smell: complex. Fresh parsley, snow peas, coriander, and chestnut, with secondary notes of honey-lemon, bergamot, buttered yeast roll, and coconut.

Taste: fresh parsley, snow peas, chestnut, coriander. Notes of Mexican chocolate, black forest cake, and buttered yeast roll. Other notes of coriander seed, honey, tropical fruit (guava, coconut). Finish has mint and menthol with chocolately sweetness.

This marks my first steps in a venture through Indian teas. I’ll be exploring black, green, oolong, and chai teas. Thanks to Vahdam Tea’s sampler packs, I have a pretty diverse selection of quality teas.

So, I couldn’t bring myself to follow their brewing recommendations and brew Western style. WIth only 10g to work with, I had to go gong fu – once with about 6g in 150ml gaiwan, and another with 4g in a 60ml gaiwan. Yes – full on gong fu.

I have to say – this tea was made for gong fu brewing. Not only did both of my sessions yield substantially different results, but the heavily-leafed version (4g/60ml) was extraordinarily dynamic and revealed new facets with just the slightest changes in brewing parameters. It was simply a FUN tea to brew. (As a side note – the 6g/150ml version had more grape leaf flavors, while the 4g/60ml version had some almond, yeast roll, and pollen. Both had rich and syrupy finishes).

The flavors ranged from fruity to vegetal, from floral to sweet, with herbs, spices, and even baked goods making an appearance. Really fun, and on par with Taiwanese high-mountain oolongs. However, just like these oolongs, I can’t say that I would ever purchase anything more than a sample – at $38 for 100g, it is simply out of my budget for what I pay for tea. But, it is well worth adding a sample to my cart just to remind myself of the kinds of experiences that are available out there in the world of tea.
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Dry leaf: primary grape leaf note. Secondary notes of light roasted nut, parsley, cilantro, and sassafras. Hints of anise. In preheated vessel – more nut flavors, buttery syrupiness.

Smell: sweet corn, light pecan, grape leaf, floral, yeast roll

Taste: arrival of grape leaf. Development of raw almond, yeast roll, pollen, and coriander seed. Finish is syrupy sweet. Aftertaste of sweet corn, parsley, and hints of sassafras.

OK, folks. I’m going way off my beaten path with this one. I came across Vahdam Teas through Steepster, and I saw good things. Always excited to begin a new exploration, I decided to make them my point person for my journey through Indian teas. I snatched up NEARLY every sampler pack they had (all half price!), and waited for the goods. The only sampler I didn’t get was the one with herbal teas.

When the package arrived, I was happy to see a few extra packs of teas given as free samples. Lo and behold! three were herbal teas, and one was a scented green tea… I guess the good folks at Vahdam figured I still needed to expand my horizons!

So, here we are. I don’t drink scented teas, much less herbal tisanes, but I have to say that I am excited to go on this unexpected journey.

Alright, so diving in… The ingredients are turmeric, black pepper, cardamom, and clove. The flavors are bold and fresh – no artificial flavoring here! The turmeric is fresh and spicy, with a silkiness that is intriguing and pleasant. I was surprised at the creaminess of it – if I didn’t know better, I would swear it had milk in it. This creaminess helps deliver the spices in a restrained and sophisticated way.

The black pepper is fairly bold, but it is balanced, cutting through the heaviness of the turmeric. The cardamom adds a spicy sweetness to balance out the pepperiness, and cloves offer their sweet spiciness to add a complex finish.

That’s really all I can say. If you don’t like any of the ingredients above, you probably want to steer clear. This is an unapologetic spice experience, but it is delivered well, with quality ingredients and careful blending ratios.
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Dry herb/spice: turmeric and black pepper are apparent from the outset. Sweetness of cardamom then arrives, with spiciness of cloves at the end.

Smell: creamy and savory. Creaminess helps put turmeric in check, clove and cardamom more easily noticeable.

Taste: turmeric and black pepper are readily apparent. Very creamy and milky body that help to round out edges of the spices. Sweetness of cardamom arrives in the development. Spiciness of clove lingers in aftertaste.

I’m on the fence with this one. Two things have happened that are working against this tea: 1) I’ve been blowing away my taste buds by drinking quite a bit of young raw puerh, and so need to fine-tune my palate when drinking something a bit more sophisticated, and 2) I did two comparisons this year of roasted vs. unroasted oolongs, and I noticed how the roasting, I thought, actually detracted from the overall experience. Now, I can’t get that out of my head whenever I drink a roasted oolong.

So, the first thing that happened when I drank this tea was a reaction of “Bleh, charcoal and peanut shell” followed by “This is boring.”

Then I started thinking about my first Wu Yi experience a few years ago. The dryness surprised me, but I was fascinated with how it brought me the experience of a rainy day on my palate – wet rocks, whiffs of green plants, some indefinable sweetness… As I started reminiscing, I started appreciating this tea. I stopped trying to find particular flavors and break down arrival/development/finish, and I just started enjoying my sips of a rainy day.

Dry mineral and nutty flavors arrive in an oily body. Hints of herbs, flowers, and fruit have a passing presence, and then the whole thing ends with a refreshing citrus finish. Definitely more of a mouth-feel experience than a taste-bud experience. But, I think this is the sort of tea that can have a comforting sort of nostalgia to it.

Still not really my thing, especially for the price, but I appreciate the fact that this tea has reminded me of how to approach understated and sophisticated teas.
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Dry leaf – nutty and floral: peanut shell, dried parsley and cilantro; notes of carob, dark cherry, baker’s chocolate. In preheated vessel – charcoal roast, red currant.

Smell – roast, heavily roasted nuts, hard wood. Hints of red currant and chocolate, especially when the liquor has cooled a bit.

Taste – mineral, wet rock, roasted nut, peanut shell, oily body. Development has some floral notes arrive. Finish has red currant notes pop up. Aftertaste of citrus – orange oil, orange and grapefruit essence.