Camellia Sinensis

Decent Oriental Beauty! I got the 2022 harvest of this tea from my recent order with CS. Beautiful leaves with a great proportion of buds, rich rich aroma in the dry and wet leaf that is complex and nuanced to the max. Liquor is a vibrant orangey red. Flavour is decent, lacking a bit of potency and nuance. Texture is juicy with a slight astringency, but really nice. Character is mediocre, the session was pretty unidimensional. Finish & aftertaste was decent, great lingering muscatel and spice note with a nice airy finish. Cha-qi is almost non-existent, and steep longevity is mediocre to decent, topping out at steep 8.

A little worried that these leaves have been tainted. The dry aroma is nowhere near what it should be. The first taste was fruity. Apples and almost a fruit cocktail drink without sugar. Still no aroma worth mentioning :/ This is probably one of the ..weirdest? oolongs I’ve ever had. As you steep longer you find charcoal and roasty notes. The apple stays but it doesn’t mix that well with the other notes. I wish I could find myself enjoying this tea but I just find each sip is somewhat of a grimace…

An okay to decent oolong! I got the 2022 harvest of this tea from my recent Camellia Sinensis order, and it was nice but it didn’t last long. Very nice leaves albeit slightly dull and slightly broken, creamy and milky aroma that was extremely delicious but not potent enough, liquor was vibrant and active with a bright greenish-yellow hue. Flavour was decent for the first few steeps, reminds me of a Jin Xuan, creamy and milky and overall flavourful. Texture is decent, smooth yet with a slight bite. Character is lacking however with poor performance in the cup in later steeps, finish & aftertaste was quite nice, good airy finish with a slight milky aftertaste. Cha-qi was almost non-existent and steep longevity was mediocre to poor. Overall, a good tea but nothing too amazing especially past the first few steeps.

A very Complex Green Tea worth muliple infusions. Gong Fu style is enjoyable, but I tend to brew this one western style with A LOT of leaf. Aromatics of steamed spinach, steamed cabbage, with a bit of a nuttiness to it. The taste itself transforms through multiple infusions. The first infusion I did at 175f with about 5g of leaf gave me those vegetable notes mentioned in the aromatics. The second steeping at the same temperature gave me the same, giving way to a bit more nuttiness and a fuller body. The last infusion at 195f steeped for 4 minutes completely transformed it in a thicker textured tea with sweeter notes meeting a brothy kind of tea. The perfect amount of astringency throughout, and very hard to over-steep. This is by far the most enjoyable Chinese Green i’ve ever had. The Theanine hit was immediate in the first infusion, relaxing me completely.

The body/heady sensation is a very calm alertness. I very much enjoy this tea, and for the price point, it’s a must have.

I’d tried it Gong Fu style in my gaiwan as well. It draws out the experience, starting vegetale, moving into a nuttiness, and then a sweetness through the infusions. It’s a fascinating tea.

This is the most unique Black Tea I’ve ever had the pleasure of trying. I find it’s best brewed western style, and it’s generally a one steeper. I get notes of Malt, transforming into marinara sauce, a caramel sweetness, with hints of dark chocolate. It’s a very savory black Tea, and a wonderful way to start your day. It’s not nuanced enough for multiple infusions. I’ve tried it in my Gaiwan, and didn’t enjoy it enough to warrent that kind of effort. No, this is definately mean to be put in a steeper basket for about 3 to 5 minutes at 195f. It releases its infusion very quickly. So if you want a quick cup, at this price point, I’d say its worth it given the complexity of the aromatics and tasting notes of what this tea has to offer.

Not a great green. I got the 2022 harvest of this tea from my recent Camellia Sinensis order, and it seems to be the first review for this tea in 9 years, so it seems like the anji baicha this year is a downgrade from a few years back. Beautiful leaves with a vibrant green colour yet boasting a yellow sheen, wet leaf aroma is rich and complex, dry leaf aroma is nuanced but not rich, and empty cup doesn’t boast much of an aroma. Liquor is a vibrant rich greenish yellow. Flavour is decent but somewhat short-lived in the mouth, and doesn’t highlight much complexity but is quite delicate. Texture is disappointingly slaty but tends towards juicy with slight astringency towards the end, character is pretty one-dimensional which was unfortunate. Finish & aftertaste was negatively impacted by the short-lived flavour, but improved as the session climaxed around steep 3. Cha-qi is unnoticeable, and steep longevity is average to poor, with the session reaching its end at around steep 5.

Overall, not the best green tea and probably not worth the price tag.

Gongfu!

This was a short lived session as these leaves brew out quite quickly, but I always love the incredibly unique sweet and savory notes of honey mustard that so sharply punctuate the first couple of steeps. It’s very unlike any other yellow tea I’ve had the pleasure of brewing, though not in a bad way at all. Once the umami of the mustard notes subsides, the rest of the session is a gentle and muted decrescendo of toasted rice and nuts.

I was inspired to pull out this tea sample after seeing all of TheOolongDrunk’s stories from his visit to Great Mississippi Tea Company’s farms this weekend! From my understanding, the yellow tea productions were a bit divisive, but personally I really hope that they keep experimenting because I really do think there’s something quite striking and unique to be had here!!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctr1_H3upKa/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdE7w0JmzZQ

Gongfu!

The early steeps have such a distinctly sweet and tangy umami snap to them that makes me think of honey mustard. It’s very unlike anything I’ve tasted in a yellow tea before, and also wickedly delicious. The back end is nuttier and more traditionally like the yellow teas that I know and love, and as I pushed the session and the mustard seed elements waned I found the nuttiness slowly built along with a more bean-y vegetal note.

I’ve wanted to try Mississippi grown tea for a whole now, as currently the only other US grown Camellia Sinensis I’ve come across is from Hawaii. I’m definitely glad I snagged this at the MTL tea fest because I think it was worth it just for that striking mustard note alone!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CjN85A6OiSa/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my6zHC-5MDM

TTB

I don’t think I’ve ever had a Korean black tea before, and this is quite interesting.

It is surprisingly floral and sweet- like lilacs and honey.

There is a bit of a wet tree bark thing happening, which actually works really well with the soft floral notes.

Sipdown! (83 | 180)

The first of many samples from my recent swap with Courtney! ❤

This is her favorite Earl Grey cream, and it’s definitely the best one I’ve had as well. There’s a nice level of bergamot, strong but not too strong, and the base is very smooth. The vanilla is somewhat subtle, but adds a gentle sweet creaminess that sort of rounds the edges of the overall taste. It’s a a very aromatic tea without being perfumey.

A very lovely tea. I’m not sure I feel the need to have an Earl Grey cream in my cupboard as I tend to reach for Earls with extra citrus and other flavors. But if I did want one, this would certainly be at the top of my list. Thanks Courtney! :)

Twisted balls of various jade greens reveal an aroma of sweet honeysuckle and gardenia. A fresh aroma that reminds you of a tropical jungle. The initial aroma is creamy for a second and then changes to garden notes. I’m seriously surprised at the 4 – 5 minute steep time on the package. Granted I always drink my oolong gong fu style now but that just seems like way too much time. Also if you are steeping with a gaiwan you’ll want it cooler. Almost burnt my fingers trying to pick it up at this temp. The longer steep reveals some mineral notes and astringency. Not heavy astringency but enough to make it not completely pleasant. The garden notes and floral notes are a bit muted by the slight bitterness you find when it first hits your palate. But when brewed with proper gaiwan style the tea really shines. The mineral notes make your mouth water for more. I’ve licked the most delicious wet rock. The veggies garden notes and the floral notes of gardenia. The way you brew your tea matters.

I tried this oolong out of the TTB after Wolf Tea’s Alishan Oolong and they were so different! This one was definitely more robust, with dominant cinnamon notes and a much darker brew. It didn’t hit the spot for mid-August, but I can see this being very comforting in colder weather.

Sipdown! Loved this one from the TTB so much that I kept the packet. For this last brew, I steeped it for 10 minutes instead of the recommended 4-5. That brought out the roasty flavor much more, and an almost chocolatey note. Absolutely delicious and perfect for a chilly night.

Love me a good hojicha. This one has the expected roasted flavor, but it also has a delightfully unexpected gentle sweetness. The steeping instructions are different than what I usually use (these are 195f for 4-5 minutes, I usually go for 212f for 30 seconds to a minute). Now I’m curious to prep other hojichas this way and see what happens.
Another hit from the TTB, and excited that I got to try out a new-to-me tea company!

Gongfu!

Steeped and paired with a handful of ripe raspberries! To be honest, tieguanyin has never been one of my favourite kinds of oolong. However, when you find a good one it tends to be reeeaaallllyyy good! I love the more caramelized sugars, toasted grains, and coffee like notes of this more medium roasted TGY. Of course, in my books, a roasty toasty and mineral tasting tea is always a welcome and comforting cuppa. What really sets this one apart for me is that sitting under the surface of those delectable flavours in such a beautiful and complex array of fruitier notes: grilled apricots and other sweet ripe stonefruits, candied orange peel, and maybe even a hint of papaya. I love how the raspberries add to sweetness of those undertones while giving more brightness and acidity. They can be pretty intense though, so it’s best to keep the snacking in between infusions and just let the tea wash down the lingering aftertaste of the berries!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CgcmWEVuSMh/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSj2SgAuvgo

Midweek cuppa.

Smooth enough grass-forward green tea base with soft notes of blackberry and jasmine. There’s nothing particularly disagreeable about the cup itself, but there’s something about how all the different components feel kind of “restrained” that makes for a mug that is a little unexciting? I mean, I drank it all and it was nice. But just nice. I didn’t feel like it elicited any strong reaction in any regards.

Cold Brew!

I thought this would be better as a cold brew than it actually was. Instead it was just very, very vegetal and grassy with a hint of jasmine and blackberry and a pretty surprising amount of bitterness. Not the best. Gonna stick with hot from here on out, and maybe try some sweetener. I bet honey would be nice.

I hate how gross and swampy the steeped liquor of this blend is, but the taste was pleasant albeit grassy and green tea heavy. I love the pairing of jasmine and blackberry together because it’s quite surprisingly sophisticated while still coming off as very fresh, summery and light. The addition of mint is interesting; it does slightly mask some of the intricacies of those flavours but the cooling crisp finish was so pleasant and I could see how it would really shine if you were to ice this tea – which is actually how it’s intended to be made as per Camellia Sinensis’ marketing.

Tea Travels: Greece. San Antonio Summerland, Mykonos. Good hotel. Weird location. Terrible tea. Couldn’t make it through my first cup. When we had some time later I steeped something better. This. The leaf is small to medium in size. Twisted tightly. Dark brown. The liquor color is amber and clear. We look out on donkeys grazing among the dry plant life. They have the most unique flowers here. Double and triple colors blooming on the same plant. It fills your mind with wonder like this tea fills your mouth. Smooth with astringency after 3 minutes. Smoky flavors along with ripe bark and roasted squash. And yet it is lighter than other black teas. Mykonos is a party island. It’s a lot of fun but to be honest my favorite part was visiting Delos. If you go you must visit Delos.

Gongfu!

DT’s new Korean Sejak comes from Jeju so it’s an area I know a little bit more about compared to other Korean tea productions – and I admit I was curious to see what a black tea from this terroir would be like. Honestly, I like the black sooo much more – but I don’t think that’ll surprise anyone who knows my general lack of enthusiasm for straight green teas…

I definitely packed this gaiwan preettyyyyy full so it’s strong, but with short steep times I’m really enjoying the almost syrupy liquor/mouthfeel and rich fragrant notes of lilac and fresh roses, chocolate liqueur, cocobolo and rosewood, and buckwheat honey. There’s sort of a jammy plum-like undertone, and the top notes are very perfumey – but not in an offensive kind of way! Definitely an interesting tea, and worth trying IMO if you’re interested in seeing the range that Korean black tea can offer!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfj0ds4uicy/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t3jiFL65Hg

Thank you Leafhopper!

This is the kind of tea I like. I was saving it for a morning that I had time, and pretty much followed the same parameters with the 4-5 grams-the entire sample left using 120 ml, 195 F, 10, 12, 15, 18, then changed it fifteen. I debated if I would use my Manual Teamaker gaiwan because the leaves are on the smaller side, and were a little bit challenging to prevent from coming into my cup or leaving the gaiwan. Luckily I had a strainer, though I had to plop some leaves back into it.

The tea doesn’t change too much with each steep, but gets more bitter, tannic, and metallic towards the end. Initial steep was strong with blood orange, cinnamon, rose, and allspice with a little bit of a lavender tail end. Lavender notes ramp up after steep two and was consistent. The combo of lavender, malt, citrus, pine, spices, and dryness reminded me of some coffee flavor combos and mocktails I used to get. I enjoyed steep one and two the best because the immense florals and malt were balanced, and the unusual cinnamon spice taste set this one far apart other Fujian blacks I’ve had. It’s like a top end constant comment without needing actual spices.

The shorter last steep made a difference in backing off from the earth, malt, and metal leaning more into citrus lavender combo. I personally couldn’t make it past this one though because the bitterness and metallic taste started to become too much for me.

I’m thankful I got to try it, and while this is totally the kind of tea I’d have in my stash, I’m pretty content with what I got for now. The drying and metallic qualities hold me back from rating it a 90 overall.

I went to the MTL Cat Cafe a few days ago with my mom for brunch and this was the tea that I ended up grabbing for myself. Here in Montreal it’s pretty normal for Camellia Sinensis to be the in house tea offering at most coffee shops/cafes but since it’s generally not their most interesting tea offerings I don’t usually grab them – but this morning I just wanted a “classic tasting” black tea to start my day with. Something breakfast blend adjacent, if you will. So this malty and straightforward cuppa definitely served that need for me.