Rare Tea Company

I managed four very flavorful infusion from these leaves – each was very rich and delicious. This is one incredible Oolong!

This is a SPECTACULAR Oolong. The liquor is a beautiful golden color.

The flavor is smooth and rich and sweet. fruity and floral. Loving it and looking forward to many more infusions to follow.

This may be almost (if not just) as good as my beloved Ali Shan from Norbu!

After a summer of matcha shakes I’m back to hot tea drinking :) Maybe, hopefully, i got a bunch of tea waiting for me…
This bit of the Rare Tea Oolong sampler was left since June.
And yumm. Good choice for a new start. It has a really pleasant, good and soothing taste.

Another sampler and another tea that has been awarded for good taste.

Leaves smell like really fresh grass. Nice dark green color.

Tea is dark yellow and smells really nice.
It’s very good. Gotta wait a bit to define it cuz i had sheep cheese for dinner and it’s kinda still there on my taste buds.

Well to me it tastes similar to Dragon Well. But bit better. Easier to drink. This is best oolong I’ve had so far. The oolong tastes starts then it ends with that dragon well taste. Awesome combo.

Oh idk I just like it…

I did 3 steeps – just as good. Its a multi-steep tea ;)

I just read the short story that was inside the Lost Malawi tin. Such an awesome idea to do that.

This one is slightly darker than the Emperor’s breakfast. It’s supposed to be a strong black tea. Color is more red than brown. I’ll post photos some other time since i got a whole tin of this one :D Smells creamish too. I know – weird word for a smell – but it really smells like it’s going to be creamy. I kinda like it when a tea actual tastes the way it smells – well when it smells good (duh). I don’t mind a bad smelling tea surprising me with a good taste ;)

1st steep 3,5 min
It’s less sweet than the Emperor’s breakfast. Tastes nice earthy, smooth and round. I can hint a bitter note. It’s quite good.

2nd steep 5,5 min
Much lighter than the 1st steep. Tastes different. Less smooth. More watery and bit bitter. Still don’t mind drinking it tho. But its a one steep tea i’d say…

Another thing i like about this company is that, on their website, they write down which of their teas, and in which percents, make good combos. Like – i remember reading that it’s good to add half a teaspoon of Lost Malawi in Emperor’s breakfast to make it tad stronger. There was also an oolong combo which sounded even more interesting.

Btw in the tea description here on Steepster you got a link to a kewl video about where this tea is made. Actually here you go:
http://www.rareteacompany.com/videos.php?id=OsroewAbybA

looooooove this one. so tasty. sadly ending the sampler :(

I made tea from half a sampler again. Hope its enough to tell ;)
This one is one of those gentle breakfast blacks.

Leaves are nice black and yellow and totally twirled. Folks i think i found an amazing Tea company – and it was totally by chance…
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l188/malomorgen/Teas/eb1.jpg

Color is quite light for black tea. Smells very interesting. Kinda smells like it has milk in it :D Creamy smell.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l188/malomorgen/Teas/eb.jpg

Mmmm this is yummy! Another one i regret ordering just a sample ;) Best black I’ve ever had. Yumm. No bitterness at all. But you can still tell its black. Reminds me a bit of english breakfast. Its kinda sweetish creamy and earthy. Plus that awesome basic taste. Siiiigh… so good…

I got that package that got stuck on the customs office and that i didn’t even recall ordering. I was totally surprised with the content. Awesome modern tins and nicely packed samplers. Plus a nice postcard thingy and an actual short story inside one of the tins.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l188/malomorgen/Teas/07062010088.jpg
the short story thing

I picked one of 5 samplers with my eyes closed. Idk if the sampler content is for one or two teacups. I just read. It’s one teapot each sampler. I ordered the Introduction collection with White Silver Tip, Jasmine Silver Tip, Green Leaf Tea, Oolong, Emperor’s Breakfast. Plus i got a tin of whole leaf white and a tin of Lost Malawi.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l188/malomorgen/Teas/07062010083.jpg
took me 10 years to realize i got gay smurfs on my sheets ;) i just realized recently they aren’t inlove with smurfette

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l188/malomorgen/Teas/07062010089.jpg
After opening the pack strooooong jasmine scent. But more flowery and less ewy smelling than some of the jasmine’s that i couldn’t drink. They said themselfes that the 2ns steep is even better than the first. We shall see.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l188/malomorgen/Teas/07062010093.jpg

I’ll leave half of it for another time. Looks too much. Specially considering my jasmine weakness.
Lets go…
1st steep 4 minutes
The color is very light. Almost none. Smell is gentle floral similar to the leaves just more delicate. Taste is omg yummy. Seriously. How to describe this. I hate most jasmine teas i’ve tried so far but this goes beyond. It’s the most floral thing i’ve ever tasted. Its so sweet and taste so frakkin good. That floral taste sticks in my mouth like a drug or something. I can’t believe i just fell totally in-love to a jasmine tea. But i did. Omg gotta go let somebody else try it. They managed to make a tea i love from something i pretty much hate. How awesome is that?!
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l188/malomorgen/Teas/07062010098.jpg

This one is a must have! Too bad i just got a sampler. Gonna order more for sure. Till then i’ll have to steep out every yummy drop of this one ;)

Can’t wait to try their other teas. Rare Tea Company rocks!

I am forever grateful to you Henrietta for introducing me to Satemwa. I finally got a chance to sample this and I do agree it is a very good afternoon tea, if not, the best I’ve sampled so far. I took mine as is (without any milk and sugar). I also am so delighted with the estate’s philosophy and the fact that they give back to the community. I have been searching all over for full leaf teas from Africa and I’m excited to incorporate this into my da.u.de tea line.

Superior tea! Excellent farmer! Inspiring philosophy. I really am honestly excited.

Many thanks!

Ren