1749 Tasting Notes
Sweet and grassy as described. Definitely has a sea mist air thing going on, but not nearly as sweet as a Sencha. Super green, super vegetal. Like green peas and grass. Enjoyable and one of the green ones that I like more. I just prefer the black Russian. For any green tea lover really-it has some of the better notes of one.
Flavors: Grass, Green, Peas, Salt, Sweet, Thick
The first time was wonderful. It was like drinking orchids with almonds and dried cherries. Of course, the session was Gong Fu with 4 grams in a little less than five ounces. The flavors got sweeter, smokier, nuttier, and better. Other times were disappointing and it tasted like a bland oolong with a little nuttiness, not much else. Sometimes it could be too roasty for longer steepings. That’s why 10-20-30 seconds is better.
Drinking it now in a giant tea ball, it opens more and opens up nicely. I change my mind on this one too much. I either love it or am too bored with it. There’s little in between. I’d recommend it to experienced drinkers for sure, but something too exotic for newbies. It really has to be brewed with precision.
Flavors: Almond, Cherry, Dried Fruit, Flowers, Honeysuckle, Nuts, Orchid, Osmanthus, Roasted
Does it develop nicely western style?
I could have sworn I replied. It does not hold up as well as the Shui Xian does Western, but even then, the first steep of the Shui Xian is best at a minute Western. This tea, however, is a lot more delicate in terms of notes. It only develops nicely in the few seconds from 10-30, but it should be left at 10, 20, and 30.
Its happened to me a few times when using my phone, posts dont show up.
Maybe im wording wrong, I mean letting the flavour develop in the cup as it cools (after you take out the leaves) – I like the change in some Oolongs, and particularly like them when they hit about 80 or 70 degrees, when sometimes sweetness starts coming through.
I have read somewhere that some Oolongs are best drank when they are this temperature.
You taste the smoother notes as it cools more like almond, cherry, and the sweetness. And I can totally see why oolongs are better at that temperature.
Sounds like my kind of tea – smoke with almond & cherry coming out over the course of the mug.. And the price is nice as well
Keep in mind that it is VERY subtle though, so don’t expect them to be obvious unless that is exactly what you are looking for.
i’ll have to try some of berylleb’s tea, I can see you are really on the fence with this one!
Now, I definitely recommend it. I got bigger leaves in the last cup and the yummy flavors in full.
haha, what weight & temps did you use, do you remember?
185 degrees Fahrenheit or 85 C at first, then I let it cool down a little bit as it steeps. I’m bad about measuring weight. I usually eyeball it by getting two to three generous hand pinches into a six and half ounces vessel, picking larger leaves if I can. I do know at least that it does not exceed 5 grams. 3-4 g is the best estimate especially Gong Fu. I prefer closer to 3 grams Western. Again, for me, it depends on the leaf sizes. I use less if I have bigger leaves, more if I have smaller leaves. Hopefully, this word soup helps.
yes, understood, im more or less exactly the same, 3g western and more gongfu, and temps around 90c
Had one of the old one, another of the new batch. The old ball was lucky-it had just the right amount of vanilla and the perfect caramel notes of the dian hong. I brewed it six times, leaving the ball in and drinking the changing taste of the tea. I was sweating as I downed the boiling water because it was so good. That one would be a hundred.
The newer one had a stronger vanilla flavor. Thank you Andrew for leaving the bean in the bag. Anyway, the vanilla lasted three steeps and became a ghost of the forth. The natural notes of the dianhong itself was faded, but that again might be due to water quality and brewing errors. However, there was a bread and maple syrup aftertaste making it more like French toast.
Remains as one of the best vanilla teas that I’ve had, not that I’m biased.
Flavors: Maple Syrup, Toast, Vanilla
I wonder why this got bad reviews. I get the flavors fine. But then again, there might be something I’m missing. I taste the sencha and dragon well mingling well and sweetly, which is an awesome thing since those are the only two green teas I’d constantly drink anyway. The rhubarb and strawberry sweeten this so nicely and make it incredibly natural and fresh. I’m so glad I picked up a sample. The flowers are also a visual delight. I was able to steep it up to three times. So classic, so enjoyable.
Flavors: Freshly Cut Grass, Green, Ocean Breeze, Rhubarb, Strawberry
Preparation
One of the better chais I’ve had. Overall, fairly crisp and the notes on the website are accurate.Refer to his website for how to brew and the other notes. I just wish that I could taste the oolong a little more, but when I do, it tastes like a cooked, dark red delicious. The chai spices, especially the ginger, the tart tellicherry pepper corn, allspice, and cinnamon take over. Nevertheless, the oolong base is awesome…and I’ve always wanted to try an Oolong as a chai. I’m not sure If I like the Elder Grove or this one more. Elder Grove is more like a dessert cinnamon roll, while this is for the fall. Specifically, for Michigan’s fall which is the precedent of true cold. I’ve got to be prepared. Winter is coming.
Flavors: Apple, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Ginger, Malt, Peppercorn, Spices, Sweet, Tart
Preparation
I’m hesitant about dark roast Tiegaunyins because they typically taste like char and wood stain. This one had a little bit of a char taste, but only when it was oversteeped. That’s why I was afraid to try this one, but Brenden was generous enough to include a sample with my order. It is by far one of the best oolongs he has given me. Again, I followed instructions on his website, and got the following: caramel, spiced coffee, barley, oats, brown sugar, and cocoa. Translation of the tea notes: a really nicely roasted tea with a dark element to it. The second time I brewed was not as good as the first, but I was having issues with the water. Unfortunately, this tea does take care to brew, though not quite as finicky as other oolongs can be. The only other criticism is the price-if I wasn’t over budget already, I would buy 4 ounces of this and replace my morning coffee with it. This tea really does appeal most to coffee drinkers because of it’s roasted character and pleasant caffeine boost.
Flavors: Caramel, Char, Coffee, Roasted Barley, Sugarcane, Sweet
Preparation
One of my hit list targets, and one of my favorites from Whispering Pines. I’ve never had a Pu-Erh that has relaxed me. The scent is like a twist of cocoa, leaves, walnuts, cream, and desert mushrooms if that is possible to describe. The taste resembles the scent, but with a stronger cocoa, moss, and hinted caramel note. When I brewed it lighter, the taste distinctly reminded of agave or maple syrup in later steeps Gong Fu. The times I’ve brewed it, both were 5-6 ounces, one time with 3 grams, the other 4 -closer to five. The more of the blend, the more chocolate. The less, the more pu-erh and the more maple and mushroom. And of course, I followed the instructions both times at a 10 sec rinse (which was really chocolaty!), 15, 15, 20, 30, 45, 1 min, 2 minutes.
I highly recommend this for Pu-Erh newbies. This lacks the fermentation odor that many do, and is incredibly smooth. Again, there twisted desert mushroom is there, but it is a smooth, fall forest sweetness.
Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Chocolate, Cocoa, Creamy, Maple, Molasses, Moss, Mushrooms, Nutty, Smooth, Walnut
Wow. The reviews on here were right. This is oolong is as good as a loose leaf. It definitely has some of the smoother nutty notes of a Shui Xian or a Phoenix Yancha, a little bit more malty like a black tea but without astringency. Some wood is present, but little. There’s some peach and apricot notes too, though very subtle as a hidden sweetness. So it’s really your standard solid quality oolong, but with a few complex notes that really seperates this bagged tea from others. Also, drink it as it steeps-the notes do change.
Flavors: Malt, Nuts, Peach, Smooth, Sweet, Wood
Preparation
WHAT.
Flavors: Spices
Must be good what you score 90%?
Yeah. See my previous notes. The first time, I rated it 75 because it was just smoky and leathery to me. I didn’t get the sweeter, more subtle notes until I brewed it lighter. I was surprised that there was a little bit of spiciness to it when I took this sip. That’s why I said “WHAT”. I didn’t expect it. The note was a quick 6 seconds, but I swear it tasted like vanilla and nutmeg in eggnog.
