Saw this on instagram from Ana Likes tea, and I had to check them out. They were very generous and included three teas I was checking out that I did not get in my main cart or with this package, so I will start with those. I probably should make a page for each, but I’m limited on time and will still highly recommend them anyway.
Starting out with, I tried the Orchid Oolong, a Dong Ding style tea on the medium to dark end of the spectrum. It was very fruity and immensely woodsy, but had a lot more complexity than a usual dong ding teabag. I brewed it about three times, and the first and second steeps had strong flavors reminding me of hazelnut. I usually have to be in the mood for this style of tea, but I came back to it frequently for the one bag I had.
Next, I tried the Golden Peony Black tea. It was very smooth and floral, and way above the usual tea you get in a sachet. Honeysuckle, butter, malt, wood, cocoa, and maybe osmanthus or chrysantemum in the taste. Insanely nuanced. I would not buy a lot of it, but I enjoyed the four steeps I had of it.
Grape Jasmine-insanely good green tea. A little bit artificial, but in Lupicia leagues of flavoring. There were a lot of similiarties to Queen’s Muscat overall. Easy tea for me to enjoy, and the green tea leaves were very tippy with trichomes. It was a little bit astringent, so lighter brews of 2 minutes or less was favorable.
Now for the teas actually in the sample:
I tried the Red Date Pu-Erh first, and was put off a little bit. Mushroomy, brothy, a little bit of nuttiness and some sweetness, but it was too earthy for me. Some almond milk cream brought out the sweeter and nuttier tones over the earthier ones. Not as much of a fan of it.
Osmanthus Oolong-great Tie Guan Yin base, and easy drinker. First brews were refreshing and more distinct. If overbrewed, it could be astringent easy, but it’s mostly peacy, osmanthus and orchid heavy with a watercress profile. It was weak after steep three though.
Last tea I tried was the Summer Jasmine Black. It was an easy favorite, and insanely fruity. I got ton of notes of lychee, red fruit, jasmine, tropical elements, and a sweet light fruit malt like a fruit rollup. The base black tea kinda looked like a first flush tea, or a greener end black. It was darker than the green base, but the leave and trichome patterns were the same. This tea was perfect for me straight. If it weren’t so expensive, I’d easily get a box of this one.
Overall, impressive teabags and quality service. I’m holding off on the others because lychee is a favorite flavor that I want to savor.
