Laoshan Black Chocolate Genmaicha

Tea type
Black Oolong Blend
Ingredients
Not available
Flavors
Chocolate, Cocoa, Nutty, Pastries, Roasted, Toasted Rice, Nuts, Malt, Earth, Rice, Toasted, Bread, Dark Chocolate, Roasted Nuts, Raisins, Toast, Grain, Caramel, Dirt, Roasted Barley
Sold in
Not available
Caffeine
Not available
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Kaylee
Average preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec 4 g 12 oz / 366 ml

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102 Want it Want it

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206 Tasting Notes View all

  • “I enjoyed the green/white/floral blend, but I really want something more robust, so I’m trying again, this time with a favorite. Although I’m still getting bitterness, particularly in the...” Read full tasting note
  • “My other morning tea, thankful that i brought two with me today since i haven’t had 5 mins to get food or anything. What a day! first day back with all the people who have been off for a week or...” Read full tasting note
    74
  • “Holy crap. So I brewed this one up tonight, and was instantly in love. Chocolate, intensifying the natural notes of the Laoshan Black, plus toasty rice flavour. Seriously guys, I’m sure the second...” Read full tasting note
    100
  • “Another sipdown – but this one is bittersweet. I’m now at 72 teas (yay for meeting my own self imposed limits) but this one is SO. DARN. GOOD. I don’t know that I won’t be restocking as soon as I...” Read full tasting note
    100

From Verdant Tea

A warm and comforting take on classic Genmaicha with the addition of Wuyi oolong and cacao nibs. . . .

Genmaicha has humble origins- originally toasted rice was mixed into a pot to make expensive tea leaves go further in a time of less plenty than today. Toasted rice was combined with green tea or even broken twigs and stems to make a hearty and warming brew. At the time, green tea was for more widely available than black tea, but given the warming qualities of genmaicha, we thought that a humble hand-picked black tea from Laoshan Village would be the perfect companion for toasted rice.

This batch of Laoshan black is particularly malty and sweet, qualities drawn out by hand-crafted Minnesota wild rice and organic fair trade jasmine rice toasted in small batches. We add organic cacao nibs to give a darker and more comforting aftertaste, and a touch of Shui Jin Gui Wuyi oolong for its nutty caramel notes and savory aftertaste. All together, we think this new take on Genmaicha very much embraces the tea’s humble origins and stays true to the warm and satisfying nature of toasted rice tea.

Western Style
Use 4g of tea (about 1T) in 6-8oz of fresh-boiled (205°F) filtered or spring water. Steep for 30 seconds in a brew basket or equivalent. Enjoy many infusions. Add 10-15 seconds with each steeping, or to taste.
This tea is very forgiving, so feel free to use more leaf and slightly shorter steep times for more potent tea. It brews up equally well in small quantities as it does in big pots. This tea can also be enjoyed with a meal since it is so hearty and rich.

Iced Tea (Cold Brewing)
Use about 4 grams of tea for every 12oz of water. Combine with room temperature water in a covered vessel and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. Enjoy!

Iced Tea (Flash Chilled)
Use 1TB (5 grams) of tea in a 6-8oz vessel. Steep for 1 minute with filtered boiled water. Fill a martini shaker (or equivalent) with ice, then add brewed tea and shake until well-chilled (usually 10-30 seconds). Pour out through martini-shaker top over fresh ice in a new glass and serve.

About Verdant Tea View company

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206 Tasting Notes

3294 tasting notes

I enjoyed the green/white/floral blend, but I really want something more robust, so I’m trying again, this time with a favorite. Although I’m still getting bitterness, particularly in the aftertaste, I’m noticing that it is predominantly right in the center of my tongue, so I’m trying to slurp around the sides, if that makes sense.

I am thoroughly enjoying this cup. It’s more acidic & bitter than usual, like everything else I’m drinking, but it’s also sweet, chocolate, yum.

MsWhatsit

The slurping around the sides comment cracked me up. It sounds like something I would try too.

Terri HarpLady

We do what we must!

Dag Wedin

haha :) Been detouring onto the verdant website a couple of times lately working myself up to making an order. Just waiting on the laoshan black to be availible! Any recommendation on blends would be much appreciated. I do enjoy blends on occasion, although the teablends availible in sweden are of remarkably low quality…..
Would be fun to try some really good ones and treat guests that do not enjoy straight teas! Most swedes drink only fruity blends… Perhaps because mostly its the only teas availible.

Terri HarpLady

My favorite blends from verdant (in no particular order)
laoshan black chocolate genmaicha
Vanilla citrus spice
Campfire blend (no caffeine)
Sichuan Caravan
Imperial Breakfast
Their various Chai’s
Those are the ones I try to keep on hand, or at least pick up a bag of once in awhile when they have them in stock. I’ve also enjoyed, but rarely purchase:
Eight treasures Yabao (both winter & spring)
Bergamot Rose Laoshan Black
Laoshan Genmaicha
I also enjoyed the chrysanthemum puer sample I tried awhile back, but I have dried chrysanthemum flowers & plenty of puer here, so if I want that, I can easily do it on my own.

Several of the above blends are currently out of stock, but if you want me to makeup a sample box for you, I’d be glad to send it! I have all of the ones on the first list here, & a few from the 2nd list. :)

Dag Wedin

Thank you terri that would be very nice!
PM coming your way. :)

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74
15386 tasting notes

My other morning tea, thankful that i brought two with me today since i haven’t had 5 mins to get food or anything. What a day! first day back with all the people who have been off for a week or two. I am really loving this today. It seems so much roastier and chocolatey. I may have to think about restocking this once i’m finished with my stash :)

Autistic Goblin

I have this one I just haven’t tried it yet. A little addicted to Yu Lu Yan Chai at the moment but it’s almost gone thank god I ordered more!

Sil

yeah..16 ounces lol silly lady!

Plunkybug

One I want to try sometime…I see a lot of people have tried this one.

Autistic Goblin

Oh god I would buy 16oz of this one too if it were available I just tried it with a little bit of milk oh god Chocolate Heaven!

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100
6112 tasting notes

Holy crap. So I brewed this one up tonight, and was instantly in love. Chocolate, intensifying the natural notes of the Laoshan Black, plus toasty rice flavour. Seriously guys, I’m sure the second cup won’t be quite as amazing, but I was completely floored when I tried this (and I wasn’t expecting to be). I had a second infusion as well, and the flavour definitely changed… almost a caramelly/toffee flavour was what I was picking up. Divine. And the leaves still smell quite chocolatey, so round 3 will be tomorrow. I may re-stock this tea instead of the straight Laoshan Black, yes, that’s how delicious it was.

ETA: Round three was steeped for quite a while (probably more than 5 minutes) and is mostly kind of burny-toasty. Hint of caramel flavour, which grows in the aftertaste. Leaves didn’t have much aroma after this infusion, so I stopped. I’m pretty sure I’ll have some more of this tonight… just to see if I can repeat the deliciousness :)

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 0 sec
OMGsrsly

Hmm. I’ll have to try the blend. Thanks for bringing it to my attention! ;)

Kittenna

Yeaaaah, it was crazy delicious. It was nice to drink a tea that didn’t taste flavoured :D

Indigobloom

Guess I’ll be digging this one out tomorrow!

Stephanie

ooooh, I will have to get some!

TastyBrew

This is one of my new favorites for sure. Next verdant order I’ll be stocking up. Never want to run out!

Rob Rauschenberg

This one does sound amazing :-)

TessaT

I hope this is still available.

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100
863 tasting notes

Another sipdown – but this one is bittersweet. I’m now at 72 teas (yay for meeting my own self imposed limits) but this one is SO. DARN. GOOD. I don’t know that I won’t be restocking as soon as I finish this note.

Prep notes: 2.5 tsp. leaf to 10 oz. water with some milk at the below parameters.

I remember how this one tasted before with just milk so I replicated it today. I don’t get as much chocolate, more of the rice/starchy notes, but the texture still wins all the points. Thick and creamy and decadent. My favorite.

A really nice way to start my early morning.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec
Fuzzy_Peachkin

mmmm! I’m so looking forward to trying this one!

Chizakura

I quite liked this one too. It was the perfect balance of dessert and tea!

BrewTEAlly Sweet

Yay this in is in my travel stash I brought on the road with me I cannot wait now!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20741867@N05/9624703471/

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80
2201 tasting notes

Sipdown, 128. I had a little more than I would normally use left in the pouch, so of course this is overleafed. I reduced the steep time to compensate but it is still a tad stronger than I would prefer.

A tasty tea, but I’m glad I only picked up an ounce of it. For me, I don’t need any wuyi oolong in my Laoshan Black. :)

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 0 sec

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76
361 tasting notes

Does it count as a sipdown if I only finished off one bag because my other arrived in the mail today? If so, then SIPDOWN! If not, well, then this will never be sipped down. I love this tea. I think even more than the Laoshan Black. Yum.

ETA drinking this while eating a peanut butter cookie Lara bar. Match made in heaven. Tastes like a gourmet peanut butter cup. I gotta go buy more Lara bars. Holy snikes.

Sil

its a sipdown until the next bag is opened imo! lol

TastyBrew

Well Sil, I consider you the authority when it comes to sipdowns, so therefore, SIPDOWN!!!

ohfancythat

God this one sounds so good!

TastyBrew

I’ll shoot you a sample with your package once everything arrives!

ohfancythat

I would love that!! :)

Terri HarpLady

I’ll go with Sil’s opinion, that works for me!
This tea IS tasty!

Sil

this tea is tasty…but I need to do a comparison with LB because i sear it just tastes like LB to me

TastyBrew

It is incredibly similar, but roastier and chocolaty-er. Like LB on steroids.

Sil

Yeah I don’t get that. Lol I’ve had both…they’re virtually the same f rom what I recall…hence wanting to try them side by side. I also have old and new lb harvest to compare heh

Terri HarpLady

I think the first steeping did mostly taste like LB. It was the 2nd steep when the roastiness of the rice & the chocolate came out to play on my tastebuds a little more. Maybe I’ll drink some tomorrow ;)

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87
709 tasting notes

Well, I couldn’t wait until I got home to try this one. The beau is not one for chocolate teas either so I doubt he’ll be bothered. The aroma of the dry leaves makes me think of a Crunch or Krackle bar – chocolate with some puffed rice. The beany malty laoshan black sits underneath all that, holding it together.

I went a bit light on the leaf but gave it extra time to balance out. I remember Laoshan Black as being strong on flavour under most circumstances so I am confident it can handle it. The liquor is a warm sunflower sort of yellow, with strong malt aroma that is tinged with cocoa at the end. I’ve always loved the idea of a genmaicha, but being a hater of green tea I have never really enjoyed it. This could be the way for me!!

First sips yield a fairly typical laoshan flavour. Heavy on malt with some cocoa and honeyed sweetness on the end of the sip. The nibs are working with the natural cocoa flavours of the tea and bringing it out even more. I love that. So far there is nothing here that screams toasted rice for me though. I will report back in a bit to see if that changes but for now this is mostly laoshan with chocolate, and I ain’t complainin’. :)

EDIT: I have had the new batch of Laoshan Black and I must say that I prefer the unadulterated Laoshan Black to this blend. I get much more cocoa from the Laoshan Black than from this one and I prefer the intensity of flavour. I think the addition of the oolong here (while nice) detracts from what I love about the Laoshan. Still yummy though!

Fjellrev

Sounds mighty nice. :)

Tommy Toadman

I want some of this one

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93
772 tasting notes

Once again, I do not taste chocolate at all in this, although I’m finding that a lot with just cacao nibs in a great many ‘chocolate’ teas.

On the other hand laoshan black genmaicha (without any chocolate) just hits the spot. I love the toasty rice and I love laoshan black and it’s just good. It just is. I added way more tea than normal because I couldn’t remember if this was 1 tsp per ‘cup’ or 2. 6 tsp to about 850ml water. Really strong and roasty toasty. Lovely. Now to scarf it down before I have to run out the door.

Kitten wants some love, he’s trying to type for me.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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6444 tasting notes

I like laoshan black. I like chocolate. And I like genmaicha. Put them all together and you get something that I would probably like. When you add oolong to that, you get something that is not for me. I wish I had looked more carefully at this tea and what it was made of because I was not expecting any oolong until I got a taste of it in my first sip. I am getting a nuttiness and chocolate and a whole lot of oolong. I had such high hopes but the oolong is really ruining this for me. Thank you for sharing Dexter3657 alas I feel as though I have wasted this by not being more aware of what I was asking for. I am sorry.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec
Courtney

Gasp! Haha, they can’t all be for everyone.

VariaTEA

No. I am actually quite relieved to have realized I don’t like oolongs and pu’erhs. It helps me eliminate at least some options when I buy teas.

I think this finally means I am out of the “try-all-the-teas” phase and have now moved into the “try-most-of-the-teas” phase.

VariaTEA

I just feel bad that I did not realize this prior to asking to try oolong and pu’erh teas.

Courtney

That phase change was simultaneously easier and harder on my wallet haha. No more all the teas, but more higher quality teas it seems. But growth is always awesome.

Stephanie

You know what? I like oolong, but I think you’re right and I would enjoy this one more without it, too!

Stephanie

And I get what you guys are saying about palette development. I think I’m in that 2nd phase as well. No more try all the teas!

VariaTEA

haha we are growing up guys!

Dexter

VariaTEA – not to worry, I would rather you try my sample and not like it, than buy some and not like it. That’s what swaps are all about – try before you buy. I also firmly believe that if you don’t like something that is the flavor that jumps right out at you. In a blind taste test, I would never have guessed that there is oolong in here. I don’t really taste it at all – but then, I like oolong so it’s not “offensive” to me.

I also agree with the – I don’t need to try everything anymore, I just need to try half of them….

Courtney

I agree with you Dex, I absolutely love this tea and I don’t think the oolong jumps out at me either. More for us! :P

TastyBrew

I didn’t taste the oolong the first time, but in subsequent cups it totally turned me off. Somehow I’m back to loving it again. Oolong and all. Funny how the tastebud pendulum swings.

Sil

i don’t taste the oolong…most of the time but every now and then when it’s a little heavier, this blend is not for me. So not i usually measure it out and then add just a half teaspoon more of my LB haha

TastyBrew

Sil- good call. I’ll be doing that from now on.

VariaTEA

Dexter I completely agree with you about picking up on stuff you don’t like. I have noticed that for a while and unfortunately that seems to have been the case here. On the plus side, if I can’t enjoy this I think it is quite evident that oolongs are just not for me so I feel okay about avoiding them in the future.

Terri HarpLady

I love this blend, oolong & all!
Still obsessively trying all the teas, but mainly just the un-flavored ones.

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95
336 tasting notes

Another part of my Verdant birthday order. Y’know, I’d forgotten what genmaicha was when I placed this order, but I was so lured in by the promise of comforting flavors that I didn’t even give it a second thought. Had my first sip in a thermos on the way to an early doctor’s appointment, and then made some more for the morning mug at home.

Mmmm.

Mmmmmmmm.

I’m glad I’ve had the chance to try and get used to the regular Laoshan black before this, because that flavor had a bit of an adjustment period to me. Now that I crave LB, this is tasty. Normally I don’t do roasty, but I don’t mind it in this context. It’s quite a forgiving tea, too; I accidentally left a bit in the bottom of the teapot for a couple of hours and it was still great.

Really, I just wanna sip on this all day. And you know what, it’s my day off and I’mma do what I want.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 5 min, 0 sec

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