North Winds (Old Version)

I asked for a sample of this tea from MissB because the description was so intriguing. I do end up a little confused since the ingredients list is only “black tea”. Based on the flavors within I am assuming it is an unflavored blend of various black teas, but I would love to know what they were. It’s honestly the type of thing that keeps me from ordering such a tea because I don’t really know what’s in it. “Black tea” is not a thing; every black tea is a varietal, and while it may not mean much to some of your customers, it means quite a lot to others. Even just saying “China” versus “India” or “Sri Lanka” can communicate a lot more information (for instance, I generally stay away from Indian teas).

Anyway, with that rant over, this is a lovely tea. Very chocolatey… it reminds me a bit of a Fengqing black dragon pearl, though not pearled, obviously. There are bright fruity notes and I do think they come across as a tart, fresh cherry. There is a bit of hay and the robustness of malt. Very smooth, very tasty. Thanks for the sample, MissB!

How have I avoided this one so long?! This is a beautiful, multifaceted, inspiring tea. I’m looking forward to the re-steeps!

The first sips were most definitely dark chocolate, then a bit of malt and sugarcane. Sugarcane? That’s a first for me. Like of all of Brenden’s creations, I also get something very campfire/outdoorsy in this, almost oaky, or smokey, or both. Fruit? Something light and sweet in there too in the background, although it’s a new flavor for me so I struggle to place it. All in all, this is exquisite. Too bad it took me opening the bag to share with others for me to try it!

This was one of the many teas MissB sent my way, and I am quite happy that she did. I’d never tried any Whispering Pines, and this tea is quite nice. Thank you!

It’s got that chocolate malt flavour that you find in Verdant’s Laoshan Black, and it has a little bit of astringency at the end of the sip; but it’s astringent in a good way – not bitter. It seems to have a touch of honey in there too, or at least I imagine it.

Oh, and the chocolate notes linger long after each sip – just the way I like my chocolate….

Thank you Brenden for the sample of this tea!

You must read Brenden’s discription of this tea no matter what. It’s charming! A genuine love affair with a place he should live forever! I’m convinced that we can all find our own special place that says “THIS IS HOME”! It has nothing whatever to do with money or power. It’s something in the heart.

I’m happy to have found my ‘Home’ for now. I always say ‘for now’ in case God has other plans for me. My heart happiness is portable.

Brenden has decided to create his tea’s without artifical flavors or the low quality tea’s found in far too many blends. Yeah! I’m a great fan of all the Tea Companies that don’t use artificial ingredients and who don’t compromise on quality!

North Winds: The wonderful Fujian Black Tea (which I bought from Whispering Pines already because it’s so Cocoa-luscious) base is cocoa and milky, not a dark chocolate. I didn’t taste cherry, mentioned in the description Brenden wrote,..but instead tasted sweet tea cookie (like animal cracker).
The tea was creamy, buttery with malted caramel, chocolate filled pastry.

Goodness! How on earth do you discribe how good this tea tasted?

Please try it with cream and sweeten. This type of tea is enhanced a great deal by both (brings the cocoa alive and a richness to dessert level).

I’d suggest having North Winds over the holidays with shortbread or sugar cookies with people who love you .

Oh So I lied I will review my Kombucha, it IS after all a Whispering Pines Tea :)
So put some Chaga and Reishi mushroom tea in my North Winds Kombucha this morning and it was pretty good.
I can already taste the malty, cocoa sweetness of the North Winds in my kombucha and the brew itself has the perfect tangy sweet slightly sour bite that i’ve tweaked to my personal taste which is i’d have to say is just slightly a bit more sour than a kombucha that you’d buy at the store, very good imo :)
Now with the added mushroom juice it’s about as tangy as a store bought kombucha with awesome woody, earthy,mushroomy notes that really tastes like something from the forest, something magical even, I love it!! It makes me feel good and happy too.

After months upon months of sampling and finally choosing the right tea for the job, our newly-redesigned house black tea, North Winds, is now available! Read about the inspiration and new flavor profile below!

Michigan is full of wondrous little towns known for the things they have perfected and small spots of nature that will take your breath away. This tea is inspired by the entire northern area of Michigan, from Traverse City to the Les Cheneaux Islands.

Traverse City is in the northern lower peninsula of the state. They are widely known for their amazing cherries, which are sold alongside other fruits from roadside stands during the summer months. You can get anything cherry here, and it will spoil you for cherries forever. I’ll never be able to eat cherries elsewhere! =)

Heading northward from the cherry capitol of the world and over the longest suspension bridge in the northern hemisphere brings you to Mackinac Island. This island is full of little shops, cafes, and bakeries, and they are very well known for their fudge. Any flavor of fudge you can imagine can be found on this island, but you can never go wrong with a piece of dark chocolate fudge as Autumn is closing in!

As the north winds bring you higher and the first snow begins to fall, the Les Cheneaux Islands and surrounding area of the upper peninsula will send chills down your spine. The wind picks up, the lake begins to freeze, and a snowstorm will keep you indoors with a hefty cup of black tea as company. Looking outside at the winter wonderland, you can’t help but notice that you are in the most beautiful place in the world.

Our house black tea for good reason — North Winds is the essence of northern Michigan. Sweet fruity notes of apricot and white grape bring you to Traverse City while heavy dark chocolate notes allow you to have that Mackinac Island fudge desert without having to take the ferry. Notes of toasted rye with cherry preserves show up mid-sip with a beautiful malt and wildflower honey finish. These smooth, decadent notes combine into a medium-bodied tea with a bold and rustic feel that makes for a perfect breakfast tea — but you’ll want to drink this all day long!

North Winds is blended seasonally to achieve the most balanced flavor profile. The current offering is a blend of Spring and Autumn 2014 material from Fujian and Yunnan provinces of China.

Available here: http://whisperingpinestea.com/north-winds.html

I have had this in my cupboard for a while so presumably what I have is the old version. Still delicious. I drank this a week ago but I need to catch up on my tasting notes.

It was cool enough this morning to enjoy a cup of tea and I picked this one. I don’t have too much left!! Yikes. This remains one of my favorite black teas. Strong enough for breakfast, but not bitter or overpowering. I think this one will stay in my cupboard all the time.

It has been almost 6 weeks since surgery and I’m still not breathing well or smelling anything . Of course I’m disappointed but I’m not any worse off than I was before surgery. Except for my finances. Surgery was about $9,000, of which I am responsible for $1722. Too bad you don’t get a refund if it doesn’t work. I see the ENT on June 1 for my final post-op appointment. I’m harboring a teensy sliver of hope that I will be able to breathe and smell, but it’s not very likely. I need to remind myself that there are worse things than not being able to smell the cat’s litterbox.

Another superbly wonderful tea from Whispering Pines. I’m adding my review here as I believe I have the old version. It seems sad to say that, because I’m enjoying this cup immensely. Still, seasons change and all that. Clearly I’ll have to try the new version to compare!

Anyway, the tea. I used 1.5 tsp of leaf, and gave it three minutes in boiling water. I added a splash of milk (just the tiniest one, though!) The scent of the dry leaf is wonderfully chocolatey, like opening a tin of cocoa powder and taking a sniff.

To taste, this is probably the nicest quality black blend I’ve tried in a good long while. The initial flavour is chocolate; quite dark and rich, but with a deliciously smooth, creamy edge. A mild fruitiness emerges in the mid-sip, initially cherry (chocolate covered cherry, anyone?), but ultimately turning more towards apricot. It’s light, fruity, and juicy-tasting, and the perfect counterpoint to the chocolate/cream richness of the initial sip. The end of the sip is heavily malty, with all the sweetness that implies, with a touch of honey. It’s also gloriously smooth. The chocolate flavour lingers in the aftertaste, making this an almost decadent treat. I consider my morning thoroughly brightened! This one is definitely going on my shopping list!

This is a very tasty tea. Yesterday I had the best of news from my lawyer in my worker’s comp case. For the last year the insurance company has not paid a single bill while the case was in appeals. Now that I have won the appeal, the insurance company must pay the bills, even if they appeal again. Also, because it was a unanimous decision on my part, their next appeal is not automatic. The board can refuse to hear it. Had the decision been 2 to 1, their appeal would have been automatic.

I get in this tea notes of chocolate, apricot and caramel, to name a few. This is a complex tea with a variety of notes.

I brewed this once in an 18oz teapot with 4 tsp leaf and boiling water for 3 min.