Mandala Tea

Dexter3657 sent a sample of this my way – thank you for the amazing samples and introducing me to Mandala tea’s!

The first 2 infusions tasted sweet and nutty. I wasn’t getting any cocoa flavour and wondered what I was doing wrong. Perhaps I under-leafed a little. I went for a 3rd infusion and let it steep for about 5 minutes. Ahhh, there it is. Cocoa. This is really good.

I think next time I won’t be so timid with the leaves, and add more.

Dexter3657 was generous enough to send me a sample of this tea – Thank You!! I am grateful that I was sent enough of the sample to try this again with different steeping parameters.

I got distracted and let the tea infuse longer than it should have, but it was still a very enjoyable tea. Smooth and roasty, with a lingering taste that reminds me of tobacco. Despite the long infusions, the tea was very tasty.

Light and delicately sweet; a taste that coats your mouth and leaves you wanting more. Very smooth and mild. I seem to be getting a hint of a fruity taste? Melon, maybe…honeydew. That’s what it calls to mind anyway. (: Absolutely delightful. Only two steeps in, but I can’t wait to see what it does in later infusions. Might be writing more notes later!

I got this to compare it to the only other Milk Oolong I have had – the one from DavidsTea.

The dry teas are comparable in appearance, as are the brewed leaves. The scent of the Mandala tea is more subtle – it doesn’t slap you in the face like the DavidsTea does.

I had my first cup as a latte, which is my favorite way to sip the other version, and it was very enjoyable.

As a straight tea, with no milk or sweetener- I am quite enjoying my second cup this way. The subtle scent, no astringency, all very nice.

I may do a side by side taste comparison tomorrow morning.

Notes written while sipping: Wood smoke. Tobacco. Dark, VERY earthy/woodsy. Slightly minty. Very assertive. Resonates. Coats the mouth. Lingers sweetly. Smoooooth.

I’m definitely digging this pu-erh. It was perfect for this wet, rainy day! Must keep in my cupboard at all times! :)

Polished this envelope off tonight. Definitely had this more than once, but only managed to review it one other time. I liked it, but I don’t know if I liked it more than Adagio’s black pearls – I don’t think it was as cocoa-y. Still good tea though.

Yarrrrrrrrrrrrrr! It be the day o’ days again, what ta celebrate seafarrrin’ criminal enterprrrise! International Talk Like A Pirate Day! Arrrr!

This yearrrr, I be drinkin’ a mighty appropriate bit o’ booty from me latest adventures on the high tea – err, sea! Black Pearrrrl, from Mandala! This be my first time raidin’ from those lubbers, and I don’t regret it one bit! The ship’s manifest contained a handwritten note o’ surrender* from one o’ the co-Captains o’ that ship, a Cap’n Garret. I ordered them ta give up 4 coffers of gold, and they were so skeered o’ being keel-hauled, they sent 2 smaller coffers as well! Quite a haul!

The cask o’ Pearls now, they be a fine lot! I’ve plundered pearls from Adagio before, but these have a fuller bodied aroma, like the ladies what hail from Trinidad. They are brighter and more lustrous when compared to those jewels. Darker darks, and more golden golds.

Bit less o’ a chocolate taste, but still malty and sweet. Quite good. I be enjoyin’ me first cup, and look forward ta more!

Arrrrrr!

*note of surrender was actually a very nice thank you for my purchase. No merchant vessels were harmed in this skirmish ;)

I’m really enjoying this one. I got it as a sample with my order from Mandala, thank you for that. It has a lovely balance to it and a nice silky mouthfeel, that was probably the first thing I noticed. It is smooth and savory not too strong and very pleasant. I was actually drinking it quite fast, I gulped 5 cups in like and hour… lol. Nutty, creamy, mushroomy and earthy, with a fantastic mouthfeel.

Needed a shu to get me going this morning! I haven’t been drinking much puerh since the winter/early spring. It’s something I typically reserve for cooler weather, when I need something to warm my bones…And it usually does the trick. (: Interesting to revisit an old favorite after so long. I used 2tsp of leaf to about 10oz of boiling water, rinsing for 15 seconds first. Steep times were 35sec, 40sec, and 1min 15. Every steep was creamy, nutty, and mushroom-earthy. Each flavor had varying intensities but for the most part each steep was very similar. Notes of baked bread gained strength with every infusion.

Overall I would say Bu Lang Gong Ting makes a bold cup with light sweetness, pastry/bread notes, some fruit/berry undertones, and a strong earthiness about it. Lowering the rating a tad because it’s not very complex—it’s comfortably consistent and reliable. Not very fussy either. Nonetheless, it’s still one of my favorite shu’s.

The only way I can think to describe it: damp leaves, freshly picked berries still lightly coated with dirt, earth, and cream. I find it a bit hard to explain. Fruity, mellow, while still dark and earthy. Tastes faintly of sweet bread. Tends towards delicate. Not so much in-your-face. A lady pu-erh. Gosh, I realize I’ve been putting off writing a note because I didn’t think I would do it justice. I still don’t think I have. Probably my favorite from Mandala and my special occasion tea for sure.

These handy little flowers have become my go-to tea to carry in my purse. I can bring them with me to a restaurant, drop a few in my cup, let them steep & fish them out with a fork when my tea is strong enough. I don’t need a strainer, because they are tidy, with the leaves all tied together in the classic flower formation. The resulting cup is malty, smooth, & sweet. And they resteep nicely too. :)

sipdown!
This afternoon was the St. Louis Harp Society Fall meeting. I’m the president (no real power, I just set up meetings & recitals & such). I brought my own tea (& I’m glad I did, there was nothing that interested me there), & this was still in my purse from yesterday, so I polished it off.

Tony & I went out to breakfast at the Southwest Diner. Although their tea selection is lame, the food is quite good. I brought 3 of these blooming buds, dropped them into the little silver hot water thing they brought to the table, that holds just enough water for one cup, & didn’t even need a strainer. When she refilled it, I made sure she knew not to dump the tea out (waitresses have done that to me before). I was set for tea!

I really enjoy these. I only have 3 left. I need to place a Mandala order.
Hey Sil… ;)

One of the things I like about these little black cones is that I can put one flower in my smallest Gaiwan, steep it a minute, pour it into a same size cup & enjoy repeat steepings several times, just adding a minute to each one, until there’s no flavor left…which takes awhile!

First tea of the day, enjoyed hours ago while I was watering my garden!
I went with 3 cones @ 5 minutes. Admittedly, I didn’t watch them bloom, but that didn’t take away from the deliciousness of the resulting cup of tea. Walking around in the garden, watering hose in one hand, cup of tea in the other, butterflies & other insects flying around.
What could be better?

So of course as soon as Garret mentioned these last week, I had to place an order, right? I’m not really a big fan of blooming teas, but this is a blooming black tea, so that’s my excuse!

These are malty little flowers with a sweet backdrop! I’ve tried them 2 ways this morning:
First, while I was fixing my breakfast (leftover homemade soup), I put one in my little glass gaiwan, which I don’t use much because it gets way too hot! But it was perfect for this because the flower bloomed nicely! I did 4 steepings: 1min, 2min, 3min, 4.
They were all tasty, but I think #3 was my favorite. I can foresee just blooming a single flower in a 4oz cup for 3 or 4 minutes, when I want something quick & easy, just a small cup of tea.

Then I put 3 of them in my regular cup & steeped 4 minutes. That one was my true favorite, with the full richness of what these little cones have to offer! The final cup is a resteep of all 4 cones @ 5 min, & that’s pretty decent too!

Not that I need another reason to make Mandala my next place to put in a tea order, but this tea has done it. Dexter3657 had generously included this in a swap some time ago – so thank you Dexter3657 for introducing me to Mandala! And thank you Mandala for providing quality tea’s…can’t wait to place my order!

This is a lighter pu’er but not light on flavour. The flavour profile is deliciously smooth, earthy and nutty. I have a silver tip pu’er from another company…not nearly as tasty as this sample.

This is a very mellow pu’erh tea that I quite enjoyed for several infusions. It’s soothing. I haven’t really been a fan of ripe pu’erh teas but I quite liked this one. It has a very smoky and heavy flavor that was absolutely delicious.

I have been cleaning my house lately which is why I have been away from Steepster. My family has the propensity towards collecting randomness. Holiday items, curtains, tools and apparently tea sets. Squirreled away in a box of randomness was a tea set from Japan and a saki set. I am completely estimating but I think they are from the 40s or 50s because my Uncle was stationed in Japan around that time. It’s all gold and prettified. The tea set has a Foreign mark with a globe-like symbol—the saki set is a mystery because I can’t read Japanese…or anything but English. I have become completely obsessed with it. I had the brief thought of asking my aunts if they wanted it but I guess that’s impossible considering I am hoarding it like Gollum hoarded the One Ring.

Garret is officially my Tea Superhero. Like Batman only better. I have been on a serious green kick lately. Green oolongs, sheng pu’ers, green tea…all of it. But I had so little because that is usually not my schtick. Garret sent this one along with many other greenish teas in my last order. Happy dance!

This one started out very floral in a jasmine kind of way. Jasmine with a light honey sweetness. Surprisingly, I really loved it. The first steeps were dominated by floral notes but as the steep times got longer it veered more toward fruity notes…mainly peach. The honey stayed consistent with varying intensity.

I really liked this one quite a bit. It’s not my favorite green oolong. I think that is a tie between Alishan Oolong and Milk Oolong. But it’s pretty darn close. I’ll probably order some more of this and cold steep the last bit of this because I think it would be lovely iced.

Enjoying this one today. Good, solid loose puerh to have on hand.

I haven’t seen AureliaFish on site for some time, but this is who I got this amazing sample from – so if you do ever see this AureliaFish – thank you!

Leather and smoke. That’s what this tea tastes like to me. I like it a lot. I will definitely be ordering this in the near future.

Really enjoying this one! Very savory, delicate, flavor. Its buttery and nutty, maybe even hints of corn… so good, I’m eating cherry pecan chocolate with it, Yumm! Definitely ordering more.

Morning and Happy Easter! A day to drink this lovely, bready tea outdoors (can’t get enough of this warmer weather) and count some blessings. Having friendly, kind, and funny Steepster buddies is one of them :) Relish your day today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guhr0Vh2hE0
(Music starts at about 1:36)

Second steep stronger than the first (smaller cup). Now I’m getting that foggy-fall-morning, wet wood scent and taste. C’mon, fall.