Laoshan Black

Experience buying from Verdant Tea http://steepster.com/places/2886-verdant-tea-online-minneapolis-minnesota

Age of leaf: Stated as harvested in autumn 2011; I received this sample of tea in late autumn and brewed it up not long after.

Appearance and aroma of dry leaf: Tiny, tightly-curled, wiry, dark-brown (almost black) leaves and buds, very similar in shape to the early summer Laoshan green. It smelled incredible: it reminded me of a few Wuyi Oolong teas I have had—which I guess I would characterize as roasted—but somehow better (possibly sweeter).

Brewing guidelines ~4 tsp = 4 cups water. Glass Bodum pot used with with leaves floating freely (I acknowledge that this particular thin glass pot is probably not the best to use for a black tea, due to it not holding the heat very well from more than a couple of minutes, but I wanted to watch the leaves brew and be able to see the color—which I really enjoy doing, especially the first time I brew up the tea). Stevia added.
……….1st: boiling, and slightly warmed pot, 2’ (I ended up only using 2.5 cups for the first steeping)
……….2nd: boiling, and warmed pot, 3.5’
……….3rd: boiling, and very warmed pot, 5’
……….4th: boiling, and if possible, even more warmed pot, 7’

Color and aroma of tea liquor: dark brown; < later on the aroma >

Flavor of tea liquor: Oh … my … goodness; when I first tried it, the taste—as with the aroma of the leaves—reminded me vaguely of a Wuyi oolong, but once I really started to savor this tea I realized that it tasted like nothing I have had before. I admit that I still feel like a child when it comes to discerning the various flavors and aromas in a tea, but amongst all the other flavors in here, I think there is some caramel (I really enjoy any kind of caramel flavor in my black tea). The leaves held up very well through four steepings with great flavor, and no astringency—even after having been steeped over 7 minutes. Based on my notes below, I think this could have yielded flavor for up to at least five steepings; alas, I stopped at four and composted the leaves before I really took the time to taste the tea liquor.

Appearance and aroma of wet leaf: Very high quality: very few broken pieces, and very consistent color throughout; about the same aroma as the dry leaf, but possibly not as sweet smelling.

Value: expensive for me, based on my current budget, but still worth having on occasion; and great to give as a gift.

Overall: For various reasons, I generally enjoy drinking green teas, and I brew up a black tea on occasion. So far I have been VERY impressed with all of Verdant’s green teas, and I had an opportunity to try a sample of this black tea from Laoshan, the same village where most of Verdant’s green teas are harvested. Once I opened the package, and smelled, looked over, and tasted the liquor that I coaxed from the leaves it didn’t take long for me to be impressed with everything about this tea. It is the most unusual tasting black tea I have ever had (I don’t just value good flavor, I also value uniqueness). And yet, I was not certain whether or not to buy any (especially after dropping some $$$ on Teavana’s sale teas). But something finally tipped the balance. stay with me, if you can On the evening of the day I brewed up this glorious tea I remember absentmindedly (that’s kind of an oxymoron, isn’t it?) reaching for my cup, sitting half-forgotten on the kitchen table (do any of the rest of you have various cups just sitting around with different kinds of tea in them, ones you didn’t get a chance to finish, and then simply pick one of them up later and sip at it to see what’s in there?). And then, whilst sitting at my computer, I took a sip and, WOW! I was amazed at the flavor! It was the forth steeping, and tepid to boot! So I thought, “If it still tastes good like that, this is a tea worth having around!” Then I found myself thinking, “You already have enough tea, you dope.” And then my next thought was, “Shame on you for even thinking of denying yourself something this incredible (and for calling yourself a dope)!” That is what tipped the balance, and why I decided to finally dip into my not-so-deep coffers and buy this tea (I think my better part won out, don’t you?); the fact that buying from David, and knowing where the tea comes from, is more more rewarding for me than buying from some-big-chain-tea-retailer-that-largely-makes-it’s-home-in-malls helped make the decision even easier. Hurray! For small farms, small online tea retailers, the He family, Verdant Tea, and great tasting tea!

It’s teas like this that make me want to do YouTube reviews. When I opened the sample pack, I was standing alone in my kitchen and I said aloud, “Oh yeahhhh! This could be it.” I’m always looking for my favorite “plain” black tea. Upon smelling the dry leaves, the first thing I noticed was chocolate. It also had a lovely soft, creamy smell. I stood in my kitchen just making sounds of satisfaction. Very YouTube worthy. During the first steep, it smells the same in the pot. When I poured it into my cup, the smell was a lot more toasty. The chocolate and creaminess went away. This is weird, but it reminds me of Cheez-Its, or like, a burnt cheese cracker. It’s smooth, and there is no bitterness. The aftertaste is reminiscent of cacao. It’s interesting, but not my favorite. I like the complexity and strangeness of this tea better than I liked Teavana’s English Breakfast (my only other experience with “plain” black tea.) I’ll update with further steepings… :)

I find this tea very difficult to understand. I’ve seen the consistently high reviews on Steepster, so jumped at the 5 for $5 sale recently at Verdant. It wasn’t what I expected.

My first tasting seemed to confirm the high ratings. I noted a cocoa flavor, and rated it a 90. However, the second time I tasted the tea, the chocolate had gone AWOL, replaced with a tar/tobacco/shoe leather taste that I didn’t care for. My rating dropped to a 72.

I noticed that my first tasting was gong-fu style while the second was western, so I went back to gong-fu style.

In my most recent tasting, today, I am reminded of one of those MC Escher paintings in which the birds fly left or right depending on how you perceive the background. In my first steep, there was nothing but shoe-leather and tobacco. In the second, I began to see chocolate, but briefly. In one sip, I only taste leather, but in the next, the chocolate suddenly peeks out. I suppose one could view this as exciting or complex, but frankly it is too much trouble for me. My overall rating is still fairly high just because it is a well-structured tea, with good nose, balance, and finish. I simply don’t care for the taste.

Happy Hunger Ga…wait, I mean Happy New Year!

Some mornings I wake up knowing exactly which tea I’m going to make and some mornings I can’t decide. This morning, I thought I’d kick of the new year with the tea everyone on Steepster seems to adore. I picked up a sample of this when Verdant had their free shipping last week.

At first infusion, I’m tasting a smooth almost wheat-like flavor. It leaves a buttery feel on my tongue. Sadly, I’m not getting all the other notes Verdant lists on their site. We’ll see what the next couple infusions bring. Overall a good black tea to with which to start the year :) And may the odds be ever in your favor.

Update: Second infusion tastes much like the first. Going to set the leaves aside for later and brew up a different tea for now.

This is another sample (Thanks Verdant Tea!) I drank long ago. It was definitely a fantastic experience. I really love the leaves of this one. The aroma is simple and delectable, with scents of dark chocolate and honey. The small, twisted leaves shining with this midnight-blue sheen when in the light is eye candy. When wet, they gave off an aroma that was literally chocolate. Not even “like” chocolate. This was a milk chocolate with almonds Hershey’s bar ground up and placed in my gaiwan. Mmmmm! At this point the artful twisting of the leaves is very apparent. The twists were so fine that the leaves looked like pieces of yarn. I’m amazed by the skill and care of the He family farmers.

The resulting liquor smelled like pure tea and cocoa, and a bit like a high roast dan cong. So far, sooo good! The appearance was a light caramel, butterscotch color, which gradually turned darker with increased tones of amber as the steeping progressed. My first sip tasted a bit metallic, but it was soon forgotten with the flood of heavenly flavors. It was like drinking thick and creamy hot cocoa with milk and a chocolate syrup drizzle, with a few marshmallows plopped in for good measure. Underneath, tones of pure tea and caramel wafted through the nasal cavity after a sip. The next steep was headier, and a bit coarser in the mouthfeel; it matched perfectly with the introduction of oak wood and a gentle sprinkling of spices. It took me back to my Boy Scout days during winter camp, sitting by an oak wood fire drinking hot chocolate or chai after a long, cold day, reveling in the warmth that crept back into my fingers.

The steeps kept coming and coming as the body became further balanced and the mouthfeel increased in spiciness. The liquor became more malty, producing something smooth and creamy. The hot cocoa flavors gradually transformed into something reminding me of crispy chocolate chips, like when you leave chocolate chip cookies in the oven for a bit too long. Very yummy.

Further steeps tasted more or less the same, eventually fading out and losing strength past 10 or so steeps (I kind of lost count and stopped taking notes and just tried submerge myself in the lovely aromas and flavors). I absolutely love the depth and complexity of this tea. It sticks with a theme throughout every steep, doesn’t disappoint, and excites every sense.

Words can’t describe how much I love this tea, I don’t know if I’ve ever loved a black tea this much. I’ve had this tea for awhile and it’s taken me quite awhile to review it because when I drink it I usually forget everything and just enjoy it. It’s smooth and creamy and reminds me of every creme brulee I’ve ever had, but even more vanilla flavor. It’s so light for a black tea and yet it has a wonderful creaminess and heft. 2nd steeping increases the creaminess and I’m totally getting that whipped cream taste, I’m also getting sweet pea flavors as well. This tea is fantastic and I’m glad to see that everyone who has had it is also blown away by it. This will be a constant in my overflowing tea cabinet.

Wow. There are a lot of reviews already. Guess I might has well throw my hat into the mix.

First cup, Steep 2.5 minutes.
In David’s notes on the Verdant website, he describes many of his teas as having a sparkling flavor. This is something that I am still trying to uncover myself, but I think that I have caught a glimpse of it with this tea. The mocha and marshmallow notes are so powerful that they really do have a quality reminiscent of bubbles bursting over your tongue and fizzing up into your nose. It is not overwhelming, however, as many flavored blends can be. These flavors remain neatly packaged within the savor of the tea leaves (because let’s be honest, the first flavor of most loose tea is still usually, ahem, tea.)

Well after you finish your cup, the aftertaste of cinnamon and almond will continue to hang on. It is wild how naturally sweet this tea is – no sugar necessary! The end of the cup yields some oak flavor as well. Another thing that I like about this tea is the durability. After you pour the water off from the first steep, you can definitely see that the leaves are still tightly wound, ready for at least two more infusions.

Second cup, Steep 3.5 minutes.
Again, this tea does not disappoint. Make sure you don’t let the leaves sit for too long before making another cup. The less time you wait between infusions, the stronger the tea will remain.

Other tasting notes: Pumpkin, honey, black walnut, fig

This is a truely remarkable tea. There is absolutely no bitterness to speak of. It tastes more like a oolong than a black, but with a stronger flavor and aroma. It reminds me of Big Red Robe, and other Wuyi mountain oolongs. There is also a slight bean flavor. It’s like roasted soy nuts, only without the bitterness. Could it be from the fertilizer? One of my biggest complaints with oolong is that it’s flavor is a little too light, for my tastes. This tea is a perfect alternative for anybody seeking a stronger flavor and aroma, but without the typical bitterness found in other black teas. It combines the best of both worlds, and would be an excellent way to begin any day.

I steeped this tasty tea four times, and every one was good. The flavor profile given by Verdant is quite apt. A tsp of tea in a 3 oz glass teapot. Never bitter or astringent, just a comforting goodness, as flavors evolve with each steep. Maybe the comfort comes from how dependable it feels. A bit of green bean taste … seems so nourishing. Left me with a fine mellow energy. Thanks, Verdant Tea.

Oh no! Do I have a new favorite? My beloved jing tea Dan Cong red tea is expensive enough and this one edges above it in price, although admittedly not by much when you factor shipping cost.

I didn’t want to love this at this price, but with reviews like this, I couldn’t NOT try it. I can’t describe the complexity well, but never mind, because I do love it. The first brew, I get something like tobacco leaves, mild chocolate and roast chestnuts. The second brew is actually even better, which I can’t think of another tea that I can say that about. It brings in higher notes, raisin? cinnamon? caramel? I really, really can’t say. But I will happily continue to try to figure it out. The third brew is fine too, though I accidentally left it for an hour and it was just warm, so I don’t want to say too much about that one. This is superb, excellent and totally worth it. This tea is rocking my world and I don’t say that lightly.