15 Tasting Notes
I really like this black tea. It’s actually a mix between being a light tasting black tea and a thicker black tea. It does have a sweetness to it like raisins or a dab of honey.
I wouldn’t mind it being a little darker or stronger, but overall it’s a very pleasant black tea.
I had this tea for the first time at Zen Valley Samovar and fell in love with it. Simple, yet complex, this tea is an experience. The pu-erh is aged and then packed inside a dried mandarin orange peel. It smells beautiful and subtle, and has a nice smooth flavor and consistency.
Pack the whole fruit into a small teapot, pour hot water over it, and let it steep for around 25 seconds. Pour out the first steeping, unless you really like very strong tea. This one will last for quite a while.
A note about the tea: When you first get it, it comes wrapped in plastic. Take off the plastic and let it sit in a dark, yet slightly humid place for about a week. The flavors will be more intense this way.
Preparation
What’s the major difference between this and their blood orange?
This is a reserve tea, and it won’t be around very long. The presentation itself is an experience, and I found it to be a bit smoother than the blood orange, though I love them both. It has been a little while since I have had the blood orange pu-erh, so it is hard to compare the two, but there are definitely distinct differences. I’m not sure if they are selling the Mandarin orange online, but they do have it on site.
Thanks for the tips on how to set up for preparation. I wouldn’t have thought to allow my tea to become humid, in my frantic search for air-tight containers. I’ve always lost flavor without them. Again, thanks!
What do you mean by “pack the whole fruit”?
Thanks JGWamsat! This tea is a little special as far as airtight containers go. Not too much humidity, and still keep it out of the light, but a little humidity will bring out the flavors.
Cofftea- Put all of the pu-erh that is inside the orange into a pot, and then crush the orange peel and put it in the pot as well.
Glad I asked, I would have probably tossed the orange peel.
Wow, this one looks interesting. Can’t seem to find it online!
Ricky, I looked hrs ago- it’s only available on site unfortunately. :(
Yeah, that’s what I figured. I might have to head down to Cali and give it a go one day ;)
You better make it quick. If Katie’s right, it won’t be around too long.
I am going to have to switch up my teas soon, because I am already running out of this one! A little bummed at the moment, because I can’t quite taste the gorgeous light raisin taste. This is not the teas fault, instead it is the fault of my taste buds. Yes, I have a cold. Despite not tasting as amazing as it normally does, it has a lovely color and it is nice and warm on my throat.
If you don’t have a cold, you must try this tea.
Preparation
If I am going to get tea on the go and I don’t have my travel mug, I come to these guys. Really decent tea for a cafe chain, and a decent price too. I don’t normally get herbal infusions, especially when going to work, but something made me want to try this tea. All I have to say: AMAZING! The mint is so refreshing and strong. Naturally sweet. This one didn’t last long at all.
And if you want caffeine, I think this’d be good mixed w/ any true tea. I love both on their own, but ginseng and peppermint isn’t a combo I’ve tried before.
You should give it a try when you’re in there next. I was really pleasantly surprised by the combination. And I’m not much of a mint tea drinker either.
Can’t. No CBTL anywhere near me. But maybe I will mix some peppermint w/ my Adagio ginseng green:)
Too bad, but that sounds like a great solution to me. Enjoy!
Just opened the package for this tea and it went straight into my teapot! After about 4 minutes steep time it was at a lovely honey color and smelled gorgeous. At first sip I didn’t taste too much. It was very light. After a few more sips though the golden raisin absolutely came out. I first tasted notes of honey, then it reminded me of molasses, which then led to raisins! Still enjoying it as I type this, but I can already tell how lovely this tea is! I might steep it just a little longer next time or add a couple of extra leaves for a slightly stronger taste.
Can’t wait for the next cup!
Preparation
Okay, so this was my first time trying Chrysanthemum, so the rating is low not based on quality (since I am unfamiliar with other Chrysanthemum herbal teas) but is instead based on my experience with it. I got the tea sample in the mail and there were full beautiful flowers in it. The smell wasn’t anything special, but I figured it would come out once I started to steep it.
I got it to a nice light yellow color and decided to take out the flowers and give it a taste. I love floral teas and especially chamomile, but this was a bit farther off from those two than I expected. It has a very strong and abrasive taste. I wasn’t a fan of the aftertaste at all. No hints of sweetness in this one. The taste was bitter and astringent in a way that I didn’t enjoy (I like strong teas).
Overall, I wasn’t all that happy with this tea, but like I said before, I hadn’t tried Chrysanthemum. If you like Chrysanthemum I would give this tea a shot, perhaps as a sample when buying other teas from Teas Etc. You may have the opposite reaction as me! I do love this company though.
I love this white tea. Very light and crisp, but naturally sweet. This tea is relaxing and reminds me of a forest after a late spring frost. I can only appreciate that comparison having grown up around the woods. I love Samovar’s Osmanthus Silver Needle which gives me similar thoughts, but this white tea is lovely beyond words. Something very sweet, subtle, and even nutty about this one.
