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Described as having “clean notes of charred greens, burnt wood, and tobacco” – I won’t argue with that, but I also find hints of tropical fruit and smoke. There is a grape leaf aroma.

Very nice. Burnt sugar and caramel flavors predominantly, with hints of peach, walnut, and maybe a touch of saltiness. This tea is pretty mellow, but the slight touch of campfire/smoke lends it a bit of excitement. I did not find much astringency after a 3 minute steep, and no bitterness. In fact, if I had some more, I would give it a shot at 4 or 5 minutes. The campfire is mostly in the aroma, and it doesn’t really translate strongly into the cup. It is not anything like a smoky lapsang souchong.

Tea was received as a free sample from AprTea Mall, in exchange for my writing a review. It was nice to find 8 different tea samples, about 50 grams total, in my mail yesterday. This is the first one I have sampled, and my first ever Dahongpao-style tea.

https://www.aprtea.com/chinese-wuyi-dahongpao-rock-tea-middle-fire-grade-one-250g/

The description from Vahdam Teas is on the mark. This tea is pretty complex, and I wouldn’t brew it for any longer than 3 minutes to avoid becoming overly astringent. Maybe a little too far on the grassy side for my taste, but the distinct properties of black tea are still there.

Two 100s in a week for me, LOL. Happy to have discovered first flush darjeelings on my first order from Vahdam Teas. I’ve had second flush darjeeling and I like it, but first flush is even better I think. May have another 100 on the way when I get around to reviewing the autumn flush darjeeling from the same order. That one is special, too. Love me some darjeelings. Guess I need to tighten up my rating system, though.

Not entirely bad, but won’t buy again. Tea was sticking in large clumps when I opened package. Creates a cloudy brew somewhere between green and orange in color. Lots of sediment at the bottom of the pot, which I believe may be powder from the nuts. Tasted better than it looks. Not quite as aromatic as I remember other rose black teas, but has a nice aroma. I was hoping the pistachios would have more of a presence. The pistachios and almonds are there, but mostly they serve to dial back the floral aspects from the rose. The spices are a nice touch and add to the complexity.

I think I’ll finish the rest of this off by making a lot of iced tea.

Floral aroma. Taste is somewhere between cinnamon and jasmine, more on the cinnamon side. Not very complex, and taste does not linger for too long. Good tea but wouldn’t order again. I would recommend for people who want hints of cinnamon in their oolong.

This may be my favorite tea so far. A great find if you are looking for an excellent lighter black tea or darker oolong without paying much of premium. At 5.49/100g, this one is a steal. I love how the light darjeeling-style fruity notes give way to a little wood and a faint “golden monkey” bottom that lingers and builds. I haven’t very much liked any of the golden monkey teas that I have tried in the past, but this tea definitely brings them to mind between sips – this time around it is not unwelcome. Love how this tea sits with you for a while and creates a nice build.

Okay tea. Dry tea leaves are attractive and large, with shades of silver, white, and gray. The appearance makes evident that the tea was processed in a quality fashion. Weak floral aroma. Makes a reddish brew. Taste has mineral, peppery, and perhaps some woody qualities. I do not discern fruit or floral hints at all. Does not linger long or build, which are qualities I prefer. At the current price of $16.99/50g, I don’t think I would purchase this again.

I received this tea due to a minor mistake in fulfilling my order, but it is a pleasant surprise. Vahdam Teas was excellent in fixing the mistake, by the way, and I quickly received the missing tea from my order as well as being able to keep and try this one.

I’ve never had white tea, so I can’t really compare to other white teas. The description here from Steepster is right on. The only thing I would add is that this tea has a lot of “build,” which is a quality I find in my favorite teas. As you drink, the flavor lingers and builds morphing into something more. Despite the tea’s initial light grassy-ness, the build leaves me with more of an impression of having had an oolong or maybe a black tea. I love it.