Chicago Tea Garden

Bad news this evening has me reaching for a comfort tea. This one fits the bill nicely. Opening the canister, I get a delicious whiff of honeyed nectar. The taste is sweet, soft and gentle with a vegetal undertone and slightly tingly endnote that combine to give me a comforting cuddle. I can’t help but breathe and let go a bit as I sip.
8.7g/16oz

I ♥ this tea. Giving it a little bump because it is a gently sweet floral nectar of a tea. It’s simply delightful.

Silver Needle and I have had our disagreements. My first real experience with it created the (as yet) unalterable association of Silver Needle = Soy Bean Water. Not cool. So while I appreciate the free sample in my CTG order, I wasn’t all that thrilled with what the sample actually was.

But this tea could change my mind. The first steep (1min) was very delicate; I couldn’t pick out a whole lot about it. In fact, my only tasting notes were “Delicate. Sweet. Pretty aftertaste.” It was intriguing and I drank it quickly so it was obviously quite tasty, but it wasn’t enough to make me go wow.

The second steep (2min), however, was wow-worthy. It was so pretty. I actually liked it so much that I made the husband try it. (His reaction? “If that’s just a sample, I’m thinking we need to buy some.”) There is a bit of vegetal taste, but it doesn’t make me think of soy bean water. There’s also some very sweet and floral (or maybe fruity?) notes. The aftertaste is really quite gorgeous.

Steep number three (3min) is bolder, not as soft. As it cools, however, the lightness and sweetness begin to come back and bring with them an unexpected spiciness. Pepper, perhaps? It’s a bit like peppered flowers with a hint of vegetal-ness, but just a hint.

In the fourth steep (3min), the flavors start to muddy a little; it doesn’t taste as fresh and clean as the previous steeps. All of the tastes – sweet, peppery, floral, vegetal – are still there but they seem less crisp and clear.

This is definitely the type of Silver Needle I wish I had been introduced to first. I’m pretty sure that regular exposure to this one will remove any Silver Needle = Soy Bean Water associations I have. For this reason, I’m also pretty sure that whenever I place my next CTG order, a tin of this will find its way into my cart.
4.8g/8oz/175° → cup → teapot

Mmmm. Sweet honeyed malt. That’s what this tea is giving me today. Very smooth, very mellow, a little creamy, very sweet. It’s got a hint of thicker mouthfeel that just combines with the lovely sweet and smooth flavors to make it cuddly and comforting. It’s on the edge of rich but not quite there, instead just floating in at satiny. It’s not exactly a tea that stands up and screams, “OMG, notice how tasty I am!!!!” but it really is very tasty.

I was very close to having CTG’s Keemun again this morning (it’s that good) but I decided that I really should try my other teas, so I grabbed this one. The dry leaf smells malty-bakey-sweet and that smell carries over to the brewed tea.

The taste is sweet and creamy, like a Yunnan that has been gentled with a little milk. It’s very smooth but with a hint of a stouter Yunnan underneath. I wonder if increasing the steep time would bring that out? Though actually, I don’t think I want it stouter. It’s not weak tasting by any means, just smooth. And I wouldn’t want to mess that up. I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say I’m getting vanilla notes but the creamy isn’t too far off base from that, just milder than what I’d identify as vanilla. There’s also a freshness about it that makes it seem almost roasted-vegetable-like. The aftertaste is sweet and bakey/toasty and very yum.

There’s not as much depth or awesome-ness as yesterday’s Keemun, but I don’t regret starting my day with this one.

Lightly earthy but mellow. Touch of dry but so mellow you don’t notice it. It has a brightness to it that is unexpected. Call me crazy but there is a bit of fresh snapped green bean taste at the very beginning and end.

You know what? This is pretty okay. I generally have difficulty with the syrup-y sweet dirt taste is cooked pu-erhs, but this one seems a little muted. It has the same notes but doesn’t feel as thick. I really think it is the orange rind that provides this counterbalance.

I’m giving this a tiny bump simply because I used the whole orange (broken up) and about half of the rind for a 10oz cup and, while more intense than my previous cups, still isn’t too thick for me to enjoy. And I am enjoying it. Not like huge enjoyment or anything, but still some enjoyment.

I’m a little nervous about this tea but it seemed too weird not to try so I tossed it in my CTG order. I do love oranges. Moldy oranges that have been stuck in a cave for years though? Not so much. Full disclosure, I bought this tea with the expectation of not liking it so this has a bit of a science experiment aspect to it.

I truly have no idea how to do this, but CTG mentions a slight orange taste when “part of the rind” is used. I figured that meant to brew with mostly just the tea, so I broke apart the little orange, dumped the tea in my pot and then added bit of rind in there, too.

The leaves smell a bit like dirt. Dusty dirt. With a slight hint of clean freshness. Like the smell of an attic that no one has been in for 20 years, but when they were up there two decades ago, they dusted with Pledge. So yeah, that’s a bit weird. And not entirely pleasant. But not entirely unpleasant either. Just… interesting.

After a good rinse, things started smelling like pu-erh normal. In other words, like a barn. This particular barn had a good bit of sweet hay smell going on and the dirt smell was of clean, wet dirt.

The taste is nicely mild. One thing I tend to dislike about pu-erh is that the barnyard sweetness can be so thick. It makes me feel like I’m drinking syrup made of farm and it’s just too rich for me. But this doesn’t have the syrupy super-sweetness to it. Very similar taste profile, just not as thick feeling. I don’t know how much orange I pick up from the taste, but there is a cleaner ending than what I’m used to and I’m going to attribute that to the orange rind. As it cools, the sweet barnyard dirt taste moves to the front of the sip and some dry hay starts coming in on the back. Still has a clean but mostly sweet end.

The second steep (30s) brews up very dark but otherwise is pretty much the same as the first steep. There’s a little more sweetness-cutting cleanness (which I’m guessing is because the orange rind is staring to soften and steep a bit more) but that’s about it. I do like that increase though.

The third steep (45s) is tilting back a bit towards barnyard especially on the tail end, but overall it is very similar to the first two steeps.

Overall, this isn’t bad. It’s not going to make me into a pu-erh fan but it’s one of the easiest drinking cooked pu-erhs I’ve had; it’s rather mild and inoffensive. Not something I’ll avoid finishing off but not something that I’ll need to get more of once it is gone.

This tuocha was a little different from camel (shark) breath. It was much harder and portions needed to be flaked off using a sharp knife. So, a little prep work was required but it was nothing too onerous.

Everyone has been raving about the initial fragrance but I have to admit that, for me, there was none in the dry tea. There was maybe a hint of grass and pasture, but that’s about it.

The prepared tea, however, was full of fragrance and flavor. The tea smelled like clean hay with cooked sushi rice. A rice flavor, however, dominates and has underpinnings of honey, oats and a very slight floral finish.

From second infusion on, this tea took on greater honey-and-oat qualities. I’m beginning to understand how pu-erh, even through its quirkiness, can build such a strong following. Each one truly does have a unique character and it even offers a varied experience during one extended sitting.

Born out of curiosity from this weekend’s experience with Adagio’s Anhui Keemun (AAK because I’m lazy), I bumped up the steep time on this on to see how it does.

Not quite as pretty as it is with a shorter steep time but it makes up for that in a thicker taste. It’s not quite as wonderful and complex as AAK is at 3minutes – it is still sweet and silky and rich and has all the same general tastes, it’s just turned down a notch compared to AAK – but considering that 5oz of AAK is $59 and 5oz of this one is $28.50, I’m okay with this one being a hair less awe-inspiring.

I’m going to keep the score the same because this one is still a comforting go-to favorite that I’m firmly addicted to – and it doesn’t hurt that the price is oh so right. Overall, I prefer it brewed lighter because it’s gently complex but I can see where others might prefer this with a longer steep and thus more intense taste.

You know those teas that you kind of build up in your head? You have one really great steep from it so you think it’s like the best tea ever. You find yourself thinking of it at random moments during the day, craving the taste. But when you have it again it just makes you think, “Eh, not so hot”. You know those types of teas?

This is not that kind of tea.

Oh sure, I’ve been daydreaming about this tea and wanting more since I finished my last cup. I’ve been daydreaming about this tea at work. I’ve been looking for a good time to have it again. I was craving it so much that I finally decided to bite the bullet and make it my after work tea. And normally my after work tea is strictly non-black. But I needed this tea.

And how was my second experience? Did I built it up in my head too much? Did it disappoint?

It was fantastic. In fact, I think this tea is possibly even tastier than the first time I had it. Such beautiful complexity, flavors and smoothness. But now I have a problem. I’m finding myself craving the tea while I’m drinking it. I have the desire to go to CTG’s site and buy the largest container of this tea right now even though I’m not close to running low. But just the thought that I might one day not have this tea makes me want to stock up. The only tea I’ve ever felt like this about before is Tea Hawaii’s (super awesome) Makai Black.

Previously I had given this tea a conservative 92. But with such easily consistent fantastic-ness and for not disappointing me after I’ve been daydreaming about this tea for three days? This tea deserves full points.
3.8g/10oz

Can I just say? Receiving my first order from Chicago Tea Garden made me very happy. All the teas came in tins, each with little tasting cards and all neatly packed. It’s nice to see prettily presented tea. Of course, as pretty as it is, nothing can compare to the smell. Not of the package itself (that just smelled like box, so no leaking tea flavors) but once I opened up the tins and stuck my nose into the tea… Seriously yum. Across the board.

Last night I naturally had to bust open the Sticky Rice Pu-erh, something I’ve been craving for-freakin-ever since I had my sample. But this morning, I get to delve into something new. It was a tough choice but ultimately the smell of this one won me over. Because, really? The smell is crazy. There is so much going on I can’t pick it all out – sweet, smoky, bakey, tart, acrid, flowery… I can’t stop smelling it! The leaves are so pretty, too. Tiny, wiry little delicate-looking things. Brewed up, the smell has changed and mellowed, but it’s still pretty wow. It’s mostly bakey with some sweet and floral and toasted thrown in.

Oh man. What to say about the taste? It’s awesome. Just as complex as the smell, it is by far the most complex Keemun I’ve had. Sweet, bakey, smooth, bright, tart, floral… all of these words popped into my head while I was sipping. Each sip brings me different flavors. Sometimes it makes me think of grilling a flower then drinking the nectar out of it. Other times I think of raw sweet potatoes with a bit of honey.

This is not a fast sipping tea. Because of the complexity and how the taste seems to change and expand from sip to sip, I find myself taking slow sips, just enjoying the flavors for a while. I can’t help but roll the tea around in my mouth, making sure ever surface is coated, before swallowing. Because there is this beautiful aftertaste when the air hits my mouth – very floral.

I would say that this is not a tea for everyone. The husband is not a big Keemun fan in general because of the smoky/roasted taste it has can come across as sour or acrid. And this one has those same notes – they are soft and smooth, blend beautifully with the rest of the tea and I read them as more of a sweet & sour or raw potato taste and I kind of love those flavors in this (and typically in Keemuns in general). So if someone doesn’t like Keemuns for that reason, I’m thinking this might not change their mind (I will have to use the husband as a tester sometime to confirm). But for someone that likes Keemuns or someone that would like them if perhaps they had more depth, this one would be a winner. It’s truly fantastic.
3.8g/10oz

Where else can you tell your friends that you had a taste for Camel’s Breath and not get an odd look?

This has quickly become a favorite. Tonight, I experimented with it and ignored the recommended steeping guidelines. Instead of short periods, I let this sit for a good four minutes. It turned out great, but completely different from past preparations. It was rich and earthy. It was a bit like a mild coffee and the brine that has become characteristic of this pu-erh (for me) was gone.

It’s nice to know that this is so forgiving that it’s enjoyable even if you’re a bit outside of ideal parameters.

My first experience with Pu-erh was a bit frightening. The tea was fishy and had an odd color and was simply a turn off. My wife has since taken to calling all of these teas Poo-air.

Since then, I’ve had much better experiences with Pu-erh and this is the best so far. This was my first time using the tuocha form, but it was fairly intuitive. It’s a small pressed capsule that looks like a plug of used chewing tobacco. It’s soft enough that you can crumble off what you need with your fingers.

This tea brews to almost black with a very faint “slick.” I describe the fragrance as “oceanic.” Unlike what the name would lead you to believe, I really picked up less camel territory and more shark. There’s a definite kelp and seaweed presence and, as CTG’s tasting notes mention, it’s definitely briny. As it matures, you begin to pick up faint notes of clean hay and a sweet, peat-like earthiness.

What was unusual (and somewhat pleasant) about this tea is that there seemed to be a constant play between sweet and salty. One sip might start out sweet and move towards salty and the next is the reverse.

On the second and subsequent infusions, the tea leaves the ocean for land. It does become more mossy and sweetens even further. When I first saw the size of the tuocha (slightly smaller than a quarter) I didn’t think it would go far. However, this was made for multiple infusions and you have to go past four or five to experience the entire taste range.

I am finishing off the sampling of this tea that I have had on hand for a while (thanks TeaEqualsBliss) I like this even more this time than I remember liking it last time, and I liked it a lot last time, so I’ve decided to increase the rating a little.

I just wrote a full-length review of this for the SororiTea Sisters blog but it won’t publish for a few days, so in the meantime, I will say that this tea has such a beautiful malty note to it, it is a very hefty tea with a nice sweetness and a hint of bitter for contrast. A very well-rounded, deliciously balanced cuppa!

Thank you to TeaEqualsBliss, my SororiTEA Sister, for sending me this sampling.

The liquor is very fragrant – and smells delightful.

The taste: toasty and with spicy notes. I am getting the hints of vanilla that the description suggests right at the beginning of the sip, in the middle I get a toasty malty taste, and the tea finishes sweet. Nice and complex. Beautiful!

I’ve typically been using long steeps for this, so I decided to shake things up a bit and try much shorter times – a minute a piece or so. I’ve now been through four infusions and really like the difference I’m finding. It’s much different from the soupy, savory brew I usually end up with. Instead, I’m getting much more of the sweetness, and also a spiciness I hadn’t detected before – almost like a cinnamon/nutmeg/clove note. Each successive infusion has gained in sweetness and lost a bit in spiciness, but still features the typical earthy quality of pu-erh. A nice change up for this variety!

Working through several steeps on this cold and rainy afternoon, it is clear that this is becoming the “cup-a-soup” of my tea cupboard. It is rich and savory, to the point where it can sometimes feel like I’m drinking gravy or a hearty broth. I’m not in the mood for this style of tea very often, but when I am it really hits the spot.

Seeing the Canton Tea Co special offer today inspired me to have some pu-erh this morning. This time I gave the tuocha a quick rinse in hot water first, which puffs it up and helps it start to give off an aroma – the dry cake is almost odorless.

First steep at 90 seconds, and I’ve got myself a powerful cup! It is dark and soupy and full of earth and dry leaves. A bit of bitterness at the back end, but not unpleasant. It tastes like the tea has challenged me to a wrestling match, just to see what I’ve got. Bring it on, I say!

Second steep at 90 seconds is much mellower; the bitterness has vanished and now the flavor is wonderfully redolent of a walk in the woods in the middle of autumn. Very, very nice.

This one caught me with its name alone, so let’s hope I like it! Fortunately, it seems I do. I did four steeps, starting with 45 seconds and eventually making it out to 2 minutes. Each steep produced a very dark brown liquor with a red tinge. The most remarkable thing I found about this tea was how soupy and savory it seemed to me. It has a very full, chewy mouth feel, and I can’t help but feel that I’m getting lots of nutrients from it. It’s not one I’ll have everyday, but I do like it and am glad I have it in my cupboard.

Back from my road trip and ready to dig into some things I have waiting to try…I’ll start with this, which was a free sample with my order. I like tuochas because they remind me of little tea cups themselves, and there’s something charmingly self-referential about that. I’m used to going straight to a long steeping on pu-erhs, but I decided this time to follow the steeping guidelines and start with 30 seconds.

I’m glad I did. Still plenty of flavor there, though I can’t say as I detect a noticeable trace of the chrysanthemum. There’s the characteristic earthiness, and plenty of natural sweetness. I’m looking forward to comparing this with the camel’s breath which came in the same order!

I love the scent of this!! It’s so much like one of my favorite Filipino desserts called “Buko Pandan” (sweet young coconut with pandan-flavored gelatin, condensed milk and crispy rice topping). It smells deliciously like sweet toasted rice and pandan leaves.

The taste is like toasted, slighty earthy green tea with sweet sticky (aka “glutinous”) rice. So it’s just as described—yum! :)

I really like this tea and I’m glad I chose this as my free sample. This is unique to my tea collection so I will definitely order more. Thanks Chicago Tea Garden!

ETA: I steeped this pretty heavily and did not rinse it like a regular puerh. But it was still pretty tasty. Although, on cooldown, I could detect some astringency and bitterness. So, it’s best to drink it quickly and not let it linger in the cup. I still love it, though!