Dr. Tea's Tea Garden

This is one of the few white teas that has a really great, strong flavor. The flavor is predominately coconut and the pineapple makes an appearance every once in awhile. Overall, I really like this tea.

Ok, I’m a sucker for novelty. Not only the weird, but teas named for people, places, events, etc so when I saw this I knew I had to try it.

1tsp/6oz water just below boiling.

This is such a pretty tea! The liquor is a gorgeous pinky red color and the aroma is definitely fruity. The flavor, unsuprisingly, is mainly of currant w/ a hint of hibiscus. Unfortunately I can’t really taste the pineapple or the oolong base. On the other hand, I can’t taste the rooibos either which makes me very happy! My final opinion of this tea will be based on how it morphs over time.

After figuring out a way that I like to brew white teas, I decided to give this another try. I brewed it for about 8 minutes and added a pinch of sugar. The result was better than the last time I made this particular tea, but there was a strange bitterness that didn’t mesh with the blueberry flavor. The blueberry flavoring was also very artificial tasting. I think this tea had great potential, but did not deliver. I am raising the rating a bit because this preparation did lead to a more drinkable tea, but it still isn’t awesome.

For this tea to be even slightly okay, I have to double up on the amount used. Even then, this tea has a very light taste and I can’t really pinpoint the blueberry flavor. I think my dislike of this tea has to do with my pattern recently: I just don’t really seem to like white teas much. Being a coffee drinker also, I really like strong teas, this is not one of them.

Very good blend in the sense that it provides a nice, even taste. No one part is too overpowering, or too weak.

I need something sweet so I grab this. To me a sign of a good tea is when you get giddy and hyper just from smelling the raw leaf, and that definitely happens w/ this! I use my normal parameters 2.25g tea/6oz water.

Um… What happened? This is a lot lighter than last time… :( The smell is all syrupy berries and so is the flavor. The chocolate is lost. I’m not even gonna bother resteeping. :,(

My computer project took forever… I think my crosseyedness had something to do w/ it. So to celebrate it FINALLY being done, I prepared this strong, by using 1 heaping teaspoon which is 4g! because I wanted to add creamer. After steeping added 1 teaspoon each white chocolate and spiced rum creamers. Perfection! No cuppa diluted creamer. Strong flavors and black tea base.

Mixed w/ equal parts (1.12-1.13g) http://steepster.com/teas/adagio-teas/5407-irish-creme-nite-cap and steeped in 6oz water.

The liqour is not black as tar like a lot of black teas, but a pretty red/auburn. The aroma is definitely fruity and the flavor is a wonderful balance of fruit, chocolate, cream, rum, and unflavored black teas. A bit of rose would be lovely as well.

AH CRAP! This (3rd) infusion proves I love my dog more than I love tea. I forgot all about it playing w/ Madison so it steeped for 10 min. The liquor was a autumnal orange color and the flavor was strong and wonderful… but that makes me think that to be strong enough for a good 3rd infusion this SHOULD have been steeped to heck and bitter…

Waiting for the dragonwell to steep for an hr….

Moderate drop off in liquor. Still redish brown. Fairly strong taste for the liquor. Will steep again.

Making a cuppa while I wait for my dragonwell to steep. Ok, so I’ve proven I’m not patient- but at least I get brownie points for being able to make 2 cups of tea simulatenously!:)

Holy frickin packaging! I’ve only ordered from Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden once before and that was a while ago… and the packaging is nothing like this one! There’s a twist off cap… then a pull off lid… then the tea is in a plastic bag inside the tin. This tea could stay fresh in a nuclear war if the bag had been fully sealed! Which brings me to my next point. Be VERY careful when you empty the tea from the bag to the tin. It’s partially open.

As soon as I take off the 1st cover I can already smell the tea… WOW! It smells sweet. Kind of like the berry syrups at iHOP. I’ve never had a tea that’s smelled syrupy before. YUM. I CAREFULLY empty the tea into the tin. I see black tea speckled w/ bright red shriveled berries and blue flecks that are pretty but I can’t identify. I can smell it even better now. Can I eat it raw? lol:)

Unfortunately my heart sinks when I look at it in the tin… the tin is only 2/3 full! Don’t get me wrong, I’m greatful for my tea. But I think that the packaging should be proportionate to the contents… having a much bigger container makes it look like you got jipped. Maybe I did. I’ll email them.

I love his teas, but I hate his steeping instructions. I do my typical steeping method for blacks. 2.25g of tea per 6oz of boiling purified water steeped for 5 min.

The tea’s liquor isn’t quite as dark as I had expected, but more red. Such a pretty color, almost auburn!

The 1st thing I taste is a sweet black tea. Then I’m able to identify the sweetness as berries. Not tart berries though. It tastes like berries in a simple syrup. Then finally the creamy depth of the chocolate.

Conclusions: Weird packaging, WONDERFUL TEA! Does not need to be sweetened even if you normally sweeten your teas. I’d classify this as a dessert tea, but could definitely be drank anytime if you’re looking for just a black tea on the sweet side. Very versatile. Even though there is no reason to sweeten it, it may be sweetened and used in place of plain water for simple syrup. I gotta try that… that’d be good on fruit… cake.. maybe even ice cream and pancakes!:)

Back logging. Infusion 1 and 2 (5 and 6 min respectively) last nite and infusion 3 (7 min) this morning. LOVE IT!

I want to like this tea, but it is too flowery for me. Better in the summertime, good iced.

This tea is very smooth and comforting. Great after dinner. Steeps:4

I have been tasting a few other oolongs lately, but this one is still my favorite. Smooth to taste, no wierd aftertaste, just a really good oolong with a punch of plum flavor. Good hot or cold and of course with 4 infusions…a nice value for your money.

For a darker oolong, this is really smooth and enjoyable. I added a few cinnamon pieces to the pot, it added just the right amount of spice to an already good tea:) What I really like about oolongs are the multiple infusions.. I typically get four infusions from one pot.

I used my new Houhin brewing this tea. WOW, what a difference the proper vessel makes for this particular tea. I had stopped drinking this tea because I am the only tea drinker in my house and when I make a pot of this in a 16 oz teapot, wheezers…I have alot of tea to drink all by myself. I know what you are thinking, make the rest iced, but I really enjoy it hot much better. So, with all that being said, I finially broke down and purchased a 4 oz Houhin and four infusions later I have had a nice, dark oolong tea. Plum pieces are evident in the dry leave and after the infusion, they impart a nice tartness. This tea is expensive IMO, but because you can get multiple infusions, this is doable for me-cost wise-even though shipping is/was $10:(

I am comparing this tea to a sample I received from The Jade Teapot. This one from Dr. Tea’s has alot of oolong in the tin with very little plums. The brew is a dark amber in my cup. The taste is oolong with a sharp plum after taste. After tasting both teas, I am left with this thought…is this tea old? The one from TJT is lighter and more fruity. This one is heavier and almost bitter in comparison.

Pleasant aroma. Earthy taste profile. The tartness of the plums shines through this amber infusion. Good for multiple infusions.

When I first got this tea, I did not like it. Too tart. I waited several months and tried it again and loved it this time. I am on my second tin of this tea. I do like to add a teaspoon of cinnamon fire (also from Dr. Tea’s) to balance it out. The best part is that you get 4 steeps with this tea.
12/6/09 On my second infusion, it is as good as the first. Smooth finish. Pairs perfect with chocolate. The tartness of the plums blends nicely with this amber oolong. I do have to brew this in my 16 oz. glass teapot as the oolong leaves need more room to unfurl:) I will be able to get four infusions from this pot. This tea is pricey, but with the four infusions it is a nice indulgence.
12/30/09 nice, smooth oolong tea; 1/24/10 love this tea:)

The tea that redeemed LA for me, and I am from the forest. First thing I did in LA was circumnavigate 90210 on foot. No, not star-searching. I was lost, and Dr. Tea found me. I was parched, and Special Green quenched: assertive, grassy sencha taste, with a comfy afterglow of extras: toasted rice and green cardamom, dried fruit and pepper. The ginger is subtle, just enough to round out the astringency. It all works together surprisingly well, with no suggestion of potpourri (I don’t like busy-flavoured teas), though harshly tannic if at all over-steeped. A go-to cuppa; a green to wake you up.