In Nature

This is the least puerh smelling puerh I’ve ever smelled.

The first cup is a mix of floral and grassy hay like notes. The second cups deepens, both in color and in taste. Now there’s a pleasant earthiness at the beginning of the sip that melds into a sweet dark florally note by the end. The wet leaves are also beginning to smell more earthy and pond water like.

Third cup loses more of the floral, and your left with a mellow light earthy cup that just barely hints at an almost caramel or honey type of sweet note. The forth cup has more of that sweet note teasing you from the edge. I still can’t decide if it’s more caramel or honey, but it’s a pleasant surprise either way. It’s there at the beginning and end of the sip, with the earthiness sandwiched in the middle.

I have a feeling I can still get a couple more steeps out of this, but for now, it’s getting late and I’m leaving it for now.

This is not my favorite. It’d taste is like a celery, flowery, mild taste. Definitely something that would take some getting used to. Its sort of savory, but floral, but also sweet. I can do savory, when I’m in the mood. But it’s the sweetness that throws me. I usually add a touch of salt to savory brothy teas, to make them more brothy, but that doesn’t work when theres a slight sweetness.
That aside, it’s not that worse thing I’ve ever had, and its supposed to have all these great benefits to it, and if that’s true, it could be worth the odd taste. It’s too soon to tell if the claims are true though, so only time will tell.

This is nice lightly vegetal, clean, sweet green tea. This is very refreshing, and clean green tea. Delicate is the word that comes to mind. This is a very nice tea to have when you’re looking for an easy going green tea.

Eight months ago I had this tea and thought it tasted old and musty. Aging it further has not improved it.

It kind of reminds me of the Bergamot Rose Laoshan Black, in that it almost doesn’t taste like anything, although this one does have a mustiness that is quite unpleasant. I was going to cold brew it to see if that improved it, but I’m really not sure. It’s that mustiness that’s almost worrisome, although it has certainly been in a dry, climate-controlled environment its entire life. Maybe I will decide after I try the BRLB that I cold brewed last night and have for lunch today.

Hmmm, I think the cardboard container of this has not been kind to it. Note that it is also in a plastic bag inside the container, but apparently that’s not quite enough. Today this one was sort of musty, and it really tasted “old”. A shame, really. As it cooled the mustiness faded somewhat and it became tastier, but it still didn’t taste like I remembered. Maybe I can beef it up with more leaf next time, or maybe it will cold brew well. I liked the base tea on this one but I always kind of wanted more rose from it.

This morning I needed some raspberry leaf (if you know what I mean). I have these bags of raspberry leaf but I prefer to actually just throw a bag in my mug underneath an infuser basket filled with other tea, and rose blacks are my favorite for whatever reason. The raspberry leaf has this odd sweetness to it (not sure if it’s the actual leaf or something else in the bag), and a slight fruitiness. I often pair it with Harney’s Rose Scented, but today I went for this one.

The last time I had this I brewed it near the low recommended temperature but it was kind of thin. Fortunately I read my other tasting note before having this again. This time I steeped it at boiling and it was delicious. I will hold off adjusting my rating until I have it without the raspberry leaf bag, but I think it will be going on. This is kind of like Bergamot Rose Laoshan Black with out the bergamot. The black tea has a similarly awesome flavor profile. Definitely pleased with this one.

I think its a rose tea kind of morning. I have been interested in this tea for a while, mainly because of the claim thtat the base tea is a high quality Chinese black from a region that I haven’t tried (Zhejiang). I’m assuming it is a Jinqu Hongmei because that seems to be the main black tea produced by this predominantly green tea region (found that out on Teavivre’s site, actually!) This company is British, so shipping was an issue, and they don’t offer samples or sample sizes (they also didn’t include any samples in the shipment). But when they offered a coupon and this tea was already on sale on top of that, I went ahead and bit the bullet.

The tea leaves are long, black, and wiry, which definitely looks promising. There are a surprising amount of rose buds in this blend; I kept thinking that I was going to scoop up some leaves with no rose bud in the scoop, but I kept getting roses. I happened to look at the little pamphlet that came with the tea (I almost didn’t because at least one side of it is filled with “health benefit” information") so I did see that they call for black teas to be brewed at 85°C. I don’t think I’ve ever brewed a black below 195°F/90°C, so that’s what I used this time.

The steeped tea smells rosy and chocolatey. Mmmm. Yeah, this black tea has serious chocolate notes to it. The flavor is quite nice, although I can tell you right now that next time I am trying it a nearly if not actually a full boil. It’s a tad thin, but I think its the cool temp more than anything else. It’s slightly sweet, with cocoa and cereal notes to it. The rose is fairly light and seems to blend in with the whole taste of the sip. It’s noticeable if you look for it, but I also can be convinced that I’m not actually drinking a rose-scented tea. Normally I would want more rose, but somehow this one works so well I am pleased anyway. Quite tasty, and I am excited to play around with the 50g I have of this.

This is a lovely fragrant and soothing jasmine tea. Easy to drink and uplifting.

Thank you TeaEqualsBliss for sending me this! Such a generous sample too! This is everything she said! It is creamy and sweet and floral. I also find a menthol like after taste lingering on the tongue.
Not a tea I would have sought out but one I can see reaching for!
Its such a lovely tea to look at as well!
See my review on SororiTea Sisters on the 17th where I have also added a photo of the leaf itself! Surprisingly pretty!

Dry – this kind of smelled like day-old socks at first.
While infusing – it started to turn to a more pleasant – airy – and almost sweet floral and breezy type smell.
Post infusion – it really doesn’t have much of an aroma at all.

As for the tastes on the tongue…it’s clean, crisp, and very NATURALLY sweet. It lives by its label – PURE and WHITE. And I can completely understand why they named it Autumn Breeze – it’s just that – THAT in a CUP!

Exceptional.

A review of Pure Red Rose Flower Black Tea by In Nature

Date: 10/22/ 2012
Company: In Nature
Tea Name: Pure Red Rose Flower Black Tea
Tea Type/Varietal: Black
Region: Yu Nan China
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ loose leaf
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: darkish brownish red; tea is very dark
Leaf Characteristics:

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes

Note: I used freshly boiled water and taking one teaspoon of the tea leaves I add this to the tea cup and once having added the water, I leave the tea to steep for few minutes. Tea’s aroma is very strong; malt and roast smelling. It actually makes me think of coffee…mildly.

The tea’s color is dark reddish-brown color with a very lovely bouquet smell of the roses. As I sip this tea and take in the tea’s aroma, it reminds me vaguely of the Russian Caravan tea I had some months earlier. I think because this tea is a full bodied tea and smelling strongly of malt and very smoky.

Even as I opened the tea bag there was this smoky aroma and when brewed/steeped it is stronger.

I am having this tea pure with nothing added and I find the malt and creamy smoothness that goes into producing this flowered black tea is so fine and rich and those favoring milk/cream and sugar with their tea would simply curl up with this cup of tea. Yum!

2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 4 minutes

Note: Tea is steeped using same leaves (after rinsing them) I pour the water into the cup and leave it to steep for several minutes more. The tea’s color is more brownish than red, greenish brown even and dark. Tea’s aroma is still smoky and roasted like chestnut. It is a floral bouquet. As the buds are removed with the leaves, which did not unfold fully but enough to note a difference from when it was dried and crinkly like.

I can see tell that this is a tea I will continue to enjoy and discover its many folds. I am happy to be able to continue enjoying the tea’s created by In-Nature Tea and thank you for sending this one along for me to enjoy. This is not a favorite, it is good, wonderful tea with much potential; tea connoisseurs would take delight with this tea because it is yummy and intoxicating like coffee or the finest wine.

I like the bag that the tea came in; once I remove it from the In-Nature Tea box, it is a foil wrapped like coffee wrapping. I am so use to In Nature’s tea’s and always happily surprised seeing how they can get the foils into that box and not damage the tender rose buds and leaves…just an aside.

This has to be one of the most unique and interesting teas I have had in a LONG TIME…

Where to even begin?

Well…

Dry – It looks like dried Marigold Flowers or something similar. Maybe even a mini Dark Daisy or something. It’s incredibly light-weight and fluffy. It smells like Flowers, Fruit, Hibiscus, and Herbs. BUT…there isn’t any Hibiscus IN the loose leaf mixture! VERY interesting!

Once I poured water on top to infuse this I noticed the centers of the ‘flower’ puffed out even more. Much like a tea I once had from teaNY long ago! The yellow-orange flower petals expanded from the water and flopped-out and drooped over the puffy center.

Post infusion – the tea liquor is that of a light-medium red-brown. A very nice shade!

The tea taste itself is rather different than I anticipated. It’s Creamy and floral…not an old-lady flower-perfume type floral, but not a Jasmine either. I want to say it somewhat resembles a “cousin” to a chamomile type flavor but that might be a stretch as well as hard to comprehend unless you were to try it yourself. It has gentle fruity notes as well as some sort of likeness to the most mellow and most pale hibiscus you’ve ever tasted…BUT…REMEMBER…I really don’t see any hibiscus in here! And I’m not saying it’s that stereotypical tarty hibiscus flavor either…I’m just not completely sure how to describe it…it’s just the closest comparison I can make to it, I guess. It’s really pleasant and really different. As it starts to cool a bit I’m picking up semi-sweet and semi-dry wine type flavors in the aftertaste but not before I pick up a refreshing celery type hint in mid-sip! Again, this is quite the roller coaster ride and I LIKE it! The cooler it gets I can taste more subtle fruity flavors underneath floral/herbal combo’s.

I have to fess-up! I would certainly have identified this as a flowering-type tea because it’s obviously flower contents but I was surprised they have it listed as a Black Flowering Blend as I don’t ‘see’ actual black tea in there – BUT – when you infuse the loose leaf…it’s that of a milder black tea! Very unique…very interesting…VERY strange…I really thing that is why I like this tea because it really made me think…it really surprised me…and it REALLY threw me for a loop!

Well Done!

FULL Length Review and more of what I am thinking while drinking this can be found here!
http://sororiteasisters.com/2012/10/12/tibet-dream-pure-tibet-spring-flower-tea-from-in-nature-teas/

In honor of tonight’s Super Moon. A post fermented tea not from the puerh area, so I guess technically a dark tea. This looks like Bai Mu Dan but since it is slightly oxidized under moonlight this I guess is closer to White Monkey. I’ve had this for a couple years. I grabbed my Teavivre gaiwan and steeped the first cup at 20 seconds. My wife bought me a cute little cup and saucer that just happened to be 90 ml, same as the gaiwan. I have really liked this one every time I have prepared it. Today is no different. This time it tasted like apple wine. That was unexpected. Later cups were more like my other reviews of this one. A neat tea.

After getting all over confident with my first experience with a gaiwan, I have to humbly admit I burned the pudding out of my fingers steeping this one. Gungfu (with skill) not so much. I tried using the traditional method of pouring by grasping the rim edges and the lid. Ouch and double ouch. My novice approach of fingers under the saucer and thumb on the lid was much less painful. I switched back but the damage was done. Nothing serious. I’ll be over it by morning.

Second point I used a lot of leaf this time. I wanted the true gungfu experience. Normally I would use about 2 g. Today I used something like 8. This filled up the gaiwan after a couple steeps. That seems to be what others shoot for. Personally, I thought it added little from my perspective. Your mileage may vary.

1st steep at 20 sec was lightly smoky which I have never caught before.
3rd steep was the most fragrant. Wonderfully white tea aromatic.
5th was similar to third and woodsy as it cooled.

2, 4, 6-8 I poured into a mug so I could feed the Splenda monkey. I’m trying but golly the monkey thought it was much more flavorful this way.

It was interesting to read my previous review from a few months ago. This tea is already aging nicely. My notes today before I looked up the old review:

I think this tea breaks all the rules. It smells like a white. It looks like blend of mostly white and smaller amounts of fully oxidized teas. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe the initial drying is done more like a green tea. Then it is processed like a puerh. The brew is darker than a white tea and lighter than black, or rather red tea. It does not look at all like green or puerh. The taste is between white peony and silver needle early in the sip. It is lightly sweet with melon and cucumber notes. This is followed by a mellow wonderful earthiness that melts into mild but developing leather notes. Towards the back of the sip I keep thinking there is a hint of smoke. This could just be how my brain is interpreting all the other things going on and melding together. If it is, it is very convincing. Wonderfully complex. I enjoyed this one a lot this afternoon.

I’m glad to be at work today. Well, I am kind of just glad to be. Ok, it’s not that serious. It stormed all night. Usually that knocks me out, but last night I couldn’t sleep. It was very dark and pouring this morning, when I left home. The lightning was awesome. I live on a one lane road about a half mile off the highway. This morning it was like driving through the jungle. Leaves, limbs, puddles. Puddles? Puddles! I haven’t seen one of those in ages. Now they are everywhere. I get to the highway, thinking I got it made, except the road is so black and wet. There is steam hovering just above the pavement. Am I in my lane? Am I going to drive into the ditch? I don’t know. I can’t see… Here comes a car. Now I really can’t see. I hope they can. Then the lightning strobes and it lights the world up like daylight for a moment. Followed by the dark. My eyes aren’t adjusting fast enough. What a ride. Made it safely. I need tea.

I started this one yesterday. I wanted to continue steeping it today before recording it on Steepster. Yesterday I had three mugs from 1 ½ wooden spoons of leaf. It looks like white tea and tastes pretty much like white peony but a little bolder. Each cup has gotten a bit more complex and sweeter. The third is the first to develop any mild puerh characteristics.

Today starting at mug number 4. This has wonderful creamy feel. The taste has a mild nuttiness. It is no longer white tea but has morphed into warm earthy tones. There is no hint of bitterness or astringency. This is just mellow goodness. Mug 5 (all 12oz) continues with a some of the white tea traits returning. Pretty sure this would go another round but I am stopping here.

If you like white tea and are terrified of puerh, then this is your tea. I know you hear that all the time. I am serious. There is nothing scary or unfamiliar about White Moon, and it just happens to be really good.

Thank you Helen at In Nature Tea for this wonderful sample.
Longer review, without the car ride, should be on my blog tomorrow.

Thank you TeaEqualsBliss for sending me some of this tea.

This is one of the most unusual silver needle teas that I’ve seen. When I think Silver Needles, I think of a bunch of silvery green needle-like buds, but, there are open leaves in there too, dark in color, reminding me of bai mu dan. It is almost like a blend of bai mu dan and silver needle, and maybe even some shou mei too.

The flavor is also quite different from other silver needle I’ve tasted. While most silver needle tends to be on the delicate side, this tea is definitely more forward in its flavor. It has notes of vegetation, as well as fruit and flower, and a nutty undertone. I even taste a hint of malt to this, kind of like infused hops. A very unique Silver Needle, indeed, but I’m enjoying it.

It’s good when it’s hot, but I think I like it even better when after it’s cooled.

Thank you LiberTEAS for this sample.

The leaves are smaller, yet whole. They slightly resemble longjing in their medium green coloration, however they are not quite as flat in form. Not a noticeable amount of smokiness to the dry leaves, mainly grassy with a faint fruity fragrance.

The liquid is a pale yellowish-green and is very clean and smooth. There is no detectable astringency, only a small amount of tartness at the end of the sip. There is some sweeter, even a peach/plum blossom type of undertone.

Plainly, this is a very nice green tea and could be used for an everyday type of tea. There would not be much fear of it becoming common.

A review of Lotus Tea (Slim Line) by In Nature

Company: In Nature
Tea Name: Lotus Tea
Tea Type/Varietal: Green (herbal)
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: Cup/leaf
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: Golden brown
Leaf Characteristics: The leaves are squarely cut and medium in size, they are very dry and soft not crunchy; not fried/fired it seems. When steeped/immersed in the water they seem to remain the same, I mean that the leaves don’t seem to have absorbed any water when steeped and the tea’s aroma is somewhat rosy/floral sweet bouquet.

1st Steeping: 5 minutes
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 4-5 minutes in the morning

I have not had this tea in a long while. I take a heaping spoonful of the tea leaves and put them in my cup and add the boiling water over the leaves in my cup and cover it to steep for five minutes. After such time I remove the saucer and the scoop out the leaves which seem to have remain the same; they are not soaked (no change in the leaves since immerse in water). I like what I am seeing in my cup which is lovely lightest yellow/brown liquor with a soft rosy bouquet and when tea tasted is sweetly smooth and has not astringent. As much as I have had this tea, it has always been enjoyable and never bitter. No change regardless of number of steeps and brew time.

This tea is good for drinking instead of having water; simply brew a nice pot full of this tea and let it cool and drink it as if water…except better and good for you.

A review of Lotus Tea (Slim Line) by In Nature

Date: 09/20/2012
Company: In Nature
Tea Name: Lotus Tea
Tea Type/Varietal: Green (herbal)
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: Cup/ leaf
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: light green to very pale yellow with longer steeps.
Leaf Characteristics:

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 5 minutes

Note: I have been reading up on herbal teas, specifically making sun-tea. So I decided to play with this Lotus tea by treating it as such. I began with clean water added to a clean tea pot (my in-laws) and let the water come to full boil. During the wait, I wash my mug and put one spoonful of the leaves into my cup and then added some of the boiling water to it. I left it to steep for few minutes.

I enjoy the tea’s floral aroma and it light coloring; as I sip the tea, I am salivating/excited since I know I will be drinking this for the remainder of the day. I have a small plastic jug that I will be using for the rest of the day for this tea. I fill this jug with the leaves and add some basil and oregano and fill it with water and let it stand for an hour’s time.

After time has elapse I simply remove the lid and take in the aroma of the floral mixture of the budded lotus which are surfacing in the cup and the mixture of the herbs (basil and the oregano) is heavenly; smells very green and spicy. When I taste it is a nice medley of plant and herbs.

There was not a need to add anything to the Lotus Slimming Tea; I simply spent the day drinking my version of sun tea, room temperature style. In fact I drink this all day long and late into the evening and I was up most of the night. I need to remember to cut off drinking liquids up to 8 or 9 pm and not after; and by 10:00 pm. No more!

One finds a good / great tea one should experiment and experience the tea’s many folds. And this was my way of getting closer to nature and the approaching autumn.
-———————————————
2nd Steeping: this second steep and those following were the best by far (scaling tea to 10)
Water temperature: 170 Fahrenheit
Time: 60 minutes

Note: Tea was steeped much longer at room temperature with the water being mildly hot and I used the same leaves and added some sprigs of basil and oregano to it and left to stand on the window sill for an hour’s time.

Tea was infused with the two herbs and the aroma was that of a spicy combination of the two herbs added to the lotus leaves. It was heady of me to try this, nothing about the Lotus tea calls for a need to improve upon it. Tea is lovely all on its own. The added herb was my version of a sun-tea and I enjoyed sipping the tea all day long. Truly a delightful experience and one I will gladly try again when I open the other box of tea.

A review of Lotus Tea (Slim Line) by In Nature

Date: 09/17/2012
Company: In Nature
Tea Name: Lotus Tea
Tea Type/Varietal: Green
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: Cup/leaf
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: Golden brown
Leaf Characteristics: The leaves are squarely cut and medium in size, they are very dry and soft not crunchy; not fried/fired it seems. When steeped/immersed in the water they seem to remain the same, as they absorb no water. They are not damp or weighted down with first steeping for five minutes. The leaves do not smell vegetal or smells of leeks, instead the aroma is somewhat rosy/floral sweet bouquet.

1st Steeping: 5 minutes
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 4-5 minutes in the morning

Note: I had to clean my cup since I have been drinking many black teas as the coloring of my cup seem to have been altered; It is my favorite cup and large enough for tea leaves. After scrubbing my cup to its original color and warming it with hot water; I open my newly bag of Lotus Tea and take one (full) spoonful of the leaves and add this in my cup and waited for the cold water to boil and when it is boiling I pour the water over the leaves in the cup and let to stand for about five minutes.

Tea’s aroma is lovely floral bouquet; the lotus blossoms are on top of the leaves, I like how the leaves become fuller and their coloring a bit darker with the added water. I strained the tea into a smaller cup and take note of the brownish color of the tea and its aroma. Tea is smooth and warm, very mild tea and not at all astringent.

Overall, this tea is a sweet calming cup of tea to be enjoyed throughout the day.

2nd Steeping: 5 minutes
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: brewed another cup for about 5 minutes about an hour later into the morning.

Note: My second steeping of teas tend to convey how I will continue to drink the tea throughout the day. I plan on having this tea for the rest of morning and mid-day, as I will be having it mildly warm, not quite ice tea but cool enough.

I like the sweetness that this tea continue to offer and that I need not add a thing to it other than boiled water and to simply let it cool down.

I cannot express enough how happy I am with this tea. It is luxury in a cup.

I continue to add to my delightful purchases of things to do with tea when I can. I made a purchase finally with Bon Teavant for their Tea Notes (Tea Dairy/Journal) and I began using it and have tried to record some of the teas that I have been sampling. I must say that it takes getting use to. And it does contain information to assist you with your recording. It is pen and notepad for when there is not a computer/type pad available, I supposed.
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This review is done from my notes using the Tea Notes guide:

A review of Slim Lotus Tea (Natural Pure Extract) by In Nature

Date: 08\23\2012
Company: In Nature Tea
Tea Name: Lotus Tea (Slim Tea Line)
Tea Type/Varietal:
Region: China
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: Cup / One spoonful of leaves
Plucking Season: this is a summer tea, so late spring season for plucking.
Liquor Color: Golden orb
Leaf Characteristics: tea leaves are cut squares like and sm/med in size; they are in green in color and remain this color. The lotus buds have a red/pinkish tip.

1st Steeping:
Water Temp: 185 Fahrenheit
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Notes: Tea is very mild and floral in taste. It steeps a golden color liken an egg yolk with the light shinning directly into it. There is the lotus smell and flavoring throughout the tea, evenly distributed.
-—
2nd Steeping:
Water Temp: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Notes: I am using a larger pan to make a pot of tea lasting for the remainder of the day. Tea leaves still remains very crisp, no folding of leaves. They are wet but not damp; it seems as if the water rolls off. The leaves still appear to be very crisp, well slightly less than with less boiling/steeping. They are softer and smelling more of leafy/green like veggies. Teas aroma is sweetly floral and tea is sweeter with this longer steep time and hints of lotus flower plant still remains.

With shorter steep time tea is more potently stronger but not necessarily nicer. I find making a bigger pot of tea, or in a larger pan and allowing the leaves to be immersed in water slightly longer to cook gives it more substance which brings about the teas many aspects.

Using Tea Notes seems a bit more work as it is newly way of recording my tea tasting. It does make me more aware of what is in my cup and why. Thank you Bon Teavant for Tea Notes.

A review of Slim Lotus Tea (Natural Pure Extract) by In Nature

I took time away from my Slim Lotus Tea daily drink and opted for soy milk. Sooner or later I must return to what is natural and perhaps more beneficial; no to have a cup of tea: water + tea leaves that’s all.

I am using freshly drawn water and while it heating, I take my tea mug and scoop out some tea leaves and place this in my mug; when I pour the water into the mug tea leaves rises upward and I realize I should have used a small pan to make tea and then transfer it to my mug.

I put the lid on the mug and let it to steep, not much room really, since filled too high. Anyhow, I leave this for five minutes. A bit annoyed with myself for not doing it differently. When the time has passed, I remove the lid and take my spoon to scoop out the tea leaves as best can. And taking my small strainer, I then pour out the tea from one cup into another mug.

Tea’s color is lovely orange glow, but more on the yellowing. Tea smell sweetly and floral like and when tasted it is mildly sweet. It is an aromatic cup of lotus tea!

As I drink this cup of tea and readying to make a pot full for the fridge, I am reminded of tea’s benefits: Lotus Tea Slim Line ; Teas main functions;
To enhance the enjoyment of life
To provide well being at the general health; mind and body.
Dispel the effects of alcohol and damaging elements to healthe
Relief from the summer heat, assist to warm from the cold of winter
Assist people to purify themselves and eliminate worries.
Help digestion and the bresk doum of fattening substances.
Used to eliminate toxins from the body.
Conducive to longevity
To aid self knowledge and I am adding this last one “to thyself be true!”