Le Societe du The

Brewed in Big Glass Teapot

Ricky: “Personally, I liked it. It didn’t last through the second steep, but it was still a fine tea with a lot of character.”

Not sure what the rest of the group thought of this one.

Brewed in Tiny White Teapot

This a good-quality but otherwise fairly typical white peony tea in my opinion. The pale yellow tea yields a flavour that is light and delicate. It’s a nice ‘evening’ tea as it doesn’t have much of a caffeine kick but it still satisfied my craving for actual tea (and before anyone asks, I’ve hated most decaf teas I’ve tried).

I drank this tea with milk this morning and it does taste a bit like an English Breakfast with a hint of malt. It’s not really anything special in my opinion, neither extraordinarily good nor abyssmally bad, it’s just kind of…flat and uninteresting.

I’ve never really tried a Kenyan tea on its own though I recognize the flavour somewhat from English Breakfast blends that have it mixed in. It’s an interesting taste, not really like any of the Indian, Ceylon, or Chinese black teas I’ve sampled. It’s closest to an Assam, I think – it has a bit of a malty scent and flavour though without the strength or ‘density’ of an Assam. The aftertaste is rather strongly astringent unfortunately, which made me give it a lower score. It might be improved with some milk, but this isn’t a tea that I’d drink plain again.

This is an okay tasting plain oolong, but it is VERY disappointing if you are really craving something like the Caramel Sugar Oolong from GM….which I am.

This tea appears to be a darker oolong with very tightly twisted leaves. There isn’t much of a scent to the dry tea….after brewing there is a very slight sweet and woodsy scent. The taste is very much of a darker oolong – similar to a lighter black tea, slightly woodsy, and a hint of sweetness that reminds me of caramel/fruit hitting through the middle of the sip. This is a good oolong, but nothing about it is really spectacular. It is a nice drinking tea that you don’t have to pay much attention to.

This twisted leaf lightly oxidized oolong is decent, but not quite the lilac-blossom I expected from teas that have Jade in their name, or that are from Taiwan. It’s a solid, daily drinking tea, but it doesn’t have quite the floral punch I would like. Juicy. Otherwise, pleasant.

Still giving it a chance, but so far it’s a little flat.

A complex buttery cup. There’s overtones of chestnut, warm spinach, and some edamame. A kelpier cup than I’m used to with Chinese greens, but still very pleasant. Has an incredible, smooth velvety mouthfeel that holds.

My first tea for La Societe. This is a solid green, with extra layers of complexity. The standard grassy, hay-like profile deepens and develops mulberry, distinct red currant tartness, and a lingering of almonds and hops. Excellent!