Teavivre

Made the mistake this morning of being frugal and thinking I’d actually enjoy eating the stale end piece of a loaf of bread as my breakfast toast. I don’t. I really don’t. I recently signed up for Wildgrain so at least I can look forward to fresh bread tomorrow. It’ll be a great accompaniment to our Bonne Maman advent.

I’m still working through my sipdowns but it’s slowed down a great deal since I don’t have any single servings left in the tea cabinet (yay!). I don’t think I’m going to meet my goal for the year – I’m still 49 behind – but I feel good about the progress. There’s always next year! I’ve had a lot of fun with the prompts so graciously provided by Mastress Alita and they’ve really pushed me to drink some of the teas I don’t have regularly.

Today’s choice is a sipdown and it’s a tasty one, though I thought I might enjoy it more given the Steepster rating. It’s good, but it doesn’t knock my socks off or anything. I have others I think I’d reach for first, so I don’t think this will be a rebuy.

I found a sample of this one bit I am pretty sure i have a bag of cubes aging away nicely somewhere as well.

It is an unusually hot November, with just a cool down in the evenings. I made this as a morning cup first, and then resteeped so e for the fridge. It came out super dark even though the carafe was holding steeps 2 and 3. Then I tossed the leaves in another carafe and added water for it to cold steep in the fridge, so in all I have nearly 3/4 of a gallon of tea from one cube.

It is very earthy and good, just as shu ought to be. It really hangs in there for resteeps and keeps giving. This is more barn with musty breath of hay and not too much of the manure scent. It is a very nice shu. More like the scent after I water the shelves of plants in the east window. Petrichor.

For the sipdown prompt, “A tea you are thankful for.” Honestly, I could use any Chinese black for that prompt, but this meets my age criteria. I have, shockingly, prepared it gong fu… it seems wrong somehow not to when it’s in the actual name of the tea. Not my preferred method of brewing, but on a rainy weekend when I have the time to slowly savor a tea through several infusions, it is fitting…

180ml (mini teapot) | 5.6g | 205F | 15s/20s/25s/30s/35s/40s

This is definitely a very frangrant tea… the steeped tea smells of malt, citrus, smoked wood, and leather. It tastes that way, too… very brisk with a dark, bittersweet quality, with a flavor that is malty, smoky, and leathery with a slight peppery edge and a little citrus quality in the aftertaste. The second steep is a bit smoother, with some of the leathery/peppery notes toned down and a slight florality peeking through. Perhaps even a hint of a muscatel note. The fruity and floral notes popped a bit more by the third steep, with a sort of citrusy orange aftertaste, but the darker malty/woody flavors continued to dominate. The briskness of the tea paired well with my very-sweet breakfast of off-brand PopTarts (thanks tea-sipper, I blame that impulse grocery purchase on you!)

Very tasty, ticked all the boxes of a Chinese black.

Sipdown! I held on to this one for too long, so this last bit of it wasn’t quite as flavorful as it was when I first bought it a few years ago. But it was still delicious! I really like the jasmine here – it doesn’t taste chemical-y at all, nor is it too strong or too faint. I’m also really charmed by the ring shape that the leaves are formed into, which is part of why it took me so long to finish this off!

OMG this tea – so, so good. I guess I’m quite the Keemun girl, because this hits the straight black tea spot. Bright, sweet and a little fruity, it’s one of those teas that you can do anything to – hot, iced, milk, etc. This is my jam!

Sipdown! (15 | 289)

Mastress Alita’s Sipdown Challenge (October) – “a decaf/caffeine-free tea”

This one is super interesting in that, to me, it doesn’t taste like jasmine at all. I was expecting it to taste similar to a jasmine green tea, but there’s not even a hint of floral going on. It’s more… grainy? I find it difficult to explain. It’s almost like it’s somewhere between oats or maybe sticky rice, and a croissant. There’s an almost buttery quality, but it’s super light and airy at the same time. If I didn’t know better, I would maybe guess it was some kind of white tea? Maybe there are some similarities to chamomile or even elderflower, but in a much lighter sense?

I feel like I’m crazy, because Arby’s note is totally different and mentions jasmine and bitterness… But regardless, I’m finding this super unique and delicious, and I’ll definitely have to order some more soon. We’ll see if, when that happens, it tastes totally different and this was just a fluke of some kind…?

This is a buried treasure sample packet that, now that I’ve sampled it, I regret leaving it buried so long! Nice, smooth satiny texture, and it’s one of the fruitiest-flavored unflavored blacks I’ve tasted in a long while. Dark, dark cherry and a little wood essence. A nice surprise on a “why-do-I-have-to-get-out-of-bed?” morning.

Decent green tea! I got the 2022 harvest of this tea from my Teavivre order, and this tea epitomises a tea that is simple, but works. Beautiful, consistent leaves with a really nice and complex aroma, paired with a beautiful liquor and a great steep longevity. This tea had a nice flavour but it was very one dimensional and it wasn’t very rich. This tea also was quite average in terms of texture, finish, aftertaste, and character. It didn’t have any noticeable cha-qi effect. All in all, a simple green tea that works well as a daily drinker, especially for the price. Just beware that this tea can be a bit finnicky to brew, and a slight mistake in temperature or brewing time can make the cup bitter very easily.

Sipdown 66

Not a favorite. Like hay and old oranges. Not fresh or vibrant and a bit stale tasting.

Keemun! I got this tea from my recent Teavivre order, and honestly, it is pretty decent. Vibrant and thick liquor with a smooth and thick texture, partnered with a bursting mouthfeel and flavour. This tea also had a unique character and decent complexity, along with a decent finish and aftertaste. This tea however lacked the complexity in aroma, and had barely noticeable cha-qi and didn’t survive that many steeps. Overall, a decent tea worth recommending for the price.

Sipdown! (113 | 210)

I had a random sample of this one lying around, finally finishing it off! :D

This is a very smooth and easygoing green tea. Lots of buttery nutty notes that make me think of cashews, and a creaminess similar to edamame. Maybe a hint of artichoke as well? And at the end of the sip is a subtle apricot note that I find to be common in Chinese green teas, and a touch of astringency mimicking the fuzzy skin.

It’s a very tasty and super drinkable tea, but there’s nothing special about it IMO. These days I tend to prefer the intensity of Japanese green teas anyway, so it’s not something I would order.

Gongfu Sipdown (2528)!

Sipping down what is, I believe, the last of these oolong sample packets. Sometimes, with a tea stash as insanely large as mine, it can be tricky to keep track!! It’s a delicious tasting oolong though, and the fact it’s rich in GABA is just an added bonus – especially on crazy days like today where I could really use the extra bit of focus. The steeped tea is so fruity and sweet with saturated notes of golden honey, red dates, and orchard fruit which go alongside the more gentle finishing flavours of toasted grains and nuts. Very smooth with a lush, “round feeling” liquor that leaves a beautiful lingering sweetness on the palate!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3bHqA8O4XF/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFmovmenhoU

Gongfu!

Thanks Teavivre for gifting me this sample! I have to say that, when it comes to GABA, oolong tea is almost always my preference and this is such an easy going, approachable and just delicious tasting one! Initially I got quite a bit of stonefruit in my early steeps. The plum notes were nice and jammy in a coating sort of way, and what was especially interesting was how they were almost more delicate and light bodied but very “low hitting” on the palate without any real acidity or brightness. They weaved in with the more golden roast and very woody leaning profile in a super relaxing way where it was hard to pick out any one flavour without getting at least two others at the same time.

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch5UWHPucyU/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN0jTWynbmI

For the longest time, I’ve struggled with tieguanyins. Whether their flavour balance is wrong, or they are too sharp and vegetal, or they lack depth in texture and aftertaste. This tea however really ticks most of the boxes for what I want in a tieguanyin. This tea is the definition of a really good and balanced tea.

I got the Autumn 2021 harvest of this tea from my recent Teavivre order. This tea has the distinct softness and nuance of a autumn oolong tea. Beautiful, vibrant handmade leaves, and honestly the handmade inconsistency of the leaves make this tea look even better. This tea also has a complex aroma with a rich and thick liquor. The flavour is sublime, balanced to perfection with the right amount of acidity and sourness with the buttery creaminess and verdant vegetal notes to round it off. The texture is out of this world and I’d rate it a 11/10. Dryness and astringency at the front of the mouth, juiciness on the sides and at the bottom and a light twang of bite at the back. There is this rising wave of florality in the texture as you drink this tea, making the texture and experience of this tea an all-rounder that exceeds expectations.

Beautiful, refreshing finish with a balanced character and a noticeable warming cha-qi. This tea also managed to last 9-10 steeps, which is pretty darn good if you ask me. With all the good things, there are some areas to improve as well. I wish that this tea had more pop to the flavour and that for the flavour notes to last for longer. This tea could do a bit more in terms of aftertaste and complexity of the taste, and a richer aroma would make this tea top notch.

Best tieguanyin I’ve ever had thus far, and it really deserves its “nonpareil” title. A bummer that I only bought the sample, definitely will need to buy more in the future. The price as well, such a deal for such a good tea!

This tea has potential! I got the 2022 harvest of this tea from my recent Teavivre order, and this tea really could’ve been great, but it just falls short. Beautiful leaves and an incredibly unique and deep aroma, paired with a smooth yet bitey texture and a decent longevity. The first steep had a unique and delicate, yet nuanced flavour that honestly had me thinking this tea would be one of the best I had ever. However, the flavour in the subsequent steeps fell off a cliff (slowly). The finish was quite refreshing but the aftertaste was a bit lacking. There was also no noticeable cha-qi, and the liquor did look a bit pale and passive. Overall, this tea was really good in the beginning parts of the session, but it took a turn for the worse in the latter parts. Maybe I brewed it wrong, who knows? I followed the instructions on the Teavivre website.

For the sipdown prompt, “a tea you’ve never tried before.” This is one of my oldest teas, from the final “Here’s Hoping Traveling Teabox.” Thanks for sharing, tea-sipper!

I brewed the 4g sampler in 12 oz. 205F water with a five minute steep.

It tastes like shou… it doesn’t seem to matter the type or age, it all tastes the same to me. Musky wet, swampy earth, and a little smoke. Still not a flavor profile I care for much, but as an occassional cup on a rainy day, it’s okay.

An interesting dancong! I got the 2022 harvest of this tea from my recent TeaVivre order, and while it has a lot of unique and interesting properties, this tea has a few downfalls too. The leaf of this tea looks immaculate, with an interesting character and uniqueness when brewed. Smooth and complex texture that changes between steeps, with a rising and unique aftertaste accompanied by a developing bitey finish. While the flavour was overall pleasant and quite decent, it lacked complexity and strength, treading the line between delicate and intense (which leaves me feeling meh about the tea). The aroma was generally weak, albeit pleasant, and the longevity and cha-qi of this tea has much to be desired. Overall, a decent tea that would need much more in terms of quality to really be worthy of a “Nonpareil” title.

Spring 2021, thank you derk.
I have asked my brother to get me a red box, where I have tea bags from Swiss friend. He brought me an orange box, where I have mostly green teas. Certainly, something to hard to brew… as I do not have thermometer, scale and other necessary things in my isolation-room. But at least I have a reason to drink greens.

It seems I have been waiting a lot with this tea. I tend to forget about teas and I have another branch of tea museum as Leafhopper have.

Anyway, I was drinking this tea all afternoon while playing PC games which is something I do not do usually. And while not playing, I was watching European Championship in sport climbing. What a sport!

Anyway, the tea… I would really know how much I have used as it is great. 400 ml mug. And three steeps — 90 seconds, 2 minutes and 3 minutes.

All three steeps were great. First one was most flavourful — grassy, sweet, smooth and brisk; but with no astringency nor bitterness. The later one, was again delicate, again with sweet and smooth flavours, this time I think chesnut and some nutty flavour, but not overpowering the grassy note.

The last, was somehow strongest, yet still I haven’t noticed any bitterness or astringency. I haven’t noticed even the strong green flavours, for instance spinach, buttery notes, or vegetals.

Certainly a tea that I may try with other methods, as gong-fu or shall I try the bowl-brewing as derk have tried? Grandpa will suit this tea well too, I am sure.

This is my final spring 2022 green tea from Teavivre. I’ve been interested in Anji Bai Cha for a while, and decided to order a sample along with my green tea gift set. I steeped about 4 g of leaf in a 120 ml teapot at 185F for 30, 30, 45, 60, 80, 120, and 240 seconds, plus a few uncounted steeps. I also bowl steeped about 1.5 g of tea in 200 ml of 185F water for 5 minutes, adding more water as needed.

The dry aroma of these pretty needle-shaped leaves is of green beans, citrus, umami, and nuts. The first and second steeps have a brothy texture and notes of green beans, soybeans, asparagus, citrus, orange zest, chestnuts, and umami. The next couple steeps become more vegetal, with asparagus, spinach, grass, butter, and beans, though the citrus is still detectable. The tea is not getting as bitter as other greens. The final steeps are predictably vegetal, though some of the citrus and beany flavour remains.

Bowl steeped, the tea reveals all of these notes, plus some spring florals around the middle of the session. The umami isn’t as pronounced, and there’s no astringency. The tea just fades into grass and veggies.

I’m glad I decided to purchase this tea. The citrus and chestnut make the vegetal profile more dynamic, and it never becomes as bitter as some of the other green teas I’ve tried. This is one of my top three teas from this Teavivre order, along with the Bi Luo Chun and Huo Shan Huang Ya.

Given the many reviews on this site, I’m surprised I’m the first to write a note about a Teavivre green tea. I think they’ve changed the name to Premium Lu Shan Yun Wu, though I rather like Gou Gu Nao (Dog’s Head Green) for its randomness! I steeped 3 g of leaf in an 85 ml porcelain pot at 185F for 7, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 60, 90, 120, and 240 seconds. I also bowl steeped the rest of my 5 g sample in 200 ml of 185 water, starting at 4 minutes and adding water when needed.

The dry aroma is of green beans, chestnuts, veggies, and spring flowers. The first steep has notes of green beans, butter, asparagus, grass, sesame seeds, and spring flowers. The chestnut aroma at the bottom of the empty cup is wonderful. The next steep adds kale and brussels sprouts, though the nuts are still present. Steeps three and four are even more vegetal, with grass, lettuce, and what I think is narcissus. The final steeps are full of cruciferous veggies and are a bit astringent, though they retain a floral and grassy aftertaste.

When this tea is bowl steeped, much of the bitterness disappears, though so do some of the florals. The first few rounds are beany and nutty, and then the tea fades into grass, minerals, and lettuce.

This is a bit more delicate than the regular Lu Shan Yun Wu, with more chestnut and floral notes. Bowl steeping is definitely the way to go if you want to avoid bitterness.

Sipdown! (25 | 122)

My very last chrysanthemum tisane from Teavivre…

And I think this is the least expensive version, but it’s still very tasty. An interesting and relaxing combination of musty hay, light peppery herbaceous notes, and a clear, lingering sweetness. It’s a bit difficult to describe really, but I love it.

Anyway, I’m sad that I don’t have any more. But I have a lot of other tisanes to sip down before I order any new ones…

Gongfu!

This is a full-bodied and very syrupy feeling and tasting tea, which is perfect as a little bit of a late afternoon pick me up. From the first steep I feel like this black tea evokes imagery of colourful flowers dipped into pools of thick, golden honey or maybe even fresh tapped maple syrup. I get aromatic and lush notes of magnolia and roses laced with undertones of sweet potato and jammy red fruits. Something about the notes of maple mixed with the bouquet of florals is really unexpected, but also very delicious!! Almost a “breakfast in bed” sort of vibe with fresh picked flowers and flapjacks drenched in syrup – except for the fact that, well, I drank this at like 4PM while hunched over a laptop. I can dream, though!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5ZPXzVOmAC/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh6-hRPK4ds

Gongfu!

Started the morning with a quick black tea session! Though I always forget how syrupy the liquor of this black tea is, the almost pungent sweetness of this tea is a pleasant surprise every time I steep it. It is floral, as one would expect, but it also has a lot of unexpected depth from notes of starchy sweet potato, amber maple, and buckwheat honey. Florals, like rose, may seem somewhat at odds with notes like sweet potato but it honestly works really well for an accessible daily drinker-type of tea and session!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/Co8ArpGOezD/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMJjV7x_yZY