The Silk Tea Co.

Looks exactly as advertised. Got some, and it’s good. Only did one mug 8 oz for 30 secs, and it has the vibes of a Bourbon caramel/booze filled chocolate bottle that you might find at Xmas time. Tasty. Black tea provides a malty base with the vanilla, and the milk oolong makes it creamier in texture. I taste a little bit of the oolong, but the black tea is leading.

It’s good, but I need more time on it to see what icing the tea does to the flavor. It’s original blending the oolong and black together and makes a much more balanced vanilla tea, though it’s only slightly different than other vanilla teas I’ve had. I like the boozy flavor profile. I’m liking Eyes of Green a little bit more so far. I’m curious about how the Morning Sex one compares. Since the black tea profile is the most prominent, it’s going to take some time for me to finish this one down.

I finally got my hands on Silk Tea Co. teas. I got this and On the Rocks. and even got a free sample of the strawberry vanilla rooibos blend offered. Nice!

I have quite a few lemon teas already since I basically got some at Roswell’s suggestion lol, but this one what I hope a lemon creme tea tastes like. I’ve had two cups of it so far, and it’s really well balanced. The smell is decadent like a fancy dessert, or a panna cotta style one with nutty undertones. I could smell this stuff for hours- almond, vanilla, lemon, and pistachio all in one. The taste is much the same in steep one and two so far. 2 minutes, and just under 3 minutes. I’m actually surprised that I got the pistachio at all. Some of it is highlighted because of the almond notes, but I get them pretty clearly. Sometimes, I think of spumoni with this blend. There are certain similarities to the Spumoni Quarter to tea blend actually, but this one is still primarily a lemon creme/custard style flavor.

I also really like the inclusion of cardamom in this one. Cardamom is one of my favorite spices, but it’s a make or break spice in a lot of teas. This one serves to sweeten up the tea and accent the nutty tone and vanilla. It’s not obvious, and it beefs up the vanilla into the nutty finish. I’m impressed with that.

I’m curious about this one as an iced tea, but I definitely do not regretting getting this one. It’s nice for the summer despite the heat, and I’m enjoying it hot. I can see rating this one higher in the future. For now, I’m fairly happy with it. It’s one of the few pistachio teas or almond teas that has not disappointed me. I also think the black and green teas balance each other out.

Geek Steep S3E20 – Firefly (TV Series)

Pot of tea!

This is the tea that I drank while rewatching the episodes for our finale! I thought this blend of lapsang and gunpowder was very thematically on the nose. Very similar to Mandalorian, this had a similar smoky mix of dingey, dusty ranches/farmland and gunsmoke/machinery that I think I must just associate with Space Westerns. However, the differentiator here is a very zesty, fresh squeezed top note of orange that then bleeds into the heavier pine smoke.

I felt that this element was very refreshing since it added a brightness that mirrors the more lively, quippy cast. As I said during recording, yes some of these characters feel heavier as they’ve already got so much trauma – and the smokiness works well with that. However, you need something with a little levity to fit the softer, more gentle and free spirited presences on the show.

A good full spectrum representation.

Gongfu!

I’m trying to maximize my weekend tea sessions in the park while it’s still nice enough outside to do so. Today was pleasantly brisk outside, with a relaxing stillness to the park that felt perfect for this soft and buttery Dong Ding oolong – like a moment captured in time. I loved the silky texture of the tea with its playful and almost lush floral profile; a mix of peony, orchid, and lilacs. Arguably more Spring-like, but still very apropos of the still mostly bright green colours in the surrounding space. Every now and then I caught a soft, creamy note of macadamia nut in the finish, which was delicious and special each time it happened.

Uncharacteristically, the park was totally empty this afternoon except for myself. Though I usually listen to music with headphones in when brewing outdoors, I did selfishly take advantage of the rare chance to play my music in the open without disturbing anyone. It was more immersive and highlighted certain aspects of the session in a much more calming and meaningful way…

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CzPCg0-uTG_/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR46TgFpSgY

Gongfu!

If I hadn’t already been transfixed because of the subtle green melon aroma I was getting from the dry leaf, the explosion of fresh and aromatic florals that flooded my senses the moment the water hit the water would have gotten me. Perhaps it’s partly because I’m coming off a long stretch of pu’erh, but the bouquet of this Taiwanese Grand Cru oolong is just insane.

Steeped up, the liquor is smooth and buttery with just a hint of the green melon I was picking up as dry leaf. Though grassy, the flavour is also quite floral – like a bouquet of white Spring flowers lightly dipped in fresh sugar cane. The finish introduces hints of coconut milk, which lean further into the buttery quality of the tea. Divine!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CxV9tY6OQcx/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKbH0eZDSO0

In my head I was remembering this tea as a bit more medicinal tasting, so I was surprised when I took my first sips of this mug and was met with more of a creamy yogurt sort of note. Strawberry, too. Fresh with a hint of a tart snap to it. Very “strawberries and cream” as an overall profile with a nice mix of bright top notes and silky vanilla/cream in the finish. Rooibos forward to be sure, but just not quite as medicinal as I think I experienced my first go round.

I have admittedly been putting off trying this tea because the dry leaf aroma smells very medicinal to me, which is concerning as a person who seems to have a very high tolerance for the more medicinal side of rooibos. However, I finally made it over the weekend and I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to. I still think there’s a slightly mineral and woody edge that might be a problem for the more rooibos hesitant folk out there, but the strawberry was plump and ripe tasting and there was a very nice silky creamy/yogurt undertone that combined with the berry made me think of Campino hard yogurt candies. Which was nostalgic.

Gongfu!

Brewed this one up last weekend in my dad’s garden. The flowers are the perfect backdrop for this lightly oxidized oolong from Thailand as the lighter body and aromatic floral top/body notes fit in perfectly. Lilac, gardenia, and violet notes practically prance to the forefront of nearly every steep! Add to that a beautifully silky mouthfeel and a slightly creamy undertone and the lingering aftertaste of ripe green melon, and it’s a perfect session for a lazy Sunday afternoon in the heart of Summer!!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvVfG-oOYqV/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4RXQPTU0kk

Gongfu!

I knew this tea would be interesting from the moment I cracked open the sample bag and was hit with a wave of wood and spice aromas mixed with a brighter note of freshly macerated strawberries. Though strawberry didn’t come through in the steeped notes, this seven year old aged Taiwanese oolong did continue to be pretty intriguing and nuanced.

After a few softer steeps, while the leaves really opened up, this full bodied and deeply woody tea really started to pop off with notes of allspice, petrified woods and pine sap, clove, nutmeg, baked quince, and sandalwood. Lots and lots of sandalwood, actually. Somewhere in the middle of the session I got an infusion with a particularly notable cozy and fruity undertone of apple butter – that was my favourite part of the session, especially with the range of almost Autumnal spice notes present.

I think the only really negative of the session (if you even want to go so far as to call it negative) was the backend astringency of each steep, and the slight numbness left on the bed of my tongue. I didn’t particularly mind the numbness, though it was strange. However the astringency had an almost “crawling” sensation where it would catch in the back of my throat as well. I do have a tendency to leaf a little heavy with oolongs though, so that could maybe be resolved with a lighter touch…

Side note! After years of having some of my Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures volumes in the background of my tea space I’ve finally switched things up and rotated in some new graphic novels and manga. Still deciding if I like it, though it’s definitely a bit brighter feeling!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct62Ad3OnDT/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3m-IhgWyAo

Gongfu!

This afternoon I’m continuing to sip through The Silk Tea Co’s newest collection of oolongs with a session of Temple of Stone!! Though the most immediate notes are of cassia, charred campfire wood, roasted chestnuts, wet stones and nutmeg there’s a definite fruity sweetness that slowly builds and pushes up on the palate from beneath the layers of roast, mineral, and spice. My first thought was more ethereal in that it tasted “purple,” but after some contemplation I’ve settled that it’s more a mix of jammy plum and black currant flavours! It is, as the name suggests, a lot of stone though…

It’s not a secret that I have a soft spot for rock oolongs, so I was definitely excited to try this one. Unlike the typical yancha from China, it’s actually from Yilan in Taiwan though, thanks to generations of shared knowledge, you really can’t taste the difference. As Marika once said to me super casually, terroir is as much people as it is land. Definitely, definitely, definitely thinking about that a lot as I sip on these infusions.

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CtkKDsrO3ol/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0ftjm9KrXk

Cold Brew!

I made this one last night and it just really wasn’t working for me. Though fruity with notes of both blueberry and oranges/citrus, I thought the taste was very reminiscent of dried/dehydrated fruit. That is to say, fairly flat/stale tasting. On top of that, there was a weird burnt sugar note. It was sort of nice because of that caramelized sugar element – especially with the orange notes, which gave off this almost citrusy brulee kind of vibe. However, it was also very bitter. Like, burnt sugar taken past the point of caramelizing into a more rough, unpleasant place. The whole thing just felt pretty unbalance to me, and unsure whether it wanted to commit to being a more decadent blend or a more bright and fruity one. It didn’t nail either.

Cold Brew!

Currently sipping on this one and it’s honestly mostly just reminding me of DT’s Magic Potion. The original one, not the newer version from a couple years ago with the popped rice in it. I guess what I mean by that is that it’s definitely quite sweet with a bit of a more ethereal and non-specific blue berry flavour. Not blueberry, but blue berry.

It’s fine, but it’s definitely less immediately appealing to me than many of The Silk Tea Co’s other blends have been. I do love a good berry blend, but usually I like more clarity of flavour notes in my berry teas and less of this coating sweetness.

Made this over the weekend and mostly enjoyed it. It’s got such a strong burnt sugar type of note, and really makes me think of Creme Brulee because of that. I think, though, that I had misremembered this as being more creamy and custard-like because of that and the reality is that though there are vanilla notes present in the blend they’re much more of an aromatic, floral-leaning authentic vanilla and not anything creamy at all.

The orange note is great, though. Very natural with a nicely light and bitter pithiness that conveys actual orange rind. It suits that burnt sugar note very well.

I hate the name of this tea, buuutttt it does taste really good. I made a mug last night and it was both smooth and aromatic while also having just a hint of astringency and a pleasant bitterness. The bitterness, specifically, is that kind of partly maillard and partly sweet bitterness of very burnt sugar. It was accompanied by notes of creme anglais, vanilla, and orange peel that all together gave off a really sophisticated and well balanced orange flavoured creme brulee profile. Not too sweet, but very decadent.

Cold Brew!

I hate the name of this tea, but in terms of flavour? I’m calling this first tasting a smashing success. As I was drinking, the things that were coming to mind were Creme Brulee, with that lovely darkly sweet and slightly bitter burnt sugar crust but also the rich vanilla custard. However, it’s also got notes of orange that balance out those creamy and mailard flavours. The orange is incredibly dense and aromatic, almost more of a reduced/cooked down vibe versus anything candy like or fresh and vibrant. It reaaalllyyyyy works exceptionally with those burnt sugar notes.

Can’t wait to try this one hot! I sense a lot of complexity to this blend, and just some really well balanced flavours overall.

This smooth, dark tea is so aptly named because one of the first tasting notes to really spring to the forefront is a rich, heavy buckwheat honey flavour that envelops the whole palate. Overall this tea is medium to full bodied, with an overarching minerality and a bit of both a floral and burnt sugar-like edge to each sip. The leaf hoppers really blessed this tea with that perfect natural sweetness!

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/C9m6TqauPv1/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6XckbPoz4c

Picked this up from MJ’s recent “Passport Collection” of single origin oolongs!

I’ve been eagerly waiting for this collection to drop since it was first teased by MJ and TeaWithJann several months ago, and this first tasting doesn’t disappoint!! Smooth and medium bodied, this tea boasts wonderful golden honey notes that fit its namesake perfectly and is amplified further with toasty and softly floral tasting notes of orchid and osmanthus!

All I could think about while sipping was Ambrosia, which made for the perfect pairing with volume four of Lore Olympus – a Greek Mythology inspired web comic that I’ve been loving the printed version of. It just has such beautiful artwork and story telling!

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctcct0hrM3r/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q41K1xHS0g

I ad a mug of this yesterday and though it was a little bit on the under brewed side I still thought it was very, very good. Soft and smooth with citrusy notes of lemon curd and clotted cream alongside a distinctly sweet and nutty pistachio flavour. Kind of gave me “high tea” sort of vibes where you might get a lemon tart or maybe a fancy pistachio finger pastry? Scones, even. I really wished by the end of the mug that I’d made a larger brew of it for myself.

Oh, yum!

I was unsure how I would feel about the mix of green and black teas, but I find myself way too distracted by the scrumptious lemon notes to care. They’re somewhere in between more of a silky, sweet lemon cream and a more baked tasting lemon pastry. Lemon panna cotta keeps popping in my head as a reference point, and I’m not mad at that comparison. I do wish I tasted more distinct pistachio, but I can’t help but wonder if it’s just subtly adding to the very natural sweetness level and those baked good/pastry elements as nut inclusions in blends are want to do.

Too early to confidently say this, but it this my new favourite tea from The Silk Tea Co? I don’t know, maybe! It’s certainly made a very good first impression.

Grabbed a small sample from the TTB… mmm! Such a great vanilla tea with mild boozy notes. It reminds me of this fantastic whiskey barrel-aged maple syrup I received as a gift this year… yum.

The first time I tried this blend I steeped it for the recommended 30 to 40 seconds, let it cool, then poured it over ice as intended to be enjoyed. Once steeped, I had more of the vanilla bean aroma but the floral and booze-like notes were still there. Now it was time to taste, and wow. This blend is really special; I immediately got the deep vanilla flavor, complemented and balanced by the floral notes I got from the oolong. Together I got a decadent and sweet butter rum-like flavor that I’ve never had in a tea that wasn’t overly processed or full of artificial flavoring. I honestly can say that I’ve never had something like this blend before and I’m just still pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this blend; it was so smooth and slightly sweet. Having a cool and light tea like this on such a hot day was just an experience that I’ll never forget; I drank the entire 30 oz pitcher by myself! I was a bit tea drunk afterward but I enjoyed it.
Then I tried a few other ways described on the packaging, hot, with milk and honey, and cold brewed. I opened the package the moment I received it to cold brew some since it does take 12+ hours. When I tried it hot I also steeped it for 30 to 40 seconds as recommended; the vanilla bean provided a warm and comforting element that certainly would make this blend perfect for a cool, crisp mid-fall day. Just the mere change in temperature changed everything; making a crisp, cool, light, and floral tea and then transforming it into something rich and comforting. Then I tried it with milk and honey, honey is my preferred sweetener but I’m sure any sweetener would have the same effect; and wow did it change a lot? When I added the milk and honey into the mix, I was met with a beautifully creamy vanilla flavor. Making the tea into a decadent and dessert-like treat that seemed like a guilty pleasure; spoiler alert. I wasn’t guilty, I went in for another cup! Finally, I had the cold brew, with the cold brew I got more of the floral notes from the oolongs and safflower, cutting the sweetness of the vanilla flavor a bit and giving the tea a deliciously crisp bite and I can see myself cold brewing it time and time again.
Overall, I think that On the Rocks is a seriously incredible blend; it’s not often that I find a tea that is quite perfect anyway that you brew it. Although I preferred it over ice, I can see myself brewing it hot as the weather changes in the upcoming months. Another thing I liked was how much care and time MJ puts into the tea which makes the tea less like a beverage to just drink and move on from, but an experience to savor and ponder about. What I find with a lot of blends from The Silk Tea Co is how they’re able to transport you to a faraway place with just a few simple ingredients in a matter of minutes.

Sipdown 49

This is delightful! Really juicy, authentic peach and lychee. The rose is barely detectable, and works really well with the peach and lychee. I would certainly purchase this again.

Sipdown 38

This cup came out a bit bitter, which was a bummer. But, overall a really tasty vanilla tea that I would absolutely purchase again.