Verdant Tea

I just used up the last of my stock of this tea. Not to worry I ordered more as it is currently on sale! (Bad influence I know) I’m not usually a fan of green teas, but I am slowly finding out which ones I like and which I don’t. This is one I really enjoy a lot. It does have a bit of a veggie flavor to it, but in a good way. This is a really crisp cup of green tea. It also (at least for me) never gets bitter – which is a green tea turn off for me.

I also have to say the description here is pretty accurate the tea almost sparkles in the cup and it is very refreshing. I’ve also enjoyed it iced too. I scored three infusions of what little tea i had left…I sure hope my new order arrives this week! I highly suggest picking some up.

Thank you David Duckler for this great Sample!

Attempting to review this Pu’er is like me auditioning for “So You Think You Can Dance”!

All the equipment I used was glass…pot, cup etc. I used spring water, made sure not to eat first, no perfumes or lipstick, just everything clean! Steeping time 2-3 minutes.
I recorded 3 infusions but this 1 tsp to 4oz water method can go 12 infusions (gulp)!

The Pu’er is so intense that I felt like I was in an old movie and this is how I am going to discribe the experience, in scenes.
The color of the Pu’er liquor remained a beautiful shimmering light gold.

Scene (steep) 1. If you picture an old movie set…a cloak and dagger type by Agatha Christy then I’m the old lady in the library and a gentleman (David Duckler) has handed me a glass with a golden liquid. He disappears.
Unaffraid (or stupid) I take a sip of the liquid…it reminds me of linen…and my grandmama’s attic long ago…when I would sneak vanilla wafers. I can smell the vanilla far off down in the kitchen. My tongue tingles. My tongue feels quite furry and I taste earthiness with the sensation that I’m about to be buried in a cave. I feel different. Is the golden statue in the corner of the room watching me?

Scene 2. The earthy flavor makes me feel like a Greek goddess…yes…like I have taken a big bite out of Corfu! Corfu tastes really good, not muddy whatever and salty! Wait now, put your nose in the cup and there’s coffee toffee latte! BREATHE DEEPLY! INHALE!
I need my fan! I need my lounge chair and a nap! My mouth is tingling and juicy and where is everyone? This is not natural! The room is askew!

Scene 3. Must have dozed off. My cup refilled itself…peculiar. A hand, leather gloved and looking like Geoffrey’s hand, has slipped some more golden liquor into my glass. It smells faintly like a fruit…pineapple? A flower perhaps? My tongue tingles like fire and then turns into a silky creaminess. NO! It almost tastes like coconut water and earth.
My desire to be or do anything else has disappeared like a vapor.
Have I been drugged? The elixer is too enjoyable to resist.
Where is David Duckler and Geoffrey to tell me what to do next. I must have more!

This was all in fun…I loved this Pu’er! I hope you don’t mind my playful attitude!

To Sum it up:
Sweet, Tingles, Salt, Linen, Earthy, Pineapple, Creamy/Silky, Vanilla Cookie, Coffee Toffee Latte, Coconut Water, Some Flower, Furry, Cave, Higher than a Kite!

I give this Pu’er…a standing ovation. It is fantastic and mystical. Thank you to David for the opportunity to drink this Pu’er!
http://youtu.be/21NCH2sPlhc You’ll never guess!

So wonderfully warming and complex. perfect tea to go with oversleeping on Saturday.

So sad to only have enough to make a very weak cup :( One of the very few teas which I am really reluctant to use the last bit of. Even when I know the big package is on the way…

Yup. Still using yesterdays’s leaves. Obviously, the taste lost much of its depth, but it is still present. Very smooth and actually quite nice. And this – after eight 5 minute long steepings. This tea really can handle multiple infusions…

Sigh, sometimes you just take a cup, have one whiff and lose sense of reality. Which is what happened to me this time. Almost sad to be back in real world. The smell of this chai is so rich it’s criminal. Not as aggressive as their spa blend or so mulled wine~ish as yunnan golden chai. This one is deep and whole. I was actually reluctant to take a sip and sat there savouring the scent until I accidently shook the cup and tasted some :) At first it seemed that taste is very different than the smell(as I expected something extremely sweet with such a scent) but then the aftertaste kicked in and it became obvious that both aspects of this tea actually match. Not exacly sweet, but very full and satisfying flavor that I just can’t compare to anything.

I will have to brew this a bit more to decide if I place this blend into my usual rotation but it has all the chances.

It’s been a very long time since I had this tea, and it’s been a messy experience. This is one tea where I will go the extra mile and brew it in one cup adn messily transfer it to another, since the result is much better when brewed this way.

Anyway, I made the first cup iwth a generous ammount of leaf in an 8 oz. double-walled tumber, and let it steep for 15 seconds. After transfering it and letting it cool for a while, I got to enjoy the exquisite taste. The silky texture, sweet and subtle spices, and pleasant aftertaste/mouthfeel make this an unparallel tea expereince. The spices are still weak and muddled, so I won’t speculate on them, butthe foretaste is dominated by the spices and a bit of honey, which fades to a honey/raw sugar taste which then fades to an interesting gently-tingling mouth-feel. Ugh, now I need to resist the impulse to buy more of this tea immediately.

Sedcond infusion, 10 seconds, ~200 degree water. This tea was subtly yet significantly different than its predecessor. For one, cinnamon flavors have asserted themselves a bit, so that they stand out from the the rest of the flavors in the fortaste. Secondly, the aftertaste has developed a bit, and there seems to be bit of vanilla mixing with the sugar, resulting in a very pleasant tingling that lasts for over a minute. I don’t know how long it actually lasts, since I can’t seem to restrain myself from taking another sip for more than one minute. Anyway, the developments were a pleasant surprise, especially since I can’t remember some of these from last time I drank this tea, so I’l really excited to see whatcomes next.

Third infusion, same preparation as the second. The tea continues to develop, especially the clove flavor. I can definitely taste and feel the interesting taste/mouthfeel that I associate with cloves. It’s faint, nothing like an actual clove, but iot’s a nice accent to the other flavors. The vanilla has also gotten a lot more prominent, and the cinnamon balances out the rest. Sadly, the silkkiness that made this tea truly unique has pretty much faded, which is a bit of a disappointment. Anyway, it’s still delicious, and I can;t wait to see where the development is going to go from here!

Cup four was the best by far. It was the perfect mix between sweetness and spices, with a pleasant vanilla aftertaste. I’m having a hard time putting the experience into words, but it just tastes perfect. The mouthfeel is resergent, but the only thing I changed was the steep time, which is an interesting observation. The spices are perfectly balanced, with cinnamon and clove being supported by muted vanilla, which smoothly transitions to the delightfully tingly aftertaste. Truly an amazing tea.

Music of the day: Mischa Maisky, Bach cello suite no. 1 in G
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGQLXRTl3Z0&feature=related
A very pleasant piece of music, played by an absolutely superb cellist. I actually first ran into him when I bought an album featuring him playing the Shostakovich piano trios. He really makes this piece come alive, unlike some recording which sound so mechanical and stiff.

Alright, time for my first legit tasting note for this tea. The website says that this is my 152 tasting note, but I don’t really count my most recent two as notes, since they aren’t detailed, and don’t have a rating. Yesterday was a nice preview, but I getting interrupted by things, so the session was cut short. I don’t have a gaiwan, so I had to make do with what I had available: Two mugs, a strainer, and a steady hand. I didn’t want to use my tea ball, for fear of restricting the leaves when they try to open.

The first infusion was not as intense as most black teas, but it makes up for that with the amazing taste. I did not rinse the leaves before the first steep, but it still tastes well above average. Steep time was more than five, but less than ten seconds, using approximately four ounces of 205 degree water paired with about four grams of tea. The taste is silky, sliding over the tongue in a very unique way. The taste is slightly malty, but not very strong. There is no doubt that this is a Dian Hong, but it is clearly more refined than every other that I’ve tasted. There is also a hint of the sugar flavor I talked about in my note yesterday, but it’s not well developed yet. The tea finishes with an aftertaste that lingers for a good minute on the hard palate of the mouth. Not quite sure what it is, but it is pleasant. I can’t wait to see how the tea develops.

Second infusion, 8 seconds, 4 ounces, 205 degrees. More refined than last time., still silky, and the raw sugar has developed nicely. The aftertaste still lingers on the hard palate, but it has started to stick to my tongue as well. There is also a bit of cinnamon starting to peak through the flavor palette, making the tea delightfully complex. I’m starting to think that this is the platonic ideal of a Dian Hong. Again, I can’t wait to taste the developments of the next infusion.

Third infusion, the only change to the method was I got a bit distracted, and made five ounces of tea, and steeped for 12 seconds. The end result is a cinnamon-flavored tea, sweetened with raw sugar. The mouth-feel is a bit less prominent now, but is still silky, and the tea’s taste is very clear, creating a very enjoyable experience. The aftertaste is weaker, lingering for only about thirty seconds on the hard palate before it fades. The end result is a very nice development of flavors, which combine in such an amazing way to create a great cup of tea.

Fourth infusion, 4 ounces, 12 seconds. Unfortunately, I had a bit o lemonade while the tea was cooling, and that messed up my sense of taste a bit, but here’s what I got from this tea: The cinnamon has really started to get strong, and clove seems to be appearing, but it was hard to tell. The tea feels silky, and is still very clear. I don’t know about the brightness that David mentions on the website, but it was very remarkable nonetheless. The aftertaste has weakened, lingering for only 20 seconds now, but the end result is still exceptional.

The fifth infusion, 15 seconds, four ounces. The tea has become delightfully spicy. The clove flavor has really started to show itself, and the cinnamon is still going strong. There is also some other spice flavor present, but I can’t tell what it is exactly. It might be morel, but I’ve never had morel before, so I can’t really say that with any degree of certainty. Because of this, the tea isn’t really sweet any more, but that just makes it interesting, reaffirming my earlier claim that this is an ideal Dian Hong. Another interesting development is that the aftertaste has gotten a bit stronger again, lingering for 45 seconds on the hard palate. It has also changed in that the aftertaste is tingly, like spice or perhaps something rubbing on the surface of my mouth. Different, yet pleasant.

The sixth, same parameters as usual, 25 seconds. The taste has changed subtly. It is still smooth, but I would no longer consider it silky. It is a bit more like the mineral smoothness of a Wuyi Oolong, but not quite the same. Also, the cinnamon and clove flavors are rather strong, and they are very harmonious at the moment. The mystery taste also meshes well with them, but not to the same extent (at least, not yet).

Ugh, real life decided to be annoying today, so I don’t have enough time to do this tea justice. I promise that I’ll do something substantive tomorrow. I really like it, it’s an amazing tea, with the most amazing palate that I’ve ever had. I have to agree that the mouth-feel is silky, and it’s amazingly sweet. I went and got a sugar in the Raw packet from a friend’s house to comp[are, and it does indeed remind me of raw sugar.

Unfortunately, I’m only at the second steep, and this is probably all that I have time for today T_T. I was really looking forward to the interesting spicy flavors that the profile describes, but I just don;t have time. Luckily, I’ve already got time planned out, and I’m going to do this right. A tea this good deserves nothing less.

Lol, this one tastes more like mulled wine than a tea :) Kinda nice, but not something I’d drink regularly.

First Steep: Very floral flavor that morphs into a nice sweetness.

Second Steep: A flavor that reminds me of apple peel with a tiny pat of butter. It’s sort of like prepared baked apples before the apple is actually baked. The floral flavors are definitely toned down, but still sit nicely in the background. I’m hitting an almost hidden spice note. It’s very light.. something like a dust of cinnamon.

I seem to be stopping at two steeps lately.. I wish I could keep sipping tea, but I need to head off to bed. Yes, I did enjoy this tea, but it’s not a favorite of mine. I am very happy that I got to try it! Thanks, Meeka!

Glad to have this one back. Simple, smooth and comforting. This is one of those instances where I find myself wishing Verdant was a little less vague about where they actually source their teas from. I know many of them come from smaller workshops but I have a feeling these have to be somewhat mass-produced. I’d love to know where I could find similar teas to this, I’d love to have a cake that tastes like this.

Having my last few steeps of this one and I’m sad to see it go. Definitely my favorite pu-erh now. I’m looking to buy more of their pu-erhs and blacks, what do you guys think are their best ones?

Still loving it. In later steepings, I’m getting fresh spearmint notes and a bit of a tingling sensation. Interesting. On a side note, I’ve been thinking that for every pu-erh I get, I’m going to save just a little bit of each kind and store it somewhere and then drink it a few years down the line to see how it affects the characteristics of the tea. Does anyone know what the ideal environment would be to properly age it in? (It’s not like I have a cave in my backyard). :)

Wow, this stuff is amazing! I wouldn’t have expected it but the corn flavor is very prominent and it works damn well in combination with the pu-erh’s light, mellow and clean base. Super smooth, a little sweet. This is a very satisfying and “clean” tasting cup of pu-erh.

Yummy! Mint + fennel are the brightest in this one, imo, and while I usually don’t like fennel , here it does not seem out of place :) Very light and refreshing. I like it!

P.S. I surely was not prepared for the xplosion of smell when I opened the container O_O It’s like someone flattened and left to dry a heap of fresh herbs :) Almost overwhelmingly intoxicating.

UPD: 7 brewings in and tehre si still flavor left :)

Now I see what I did! I tried this once before and forgot to do the infusion test and rate! Well, I now have a rating! And here’s the notes from my 2nd infusion…

I think the 2nd infusion is even better than the first! It’s not as cinnamon-E but it seems to be creamier as well as more wheat-like and the ending more smooth. The color is 3X as dark as my first infusion and that was after the rinse!

Yup! Velvety!

Pretty creamy for a pu-erh – I like that! Woodsy – a little – but not overly. There are hints of natural cinnamon/powdery-goodness trying to hide in there, too! As it cools at room temp for a bit it does get a little sweeter, too, and I like that.

This was infusion 1 – infusion 2 – coming soon!

INFUSION TEST!
#1
I can smell some cinnamon hints but the taste is very gentle overall. I’m looking forward to infusion progression on this one! I will say this – it’s quite velvety while swirling around in your mouth :)

more to come…

I’m always amazed at green teas that are so sharply, deeply, assertively vegetal as wet leaf but which produce thick, soft cups.

This is one of those teas.

Suger snap peas. Fresh from a garden, not the store. Maybe just a bit over-ripe, a bit of the sugar has gone bitter, but that’s what makes them nutritious, right?

The color of this liqueur is fantastic in my pale green gaiwan with the emerald koi around the edges.

My first tasting

Everyone is getting their Golden Fleece in the mail and reviewing it! What a treat!

I watched David’s video on the Verdant website and chose the method of steeping with a basket in a mug…just to be different than what I’ve done before. All the timing was the same as the video and I’m recording 6 steepings. After that I was full and happy!

I. The scent struck me first. It was like one of my sweet potato pies…full of the best cinnamon and butter, steaming hot right out of the oven. There was a scent like pineapple far off. Taking a careful sip was like plunging into a pool of water and gasping for air. The flavor was clean but humid like the tropics after a rain and you take a breath which is juicy and spice filled from exotic plants. I could taste the spotted verdura plantains ripe but barely sweet. The tea became creamier as it cooled.

2. My tongue lit up. Fire! There is no tannin but heat on my tongue with butter lettuce and juice. I put my nose into the glass mug and breathed in and out…slowly inhaling steam. Sugared creamy pudding. I have no idea how to say what the flavor was! Tapioca? Something had happened physically to me! The tea was in my pores like I’d had a tea transfusion! It was all over me! Whoa…what an awesome feeling!

3. Cake. Juicy cake.

4. The insides of my lips were tingling and my mouth and cheeks felt like they were vibrating. This was too strange (but not bad)! I know that I have a brain dysfunction, but I’d like to know if anyone else has a tea high like this!

5. Very spicy and juicy.

6. Here’s where it also got interesting. I’ve had all these steepings to think about the flavor. Pie, yam, cinnamon, juicy, lettuce…all good. Then, a memory came in to ruin everything and I had to put it here.
My old Aunt had a cabin in the Coast Range Mt’s. of California, where my daughter also lived before moving to Colorado. The place is Mount Hermon, close to Santa Cruz and is in the Redwoods. The smell of the Redwood forest floor, the California Scrub Oak, Bay, Myrtle, Laurel, Arbutus, and….Wild Blackberry bushes not far from the ocean! That smell and this tea. The forest floor and the berries in the sun is what I thought of on the last sip. http://www.flickr.com/photos/disabilitea/7265662702/

I want to recommend using a Gaiwan for this tea. My infusions were very successful but I know that a Gaiwan would allow these tea leaves to have contact with the water better. I am still tasting the tea long after finishing the actual drinking of it. Like liquor I am tea drunk. I expect my rating will increase as I have more experience with this tea.

I want everyone to know that I did NOT read the review notes of anyone besides Jim Marks prior to my tasting today. So whatever I wrote is my opinion and you can form your own!

It has been a long time since I’ve had this tea, and a long time since I’ve had something other than my daily drinkers which is also similar to those daily drinkers.

There’s a lot here that reminds me of golden fleece. A hard to place spice. Anise? Cinnamon? Clove? It’s something I know from an ethnic holiday cookie and I absolutely can’t put my finger on it but it is bubbling up huge roils of sense memories. Almond? I think it might be almond, like a marzipan… YES. It’s marzipan. Wow, that hurt.

And it shares that cedar wood aroma that Golden Fleece has.

The hui gan is pretty substantial. My whole mouth is thick and it is watering all the way down my throat.

I need to remember to keep this leaf around more often. There was a stretch where all my non-Laoshan black teas got muddled and I didn’t know which ones had been which (I should have consulted Steepster to remember!) and now that I know, this one needs to stay on the short list.