Verdant Tea

I am in love with this tea. When I brew this in the Yixing I do very quick steeps. You do not want to go more than a minute in my opinion. Each steeping is a glorious brew. Strong and flavorful. It is bold and assertive without being offensive. A tea tea lovers paradise. A beautiful reddish hue with the redwood forest flavor. The first few cups I not only wanted to taste but to admire the aroma. I am thankful I am getting more before its all gone….

First of all I would like to say I am enjoying the Shu over the Sheng. I am having a pot of this after the Yiwu 2004 and I prefer it. The aroma. The flavor. Even the color of the liquor. The mouthfeel. I will be doing another Sheng tomorrow probably followed by a Shu. At least I am finding what I like. I love the depth and the complexity this fine tea offers.

Another incredible offering from Verdant. I have rinsed the leaves and the first steeping was quick. Maybe a minute or less. I am getting a Redwood forest taste if such a thing exists. It is smooth and luscious. I think I am getting a numbing sensation in my mouth. I am moaning with each sip. My opinion so far is to buy the whole brick if possible. Is that camphor description I read about leading to the numbing? This tea is beautiful. It is making my body glow. I am only on the first steeping. Where will this tea take me? The second steep is stronger. When I was pouring it out of the dark brown Yixing I had to admire the beautiful color of the liquor. This cup is darker. Stronger. More aromatic. The numbing more intense. I think this is the tea that you would want if you could have no other. I am at a loss for words….

I’m as surprised as the others by the sweet corn aroma and flavor of this puerh. No off flavors. Nothing musty or stinky. It’s very pleasant with some of the hypnotic effect of puerhs in general. It’s very nice to know that it is organic as well. And how lovely is it to sit back in my home and allow someone with more expertise to pick something I will like. Steepster Select is great!

Toasty, Nutty, and Sweet are my first thoughts about this tea…but here is a more in-depth look…

I love the way these leaves look! They are like green-grey thin curly-Q’s. They smell like a semi-grassy green and a vegetable-esque green type of combo!

The taste is very nice. A hint of grass but more roasted or toasted nutty-goodness (maybe more almond or cashew to be more specific on the nuttiness) and I love the sweetness! There are hints of lettuce-type juiciness to this too! On the end of the sip it’s a tad buttery!

This green tea isn’t to be taken for granted! It quite complex and I LOVE that!

The after taste lingers of peas and sweet onion but also a creamier green tea! WOW! I like this! This is a FAB Green Tea!

New experiences all around here; first Verdant Tea sample, first Laoshan tea, first Chinese black tea. As a lover of all things strong, assam, and black, this was a daring experiment. My unease deepened when I saw the greenish undertones of the liquor.

Then, to complete the ominous runup to the experience, I forgot it was steeping and left it sitting there for a half an hour until half-cold. Reluctant to waste tea, I took a sip, expecting something along the lines of bitter hay. It wasn’t wonderful, but it was drinkable.

The second steeping went better; I only forgot about it for ten minutes or so. Sweetened with 3 raw sugar cubes and 5 drops of stevia, the cup had delicious malt and caramel notes. It’s un-killably smooth. The “stomach feel” is something between green and black tea, and like green tea I find myself drinking large amounts of it fast.

Back to the water boiler for a third attempt at actually making it right. 4 raw sugar cubes, no stevia. Still, that amazingly smooth, light-yet full-bodied caramel flavor. This tea must be further explored when I’m not so distracted with packing my jewelry orders.

I drank this tonight. It was in an unopened bag from Verdant in the bottom of my Shu sampler box. It said 2009. I believe this was one of those “Just for Fun” bags that David sometimes includes with the order. I noticed that it brewed up nice and dark but it did not have the same flavor profile as my 2005. I brewed this up in the Gaiwan at my GFs house and I was getting a very heady tea buzz. It was delicious but it did seem a bit young. Maybe I am wrong. I don’t know. It did not have the energy in the flavor but it did make up for it with an energy in the buzz. Wow. So maybe it is a 2009 that Verdant purchases for future sales.

RIP John Lennon. I have to admit I am in my infancy in the world of Pu’ers. One thing I can say is I know what I like. This I love. I did’nt have a lot to brew so I steeped it a bit longer than usual. There is an energy in my mouth like electricity. If you have read my posts the past few days I have tasted a few other Pu’ers. There is no comparison. Maybe they will compare in a few years. These Pu’ers are in their infancy. They are cute little girls. This is a beautiful woman….

I am brewing this in the Yixing. I used half the amount in the sample. I rinsed it. The first steep is a dark brown orange. I am smelling cedar and burnt oranges. It’s a very strong brew. I am feeling very content. To me, this is the sign of a great tea. When life seems to move just as it should. I am so happy I am exploring the world of Pu-erhs. They take you on a trip. Early in my exploration of tea I was somewhat turned off my Pu-erhs. Maybe I had a bad one. I don’t know. This is a very good one. To quote Townes Van Zandt, he sings in " Talking Thunderbird Blues " It tastes yum yum yummy and I know it’s doing good things to my tum tum tummy.

God, I love this tea. I’m on steep number twelve of the day, in my new gaiwan. Every sip is a little different, so many grassy and floral notes combining in different amazing ways.

GUH. This tea was like drinking GOD, if God were green and leafy and buttery and sweet and a little bit floral but not too much and GUH. Amazing. I steeped this three times and each cup had a slightly different personality, each one utterly delicious.

A very interesting tea that comes in a very interesting package. My first thought when smelling the aroma of this tea was buttery sweet corn. Elements of these flavors are present in the flavor of this tea. Beneath those flavors there is a cooling sensation on the tongue and some earthy notes. Overall its an interesting and pleasant tea.

I have to confess when I smelled the dry leaves I will swear I smelled chocolate. A mild chocolate. Weird? I noticed another taster got this same aroma but I think it was from the liquor. Anyway, this tea is so very nice. I just found out my GFs roommate is from Laoshan. Her sister gave me a tin of a very similar tea that to this day is one of the best teas I have ever had. This one is right there with it. The flavor and aroma are nothing short of superb. There must be something in the air or soil or the water or a combination of all three that make a tea such as this. It was just tonight that I told my GF that it’s from Laoshan. Her response was “Ali city”. I only had a sample of this unfortunately and my gift from Alis sister is long gone. If you are new to green tea this is a great place to start. If you are a connoisseur, you will appreciate this to say the least. This is a gorgeous tea….

I am drinking this in a tall glass and just like everything else from Verdant it has won me over. The aroma and flavor are nothing short of superb….

we are finishing off the last of this sample today. It’s a rainy and blustery day here which seems perfect for shu. A very musty and woodsy one here… see my previous tasting notes

I got gaiwans, cups and serving vessels for an early Christmas gift. So excited! I decided to brew this up again this morning using the gaiwan. I upped the rating a little on this today. The first steep I did for 90 seconds and that was a little harsh. Second steep for 20 seconds. Very nice redwood aroma, fruity and earthy, beautiful dark red color. Associations with ceylon seem on the mark.

I’m done with this sample and I’m kind of sad to see it go. Luckily I just a pu-erh sampler today from Verdant. :)

A very nice shu pu-erh offering from Verdant. The purists will scoff at me but I sometimes drink these with soymilk. I am trying this one without it.

Very aromatic leaves after steeping. Smells like dirt, earth and shitaake mushrooms. Aroma is definitely that of a campfire but this is not smoky tasting like a lapsang souchong. Reminds me of a good roasted twig tea when I keep the steeping time to around 90 seconds or so. Not astringent at all, delightfully mellow.

For the third steep I am bumping up the steeping time until it tastes like mud. Ha! I did that last week and it was still delicious. If you like coffee I would recommend checking this out…

OMG! Amazing! Ahh-mmmmmm-azzzz-ing!

Of the few Orchid Oolong teas that I’ve encountered, this one possesses the strongest Orchid essence I’ve ever tasted. The others were like … yeah, ok, that’s orchid…maybe… but this is ORCHID. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed those others too. But, this has the most amazing and well-defined orchid essence.

It also has this incredible sweetness to it… like old fashioned rock sugar candy that I used to get from the candy shop on Main Street at Disneyland.

If you like Oolong – put this on your MUST TRY list … and at the very top of your shopping list.

I am getting cocoa and maybe buckwheat honey. It is warm and toasty. I am getting the warm glow inside. An interesting selection from Verdant. I steeped this for 5 minutes with boiling water because I read it is very forgiving. The Immediate aroma from the second steep was tobacco. I can see multiple steepings are in the mix. I am getting a copper-mineral taste with the 2nd. Sensations in the mouth similar to the Big Red Robe.

I am enjoying this tea on a cold rainy windy night here beside the Atlantic. If you know this tea, you will know where I am coming from. My very first sip brought chills to my body. And every sip thereafter although not as intense. It is an experience par excellence. It is a tea of emotion. A tea of quiet contemplation. I felt totally relaxed as I continued my journey through life….

I am brewing this in the Gaiwan. I wish I brought more leaf with me. I’m still loving it even though I brewed it too weak. So I’m adding less water now. I’m still getting the flavors but not the intensity as compared to my last tasting. My last tasting was a beautiful affair. This time I’m getting the numbing sensations in my mouth and in my mind. It’s truly a wonderful tea. I’m so glad I ordered the tin to go with the ounce I already had. I’m on my fourth cup and I’m loving it. This time I have mudfigures of ancient China smiling at me. It’s almost like they are saying they too know….

I had to try this Shu first. I may be at a loss for words but I know I’m going to ramble. The dry leaf to my German Shepard nose had little or no scent. My spider sense told me to rinse it and I am glad I did. The rinse was a dark, murky brew with sediment. The first brew was rich and complex. Not too earthy. Smooth. A few sips and I feel an incredible tea high creeping up. I am tasting the ancient library. It is by far the best Pu-ehr I have had. Perhaps the best tea period. A great tea on this dreary autumn day. As I look out my window to my backyard I see statues of The Virgin Mother, Her Son Jesus, and Buddha { A gravestone for my beloved Akita }. The leaves and Long Needle Pine cover the cold ground as they do every year. This tea is for today. It make you stop and look at the chrysanthemums and truly enjoy life. I am having a heightened awareness to my surroundings. A squirrel was burying something under the Monkey Puzzle Tree with such care. I thought of where this tea came from. The Good Earth. The people who nurtured it. Where was I ? Did I mention the second steeping ? I used less water in the Yixing. It was darker. A burnt orange brown. Flavor, you can only imagine. When I was making the third pot I noticed the leaves looked like they had 30 steepings left. Although I do not drink wine, I can only guess it’s like opening a bottle of vintage Chateau Margaux. My third steeping I used more water with a longer steeping time. A wonderful infusion. Lighter. It looks like I may not leave the house for a while. As I am drinking this I’m listening to Tom Waits " Last Leaf On The Tree". This tea has provided me with a beautiful experiance. At one point I was getting chills. A energy I have never had before. At another point I felt like crying because the tea was so great. I will cry if I cannot get more….

I am brewing Ala Jim Marks Style. It’s already a winner. Generous leaf in the Yixing and steeped for what seems like an eternity. The brewed has warmed me in the way that the Verdant Big Red Robe had only more so. I feel warm and glowing. The taste I am getting is truly unique. I cannot place a certain flavor profile other than wood. I should be more poetic and say, cedar forests. I thank Jim for his advice. I too like to taste the tea. To feel the tea. I am feeling this one! I am now entering the Pu-ehr Path. And I like what I see….