Volition Tea

This afternoon, I received my order of Volition’s “Trapped In Amber” series and I just couldn’t wait to give each of the teas a try, so I steeped them up in cupping sets for a bit of a vertical tasting. All three of these teas start with the same Zhenghe Red Chinese black tea but have been altered in different ways as part of the processing. Though I’m excited to get to know them all a little more intimately through some gongfu sessions in the next little while, here are my snap thoughts based on this tasting!!

I thought that this might be my favourite of the three teas as I’m quite a big fan of gardenia scented teas. It’s definitely very good, with the brightest and more lively red fruit top notes of the set. Very red currant-like. The gardenia was very aromatic and fresh, but I felt maybe just a little too subtle for my own tastes. However, I definitely think that a different brewing method (like gongfu) is going to dramatically change the balance of flavours, so I’m excited to see if making that change pulls forward more of that delicate and delicious floral note.

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DA_x5LvSLvR/?img_index=1

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

Gongfu!

Like the others in this series, this tea starts with Zhenghe hongcha. However, additions of anise hyssop and eau de cologne mint put their own unique stamp on this blended tea. When I did my initial cupping of the whole series, I was a little on the fence about this tea. I loved the anise but the more “raw and herbaceous” notes of the mint pulled me out of it a little bit. However, I’m happy to share that this change in brewing method really significantly improved my experience this time around. Not that it was unpleasant the first time – just a little less to my own tastes.

The first steep or two did have a lot of that intense, herbaceous and earthy tasting mint notes that I’m a little less naturally inclined to enjoy. I think I’m just a little more used to sweeter, crisper and more menthol forward mint notes. However, they settled pretty quickly which made for a more balanced infusion, in my opinion. The Zhenghe black tea really shines here from steep three and onwards; it’s robust and full bodied but with a syrupy honey sweetness and floral character that suits the two herbal inclusions very well. The undertones are a bit heavier and more fruity, like brandied berries. My favourite part just might by the anise hyssop though. From the first steep it really comes through in a soft and almost creamy way at the tail end of the sip, with a lingering black licorice-like sweetness that coats the palate. It’s such a gentle bit rich way to finish off each sip!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DB4JtMVpL_k/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JyQhpgEbus&ab_channel=BlossomRotRecords

This afternoon, I received my order of Volition’s “Trapped In Amber” series and I just couldn’t wait to give each of the teas a try, so I steeped them up in cupping sets for a bit of a vertical tasting. All three of these teas start with the same Zhenghe Red Chinese black tea but have been altered in different ways as part of the processing. Though I’m excited to get to know them all a little more intimately through some gongfu sessions in the next little while, here are my snap thoughts based on this tasting!!

This was the tea I was most curious to try of the three as I was really fascinated by the herbal inclusions. I love anise hyssop and it’s particularly fresh and aromatic sweet black licorice flavour, but eau de cologne mint is something I’m much less familiar with. I found this infusion surprisingly savory with a very upfront and “raw” tasting herbaceous flavour that, to my palate, really brought out the woodier notes of the Zhenghe Red. It did have a very pleasant, dark honey and anise finish. I think this tea warrants the most continued experimentation for me to decide how I feel about it.

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DA_x5LvSLvR/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0Ep8gity4A

This afternoon, I received my order of Volition’s “Trapped In Amber” series and I just couldn’t wait to give each of the teas a try, so I steeped them up in cupping sets for a bit of a vertical tasting. All three of these teas start with the same Zhenghe Red Chinese black tea but have been altered in different ways as part of the processing. Though I’m excited to get to know them all a little more intimately through some gongfu sessions in the next little while, here are my snap thoughts based on this tasting!!

This bourbon barrel aged version was probably my favourite based on this cupping, though that was no surprise to me given how impressed I’ve been with all of Volition’s other barrel aged teas. I found it very, very smooth with rich notes of vanilla, caramel, and warm spices layered overtop the brighter red fruit and floral honey notes and woody undertones shared in all three teas.

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DA_x5LvSLvR/?img_index=1

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

This was basically love at first sip. I simply could not get over how smooth, creamy, and rich feeling the mouthfeel was. It was also just so in sync with the tasting notes: fresh, buttery and unctuous with a lovely overarching nutty and umami profile. Quite chestnut forward which is sublime with the creaminess and, of course, makes a ton of sense since this green tea powder is made with the same cultivar that would be used to produce Dragonwell.

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/C87eAWxOENI/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0a1N7Xe40c

Gongfu!

Such a fantastically nuanced and flavourful scented tea with notes of oak, rye, bourbon vanilla, grilled peaches, and just a bit of sweetgrass. Basically, everything you would want and expect from a whiskey scented tea. And just so, so wicked smooth. I’ve never had a bad tea from Volition, but this one is definitely cream of the crop. Maybe only beaten by the gin barrel infused white tea, but the vibes are so different between the two that it makes it hard to compare…

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DAlbfzwu_4m/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc4Z6PUZDvw

Started my morning by steeping up Volition Tea’s new whiskey barrel aged oolong, Drunken Dragon, paired with some of the most delicious (albeit “extra”) shortbread I’ve ever had. The oolong was smooth and sultry with a distinct profile rye whiskey and oak that blankets a solid foundation of grilled peaches, spring flowers, and clean and crisp minerality. I adore that there’s practically equal emphasis on the bouquet of aromatics as there is on the taste – it’s just a delight to the senses!! And of course, I’d be remiss not to acknowledge how well the bright candied orange on the shortbread from Maa Maa Dei pairs with the whisky and stonefruit notes of this scented tea. Just wow!!

This is the third year I’ve partook in Volition Tea’s Lunar New Year box, and I’ve had nothing short of an exceptional experience each time! The curation of tea always feels so spot on, and the pieces of teaware from Monsoon Pottery are nothing short of works of practical art. This has definitely become a tradition for me – one that I would highly recommend to other tea drinkers and that I hope Annie will continue for years to come!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3YmeFoO_AX/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BizV9lKaZZw

Gongfu!

Enjoyed this session paired with some absolutely insanely sweet Quebec grown strawberries and (in anticipation of the next volume) a reread of one of my current favourite manga series. As I’ve previously noted, this white tea does taste fairly boozy and has distinct notes of gin but, more than that, it’s very bright and citrusy with really effervescent top notes of pink grapefruit and lemon curd. It’s so light and summery with the perfect kiss of floral undertones that suit the gentle gin botanicals. It’s truly one of the best teas I’ve tried all year!!

These strawberries are probably the best I’ve had all summer. They practically melt in your mouth when you eat them and are just so ripe and juicy. They work very, very well with this tea. However, because they’re so rich, I’m sticking with the pattern of eating them between the infusions and letting those fruit juices linger on the palate and mix with each sip. Since this white tea is already so citrusy, it’s a very complimentary pairing. Think strawberry lemonade, but in its most stripped-down form. Also, very ‘Gin & Jam’ adjacent cocktail vibes but so mellow and refreshing!!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C-iNec5uAdL/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mot5wbz9sgQ

Gongfu!

I missed out on the first version of this tea, but as a huge lover of both gin, barrel aged teas, and anything fun & and experimental, I couldn’t let myself miss out the second time around. I don’t remember how many days the first production was aged, but let me tell you there is something magical that has happened at this hundred day mark!! Though definitely boozy and reminiscent of top shelf gin, especially in those first couple steeps, the strongest tasting note is actually a beautifully bright, juicy, and lively citrus note.

As teainfusiast pointed out back in Janauary, when steapd_tea was so kind enough to share this with us for a post-festival gongfu session, it REALLY tastes like fresh and just-sweet-enough pink grapefruit. Despite being gin barrel aged, the sweet top notes and crispness almost make me think of mimosas or prosecco. Floral in its undertones with such a pure, clean finish. Very much the embodiment of the crossroads between Spring and Summer. I know it’s only March, but this is definitely one of the best teas I’ve tasted so far this year.

I can’t wait for Summer – cold brews of the spent leaf is just gonna be so perfect chilled as a light, bright, and sweet option to cool down with on the patio or in the park. Not sure if Volition still has any of this in stock, but even if you’re not a big fan of gin I would 10/10 recommend this tea.

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C4ETtO4OoRz/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVG91G2uLcA

Gongfu!

This was the other tea that we drank as part of our post Toronto Tea Festival IG tea blogger steep session – it was one that Marco (of steap’d tea) has brought with and I was quite thrilled to see it because I missed out on the first version of this tea and had been eyeing this second version for some time. Both this and the previous version are white teas that were gin barrel aged, though this for a 100 days and the former for 70…

The dry leaf aroma of this was insane. Very bright and aromatic with a pretty distinct gin note to it but also a surprisingly fruity composition as well. In my opinion, barrel aged teas usually have a pretty great scent to them, but this was soooo good. I couldn’t wait to taste it! The first steep was light but with a distinct gin character. Very pleasing fruity aroma and a smooth sip. As Tracy (teainfusiast) pointed out, it was citrusy and that note only continued to grow in the second and third steeps. Very pink grapefruit, especially on the tail end of the sip. So unexpected for a gin barrel tea, but delectable. And fresh. So fresh and summery! By steep three much of the distinct gin taste was gone though the tea retained a bit of an ethereal booziness.

The festival had been packed tighter than a tin of sardines and it was hot so, as I was drinking this, I just kept picturing drinking an ice cold cup of this on a terrace in the middle of summer – maybe with a splash of gin or, to lean into the fruitier elements, a bit of prosecco. In those brief hotel rooms steeps I was living my best life picturing a time outside of winter.

It was also fortuitous timing because Volition Tea had a product launch today for their Lunar New Year/Year of The Dragon themed box and I was planning on order that already. So it only made sense for me to add this tea with that order since it’s surprisingly not yet sold out. I cannot wait for it to arrive.

15th and final day of the Tiger Box from a couple of years ago, which also means I’m officially done with all of my lingering countdown boxes and ready for advent season.

I was so glad to see an oolong for the last day! This is definitely a good fit for a cold, wintry day. I steeped this gong fu style and oversteeped it a few times, but it is actually very forgiving. The oversteep just made the roasty, mineral notes stronger and cozier. I think part of the reason it takes an oversteep well is that there’s no bitterness or astringency here. Yes, it’s a bit drying, but not in that sharp way. It’s getting late now so I should probably cut off my caffeine for the day, but I think I’ll make a full mug of this and stash it for tomorrow.

So I’m working through a few half-finished advents and countdown boxes, and the Volition/Yao Cha Tiger Box Year of the Tiger tea collection is one of them. This is Day 11. The dry leaf smells like malt, yams, and molasses. I’m always torn about how to brew teas from Volition – the instructions say to use a mug, but given the quality of the leaf I feel like it benefits from gong fu brewing. I did the first steep precisely per instructions and it came out tasty but just a tiny bit thin, so I switched over to gong fu after that. Even that first steep tasted like the dry leaf smelled, with absolutely no astringency or dryness. Subsequent gong fu steeps maintained that sweet potato and molasses flavor, but also felt just a little less robust than I’d ideally like for this flavor profile. I got a ton of steeps out of it though, and the good news is that this is a black tea that doesn’t hurt my stomach. If I had more I would experiment with using a bit more leaf than recommended.

I have a few teas left that I never got around to from last year’s Lunar New Year “Tiger Box” from Volition Tea and Yao Cha Tea. As part of my effort to finish off my advent calendars, I’m trying to finish these too.

I steeped this one up gong fu style in my easy gaiwan from Butiki, RIP. I went with 175f, a quick rinse, and started with a 30 second infusion, increasing the time with each subsequent steep.

This was so good! Volition’s teas are pricy but I’ve found them to be consistently excellent, and this is no exception. It’s clover honey-sweet, with a thick mouthfeel and wonderful fresh green notes that come out more as it cools. It feels both decadent and bright at the same time, which has been really nice for a lazier-than-I should-be Sunday afternoon.

Geek Steep S3E14 – Everything Everywhere All At Once

Gongfu!

Pairing a tea with this movie was so, so hard. I ended up picking this tea from Volition because a huge part of Volition and, by association, the founder Annie’s story is her Chinese heritage and I knew that was something that would be topical with the movie. This was her Lunar New Year tea, so it was a pure bonus and coincidence that a Lunar New Year party is a somewhere big aspect for the movie’s plot. I felt pretty happy with my dumb luck where I realized that.

The other element I liked was obviously the name of the tea itself – it’s sort of perfect, even if it maybe is a bit on the nose. This certainly isn’t a movie that’s purely a coming of age story but I think that’s definitely a part of it – especially for the character Joy.

As may be noticeable by my sparsely chipped away at cake in the last photo, I’ve only revisited this raw pu’erh a couple times since the start of the year. However, each time has been a real treat!! Yiwu is one of my absolute favourite pu’erh producing regions, and this tea really exemplifies many of the reasons for that; the liquor is soft and free of unpleasant astringency and the tasting notes are delicately sweet with a peachy fruitiness. I’m certainly excited for many future sessions to come!!

Definitely a bit of an emotionally loaded tea pairing, but it worked out well. Gongfu brewing was tough given the intensity of the pacing of the movie – you don’t want to miss any of the details here. I’d probably repeat this pairing, but grandpa style instead of gongfu. Maybe try a less emotionally heavy option. I wonder if I have a tea that tastes like hot dogs? That’d be fun with the absurdist nature of it all.

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CuXqHtwu3Ih/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2clidGPFVi8

Grandpa Style!

I decided to get Volition’s curated “Bunny Box” for Lunar New Year this year, which came with a beautiful hand thrown and painted rabbit teacup (in the photo below), two AMAZING white rabbit rice crispie treats, and this cake of sheng pu’erh with one of the most beautiful wrappers I’ve seen in a long time.

I definitely have to do a proper tasting of the tea still, but I made a tiny bit of it grandpa style after I unboxed everything. I don’t remember the taste very much but I do remember that the texture of the liquor was very soft and it felt really good on my throat as I sipped; lots of huigan and that fantastic warm belly feeling afterwards!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CnxeeQEuE8y/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WmhJBUPhh4

Gongfu!

This tea was the sample for the final day of Lunar New Year and the Tiger Box! I was a little surprised to see an oolong since all the selections had been in order of tea type so far – I just assumed that meant we would be finishing with a pu’erh. However, despite the surprise, I’m certainly not disappointed! This was a very lovely yancha with a deep roast and woody mineral intenseness to it! Awesome grilled stonefruit notes right off the bat! However, it softened slightly over the steeps and the floral plum undertones continued to slowly build. A really beautiful way to close out this experience!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CaA52RTON_c/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tanz2wHqNQ

Gongfu!

Sipped on this first pu’erh from the Tiger Box a couple days ago. for my afternoon session! It’s a rather stem heavy tea, but among the many stems are large beautiful leaves! Early on the session had a slight snap of sweet citrus to it, but quickly settled into a calmer and more consistent greener leaning profile. Still a hint of fruitiness alongside a light astringency – like lemongrass, in a few ways, and peach skins in others. Mostly I tasted a simple but distinct woodiness and a almost creamy bit of pandan. It’s not hooking me in so immediately the way many of my favourite sheng have, but I’m finding it very grounding and with a mild enough flavour to allow easily a more contemplative session.

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ7o1Oauhct/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTaTBl0-YfE&ab_channel=Kitten-Topic

Gongfu!

This was such a pleasantly rich and full-bodied tea with a practically syrupy feeling liquor. On top of really cozy, sweet notes of caramelized baked sweet potatoes and yams, it also had notes of cocoa, maple and ripe, waxy red fruits. Maybe just a tiny bit of leather!? Very slick and round feeling, with that perfect sorr of deep, heavy sweetness balanced out by the bit of top note brightness from those more pomegranate juice-like fruit notes.

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7egmFdO133/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1Jx91eYkdo

Gongfu!

I love how syrupy the liquor of this black tea is even from the first steep, and with practically zero astringency save for the faintest little hint after the swallow. It perfectly suits the notes of melted caramel, perfectly golden and toasty sweet potatoes, and slightly tangy cooked red fruit notes – like a pomegranate molasses kind of flavour but a little less distinct than that. The later session evolved into more of a raisin-y fruity note with more of a malty rye bread kind of vibe alongside the sweet potato that remains a consistent note throughout. There’s something about the way these flavours have such brightness and thickness to them while dancing across the palate that just feels special!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChNSNKHu6ny/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF7N9pzM7C8

Gongfu!

Definitely stoked I enjoyed this one as much as I did, since it’s the one tea that I also bought a tin of when I placed my Tiger Box order. The liquor is so full bodied and rich, and the taste is just spot on sweet potato pie, complete with notes of baked sweet potato, warming spice, toasted nut, and golden toasted marshmallow. Deep, dense, and deliciously decadent!

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ2iVQcuGGH/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nrEaHinGmY&ab_channel=GlassAnimalsVEVO

Gongfu!

Steeped this one yesterday evening. It would have been interesting to taste this tea back to back with the Raw Jade that was included in the Tiger Box a couple days ago, but these two sessions were still in close enough succession that the flavours are pretty fresh in my head!

The liquor of this oolong is definitely a little more lush and full bodied, but still has a pleasant roundness and starts of quite silky. The taste reminds me a little bit of fresh buttery croissants with a very, very delicate undertone of cocoa powder. It’s also still very floral, but in a sweeter and deeper way. The entire session tasted distinctly of parma violet candies to me, mixed with a bit of a greener edge and other fruity tinged floral notes. I snacked on blackberries in between some of the infusions, and really loved how the jammy sweetness of the berries played with the plump florals present in this sample.

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

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udY2u5xgTiM&ab_channel=ScoobertDoobert-Topic

Gongfu from the Tiger Box!

What a gentle and lightly oxidized oolong! I think this is my favourite tea sample so far; the liquor of this oolong was just so silky and buttery and it perfectly complimented the fragile, sweet floral notes of this tea so much! Very aromatic and light, with the freshness of Springtime flowers and jasmine blossoms. About three or four infusions in it dawned on me that this was giving me the satisfying and warm sensation of a linens fresh out of the dryer – but through taste! That super clean, sweet and light coziness that just swallows you up and leaves you with a feeling of home and peacefulness.

We’re officially past a week into the Tiger Box and it’s been such a fun journey so far; while I haven’t really been able to catch any of the livestreams (timezones, ugh!), it has been a total joy reading everyone’s tasting notes and see all the different sessions each day!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZsKJz5uXuz/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WePwQ11UZhw&ab_channel=TakeThisToHeartRecords

Gongfu!

Three days of green tea sessions in a row might actually be a new one for me, but I love being pushed outside of my comfort zone and having my tea preferences challenged. To my tastes, I’m finding this a pretty classic example of a Long Jing in terms of taste; a little bright and greener on the top of the sip but quickly slips into a much more buttery and nutty chestnut profile in the mid sip and finish. Nuttier flavours are some of my favourites in any type of traditional tea so this is one of the few types of Chinese green tea that I do often keep a very small amount of on hand!

I’m just glad that we didn’t get four green teas in a row in the Tiger Box…

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZm0SqauIiq/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iucc93cPTkg&ab_channel=CryingDayCareChoir-Topic

This was from the third day of the Volition Tea and Yao Cha Tea Tiger Box. It seemed to kick start a little mini marathon of green teas throughout the box. The two companies haven’t said this outright, but based on the trajectory of teas from the last six days I think we’re going to be exploring in tea type order, starting with white and ending with pu’erh…

Just a theory though!

Obviously I wasn’t thrilled to see a green tea, but can I tell you a secret!? Even though I am notoriously not a fan of most green tea I actually find that green tea leaves are the most gorgeous and aesthetically pleasing to look at!! Sorry pu’erh cakes. While the bright, fresh green notes and hints of sunflower butter might not have been exactly to my own tastes (which is okay!) I just couldn’t stop looking at the leaves before, during, and after steeping…

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZh9dNUu8OH/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6JheoQyAd0&ab_channel=Vilde-Topic