Whispering Pines Tea Company

It’s been a long time since I last drank this one, but it came to work with me this morning in my Timolino since I’m hosting an event away from the office until lunch time. As ever with these things, it didn’t go to plan. Tea is obviously a requirement in these situations!I added a splash of milk to my cup this morning, but it would be equally palatable without.

Initially, this comes across as quite a chocolatey tea; dark, almost bittersweet, cocoa-like chocolate. There are also some fairly prominent baked bread notes which remind me a lot of Second Breakfast – there’s an underlying saltiness that I also picked up in that one. The mid-sip is mostly malt, sweet and thick tasting, and it works perfectly with the chocolate notes. So far, so comforting. The end of the sip reveals a light fruitiness, which lingers into the aftertaste. It reminds me most of plum – juicy, a little sharp, a little tart. It’s a flavour combination that almost shouldn’t work, but somehow it does! You have to try it to see. Upon reacquaintance, this is still one of my favourite black teas. I’ve left my rating unchanged accordingly.

1.5 tsp, 3.5 mins, boiling water (212), splash of milk.

Another Whispering Pines sample! I needed a treat to make this morning at work even remotely bearable, and obviously I turned to tea in my time of need. I used 1.5 tsp of leaf, and gave it three minutes in water just cooled from boiling. No additions. While brewing, the scent is wonderfully savoury – I’m thinking rye bread, in particular.

To taste, it’s just as wonderful as I’d hoped. It reminds me of Butiki’s Taiwanese Wild Mountain Black (which I loved), and even a little of Verdant’s Laoshan Black (although that’s a relatively distant memory now). Initially, it’s quite chocolatey, although it’s an almost bittersweet dark chocolate/cocoa flavour. Then, in the mid-sip, the fruitiness emerges! Plum and blackberry are the descriptors best suited; a little tart, a little sharp, but with a wonderful juiciness that makes this an absolute pleasure to sip. In the aftertaste, I’m picking up mostly bread. It matches the scent almost perfectly, in a savoury, lightly malty way. It’s a wonderful combination of flavours – sitting here, it’s almost got me thinking of summer pudding. Or maybe craving is the right word, if I’m honest.

I’m sure I’ve said it before, but black tea like this makes me wonder why I bother with flavoured tea at all. This tea tastes vibrant and fresh, and is so utterly, perfectly smooth; almost like honey. Definitely one I’ll be needing to repurchase!

A delicious sipdown. Similar but different to the golden tips Dian Hong I drank right before this cup.

Notes of malt and chocolate, with a hint of pepper. This was almost too rich and desserty after another cup of chocolatey tea, but oh so tasty.

I will probably pick up some of this one of these days.

Chocolately and malty, a bit of fruit.

I think I’ve been spoiled with some really excellent chocolatey teas lately, because this is delicious but doesn’t stand out in quite the way I was expecting it to.

First off, I just want to say Happy holidays to everyone, whether it be Passover or Good Friday :D

This came in a big bag of tea that had samples from Kittenna, Sil, MissB, Cavocorax, Dexter, and OMGsrsly. I’m not sure who shared this particular tea but I am grateful to get another taste so thank you so much. I am enjoying the breadiness of this cup this morning. It also has nice honey drizzled fruit notes – I want to say plum and raisin to be specific. It’s like a nice comforting breakfast in a mug and comforting is nice right now since one of my dogs passed away this morning. It was a long time coming so it wasn’t a shock but it’s still been a crappy day.

I’m getting honey and fruits with a bit of chocolate and a touch of baked bread. It’s good but on the same note, it’s not as amazing as the hype had me believe. That’s not to say it’s bad, i just think my expectations going in were too high. Nonetheless, I am incredibly grateful to Christina for the chance to try this tea! 275.

This was a surprise sample in my swap with Tealizzy! She kindly included two extra teas that were on my wishlist. It’s been a while since I last had the Golden Snail base, but I do remember liking it (and really, it’s a Yunnan, what’s not to like?), so I’m happy to try this one even though I’m not a big chai fan. There are a lot of crushed spices mixed in with the base tea, though I don’t actually see any pieces of vanilla bean. Dry scent is very strong on the cardamon and ginger, which is not a good sign for me.

Happily, the steeped tea smells much milder and sweeter, and I can smell the vanilla and cinnamon now. Oof, the cardamon is strong with this one! A little too strong for me, as I don’t add sugar or milk to my teas. The clove is fairly strong here too, though I don’t mind that as much. I can taste perhaps a tiny bit of vanilla? And it’s a shame, the strong spicing is drowning out the base tea for me, which I know to be quite tasty. Oh well.

Another superbly wonderful tea from Whispering Pines. I’m adding my review here as I believe I have the old version. It seems sad to say that, because I’m enjoying this cup immensely. Still, seasons change and all that. Clearly I’ll have to try the new version to compare!

Anyway, the tea. I used 1.5 tsp of leaf, and gave it three minutes in boiling water. I added a splash of milk (just the tiniest one, though!) The scent of the dry leaf is wonderfully chocolatey, like opening a tin of cocoa powder and taking a sniff.

To taste, this is probably the nicest quality black blend I’ve tried in a good long while. The initial flavour is chocolate; quite dark and rich, but with a deliciously smooth, creamy edge. A mild fruitiness emerges in the mid-sip, initially cherry (chocolate covered cherry, anyone?), but ultimately turning more towards apricot. It’s light, fruity, and juicy-tasting, and the perfect counterpoint to the chocolate/cream richness of the initial sip. The end of the sip is heavily malty, with all the sweetness that implies, with a touch of honey. It’s also gloriously smooth. The chocolate flavour lingers in the aftertaste, making this an almost decadent treat. I consider my morning thoroughly brightened! This one is definitely going on my shopping list!

200th tasting note, and a lovely tea for a rainy day!

I’m very happy to try this sample from beelicious. Having enjoyed several WP offerings in the past, I knew I couldn’t go wrong with one of their black tea blends. This one has dark spindly leaves and a rich, cocoa-and-malt aroma. Brewed up, it’s harmonious and smooth, with that “fuzzy”, almost textured malty undertone that I’ve come to know and love. I can’t quite decide what it reminds me of yet—this is a complex tea that will take much exploration. There’s a lighter, fruity accompaniment to it as well. It’s a blend that is both invigorating and soothing, and while I might love Second Breakfast and North Winds just a little bit more, I enjoyed this one highly as well.

I was actually pretty impressed with this flavorful green tea. I’m not normally a huge green tea guy, mainly to the lack of flavor or the remnant flavors of grass. However, toss in some woodsy flavors and some berry-esque notes it makes for a tasty cuppa. I can say this one was my normal drowsy morning looking for something different, and i found this in a box full of samples i had received from a friend, and decided to give it a whirl. Well, leave it to the Breville to bring out the flavors at its precise timing and temperature and it worked so nicely. It was full of fresh scents and actually made me think of camping with this poured from a percolator. I didn’t even need any sweetener. Very impressive especially from a green. I don’t know if it was the pine needle looks or the crisp scents and flavors but it really works:)

Finally gave in and used my one-cup sample of this last night. I’ve been holding out for the sake of my wallet, but the temptation finally got too much! I followed the recommended parameters and gave 1/2 tbsp of leaf 3 minutes in water just cooled from boiling. While brewing, it smells amazing, like vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate sauce. I know already that it’s going to be a treat to drink.

It is, of course. From the very first sip, this is almost like drinking a cup of high quality melted chocolate (only less thick, obviously). It tastes wonderfully of dark chocolate, and is almost a little drying in its intensity, like cocoa powder. It’s saved from becoming too dry by the vanilla, which hangs around in the background and contributes a wonderful, rich, creamy-tasting depth of flavour. I wouldn’t say I get fudge, exactly, but definitely chocolate and vanilla, and enough of both to go a long way. After the initial hit of flavour wears off, I can taste a mild fruitiness that could well be the North Winds. It’s cherry, pretty much, and almost syrupy. It’s the perfect end to the perfect sip!

For a blend of black teas only flavoured with vanilla, this is exceptional. Definitely one I’d like to keep around, although for very special days only. If I drank this regularly, I’d probably drink nothing else. Utterly gorgeous stuff.

Small batch of Willow available now! http://whisperingpinestea.com/willow.html

Also a small amount of Mirkwood is also available now :-) http://whisperingpinestea.com/mirkwood.html

Sometimes I watch the fog floating on a hazy forest breeze. I admire the way it flows through the trees and over the mossy stones beneath my feet. The rain-kissed wind whispers in my ear. I can’t quite understand it, but I know it tells me stories of the willow groves from which it came. If I lie down and look towards the canopy, I can see the fog dancing with the leaves. It’s soft and slow, spending a little time with each leaf before floating onto the next, but always leaving a touch of itself behind — a memory that will drop to the floor, nourishing the ferns, wildflowers, and mushrooms. I believe my heart is a forest, and each experience is a limb of my infinite trees. I like the fog. I like the way it touches every one of my leaves and creates these nourishing raindrop memories — memories that I can’t help but replay in my dreams. Memories that I wish I could capture forever. Maybe with enough of them, the raindrops will grow a new willow grove. I can already feel them growing in my woodland heart. Perhaps the new willow trees need the fog. Maybe the fog needs the new trees to create new memories with. And maybe, if we’re all lucky, the fog will never get tired of dancing with the willows.

Willow combines all things that touch me deep in my soul. From morning walks with a cup of hot cocoa picking wild mushrooms to smelling the sweet aroma of maple syrup on my pancakes after that walk. The essence of the woodlands that formed who I am, Willow is one of my proudest creations. Willow is made with a base of North Winds and the addition of sweet candy cap mushrooms, which are known for their heady maple syrup aroma and sweet, woody flavor. Steeped, the aroma of Willow is complex, with maple syrup, chocolate, and mushrooms. The taste is smooth, sweet, and creamy, opening with identical notes as the aroma. The balance is absolutely perfect, with all notes showing up individually, but none overpowering each other. Immediately following the base notes come hints of stonefruit and oak. The addition of the strong maple note transforms the graininess of North Winds into definitive buckwheat pancakes with a touch of cherry preserves. Clean woody and maple notes linger past the finish, slowly fading into mushroom and oak. I highly suggest enjoying this innovative and unique blend in a big thermos while walking your favorite woodland trail. Breath life, sip inspiration.

Ah, The Mirk. I love this so very much. It is rich and deep and savory. As others have noted, its tastes brothy/soupy. It is definitely reminiscent of mushroom soup, slightly salty and very earthy. But not earthy in a dirty way (although I also enjoy that nice dirt taste as well – but then I’m a gardener).

There is a wee bit of tongue tingle and a nice bit of relaxation, but for me this one is all about the taste. This is perfect for sleety cold day going on outside my house right now. I’m oh so happy to be snuggled in my nook with The Mirk – pure comfort.

Edited to add:

http://instagram.com/p/xrYjVzQx-w/?modal=true

Black tea will always be my absolute favourite, and as I discover more Chinese black teas, they rise higher in my estimation. I bought this one from Whispering Pines in an effort to try more teas from Yunnan, which (of all black teas) seem to possess the majority of characteristics I really enjoy. High praise indeed! This one impresses from the moment the bag is opened. The scent drifting up is pure chocolate – so much so that I almost had to check I’d actually picked up a bag of tea. The dry leaf itself is beautiful – little golden black curls that really do look like miniature snail shells. I used 1 tsp of leaf for my cup, and gave it 3 minutes in boiling water. The resulting liquor is a medium golden brown. Since this is to be my first cup of the day, I added a splash of milk.

The initial flavour is a beautiful, creamy milk chocolate. It’s pretty hard to believe that this isn’t a cup of cocoa, but I definitely made it with tea leaves! I’m reassured when a sweet maltiness emerges in the mid-sip, along with the wonderfully comforting flavour of baked break. Tea it is, and a wonderfully sweet, smooth, chocolatey thing at that! The maltiness deepens towards the end of the sip, becoming an almost treacle-like molasses flavour. It’s rich and flavourful; a real treat for the tastebuds.

See my full review here: http://sororiteasisters.com/2015/06/12/golden-snail-yunnan-black-whispering-pines-tea-co/

As I’m on a roll with Whispering Pines teas at the moment, I decided to maintain the momentum. I received this as a sample with my last order, and, as I love Chinese black teas, I was pleased to have the opportunity to give it a try. The dry leaf is a beautiful thing; slightly downy bright golden swirls with brownish black edges, which really do bring to mind snail shells.

I followed the recommended parameters, and gave 1 tsp of leaf 3 minutes in boiling water. The resulting liquor is a medium red-brown, and the scent while brewing is sweetly malty with an edge of grain.

To taste, this one is a wonderfully smooth delight. The initial flavour is chocolate (I’d say milk, as it’s quite sweet and mild), followed by a lightly bready note. Freshly cooked, warm, yeasty bread. The sweetness is maintained into the mid sip, where there’s a wonderful maltiness, and the almost starchy flavour of sweet potato. The flavour deepens in the aftertaste, and I can detect a slightly darker, bittersweet note that works as the perfect counterpoint to the initial sweetness. Now it’s more like dark chocolate dusted with dry cocoa, but there’s absolutely no astringency.

I’ve come to really appreciate teas like this, which tick all the boxes for me in terms of flavours I enjoy in black tea. There are others I enjoy equally, but this is a strong contender and one I’d be happy to keep around long term.

Oh, man, this stuff is amazing! If you’ve had the Organic Dian Hong from Dragon Tea House, this tastes exactly like that but… white. The same deep almost savory thick malty sweetness that just coats your mouth with every sip. It’s amazing. Also bit of a cinnamon type spice and wheaty malt, and there’s some fruity brightness hiding out in there too. A bit cantaloupe-esque, but not quite.

These types of leaves are a bit difficult to measure, so I just dropped a bit into my little teapot until it was about 1/3 full. Steeped 15s and 20s so far with almost boiling water. Perfect! I imagine this is a difficult one to mess up.

The stock is looking a bit low on the website. Even though I’ve only had one cup I’m seriously considering ordering more right away. This is one of the best teas I’ve ever had.

Thank you kimquat for this sample!

I’m liking the mix of pine and jasmine in this blend. The two flavors play off of each other nicely while allowing the creamy note of the base tea to come out and play, too. Normally I’d be surprised at the strength of the pine, but this blend is a mix of green tea leaves and tiny pine needles. It’s very pretty, and it smells incredible. In fact, I thought it smelled like spring. While the pine is noticeable no one flavor drowns out the others. It’s a really nice blend. This is another tea I think I would naturally reach for after meditating or when I needed to find some calm. It’s a relaxing, delicious, lovely tea.

I’m wary of smoky teas in general, but I can make an exception for Whispering Pines. I get along with their brand of smoke better than I do any other, and their blends are so gloriously evocative it seems more like part of an experience than just smoke for the sake of smoke. So, although I’ve let this one languish for a while, I’ve finally pulled it out to try on this cold January morning!

I used 1 tsp of leaf, and gave it a cautious 3 minutes in boiling water. While brewing, the scent is strongly smoky. It’s immediately obvious that this is a lapsang blend! After a couple of minutes, the smoke does fade a little, and some of the spice notes start to come out.

To taste, this pretty much encapsulates the experience of sitting around a campfire on a cold night. The smoke is prominent in the initial sip, and is a little resinous and piney, like burning logs. It’s also somehow “soft”…a gentle smoke, rather than being harsh and acrid. Even if you’re not a fan of smoky tea, this one is palatable.

A mild spiciness emerges in the mid sip, primarily characterised by the dank flavour of cloves. This works really well with the campfire/forest evocation, reminiscent of damp leaves or earth after a heavy rain shower. There’s a hint of orange at the very end of the sip, which brightens the flavour a bit, but it’s fleeting and barely there. I can’t really detect the rooibos at all, although I noted the tell tale red leaves when spooning this into my infuser. Perhaps they’re responsible for the “softness” I can taste – I can’t attribute it to anything else!

I’ve tried a few smoky teas, but this has to be one of my favourites. It’s very natural-tasting and by no means overpowering, and I would extend my rather cautious brew time in future now that I know the smoke flavour isn’t too acrid. An evocative wintery delight.

Definitely prefer Golden Orchid. This is certainly richer and more chocolatey, and though good, I prefer the more intense vanilla of Golden Orchid.

Another tea I couldn’t resist trying. This one smells quite similar to Golden Orchid, though the base is obviously different once brewed – I can taste some chocolatey undertones, and the vanilla is less prominent. I definitely prefer Golden Orchid, both because I love that strong vanilla, and because I’ve had more chocolatey blacks and wish one of them was the base instead. Overall though, tasty enough.

Backlog (from this past week). Drank this at work and definitely enjoyed it, but I just want more vanilla, which is frustrating! The flavour also really only lasts one infusion, though I drank a few anyways.

Picked some of this up recently because I just had to know how it tasted. Turns out, it’s pretty good, but not worth the steep price (to me). Don’t get me wrong – it’s absolutely delicious. Wonderful malty, chocolatey base tea, and an excellent vanilla aroma and flavour (although it’s a little different that I was expecting; I think I have an altered perception of how vanilla is supposed to taste). It’s just a little too pricey for me, and I am happy enough with straight blacks. I will certainly enjoy this bag of it though.

Wow, I’m the first to review this tea here. Pressure. xD Just is kinda lame since I’m not a green tea fan, unless they are genmaicha or it’s a flavored tea that hid the grassy taste I usually get from green teas.
Added this to my last WP order because I was just under the free shipping mark and this was pretty cheap with the discount. I planned on trying it once and sending it off to Albertocanfly, who loves green teas. xD I’m sure she will give this a much better review!
First off, this is an adorable tea, I really love how it looks. It’s just so cute like the Golden Snail, except it’s green. _
Now for how it actually tasted; the first cup of this tea was super light. Steeped it the exact time that it said on the bag and I couldn’t figure out what it tasted like. I spent about ten minutes trying to just think of what that first cup tasted like. Finally I gave up and brewed up another cup, because I just had to figure out what it tasted like.
Steeped it for a bit longer and decided that it tasted a lot like spinach, just like the aroma when it was steeping. The second cup was stronger, but not too overwhelming. I love spinich, but in tea form it doesn’t really work for me.
All this to say, it was an alright green tea. I’d drink it if I were stuck with it. But I would rather send it to someone who I know will love it!

P.S. Albertocanfly, you should be super proud of me for trying another green tea! XD And I’m pretty sure you will love this one, then you can come back and write a better tasting note than this one! XD I’m sending this in your next package! :D