Whispering Pines Tea Company

It’s cold outside today. Well cold for central Texas anyway. I wanted warm, sweet, snuggly tea. And this is it. And I’m glad I have a shitload.

Sweet honey bready with a wee cooling breeze. DANG I love this tea.

I am cruising through my stash this morning. This one makes me sigh in happiness. Happy enough that I might go back to sleep after I finish it

Somewhere out in the Wild Piney Woods dwells a Tea Hobbit, Brendenol PinePeaker. He spends his days in his wild piney woods collecting pine needles to roast, picking mushrooms and dreaming up dreamy teas.

One recent morning, he chortled to himself as he mixed:

“O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”

I was chortling the same thing as I sipped this tea. The very first thing you notice as you sip is the sweetness. The honey-nectary sweetness rolls around with the warm bready bottom while a wee bit of minty freshness breezes through at the end. The sweet fruity-floral to me is very slightly reminiscent of that bug-bitten/Oriental Beauty sort of flavor. My beloved malt makes an appearance to keep everything reassuringly grounded.

The Lovely Tea Fairy (LTF) and I were given this tea to preview. As is usual for our first try, we followed the steeping instructions Brenden provided to the letter: ½ tablespoon of tea to 8 ounces of 205 degree water , steeped for 3 minutes – no more, no less. LTF and I are both what I call “heapers and steepers” in that we generally use more tea than called for and we frequently steep for a longer bit of time. We agreed Brenden’s parameters for this were perfect. On the first sip, the following conversation ensued:

LTF: “Oh crap, not another one.”
MzP: “yep.”

I don’t know how The Tea Whiz of the Woods keeps dreaming up these amazing teas that demand a permanent place in my cupboard. But he does. When he says he is a Tea Mixologist, he speaks the truth.

I know the base of Jabberwocky is Fujian Black and I know some of the high mountain wild picked purple leaf tea that is in Port is in there as well. This is not a big chocolate fudge bomb – there might be a very light waft of chocolate here and there, but you don’t immediately think chocolate. This is a medium bodied tea that will serve multiple purposes for me – a sweet comfort after a hard work day, a sprightly little wake up or a nice afternoon treat. This could easily be a daily drinker.

As I write this, I’m sipping on my last little bit, but I know I have more on the way (maybe even today or tomorrow) so I’m not sad, but I am savoring every mouthful, rolling it around my tongue and inhaling the malty-sweet updraft and enjoying that fresh little breeze at the end. It makes me hear this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFvXvfUF-Co&feature=kp

And because I think everyone should read The Jabberwocky as often as possible:
http://www.jabberwocky.com/carroll/jabber/jabberwocky.html

This tea? ‘Tis brillig.

This is from my WP sample pack. This got left off the purchase list this time around but only because I see myself drinking this more in the fall and winter instead of the summer. This is my last cup of this tea and it is putting me in tea heaven. A warm cup on this polar vortex summer day. It dipped down to high 50’s in July! Bring on the cold. RAGBRAI is next week and cycling and camping in cool summer days would be a dream!!! Amway, back to the tea. This is my 3rd time with this tea and I think I finally got it right. I steeped it a tad longer than suggested and added a bit more leaf. It is nutty, it is has that roasty, citrusy tang that I really like in some oolongs. It is slightly sweet and oh so yummy. Definitely needs to be on the next order.

Only september 3rd and we can already tell fall is in the air here. It was a little chilly today.

So I made a GIANT mug of almond milk chai latté of El Dorado.

This is my favourite chai.

It is classic and perfectly balanced, I can taste all the spices individually without having one that stands out too much and overshadows the others.

The snaily yums base paired with the magic WP vanilla makes it so naturally sweet… But I admit that by adding just a drop of maple in it, it brings me to heaven on a wednesday!!!

I can see myself drinking loads of this in the months to come…in my super large latté mug!

Here’s a pic (Note to self: that mug is way to heavy to hold in one hand)

http://instagram.com/p/sf1k-Owh5p/

Rainy and soooo cold today!

Perfect chai day…which brings a question: Is there such a thing as a perfect chai?

If there is, I never found it. Always a little too this or a little too that…

Cause what makes a perfect chai I ask you? One question, but probably a thousand answers, I know. For me, it’s all in one word: balance. Yes, the perfect balance. But what does that mean?

I think it means that I don’t have to say “oh, it’s good, but there’s too much of this and not enough of that”. It also means I won’t have to add anything to it, unless I feel like it.

So far, I have tried El Dorado three different ways:

1) brewed according to WP’s instructions…it’s just perfect.

2) cold brewed…again, just perfect.

3) brewed in hot almond milk with a tad of maple syrup…Ghawwww. PERFECT!

The “Snaily Yums” base is brilliant, it’s sweet and mellow. Paired with “magic” vanilla bean, it prevents for any bitterness to develop from the spices.

I personally don’t like my chai too pungent, but I do want a little kick in the tushie. This classic spice blend makes the cut. It’s gingery, clovy, cinnaNOMMY, cardaNOMMY in the perfect amount…I like that it’s peppery without the addition of any actual pepper. That’s probably form the ginger.

This is everything I want a chai to be and so much more…If the perfect chai exists, i have found it in El Dorado!

So…our little Snaily has a new playground: spice!

Chai lovers of this world, this is something to try.

I like that this is pretty traditional and not too over the top. Chai blends are often too busy or not enough. This one is an excellent example a true balance.

But there are many other decent chai blends out there…

What makes this one special?

The naturally creamy base tea paired with the vanilla bean soften greatly all those spices. They are usually bitter when you don’t add milk or sugar. But here, you end up with a dessert-like cup of spicy honeyed goodness, without having to add anything.

And the beauty of this blend is that I can taste all the spices…ginger, cinnamon, clove and cardamom. Add to that the buttery taste of the base tea, and you have something reminiscent of grandma’s apple pie.

Today, we had thundershowers all day. Grey sky, cool temperature. Thought it was the perfect day to try this for the first time.

But the next time I have it will be on a hot day, cold brewed in almond milk with a little maple syrup…mmmm.

I had Golden Orchid yesterday evening, and this morning I had the base tea for GO! North Winds is unmistakably the base blend but it lacks the smoothness and the creaminess of GO. (Those vanilla beans make a huge difference.) It has notes of cocoa, honey, fruits, chocolate, and grain. It’s chocolate but it’s not a DARK chocolate. The fruity notes are simultaneously like plums, cherries, and raisins, but then it’s not quite any of them. There’s a hay-like flavor as well. Some caramel sweetness peeks out in the aftertaste, but it’s subtle. I want to say there’s a somewhat mineral quality to it, too. Maybe I’m crazy!

Now that I’ve had the two, I think the main differences between GO and NW are texture and sweetness. While GO is like satin and velvet—soft fabrics—NW is like freshly sawn wood. It’s soft, but there’s a graininess to it. GO = glossy. NW = matte. I hope that makes some sense.

I hate to compare the two because they are not the same. They are teas for different occasions. (At least for me.) North Winds is for mornings; Golden Orchid is for evenings, a time where you can devote your attention to something luxurious. I now have a greater appreciation for the latter.

I love mint chocolate chip. I usually love anything that tastes like that. But this tea…I don’t know. It definitely tastes like mint chocolate chip, but the mint really got me in this tea. Maybe I’m beginning not to like mint in teas? I’m not really sure now. 0_0
They are pretty hit or miss for me.
Not gonna rate this yet. I’ll have to try this one again. :S

Despite being the last spoon at the bottom of the bag, the spice in this blend isn’t overwhelming. The notes of the base tea come through strongly: chocolate, caramel, sweet potato, stone fruit, and pudding. There is a resonant, malty aftertaste and the spice leaves a tingling sensation in my mouth.

Brenden has hinted that this chai will be returning soon, and I know I’m going to stock up whenever it’s back. Damn if he doesn’t make the best chai I’ve ever had.

Method:
1TB/10oz
First steep: 5min
Second steep: 7min

(For a more thorough description, see previous note.)

Chai was calling my name tonight. I shouldn’t drink tea so late, but it seems that I’ve been reverting to a nocturnal schedule over the past weeks. I’ll just embrace it. Also, why has only one other person reviewed this tea?! Get on it people. Brenden’s chai is the best.

I used almost 1.5 TB for 10oz of water which, after brewing, I realized was potentially crazy. It made a STRONG cup of tea. Fortunately it doesn’t overwhelm! It’s quite tasty. There’s a lot of warm, tingly spice that’s refreshing and invigorating. As teataku pointed out the cardamom is a little strong. Luckily I like cardamom. A lot! And the base tea, my god. It’s thick and malty with notes of cocoa, caramel, sweet potato, and the suggestion of dark red fruits. Plums and cherries and things of that nature. It’s creamy like pudding; luscious, visceral! It’s a sexy sexy tea. This is the first time I’ve used “sexy” to describe a tea, ahaha…I think it’s appropriate! “Intoxicating” is another good word for it. Plus, it’s good for resteeps. The spice and the cocoa pull back a little, the caramel and fruit come forward. Mhmmm. I’m all about it. I love Yunnan blacks and I love chai spice. This is just a marriage of awesome. Bravo Brenden!

This was my last tea of the day, & although I enjoyed it, I don’t really feel that I have much to say about it. I did enjoy the Cedar & the Elderberries. It is a gentle soothing cup, especially nice lightly sweetened.
Another sip down, as the rest of my sample is going to Sil.

This is pleasant enough, in a smokey kind of way, especially with just a touch of sweetness added. Sorry I don’t have more to say about it.
The rest of this sample goes to Sil, so this is a sip down!

Ending the day with this one, which is pleasant enough, but probably not something I’d keep around.

This is actually pretty good.
Of course, I enjoy a good lapsang, & if I hadn’t already had a week’s ration of Maple syrup this morning with breakfast, I’d probably try some in the 2nd half of the cup. But there is no need to, as it is tasty plain. I love roasted chicory root, alone & in blends.
To my knowledge, I’ve never drank roasted cedar in a tea, & now I’d like to drink a cup of it alone, just to give it a real try.
Just for the record, I can still taste & feel the spearmint from this morning, & my sinuses are remarkably clear, all day!

Lazy people of the world: please join me because I am about to share the most amazing news about this tea.

There is no need to brew hot, then chill, because this makes an incredible cold brew. MIND = BLOWN

Being a lazy brewer myself, I knew I had to try this cold brewed. I placed all the ingredients in my large libre tea glass with room temp filtered water, then put the whole thing in the fridge overnight. And today: amazeballs chocolatey mapley sweet tea. I made my co-worker try it and she immediately proclaimed me to be a genius.

OK, that last part isn’t true, but she did like it and ask for more. So there you have it!!!

Edit: please note that I heaped the tsps when measuring the tea and berries, so the end result wouldn’t taste weak.

My boyfriend just ran me up a mountain, in the woods, in the summer. I thought I might die. But somehow I survived, and I think it could be due to the fact that I knew this tea was getting nice and cold in the fridge for me.

MzPriss was kind enough to share some dried elderberries with me, so that I could try this out. Thanks so much, HoneyBelle!!!!

I ended up adding a little more maple syrup when I got back and tried this for the first time. But this is SO GOOD. It absolutely does taste like maple chocolates. No lie!!!! I’m glad I made a triple batch because this will be a go-to for summer. I can’t wait to make this for the next family gathering. I’m certain that everyone will love it as much as I do. :)

OK, first off, I don’t recommend spearmint first thing in the morning if you are planning to sample something new afterwards, LOL. Here I am an hour later, & my mouth is still minty fresh, which feels good, but interfered somewhat with the tasting of this tea.

Also, I followed the instructions on the packet, using 1/2 TB, & I really wish I’d just gone with a whole TB, cuz I do tend to like my teas on the strong end of the spectrum, but I want to send the other half to my tea sister Sil, & I’m trying to get better at following instructions in general.

Anyhoo, this is a tasty cup of pre-breakfast tea, though not particularly bold. Very light on the smoke, IMO, with bread notes, & milk chocolate made with that condensed canned milk. It’s nicely sweet, & I’ll have to get an oz so that I can give it a more fair review eventually.

I am sincerely hoping that my local herb shop does not run out of dried elderberries because I will be drinking this bad boy ALL SUMMER LONG – and kats and kitties – summer lasts a LONG time in Central Texas.

I make a quart of this a day and I drink it all and then hold the jar upside down so every drop goes on my tongue. I do not share.

This combination of my very favorite tea blend, the much-beloved Golden Orchid, maple syrup and dried elderberries is just the smoothest most lovely and satisfying thirst quencher I can imagine.

The vanilla fudge bomb of the Golden Orchid with the concentrated fruit of the elderberries is already amazing and the maple syrup makes it hum. Perhaps I should note that I never drink sweetener in iced tea. Yes, I’m southern but I dislike sweet tea. This is so beyond tooth-achingly sweet Lipton. This is ambrosia.

Yummy!!!

Now that some magician has handed me some dried elderberries, I was able to make the real version of this Northern Sweet Tea. Though my own temporary blueberry version was pretty darn delicious, I admit that it’s fun to have it the way it was meant to be.

It was hot today. This was the perfect iced tea.

Really, A little maple syrup added to Golden Orchid and some cute rustic tiny little berries….how could you not like this?

I drank two big mason jars today, and wanted more!! And the good thing is, I can make more, which makes me a very happy fairy :-)

Revisiting this tea after many months! I think that, like the Sleeping Bear Blend, I only had this one once or twice before I put it away. It wasn’t the right time for me to appreciate it…but that time is tonight!

Each sip starts bright and minty sweet. Clean, calming, refreshing. Like breathing fresh mountain air. There are notes of soft, delicate jasmine as the tea unfurls in its full glory. It’s buttery with a somewhat honeyed taste. Thick mouthfeel, medium body, creamy and somehow slightly smokey. (At least at first.) I’m a sucker for buttery green tea, and this one is not really vegetal or grassy at all. So it means AWESOME in my book! I don’t like grassy greens; the vegetal factor is the reason I hardly drink green tea. I don’t even like vegetables. Anyway, getting off topic. Everything is quite well-balanced. The finish is buttery sweet, lingering on for a few minutes until the cleanness of the mint takes over again. It’s not a definite mint flavor, per se, it’s more of a texture. And it’s just barely there.

This tea re-steeps well, too. I infused it for 4min 20 the second time; the mint is toned down a little and the butter-honey notes of the green tea seem more intense. This is a good blend, a very good blend. Of course I would get into it after it’s discontinued. I did this to myself. At least I still have a decent amount left to enjoy…

“Wee snaily yums” is right.

This tea…what is this tea? It’s a slice of buttery, perfectly toasted bread, drizzled with sweet honey and maple syrup. Lightly dusted with powdered sugar. There’s a tiny hint of spice that makes me think there’s cinnamon on top too. Visualize it. Mmmmm. There’s some malt and chocolate in there, towards the end. I mean GOOD chocolate, none of that Hershey’s bullshit. My college roommate last year was a young woman from Kazakstan. She brought me a bar of milk chocolate from her country and it was better than any milk chocolate I had ever eaten. That’s what I mean. It was creamy, melt-in-your-mouth delicious. This tea is exactly that. It’s the best, buttery flaky croissant I’ve ever had. It’s the best milk chocolate and the lightest, loveliest honey.

You better have a good reason for not having this in your cupboard.

Mmmm, so good :)