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This one is really changing, and like it, my preferences change from day to day and mood to mood. I’ve steeped it several different ways, and only once was I able to get the sweetness that made me love it in the first place. Even when I first sampled it, it was a weak orchid that changed into a sweeter lilac that reminded me so much of plumeria. I liked the Milk Oolong most, then this one became my favorite. Now, I prefer the Milk Oolong more again save one day of a singular, stronger brew. The cost of a gram per ounce or more is great, so I try to use less water for less grams or stay with it lightened. Even when this tea is fainter, though, I keep on welcoming it and it comes as an honored guest. It will always be a must try for anyone, but nothing will compare to the way it was when I made it sweet by accident. Perhaps I’m romanticizing the favored experience, but I swear it was just as sweet as the Milk Oolong was, tasting of plumeria, warm milk, and a dash of caramel.

Now, it’s been a few days, the smell has changed from orchid, to plumeria, to lilac, and back to orchid now. I miss the sweetness so much, but I couldn’t bring myself to add sugar to it. A stronger brew with more leaves and time is the best way that I can get it to be sweet again. The same wonderful notes pervade, with more butter and cream some days, more vegetal others, but a transformation of flowers persists. I wish I wrote down what I did when I rated this as a 98 because I still miss it. Nevertheless, this tea still does what a good Tie Guan Yin is supposed to do: provide serenity in a cup of purity. The plumeria smell remains, and I continue to think back to Hawaii when my life was more fortunate. A divine gift from the Goddess of Mercy indeed.

And now, I don’t know what to rate it. Some days it’s been a 90, others an 85, and unfortunately some days a 80 or 75 because of how faint I brewed it. I’ll keep on coming back to this one for I will be drinking it for days. For those of you who are trying to decide whether or not to try it, look down at my first review that is on the bottom of this particular review.

….but then I figured it out! Less water, hotter water just under boiling, more leaves! 15 seconds, then 30, then add fifteen subsequently at 1-1.5 grams per ounce. Sweet plumeria, you have returned!

I used less leaves, just a tea spoon in eight ounces, and it was much better. Still syrupy and sweet with the caramel and toffee being the doubtless flavor, but it didn’t need any sugar or honey to sweeten it this time. It was what I was craving, though I’ve been craving caramel in general. I still taste the papaya and I ate it again. I’d recommend this to a lot of people, and for a black tea, it looks a lot like a Hojicha and tastes very similar to one. More than likely it’s an Ceylon, but still it’s good. I actually liked it better this time, though I still think it would be great with as a Pu-Erh or a Hojicha. Interestingly enough, there is an oolong like this on their website. I would recommend this to a lot of people except tea purists. Otherwise, the caramel flavor is sweet enough for a palette craving candy and the tea base is decent enough for an experienced drinker.

So this is pretty good, and surprisingly syrupy for a tea. I had this straight western and it is what it says. I could also taste the papaya and loved that aspect to it…and I ate it. It is a little too sweet, but somehow sugar ties the sweetness together. Probably good with cream but I prefer it as is. I think I would probably like a Pu-Erh version of this….they are every where a stores.

Thank you Nichole! This one certainly catches my fancy as a sweeter green tea.

When I smelled it, I instantly got the vanilla and it definitely has a coconut character to it in smell and taste. The notes on here already describe it perfectly.

I like it on it’s own, but sugar is not a bad compliment. A lot of people would like this, especially newer drinkers. More experienced drinkers would love the deep green powder color, but want the liquid to be a little bit frothier. Flavor though is fresh and rejuvenating-it’s almost a desert tea to me.

There’s an entire page for this, but apparently, it’s misplaced. Oh well, here’s my review of it.

I like this one a lot, and makes me feel relieved in terms of budget. I was actually recommended this one as a bagged, and based on the descriptions of caramel, I had to try it.

First time, I tried to do it Gongfu, but wound up Western on accident. I definitely got something like a spicier yet lighter black tea, but the more subtle notes like caramel were overwhelmed after two minutes. There were even seaweed notes that were kinda good, but something I have to be in the mood for. It got sweeter in the later steeps with something that reminded me of a cooked cherry, but not entirely.

Finally got to do it Gongfu tonight, with a ten second rinse at 195 degrees, using six grams in six ounces. The first rinse had a taste that replicates rose water. This tea is VERY close to a Laoshan black because it has the same type of rosy, cooked fruit character. Laoshan’s are one of my favorites, and in comparison, this one is a lighter brother or cousin that does not have the robust malt or chocolate of a black. It also doesn’t have the same dehydrating effect that a black does.

Steep two, 30 seconds, and still very rosy with a faded molasses bitter sweetness. Steep three, a full minute, and darker, redder, and something closer to a black tea. Four at two minutes, and something like a cherry black, but lighter. Five at three, and cooked cherry.

I really liked this one, but it is a toss up. When I’m in the mood for it, I would probably rate this one a 90; when I’m not, an 80. I still need to figure out better steeping parameters for this one. It was sweet, but not as sweet as I was expecting. I didn’t get the full caramel or honey like described, so I’ll be back on this one pretty soon.

Thank you Garret for this tea!

I steeped it as instructed online: 5 second rinse, 1 minute, two, then four. I really like it. To me, it was very similar to Imperial Pearl by Mountain Tea because it had the same type of roasted character, but with a sweet aftertaste. I want to say there was some cherry in the second steep, but not quite. Honey perhaps? Both times had a wonderful earthy, floral character very similar to an oolong. Also surprisingly nutty, though it’s a considerably light black tea. The final steep reminded me of stone fruits and honey.

I steeped this again the full four minutes, and all the notes that I got from the Gongfu in each brew came at me at once in a balanced way. Definitely better western, and I was even able to brew it again for another four minutes and it tasted almost the same though it was lighter. It was spicy, and fairly complex. The Imperial Pearl from Mountain Tea and this one are almost the same in terms of taste, and both had a dried cherry flavor that lingered on the tongue for a while.

I had some jitters earlier today from a lack thereof working out. I naturally have a lot of nervous energy, and with a lot of tea, the caffeine can get to me….so yay! More caffeine. I noticed though, that this had a focusing effect on me. I wouldn’t say calming, but slowed me down a little bit and reminded me to breath. I see why this is taken before exams.

Still flowery and creamy, but not nearly as sweet as when I first tried it. I’ll double check my brewing, and try again. Thank heavens I had notes on it from before. More than likely I need more leaves and perhaps brew it longer. Is there a way to brew this sweeter, Garret? Or because it’s been a few months since harvest it loses it’s sweetness?

Another lovely sample thanks to Nichole!

I liked this one. Did this one exactly as instructed on the Whispering Pines Site. First brew, there was a creamy mouthfeel and it kinda reminded me of a really light milk chocolate. There was some caramel and honey to me, but then it became very malty, then broth like. I’m guessing the broth is the morel note. Steep two again had malt and broth. Three, there was a weird, fruity character that reminded me of the grape in North Winds, but different and very faint compared to the malt. Four, more like a raisin. Five, it starts to taste like any other golden tea in the later steep, with the same faint malt but again, a little bit of raisin.

This was good, but I agree with Liquid Proust and like the Imperial Bud more. To me, it wasn’t quite as sweet and I don’t like the raisin quality too much. More of an experienced drinker’s tea, or one that you’d introduce golden teas to a newbie with. I also think that people who like Darjeelings might appreciate it a little bit.

Thank you Nichole for this one!

This is the highest rated tea on steepster as of now, but I’m not quite sure about it. I see why people enjoy this one: it tastes like Mackinac Island fudge with a thick malt, smothering over chocolate and vanilla. First time, I used half a tablespoon in about seven to eight ounces. I do get the chocolate and vanilla notes, but they are overwhelmed by the malt for me western after three minutes. I did it again after five, then eight minutes and I got a full vanilla fudge feeling at around 175 to 180 degrees in the second steep. Unfortunately, that disappeared into the malt. I tried to steep it for less time and less leaves, at about a teaspoon in four ounces. I tried it after a minute and twenty seconds, and I taste the vanilla more with a little bit of the breadish base, but the other natural notes of the tea being jumbled. I added about another minute, and again, fudge. Second steep, a changing flux of the vanilla and the malt and the chocolate, one overwhelming the other. Third, still a little too light, but less vanilla, and more of a light malt, perhaps white grape.

I had fairly high expectations for this one and I didn’t because this is a slightly older sample. I’ve also had North Winds which is a really complex black tea, one that really had to grow on me before I absolutely enjoyed it. I also had to use more leaves to get the full profile on it, and though I said in the review of that one that it needs something else like vanilla, I’m not sure if the vanilla fits because it kept on getting confused in the cup. Maybe the inconsistency is because the vanilla weakens with age, but the black tea should still be fine.

I tried it again today on the 25th with a teaspoon, and let it steep for about four minutes in five ounces. I made it significantly lighter than before and I was then able to taste more of the flavor. It was now a balanced fudge. I liked it more this time, but again, the same flavors but more evenly paced-still too drying.

I do like this tea, but it’s not the best I’ve had. Oddly enough, I preferred the North Winds in Gongfu because I got more flavors that were balanced-this was confused under malt. Hopefully this review isn’t obstructed by age (I think it’s from this year). I also think that it’s an issue of preference…I’m not a huge of a fan of vanilla chocolate fudge. I’m the one that opts out for fudges like chocolate walnut, orange, white chocolate, pistachio, amaretto, chocolate cherry. More than likely, I would probably like the Cocoa Amore more because it has an Ailaoshan base, giving cherry to compliment the vanilla and cocoa….darn it being more expensive.

I liked this one more than the Strawberry Cheesecake. At first, I was concerned about the aging but then, oh…..aging is a good thing for Pu-Erh. The base tea was actually really good, a really smooth pu-erh absent of odor. As for the flavoring, it does have Yankee Candle going for it…but I like this one because it’s a Fall tea. Halloween and Thanksgiving are its holidays. I do taste the Irish Cream, which I love, and it accents the pumpkin, but….I want just the Irish Cream. Pumpkin is so overused as a flavor now for Starbucks-or coffees and teas EVERYWHERE that I don’t want it anywhere near my drinks again….and I loooooove Irish Cream. Nevertheless, this tea is GOOD, and flavored amazingly. Don’t let my anti-establishment inclinations detract from the real quality of this tea. I’ll try this again with maybe sugar or something to spice it up. It’s just a shame that this company doesn’t make teas anymore…. but there are more things to life than tea and I hope that the creators of these amazing things have good lives at that.