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Waaazz up, Peaches….that’s what this tea makes me want to say. I could tell that the sample was an older one since it was from Butiki, a company that I really wanted to try but closed before I could. Well, Liquid Proust, you’re continuing it’s memory. Thank you!

This is perhaps one of the fruitiest dark teas that I’ve had without flavoring. It almost reminds me of a Darjeeling (which is a hit or miss tea for me). Smells exactly like stoned fruit. Steep one after 20 seconds in 3 ounces of water, very peachy that includes the woodsy seed at the center. Steep two for 45 seconds ( too light for me after 30) for 3 ounces it is very nectar like, with citrus and honey. My only criticism of this tea so far is the dry mouth effect it has like other dark teas. It’s very sour…

So taste, it’s really a 90 for me, but the tart dehydrating effect makes me not want more. Impulse tells me to brew more to get the most out of this memory, but my throat wheezes “Get me some freakin’ water.”

This is Smoothness itself. I’ve never had any other tea that is this gorgeous and this silky. I admit that I’m still getting over the smell, but as I rinsed it three times, it transitioned into something closer to a mushroomy odor. I steeped it for 20 seconds and the rest Gongfu, the second 25, the third 30. The color is a very deep brown, with shades of orange, purple, and red glossing the liquid. The taste is exactly as described on here, there are notes of cocoa, some molasses, leather, mushroom, and bitterness. The bitterness overpowers the natural sweet notes in it, but as I re-steeped it, it got sweeter. Next time, I’m going to steep it more to see if it gets any sweeter.

I am so glad that I got this, though I admit the cake is bigger than I thought. Originally, I thought that I was going to have to budget more with my teas running out of gift income, but I found more that I totally forgot about. I still need to budget better, and have certainly bought too much tea, but this is a choice that I’m really glad I made. As a preemptive hangover strike for my twenty first, I think that I’ll be happily recovering with this embodiment of velvet.

As for my usual tidbit about general audience, this is for an experienced drinker, and one that should be used to introduce someone to Pu-Erh and Gongfu style of steeping. A newbie would have a hard time getting over the smell despite the taste being far different, which is also why Garret HIGHLY recommends rinsing for 5-10 seconds 2-3 times. It might be easier for a palette that’s not used to it with sugar, specifically rock sugar or maybe honey. I personally might start adding rock or raw sugar on occasion to really bring out the sweeter notes like cocoa, but I still can totally drink it on it’s own. Also, this is a tea that you should devote an entire day to because of the sheer amount of resteeps that you can get. It will serve your tea needs all day, which is another reason why I purchased this as a specific budget savor when I thought I had less of a disposable income (still technically do, but you know, tea addict).

Thank you again, Liquid Proust!

Well, this one was a really pleasant surprise. I knew it was going to be a darker oolong like a Wu Yi Rock, but this one was considerably sweeter than the others I’ve had. It was like a dried plum or a dried cherry with a honey like sweetness, accented by a few woodsy notes. I brewed this the first time 30 seconds with boiling, second 45-then upped to a minute, similar, but more cherry and wood. Third at two minutes, still boiling, lighter but lingering sweet. Final at four minutes and water at 190 degree F, light woodsy and dried fruit.

I liked that it has the characteristic woodsy bamboo notes frequent in this type of Oolong, but I liked it even more with dominant fruity sweetness. I wonder if you got the same reaction to this one, LP. I’d recommend it, and it probably would be one that I would drink often, just not all the time. I think I might have rated it lower if I wasn’t in the mood for it, but I was craving something sweet and toasty.

I usually don’t like chai, but I was pretty impressed with this one. It’s closer to an Indian style, so the ginger is more prominent than the cinnamon and cloves though all ingredients are easily tasted. This was a gift from my friend , and thank heavens it was a sachet I liked. This will help me be ready for school indefinitely.

Any way, I did this western soaking it to 3 minutes and fifteen seconds. I’m not entirely sure what the black tea body is, but is incredibly smooth and did not have the dry mouth effect that an Assam does. Probably a Ceylon, but could be something else. Like I said above, the ginger is a little more prominent which is in a nice combo with the other spices. They by no means detract from the black tea base but rather compliment it like they are supposed to. Most of the chai’s I’ve had taste like Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Fireballs in the most artificial way that you can think of. This one is truly more natural and rejuvenating, but relaxing.

I actually took a few sips of the tea pure and I can honestly drink it that way, but I added cream and sugar to see how it would taste. It was pretty good and very balanced, so I handed it off to my little brother because he likes his teas that way. Glad I have it.

This was better than the previously aged Tie Guan Yin I’ve had, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. It has that stained wood quality that I’m not a huge fan of, but that note is made up for by its sweet, cedary character. I really understand why sandalwood would be the comparison for it’s spiciness. I made it gongfu, steaped for 30 seconds after five second rinse, and it is sweet and very similar to coffee, but not in a way that you would expect. It has the roasted, sweet berry acidity of coffee, but it tastes more like a coffee berry than anything else. So, surprisingly fruity. I would probably drink this more often in the winter, but not something that I would buy again. I honestly wanted just a sample, but got the full ounce on sale. I’m not sure if I want to steep it a third time though, because the woodsiness is still holding me back.

I think that this tea deserves a higher rating in quality between a 80-95, but in terms of taste, it’s closer to a 65-70 for me because of preference. It might be good western with cream and sugar, though that may be blasphemy. Maybe there are better ways of brewing it that I haven’t figured out yet.

I wish I bought this one instead as a full ounce instead of the green tea. Man, I really, really love this tea. It smells EXACTLY like chocolate. It’s a lot like the Laoshan Black, but this one is considerably smoother and the chocolate note is the most dominant. Laoshan’s have a rosier quality to me, but this one is sweeter and less astringent. So sweet.

Okay, how I did this one: 3-4 grams (about a tea spoon and a a third of one is what I actually measured-forgive me for my approximations) in seven ounces of water 200-190 degrees F.

Steep one, 5 seconds…choCOLATe…

Steep two at ten seconds, still chocolate but smooth with a weird fruitiness coming in. The sandalwood is there, but it is hard to describe its unusual presence. It’s not something that you obviously taste or immediately get, but it has a smooth, smokey quality that isn’t really smoky or burned in the least bit-roasted, yes, and smoother. It’s almost like a chocolate covered almond to me.

Steep three, 45 seconds, too faint, then upped it to a full minute. Chocolate is still there and oh so sweet, but more almond with a very approximate cherry aftertaste.

Steep four at three minutes. Faded, which is to be expected, but still very sweet and smooth. Not quite sure how to describe it, but it makes me feel so good.

Steep five at around five to six minutes. There’s still chocolate hanging around, but now it’s like a Dian Hong in its later infusions. It has predominantly sweet potato taste, and some caramel notes to it now that are a little bit more noticeable. My love is reaching interesting depths now.

Steep six boiling water at three minutes. Chocolate and toffee….
I should have realized that I would deeply enjoy this tea because I like Laoshan Blacks. Unlike the black, it’s smoother and doesn’t have the same astringency or malt. I think that the chocolate like taste is much easier to get and smell because it doesn’t have the fermentation to overwhelm it. I would recommend this to a newer to intermediate drinker, but it has to be brewed right or the notes would be lost. I would introduce Gongfu to a newer drinker with this one because it’s so sweet, and this one really allows one to enjoy pure tea. I think that a more experienced drinker would like it, and it’s more for someone who likes roasted oolongs or Laoshans. It does not have the same dehydrating effect for me whatsoever.

This is just my bias, and I hope that this tea gets a higher rating on here over time because I think that it really deserves it.

I got this as a sample from my last order and boy, was it a generous sample. Thank you, David!

Anyway, this was another one that I was really curious to try. The notes on Verdant sold me, while the contradictory ones on here made me want to know more.

Dry leaf, I couldn’t really smell it, but the leaves looked like a greener version of a Wu Yi rock oolong. I steeped half a tablespoon of the fairly medium leaves for twenty seconds in eight ounces. The steam that rose was very floral to me like a forest, and very nutty. It was extremely similar to a Gui Fei. Then I sipped it down, and it had the same nutty, oddly sweet taste of a Gui Fei, but a bamboo woodsiness of a rock oolong. It was almost vegetal, but more so roasted and nutty. I can see why vanilla was noted because it has the creamy, cooling and sweet mouthfeel of vanilla, but doesn’t quite have the taste.

Steep two, 45 seconds, and a little too light. Steeped the rest of it for another fifty seconds. Much fainter this time, but had a toast, muffin quality to it. Some more of the vanilla mouthfeel.

Steep three, three minutes. There is a definite vanilla like smell, kinda creamy like jasmine. Sipped, and a little too light again. Another full minute. Still light, but floral that’s kinda close to the smell.

I had to stop there. I really enjoyed this one. It was sweet and had a fairly unique profile to it that again was between a rock oolong and a Gui Fei. Perhaps I should use more leaves and a little bit less water next time, but I still enjoyed it. Would recommend as something to try, but it would be up to mood, preference, and season like Fall or Summer to own.

I was really curious about this one, and since it was on sale, I decided to get an ounce. Starting off, the dry leaves are long and spindle like, scented very similar to a Yunnan White Moonlight but grassier. I added about a tablespoon of it, but not a full one because the leaves were so long.

I did pour 195 F hot water in for fifteen seconds, and drank it. It definitely taste like a green version of a Yunnan Moonlight. It has the weird, hay and creamy notes of one, but then it has a very grassy seaweed taste. I did the second steep for about 30 seconds and it was the same as the first.

I am glad that I tried it, but it’s not my favorite. I think that this is an amazing quality tea with a very unique, almost Pu-Erh type taste, though not one that I would drink often. I personally did not enjoy this one as much as I thought I would.

…now for the back note. I had to try it again. I used considerably less leaves this time, at around four grams with water at 180. First infusion after 30 seconds it was still the sea weed fishy grass I didn’t like. But I steeped it again at 50 seconds by accident, and it tasted like a green tea with a recognizable apricot note. It was way better. Third time at around three minutes, it kinda resembled a Sencha with more sea mist than weed, yet not quite as grassy or sweet. It still resembles a Yunnan Moonlight and really isn’t close to a Sencha, but again, there’s that maritime quality to it. The rating remains as a personal seventy for me, but I liked it more in the later infusions.

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.

WARNING: LONG REVIEW.
I’m sure that the samples I had were probably of Spring 2015 itself, but this is what comes the closest to in terms of the tasting notes I looked up. The first time I steeped my first sample, I followed the instructions of four grams for six ounces of water, fifteen second rinse with 205 degrees F water, and got nothing. One bare note of creaminess. I steeped it twenty seconds. Still, bare creaminess and floral notes, but otherwise, hot water. Then I did something outrageously stupid: I upped the amount to seven grams of leaves, half of them dry, half of them not, and brewed for 3 minutes….still way to light and barely present in ANY flavor. Other than my shining example of burning impulse, I didn’t know what I did wrong. I could barely get a taste-I was drinking light flower water.

And so, I decided to get another sample as a freeby with my order. I honestly couldn’t let the backlog above as my impression for this tea. I knew it HAD to be better. It was. This time, I used the full seven gram sample for seven ounces of water near 190 degrees F. The dry leaf smell offered so much more than the previous one: a very distinct vanilla orchid aroma invited me. There was almost a jasmine like sweetness to it, and the smell was amplified once brewed in hot water.

I rinsed it for fifteen seconds, drank it, and decided to do it western. I was really hoping to do it Gongfu style, but the tea was not quite strong enough for me personally to do it that way. Steep one: one minute, and primarily orchid, some sweetness and creaminess, with a vanilla accent. The mouthfeel was light, yet smooth and creamy. I was hoping for a little bit more taste, but the aroma made up for it therapeutically. Steep two, near two minutes, still seven ounces like the rinse and steep one, and got the full profile. Orchid, cream, vanilla, and flowers. Steep three was pretty similar at three minutes, but more floral, peachy and green than creamy and vanilla, and not quite as sweet as say a lychee, honeysuckle like steep two. Now on steep four, it’s light, but creamy and peachy with an undying floral faint character. I’m not sure if I’m going for steep five, but this one has a purity that I can savor.

I honestly had really high expectations for this tea, and was more critical than I have been of others. Tie Guan Yin holds a very special place for me. I was introduced to Green Oolongs by it, and unlike all others I’ve had, Tie Guan Yins have a distinctly divine quality. If you want to believe in the legend that names this tea, it is indeed divine in nature.This tea was, or rather, is a gift from the Iron Goddess of Mercy,the Bodhisattva Guanyin. When I drink a good Tie Guan Yin, I immediately think of this legend, and feel as if I’m drinking something from heaven. This is the type of tea that I can meditate to, the kind of healer that purifies me of all the leaching negativity of daily life.

Again, I have very particular expectations, and this time, they were met. This is purity in a cup like a good Tie Guan Yin is supposed to be. There are others that I might recommend over this one, but very few that hard to come by. I’d still recommend it, though more so for an experienced drinker. I wish I knew how to steep it better Gongfu, and I honestly might not recommend this to a newer drinker because of inexperienced steeping parameters (as clear in my prior dunce).

Rating is a bit difficult for me on this one. I think that it deserves a range in the 90’s, but in terms of my preference for slightly stronger teas, I’m putting it at an 85.

Thank you David for this wonderful tea!