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Spring 2022.

Just when I thought I might be getting tired of Laoshan tea, this year’s production comes along to remind me why I loved this tea in the first place. First flush greens can often be a little bland but this one is robust with layers of flavor.

A wonderful aroma of fresh grass, oats, flowers, and boiled milk greets the nose. The flavor is exquisite with its melon sweetness and notes of soft fennel, basil, and soymilk. A hint of toasted grain in the background adds a nice warmth to the cup.

Cold brewing amplifies the sweetness and really brings out the fresh, vegetative notes.

Last shincha of 2022.

This was delicious when fresh. Aroma is like freshly cut wet grass. The tea brews up a nice mellow green color. Notes of dairy and cornflakes. Second steep is very green, fukamushi like. It practically slaps you in the face with grassiness which I love. The third steep is soft textured, crisp, and refreshing. Less grass, more spring vegetation.

A wonderful tea but the flavor and aromatics have dropped since I first opened it 4 months ago so I have to lower the rating slightly.

A 5 year old sample that I finally broke out last week. The slew of bad reviews had discouraged me from this tea and it ended up being banished to the back of my cupboard.

I was initially going to use it in oolong milk tea thinking it was a heavy roast. Turns out that wasn’t the case. In fact, it smelled lightly floral and had notes of pine and juniper berries. The taste was pleasantly woodsy with a hint of spice. Good but basic dark oolong flavor. I don’t know if the tea aged at all sitting in my cupboard for all these years, but it certainly didn’t go stale. An unremarkable yet serviceable tea.

Dry leaf smelled of jujube and blueberry. When heated, the aroma turns slightly earthy with a little black tea malt.

The tea brews up a medium amber resembling a GABA oolong with its potato skin earthiness and prune-like flavor. There’s a very subtle undertone of blueberry that lends a pleasant fruity touch.

A nice tisane especially if you’re looking for something that tastes like real tea. Just wish the blueberry flavor was more prominent.

Another matcha sample courtesy of Cameron B.

Out of the bag, it had a sharp but sweet vegetal aroma. Despite its age, the color was still vibrant. It took a little effort but was able to achieve a nice froth from it. Rich, strong vegetal flavor reminiscent of steamed broccoli without any bitterness. Ended up having it as a latte but actually preferred it straight.

Finally decided to brew this matcha sample after sitting on it forever.

Appearance wise, it was pale green in color and clumpy, likely due to its age. Steeped the entire 2g sample using 175 F water. Took a little while to whisk up due to the lumpiness. Fairly thin and didn’t produce much froth. Bitterness hits the tongue first followed by a vegetal note of cooked spinach. However, it was delicious as a matcha latte with lychee boba. That’s what really counts for me anyway as I seldom go for straight matcha.

Thanks for the sample Cameron B!

Picked this up with my YS spring greens as I needed an inexpensive daily drinker. Despite being a year old, it’s still perfumey and has fresh, clean jasmine flavor. I love the little jasmine flowers that open up as if they’re blooming and dance around in the teacup.

I think the white jasmine is better suited for grandpa style while this does best western steeped. Also, really nice cold brewed.

Very fragrant, fruity aroma like baked plums. Fairly light bodied with a little malt and sweet potato. Good but nothing special. Will have to play around with it to see if I can bring out the fruitiness from the aroma.

Smells like dried thyme or zataar. Brewed tea tastes exactly like how it smells. Initially herbaceous, then roasted sesame seed flavor intensifies. Slightly bitter thyme finish. Tastes like I’m drinking zataar. I love zataar with olive oil on pita and in labneh, but it feels odd to have it in liquid form.

The packaging mentions this is used as a natural cough remedy. I can see how this might be soothing if you’re sick. My family hated this tea but I don’t think it’s totally irredeemable. A little honey or maybe lemon would be nice and take the edge off the bitterness.

Man, I’m liking these cheap bagged Tapal teas way more than I expected. This one has a nice subtle aroma of freeze dried strawberries and Nesquik. When brewed, it’s a like a creamy strawberry milk latte. Nothing fancy here. Just a classic, simple strawberry flavor.