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I feel like I shouldn’t be the first one to review this tea, because in a minute, I am going to come off sounding like an enormous newbie. This is my first real pu-erh, as the cheap bagged chrysanthemum blend by Asian Taste I tried earlier doesn’t count. (Even though it was very tasty.)

Upon first sniff, I was a little intimidated. Not to be offensive, but this tea smells exactly like fish food to my inexperienced senses. As it brewed, I was stunned at how dark it became. I had never seen tea so black before, almost like coffee. It had a dark ambery red tint to it as well. I was so intrigued at this point. And the liquor itself lost the fishy scent.

For a tea this dark, I would never have expected it to be so smooth! It’s not bitter or sharp at all, and hardly astringent. It just tastes like mellow, good black tea. I really like it. It has a sort of taste in it that I can’t identify… it’s a sort of “aged” flavor that’s hard to describe. There’s also something in this that sort of reminds me of pekoe. Anyway, I think it’s great! And the caffeine content makes it a lot of fun. Honey would compliment it well, I think. EDIT: I think I’ve tasted something like this before in a bottled Thai tea.

I was a little wary of this tea, mostly because I’ve tried a mint tea before and was appalled. But when I saw it on the sample list, I decided to go for it anyway. I love the taste of spearmint, so I figured I would try it again. (This time from a reputable source…)

I’m very glad I did. This tea is milder than I expected, but in a good way. It’s not overpowering at all, as I was sort of expecting to be hit by it like a stick of 5 gum. No, this is smooth and fresh tasting, almost as if there was fresh mint used instead of dried. The gunpowder green tea’s taste itself is overshadowed by the mint, but I don’t mind. It’s especially soothing since I’ve had a sore throat all day. It was nice coming home from working a double to a cup of this on the couch.

It leaves a very clean feeling in the mouth, sort of like the feeling after brushing your teeth. Again, another winner from Arbor Teas’ Fair Trade department. I could see myself keeping this around for when I want a cup before bed.

I’m not usually a huge fan of white teas… well, at least until now I wasn’t. I’ve had some negative experiences with it in the past, but this tea sort of pushes all that away.

Upon first look, this is a beautiful tea. I don’t think the picture does it justice. The brilliant red-orange flower petals mixed with the silvery and green tea leaves compliment each other well. I steeped it by the book, exactly 180 degrees for three minutes flat. The liquor is a pale and clear yellow, as one would expect. And the smell of it brewing… like others have said, just like candy, but without the artificial qualities. It just smells deliciously of sweet fruit. Ever so pleasant.

The taste is very light and delicate, almost apple-like. It seems very clean and smooth to me, and has hardly any aftertaste aside from the pomegranate flavor. I can imagine this would be fantastic over ice. It is definitely going on my Shopping List. I have been very impressed with Arbor Teas since I’ve had the opportunity to sample them, and this tea was no exception.

Hello, old friend. I’ve been drinking this tea on and off for about five years now. I always come back to it. Been slowly making my way through a 1lb.-bag I acquired not long after Adagio stopped producing this for the east coast. It was my first loose leaf tea.

As usual, it’s a very potent Ceylon blend with tart plum and a hint of vanilla. Having it hot tonight. Is there a term for having cups of tea back to back, like “chain smoking”, only with tea? Because that’s what I have been doing today.

This tea comes across with a sort of fierce confidence compared to the calm, mellow darjeeling I tried earlier. The leaves are more tightly rolled and darker, almost black. The scent is sharper as well, and it has that distinct Ceylon signature.

Within seconds the water turned a deep reddish amber. I was impressed. This would be excellent on a cold morning, as the caffeine level feels pretty high. As usual, I added sugar to compliment the pleasant bitterness. I personally love Ceylon, so this was a real treat. It’s much better than any of the Ceylons I’ve tried from Adagio and other random places.

Also, I’d like to mention that not only is this tea certified organic, Fair Trade, and delicious, it comes in a compostable bag. Everything about this tea is biodegradable. I highly recommend it.

I’m celebrating Fair Trade Month early with my first darjeeling. Thank you, Taylor!

I knew I was going to like this tea the second I opened the bag and sniffed. It smelled so deliciously sweet and enticing, but dark. Like the woods in fall. The leaves don’t look like a traditional black I’m used to. They were a lighter brown, and had bits that remind me almost of a white tea mixed in.

I could hardly wait the five minutes I let it steep. The initial flavor is a cultured, smooth black tea with a hint of honey. It also has a sort of fruity zest to it, sort of lemony. There is no bitterness at all, and it is not astringent in the least. I can suddenly understand why people call darjeelings “the champagne of tea”.

This might be my mainstay black tea from now on.

Brewed this double-strong and used 1 part water, 1 part milk. Added sugar and topped with whipped cream. It’s almost like a chai latte this way. Should have sprinkled cinnamon on top of the cream… hmm.

I may have used water that was a tad too hot, but I like the outcome either way. It’s exactly like one might expect. Heavy on the lemon, light on the ginger, and even lighter on the herbal tea flavor. It brews up to a pleasant shade of yellow. The scent of the tea itself is almost purely ginger, but then again, I have a cold, so I’m sure a lot of subtlety is being lost on me. If I get a chance, I would like to try this again with honey or agave nectar.

I’ve noticed that a lot of us have been trying this tea when we’re sick. Hmm.

My friend gave me a bag of this when I left his place earlier. And, wow. This is exactly what I needed today. (I’ve caught a cold.)

I admit I can’t really taste the chrysanthemum, but the pu-erh’s flavor is amazing. It’s sweet and honeylike, and incredibly smooth. Completely non-astringent or bitter. It’s malty and I know this may sound strange, but buttery. In a good way. Like a warm honey-buttered croissant. It’s going amazingly with my intensely spicy Thai ramen.

I’m going to have to buy a box of this.

Alright, I changed my mind. After brewing a pitcher of it to have iced, I feel like I should add that it’s delicious cold. While the rooibos flavor seemed stronger when it was hot, it takes on a different and much more refreshing note when it’s cold. My brother and I went through the whole pitcher in one day. It’s sweet and summery, with a hint of something creamy in the aftertaste like vanilla.

I’ve upped the rating score just a little because of this. If you have this tea and haven’t tried it iced, I highly recommend that you do!

Also, I should note that though I mentioned before that this tea smells VERY strong when you open the package, it doesn’t describe what it’s like to make half a gallon at once. My entire apartment REEKED of blueberry. In fact, one of my roomies asked me if I was making muffins within the first minute steeping. I wonder if the neighbors could smell it, it was so strong!