So a little while back I placed a very massive teaware order from Crafted Leaf Tea and it arrived today along with a couple free tea samples and samples of two flavours of their handmade tea candies!
They were kind enough to send a green tea and an oolong version. Obviously I tried them right away because I have zero impulse controls – it’s why I place massive teaware orders in the first place. So thoughts on both below…
Xin Yang Mao Jian Umami Bomb
I was nervous about this one because it’s a little bit of a gnarly looking green colour and I don’t often enjoy green tea – especially in concentrated flavours like I was expecting this to be. However, the sweetness of the sugar certainly goes a long way. And that’s not to say it’s overly sweet; actually far from it. It’s just that the sweetness is pleasant and helps to soften any bitterness that might be present or dull some of the greener elements.
In fact, the best part of this candy is how distinctly nutty it tastes. Like, the roasted notes and flavours of hazelut/chestnut really come through in a way that is scarily accurate to the flavour of actual Mao Jian. It’s impressive how much they’re able to convey the distinct taste of the tea through the candy format!
Song Dynasty Old Bush Milan Dancong
Shockingly, I actually liked this candy less than the green tea alternative – but it was still very good. The overall flavour was much softer/milder than the taste of the green tea and it felt less sweet, as well. I got notes of gentle floral lychee and grapes though as I continued sucking on the candy as well as the most delicate, pleasant hint of roast and minerality. A little like cocoa butter, too!
Again, I’m just really impressed with how distinctly it tasted of the tea it was made from. Real crystal clear flavour notes.