Toot toot! Bye, 2010 — Hello, 2011!

 
This little teapot has worked hard all year, helping his humans taste different teas. Now, 2010 is almost done. So far, I have managed to avoid being chipped and cracked during all those steepings. I also have a great new cozy thanks to GinghamgrlVA! And I have had a great time tweeting with many of you on Twitter.

In short, I want to say what a great bunch of humans you are.

My special thanks to everyone who reads these reviews (and other postings), to those who have taken time to submit comments, to the tea companies who had faith in this little teapot to give their products a fair review, and to other reviewers who have shared their experiences with the same teas.

You have my pledge and a member of the Teapot Scouts of America that I will continue in 2011 to be faithful to my mission of giving you my 2-cents-worth on the quality and taste of various teas. I will also add in a humorous item or two to tickle your funny bone.

Thanks again for reading and may you have a wonderful time in the new year ahead!

Review: thepuriTea.com’s White Monkey Green Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

The Subject:	White Monkey Green Tea
Company:	thepuriTea.com. [More info]

Straight Tea Rating:
About the new rating designation.

Water temperature:	180° F
Steeping time:	1-3 mins. (diff for each infusion)
Tea type:	Green
Aroma, dry leaves:	Burst of spinach, then hay

1st Infusion:
Steeping time:	1 min.
Aroma, plain —	Faint spinach, then hay
Taste, plain —	Mild, smooth, with hay notes
Color, plain —	Pale yellow-green
2nd Infusion:
Steeping time:	2 mins.
Aroma, plain —	Faint spinach, then hay
Taste, plain —	Mild, smooth, with hay notes
Color, plain —	Pale yellow-green
3rd Infusion:
Steeping time:	3 mins.
Aroma, plain —	Faint spinach, then hay
Taste, plain —	Mild, smooth, with hay notes
Color, plain —	Pale yellow-green

 

Comments:
Tea names can be amusing, confusing, and/or centuries old. This one is all three. First, a bit of clarity: this is a green tea, not a white tea, according to the vendor’s site; the name comes from the many tea buds having a white downy appearance; the buds are hand plucked and processed (by humans, not monkeys!) on the Taimu Mountains of Fujian, China.

No monkeying around when it comes to taste with this tea. It was an absolute delight. However, once again, hubby and I had a quite different taste experience from the description on the vendor’s site. Ours was more mild, with a hint of spinach, turning to green hay as the liquid cooled.

Their description:

Although White Monkey is a rare and nuanced tea that’s sure to appeal to serious green tea drinkers, it has a clean, sweet taste that makes it a fantastic introduction to premium green tea for newer tea drinkers. Notes of fresh fruit, sweet spices and cocoa are balanced with a classic green tea astringency and grassiness. A complex, lingering and remarkably refreshing aftertaste makes this tea incredibly easy to drink while providing the layers and depth that tea connoisseurs demand in a great green tea.

Our point here is don’t be discouraged if your taste experience differs from the “official” description. Also, you might want to take them (as the expression goes) “with a grain of salt” when making a purchasing decision. So much of your experience with a tea has to do with how you store and prepare it. I suspect ours is based on starting with a shorter steep time. I say this as a sort of public service announcement, having heard through Twitter of some disappointments.

Fortunately, Nav, the owner, offers samples sizes of his teas at affordable prices. You can order this and other of his fine teas and conduct your own tea tasting.

One look at the tea leaves before and after steeping shows the high quality of this tea and its ability to stand up to multiple infusions:

The steeping directions on the label agree with those on the vendor’s site.

Definitely a sipper tea to enjoy during a quiet moment.

Their packaging of these sample sizes were rather interesting.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Review: The Boston Tea Company’s Earl Grey Citrus Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

The Subject:	Earl Grey Citrus
Company:	The Boston Tea Company [More info]

Flavored Tea Rating:
About the new rating designation.

Flavorings work with tea?	Yes
Tea can be tasted?	Yes
Flavor blend balanced?	Yes

Water temperature:	212° F
Steeping time:	4-6 mins. (we did 5 mins.)
Tea type:	Assam
Additions:	Oil of Bergamot, Citrus, Cornflowers
Aroma, dry leaves:	Oil of Bergamot dominates

1st Infusion:	Used 2 cups of water
Aroma, plain —	Malty, faint citrus/cornflower
Taste, plain —	Mild, not bitter, citrus, herbal, tea flavor
Color, plain —	Reddish
Taste, enhanced —	Smooth, flavors still come thru
2nd Infusion:	Used 1 cup of water
Aroma, plain —	Faint citrus/cornflower
Taste, plain —	Milder, citrus, herbal, more Oil of Bergamot
Color, plain —	Lighter reddish

 

Comments:
Once upon a time, I drank Earl Grey almost exclusively. Then, my tastebuds did a big shift away from it. No particular reason. These days, the rich malty-caramelly taste of a good Assam or the fruity notes of an estate Darjeeling or even the subtle nuances of an Oolong like Dan Cong is what I usually reach for. This tea, while not one we would probably enjoy on a daily basis, could certainly be one to have with some frequency.

One thing that was a bit irksome was that the cornflowers were not listed on the front label of the package. When we opened the pouch, we saw them and checked the company’s Website to confirm what they were. Then, we searched online for more information on cornflowers being used in teas. It seems that they are frequently one of the blossoms added, including in Lady Grey from another tea company. Ok, we were comforted that we weren’t about to consume something weird and went ahead with the tasting.

The other strange thing that came to mind about this tea and that had made us interested in trying it in the first place was that it was citrus added to a tea flavored with a citrus (Bergamot is a citrus fruit). Again, once we opened the pouch, the mystery was solved. Those of you familiar with Earl Grey teas know the smell of Oil of Bergamot, sort of smoky citrusy. Adding pieces of citrus peel (they don’t specify which fruit) pushes the flavor more toward the citrus. We theorized that the presence of this citrus would make adding milk unadvisable, that it might curdle. Ever willing to put our theories to the test, we poured a small cupful (no sense spoiling all of it if this didn’t work out) and added a bit of milk. Then, we waited…tick…tick…tick…DING! No curdling! That was lucky because the milk and a touch of sweetener really made this tea taste terrific.

Again, Boston Tea puts clear steeping directions on the package. Some tea vendors just put them on the Website, so you have to run to the PC to look them up before preparing the tea.

One drawback is the second infusion. While it was better than many others we’ve tried, it’s still a bit weak.

On a final note, with blends like this part of the trick is making sure you have a good mix of the various items in your teapot or other steeping vessel. Otherwise, you won’t get the full intended flavor.

NOTE: This pouch is what the Boston Tea Company uses for samples. Their normal pouches are opaque, not clear, and block out light, very important for preserving your fine teas.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Review: The English Tea Store’s English Breakfast Blend No. 2 Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

The Subject:	English Breakfast Blend No. 2
Company:	The English Tea Store

Straight Tea Rating:
About the new rating designation.

Water temperature:	212° F
Steeping time:	5 mins.
Tea type:	Black
Additions:	N/A
Aroma, dry leaves:	Malty, jammy, rich

1st Infusion:
Aroma, plain —	Malty, jammy, hint of fruity
Taste, plain —	Malty, jammy, astringent, hint of fruity
Color, plain —	Red-brown
Taste, enhanced —	Smooth, caramelly, slightly fruity as cools
2nd Infusion:	Weak, not recommended

 

Comments:
A BIT OF A PET PEEVE HERE: Tea videos are great, but I wish tea companies would also put the teas used in their blends in a text description on their Website. Ditto for steeping instructions. Having to view a video to get this information is getting tedious.

Okay, I got that off my chest. On with the review.

The person in the video for this tea says it is a blend of high-grown Kenyan, Ceylon, and 2nd Flush Assam. The larger tea leaf size, as compared to the dust of the English Breakfast Blend No. 1, was a welcome sight.

We found that the tea steeped perfectly after just 5 minutes. To steep longer would have increased the astringency. The liquid was somewhat astringent even after this steep time, but have no fear. It’s meant to be that way, since it can stand up to having milk added to it, unlike delicate teas whose taste gets smothered by that milk. As the tea cooled a bit (with the milk and sweetener in it), both hubby and I detected a bit of fruitiness, probably from the Ceylon tea in the blend. Small wonder that one of the company owners says this is his favorite tea.

Want to guarantee great presents under the Christmas tree? Switch from milk and cookies to a hot cup of this tea (with milk and sweetener) with some Dark Chocolate McVitie’s Digestives. Santa will be so thrilled that he’ll leave you TWO of everything!

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Review: Thunderbolt Tea’s 2010 Sample #4 Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

The Subject:	2nd Flush 2010 Giddapahar Musk
Company:	Thunderbolt Tea. [More info] [Some Darjeeling Tea Estates]

Straight Tea Rating:
About the new rating designation.

Water temperature:	212° F
Steeping time:	5 mins. (4 mins. better)
Tea type:	Black
Additions:	N/A
Aroma, dry leaves:	Planty, woodsy, fresh, hint of fruitiness

1st Infusion:
Aroma, plain —	Blossomy, fruity, planty, earthy
Taste, plain —	Starts woodsy, turns fruity, not bitter
Color, plain —	Dark orangey brown
2nd Infusion:
Aroma, plain —	Woodsy, less fruity
Taste, plain —	Starts woodsy, smooth, turns fruity as cools
Color, plain —	Lighter orangey brown

Comments:
Hubby and I tried another tea from Thunderbolt Tea, a company that deals directly with tea growers and factories. It’s nice, but not absolutely necessary, to know where the tea we are drinking comes from.

The sample’s wonderful vacuum-sealed foil package, once opened, revealed it had kept the tea as fresh as the day it was sealed at the Giddapahar Estate in the Darjeeling province of India. The leaf pieces were good sized, yet irregular (some big, some small). They enlarged nicely during steeping.

No steeping instructions came with the tea. Just as with the first sample in this 2010 batch, we had to feel our way. We took a guess and went with boiling water, steeping for 5 minutes twice (I suspect that, for the first infusion, 4 minutes would have been better).

We treated this like a black tea, but it is worlds away from other black teas (Chinese, Ceylon, Assam, Kenyan, etc.). It is not as dark, not as full-bodied, and does not take milk. However, you can do multiple infusions. We did 2, the first one being the better one. The flavor of both started out woodsy when hot and turned fruity and smoother as they cooled. The second one could use a touch of sweetener.

Tip: Do the 2 infusions one right after another and combine them to get one very good infusion. Also, unless you really really really need it, avoid adding anything so that you can fully experience the flavors as they develop.

Well worth a try. We trimmed off half a teapot (the first time doing this with a sample from Thunderbolt Tea) because the second infusion was somewhat disappointing. Combined with the first one, though, saves it.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Review: thepuriTea.com’s Dan Cong Oolong

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

The Subject:	Dan Cong Oolong
Company:	thepuriTea.com. [More info]

Straight Tea Rating:
About the new rating designation.

Water temperature:	180° F
Steeping time:	3-5 mins. (different for each infusion)
Tea type:	Oolong
Additions:	N/A
Aroma, dry leaves:	Fruity, apricotty

1st Infusion:
Steep time —	3 mins.
Aroma, plain —	Apricot
Taste, plain —	Subtle apricot, mild, not bitter
Color, plain —	Pale peachy
2nd Infusion:
Steep time —	4 mins.
Aroma, plain —	Apricotty/peachy
Taste, plain —	Apricotty/peachy, delicate, stronger as cools
Color, plain —	Paler peachy
3rd Infusion:
Steep time —	5 mins.
Aroma, plain —	Peachy
Taste, plain —	Light, peachy, smooth texture
Color, plain —	Palest peachy

 

Comments:
This tea is a fruity delight without any fruit being dumped in with the tea leaves. The flavor all comes from those leaves. That’s what is so amazing about high quality straight teas like this one. As you can see, the dry leaves are pretty dark, almost black, and fairly large in size, and after steeping, they show some greenness and it is apparent that at least some of them are that sought-after two-leaf-and-bud combo:

The instructions on the label are slightly different from those on the company’s site. We followed the package label and chose to steep each subsequent infusion a minute longer than the one before it. This resulted in three fairly equal infusions. One thing to note with each: their flavors, especially the fruitiness, get stronger as the liquid starts to cool. Let them sit a minute or two, and you will see quite a difference.

You can certainly enjoy this tea throughout the day or save it for a quiet tea moment.

Their packaging of these sample sizes were rather interesting.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Review: Joy’s Teaspoon Winter Wonderland Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

The Subject:	Winter Wonderland
Company:	Joy’s Teaspoon. [More info]

Flavored Tea Rating:
About the new rating designation.

Flavorings work with tea?	Yes
Tea can be tasted?	No
Flavor blend balanced?	Yes

Water temperature:	203-212° F
Steeping time:	4-5 mins. (we did 5 mins.)
Tea type:	Black
Additions:	Chocolate chips, orange slices, star aniseed, cinnamon rods, flavoring
Aroma, dry leaves:	Orange, cinnamon, anise

1st Infusion:
Aroma, plain —	Balance of orange, anise, cinnamon
Taste, plain —	Balance of orange, anise, cinnamon
Color, plain —	Orangey brown
Taste, enhanced —	Milk rounds out, sweetener makes dessert-like

Comments:
The black tea used as the basis for this blend is not specified and, considering that its flavor is almost totally subdued by the items added to it, that’s fine with me. I must also confess that I don’t even mind not really being able to taste the tea. Sadly, neither hubby or I detected any chocolate flavor. Happily, we didn’t care. The flavor is quite yummy, and the orange taste is not only detectable but very real. The anise lends a licorice quality to the liquid and gets stronger as that liquid cools.

I prefer this tea plain but hubby liked both plain and with a bit of milk and sweetener, which he thought made it very round-tasting and dessert-like.

Steeping tip: Don’t include the large orange, star aniseed and cinnamon stick chunks in with the tea when you steep. That way you will get a liquid that isn’t overly flavored.

Storage tip: If you plan to have this tea around awhile, be aware that the tin in NOT airtight. Open it, tear off a piece of plastic wrap wide enough to cover the tin, push it down inside the tin over the tea, and put the tin lid back on. The tin still won’t be airtight, but it will be better. UPDATE: According to company proprietor Naomi Rosen, this is just a sample tin. Their normal tins are more airtight. However, be aware that as you take tea out of tins, canisters, or other hard-shaped containers (as opposed to a flexible pouch), air will replace it. I would still use a bit of plastic wrap pushed down over the tea.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Rating Straight Teas vs Flavored Teas

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

Using the same rating system for flavored teas and straight teas has never seemed right. One reason is that, with flavored teas, the flavor comes mostly from what is added, not from the tea (in fact, most of the time, the taste of the tea gets lost). Another reason is my growing appreciation for the subtleties that come from some of the higher-end straight teas I’ve tried during the past year or so. I want to, therefore, make some kind of distinction in the rating designation for you. Here’s the simplest solution I could think of:

The rating will be marked as either

Straight Tea Rating:

or

Flavored Tea Rating:

I will be going back through all reviews already posted and making sure they are appropriately notated. It may take awhile. This notation will be used on all future reviews, too.

I will also be adding three additional and important designations for flavored teas: do the flavorings work with the tea used, can the tea be tasted through the flavorings, and do the flavors blend well together.


My personal (not official) definition of each type, just to let you know how I’m differentiating them for rating purposes:

Straight teas — Ones made only from the leaves of the tea plant Camellia Sinensis or one of its varietals. These teas get their flavors from how they are grown, when harvested, and the processing (withering, oxidizing, etc.).

Flavored teas — Ones with various fruits, flowers, spices, flavored oils, etc., added to the tea leaves. This includes teas with plant parts such as Jiaogulan vine leaves added in.

NOTE: Rooibos, honeybush, yerba maté, guayusa, chamomile, etc., are not teas and would not be in either category.

As far as I have seen on other tea review sites, this differentiation is unique to this site.

Review: The English Tea Store’s Irish Breakfast Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

The Subject:	Irish Breakfast
Company:	The English Tea Store

Straight Tea Rating:

Water temperature:	212° F
Steeping time:	5 mins.
Tea type:	Black
Scents, flavorings added:	N/A
Aroma, dry tea leaves:	Malty, jammy, fresh, invigorating

1st Infusion:
Aroma, plain —	Typical Assam
Taste, plain —	Malty, milder than expected, slight tang
Color, plain —	Beautiful Ruby red-brown
Taste, enhanced —	Smooth, malty
2nd Infusion:	Weak, not recommended

Comments:
When we hear the name “Irish Breakfast,” hubby and I think of how those hearty Celts scared the wits out of the Romans. (They came down the hillside, yelling at the top of their lungs, and beseiged Caesar’s organized troops.) I guess the point is that we expect this type of tea to be strong. Orthodox Assams are another matter.

There were no steeping instructions on the sample pack, but hubby and I have had enough CTC Assams to have a good idea of what to do. We steeped this tea in a teapot instead of the traditional method of stovetop steeping that is done in India.

The straight liquid of the first infusion is a beautiful ruby red-brown color, typical for this type of tea. The aroma was also as expected, a scent unique to this tea type. The flavor is where we have an issue: it was malty, jammy, tangy, but too mild. There was no horde of Celts rushing over my tongue. This isn’t really disappointing, though. For those of you who do not like milk in your tea, knowing that you can drink this one straight or with a little sweetener should actually be a relief. For those of us who like our Assams with milk, you might want to use a bit more dry tea than the recommended teaspoon per 8 ounces of water. Stick to the 5 minutes steeping time to avoid bitterness. With milk, even this lighter infusion was satisfying.

Try this tea as the basis for your own spiced tea (masala chai) combo. Here’s my stovetop chai method. You can substitute the tea I used with this one.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Review: The Boston Tea Company’s Coconut Joy Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

The Subject:	Coconut Joy
Company:	The Boston Tea Company [More info]

Flavored Tea Rating:

Water temperature:	212° F
Steeping time:	4-6 mins. (we did 5 mins.)
Tea type:	Black
Scents, flavorings added:	Coconut flavoring and shred pieces
Aroma, dry tea leaves:	Strong coconut (no surprise there)

1st Infusion:
Aroma, plain —	Sweetish coconutty
Taste, plain —	Sweetish coconutty with tea flavor still coming thru
Color, plain —	Dark reddish-brown
2nd Infusion:
Aroma, plain —	Coconutty
Taste, plain —	Coconutty, milder, still getting tea flavor, balanced
Color, plain —	Lighter, orangey

Comments:
Blending teas is a real balancing act, one that many blenders do not achieve. So far, though, every blended tea that hubby and I have tried from this company has been a star performance. This is one of those tea blends that does not ruin the tea taste by adding in other “stuff.” The best blenders work with the tea’s natural flavors to create a symphony on your tongue.

The dry tea was comprised of broken leaf pieces (Ceylon black tea), flavoring, and dried coconut shreds. The tea leaf pieces expanded nicely and the coconut pieces got larger during steeping.

The company does a great job of supplying you with proper steeping recommendations. Remember that you can alter your steeping method based on your personal taste and experience with similar teas. We like to follow the company’s directions at least for the first round.

This isn’t really a tea that takes milk. It’s okay that way but not quite the rich flavor you would get from a straight black tea.

Steep a potful, get out some of your favorite cookies, and find a quiet corner for a coconut tea moment. Your teapot will thank you.

NOTE: This pouch is what the Boston Tea Company uses for samples. Their normal pouches are opaque, not clear, and block out light, very important for preserving your fine teas.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Review: Thunderbolt Tea’s 2010 Sample #3 Tea

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

The Subject:	2nd Flush 2010 Arya SFTGFOP1 Tippy
Company:	Thunderbolt Tea. [More info] [Some Darjeeling Tea Estates]

Straight Tea Rating:

Water temperature:	212° F
Steeping time:	4 mins.
Tea type:	Black
Scents, flavorings added:	N/A
Aroma, dry tea leaves:	Fruity, fresh

1st Infusion:	Used 2 cups of water
Aroma, plain —	Fruity
Taste, plain —	Fruity, tang, not bitter; grape aftertaste
Color, plain —	Light reddish-brown
2nd Infusion:	Used only 1.5 cups of water
Aroma, plain —	Still fruity
Taste, plain —	Still fruity, milder
Color, plain —	Lighter reddish-brown

 

Comments:
Hubby and I appreciate that Thunderbolt Tea is a company that deals directly with tea growers and factories. There’s something really comforting about knowing where the tea we are drinking is coming from. Not absolutely necessary but nice.

The sample came in a wonderful vacuum-sealed foil package that, once opened, revealed it had kept the tea as fresh as the day it was sealed at the Arya Estate. The aroma was fruity and fresh, and the leaf pieces were good sized, yet irregular (some big, some small). They enlarged nicely during steeping.

No steeping instructions came with the tea. Just as with the first sample in this 2010 batch, we had to feel our way. We took a guess and went with boiling water, steeping for 4 minutes twice (we reduced the amount of water for the 2nd infusion).

We treated this like a black tea, but it is worlds away from other black teas (Chinese, Ceylon, Assam, Kenyan, etc.). It is not as dark, not as full-bodied, and does not take milk. However, you can do multiple infusions. We did 2, and both were delightful, holding up the reputation of Darjeeling teas. Complex flavors seemed to change with each sip as the tea cooled. That world-renowned muscatel-like flavor was evident, especially in the aftertaste. Well worth a try.

In case you’re wondering, SFTGFOP1 means “Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe fine (first) grade” according to Benoy of Thunderbolt Tea.

By the way, hubby and I got busy with other things after the tasting, and about a cupful of this tea sat for several hours on the counter. I warmed it up about 33 seconds in the microwave and was pleased that the tea still tasted fruity with no bitterness. Good to know that a fine tea like this doesn’t go to waste over such an oversight.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

Review: thepuriTea.com’s Gunpowder

© 2010 A.C. Cargill photos and text – All rights reserved.
No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

The Subject:	Gunpowder
Company:	thepuriTea.com. [More info]

Straight Tea Rating:

Water temperature:	180° F
Steeping time:	1-3 mins. (we did 2 mins.)
Tea type:	Green
Scents, flavorings added:	N/A
Aroma, dry tea leaves:	Fresh, planty

1st Infusion:
Aroma, plain —	Fruity-nutty, hint of grassiness
Taste, plain —	Smooth texture, mild, faint apricot flavor as it cools
Color, plain —	Light yellow-green
2nd Infusion:
Aroma, plain —	Apricotty (hubby detected some floral notes)
Taste, plain —	Buttery-nutty-apricotty without the sweetness
Color, plain —	Light yellow-green with rosy tones
3rd Infusion:
Aroma, plain —	Apricot that turns nutty as it cools
Taste, plain —	Smooth, not buttery, touch of plantiness
Color, plain —	Light yellow-green with more rosy tones
4th Infusion:
Aroma, plain —	Apricot
Taste, plain —	Less smooth, more nutty, hint of edginess
Color, plain —	Light yellow-green with more rosy tones

Comments:
Your pre-conceptions about gunpowder tea, usually the workhorse of green teas, will be shattered when you try this one. First, the leaves are rolled so tightly that they look like a solid piece and take several infusions to fully unfurl. Second, the aroma, flavor, and color of the liquid in the cup is totally different from other gunpowder teas.

Nav Nouhi, company owner, scores another hit. Each infusion of this tea is a journey through the tea leaves. As they open, they release more of their essence. We stopped after the 4th infusion but you might be able to get more. Just steep shorter times (1 to 1.5 mins instead of 2 mins). As you can see, some of the tea leaves didn’t fully unfold, others didn’t even start unfolding, while still others unfolded completely.

All of this gives the tea liquid a complexity of flavor that changes from one infusion to the next. One thing remained consistent: apricot aroma and flavor. Hubby said is was like apricot blossoms just as they were dropping and the fruit was starting to form. (Note: Our taste experience is quite different from what the tea company described on their site. We don’t pay attention to a company’s write-up when we’re trying their tea and only read the flavor descriptions after the tasting.)

The label directions agree with the Website on this one.

If you’ve tried Gunpowder teas in the past and thought them too “green” tasting (planty, grassy, etc.), give this one a try. Hubby and I think you will be very pleasantly surprised.

Their packaging of these sample sizes were rather interesting.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.