Hi readers! Sorry for not posting in awhile. I have a few reviews in the works that will be up soon. In the meantime, I have a special announcement from Yogic Chai!
Tomorrow, Sunday June 1st, is the grand re-launch of Yogic Chai Website!
Yogic Chai and the Insani-Tea Blog0 would like to take an opportunity to offer you a coupon code that you can use on the Yogic Chai website during the first 48 hours of their opening date. To use this coupon, you will need a special coupon code, which is 510680. By using this code, you will be able to get 25% off any purchase made either tomorrow, June 1st, or Monday, June 2nd. I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity!
Once again, the coupon code is 510680 and its for 25% off. To redeem the coupon, you will have to enter it at the checkout page.
You can visit Yogic at http://www.yogicchai.com. I hope you take advantage of this, and keep your eyes peeled, as I promise I will post at least one review within the next week, with several more to follow shortly.
Over and Out,
ROR
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Let's Get Yogic (And Have Some Chai!)
Hi all,
It's been a little over two weeks since my last post, but you'll be delighted to know that the semester is now over, which means I may be able to post much more often!
Today's post will be a review for Yogic Chai. Yogic Chai contacted me a few weeks ago, and asked if I would examine some samples for them and then post a review. Of course, since I love chai, I accepted immediately!
I will first explain one of the blends I received, and point out the good and pad points, then I will discuss quality, and will then finally discuss packaging and the shipping experience, after which I will make some closing remarks about the product and the company that makes it!
The tea that I will write about today is the one that impressed me the most, for a variety of reasons. It is called Kuki Chai Masala, and it represents much of what I have always loved about a quality chai - balance. The Kuki is a mellower version of the Chai, which lacks much of the spiciness one would expect from a traditional Chai. However, what it lacked in oomph it made up for with flavor, smoothness, and balance. The mildness of this blend might be due to the fact that it is a Kukicha blend. For those of you that don't know, Kukicha teas are made from more than just the leaves of a tea - they also include twigs and stems, in fact, some Kukicha do not include any leaves at all, which I believe is the case with this tea (Please, Yogic, correct me if I am wrong.)
Although the Kuki lacked the spiciness I have come to expect from a quality Chai, it did not lack flavor, and still remained a rich, luxurious dessert tea. Adding cream is nice, but not necessary, as much smoothness and creaminess is already present.
I particularly enjoyed the cinnamon flavor in this brew, but had a more difficult time detecting the ginger (which is usually part of a Chai mixture), however I believe I did eventually detect it. The dominant characteristic in this blend is absolute balance. This is one of the most well-balanced teas I have ever enjoyed. Each flavor complemented the others perfectly. There was neither too much nor to little of any one spice, and I did not find that any spice was overpowering in the tea, or covering up for other flavors. This is probably the best mild Chai I have tasted in 10 years.
As for quality, this Chai is second to few. I would say second to none, but my local Grounds for Coffee actually has one that they hand-blend that I find to be superior. The granular tea is made of whole, unbroken ingredients, including whole, unground spices. This is a delight, especially in a chai, as many modern chai beverages will grind the spices a little or a lot, and this takes away from the true essence of the spice, which, in my opinion, can only truly be released when steeped whole.
This tea also contains excellent clarity and cup color, showing up to be a nice amber-orange color. Additionally, it has almost no cloudiness, which is a great sign that they only use whole leaves and herbs, and tea dust never makes it into their final blend. This is a relief, and a sign of premium quality in a tea.
The packaging is nice, but could use some work. The teas arrived in brown, foil-lined packets with a label on the front which names the tea and it's net weight and a disclaimer stating that it contains caffeine. While this presentation is aesthetically pleasing, it lacks several important characteristics.
First, it provides little protection to the tea. The packet could easily be crushed in shipping, which would significantly diminish the quality of the tea. Second, it does not
provide a listing of ingredients. Personally, I am a person that likes to know what his in his tea, so this was a bit of a disappointment. Third, it lacks any temperature guidelines or brewing instructions. Someone not very familiar with loose tea would be at a loss for how much they should use per cup, what temperature they should heat the water to, and so forth.
While the packaging is somewhat lacking, this is something that can easily be corrected with relatively little work. Fortunately, the tea inside is of superior flavor and quality.
The shipping experience was also nice. The teas were well-packed, and arrived safely and not crushed - something to be admired. The teas also arrived quickly, and without incident, and queries sent to the provided email address were always aswered very quickly and professionally.
Overall, I would rate Yogic Chai, as a company, very highly. There are few shortcomings, and of those shortcomings, none affect the actual quality of the tea. For this inerested in a milder version of their favourite Chai, I would recommend this company wholeheartedly, as I believe they have done a truly beautiful job.
Thanks for reading everyone! Now that the semester is over, posts will pop up a little more often, which will be good for all of us.
You can visit Yogic Chai on the internet at www.yogicchai.com/
Over and out,
Relznuk Zero Relznuk
It's been a little over two weeks since my last post, but you'll be delighted to know that the semester is now over, which means I may be able to post much more often!
Today's post will be a review for Yogic Chai. Yogic Chai contacted me a few weeks ago, and asked if I would examine some samples for them and then post a review. Of course, since I love chai, I accepted immediately!
I will first explain one of the blends I received, and point out the good and pad points, then I will discuss quality, and will then finally discuss packaging and the shipping experience, after which I will make some closing remarks about the product and the company that makes it!
The tea that I will write about today is the one that impressed me the most, for a variety of reasons. It is called Kuki Chai Masala, and it represents much of what I have always loved about a quality chai - balance. The Kuki is a mellower version of the Chai, which lacks much of the spiciness one would expect from a traditional Chai. However, what it lacked in oomph it made up for with flavor, smoothness, and balance. The mildness of this blend might be due to the fact that it is a Kukicha blend. For those of you that don't know, Kukicha teas are made from more than just the leaves of a tea - they also include twigs and stems, in fact, some Kukicha do not include any leaves at all, which I believe is the case with this tea (Please, Yogic, correct me if I am wrong.)
Although the Kuki lacked the spiciness I have come to expect from a quality Chai, it did not lack flavor, and still remained a rich, luxurious dessert tea. Adding cream is nice, but not necessary, as much smoothness and creaminess is already present.
I particularly enjoyed the cinnamon flavor in this brew, but had a more difficult time detecting the ginger (which is usually part of a Chai mixture), however I believe I did eventually detect it. The dominant characteristic in this blend is absolute balance. This is one of the most well-balanced teas I have ever enjoyed. Each flavor complemented the others perfectly. There was neither too much nor to little of any one spice, and I did not find that any spice was overpowering in the tea, or covering up for other flavors. This is probably the best mild Chai I have tasted in 10 years.
As for quality, this Chai is second to few. I would say second to none, but my local Grounds for Coffee actually has one that they hand-blend that I find to be superior. The granular tea is made of whole, unbroken ingredients, including whole, unground spices. This is a delight, especially in a chai, as many modern chai beverages will grind the spices a little or a lot, and this takes away from the true essence of the spice, which, in my opinion, can only truly be released when steeped whole.
This tea also contains excellent clarity and cup color, showing up to be a nice amber-orange color. Additionally, it has almost no cloudiness, which is a great sign that they only use whole leaves and herbs, and tea dust never makes it into their final blend. This is a relief, and a sign of premium quality in a tea.
The packaging is nice, but could use some work. The teas arrived in brown, foil-lined packets with a label on the front which names the tea and it's net weight and a disclaimer stating that it contains caffeine. While this presentation is aesthetically pleasing, it lacks several important characteristics.
First, it provides little protection to the tea. The packet could easily be crushed in shipping, which would significantly diminish the quality of the tea. Second, it does not
provide a listing of ingredients. Personally, I am a person that likes to know what his in his tea, so this was a bit of a disappointment. Third, it lacks any temperature guidelines or brewing instructions. Someone not very familiar with loose tea would be at a loss for how much they should use per cup, what temperature they should heat the water to, and so forth.
While the packaging is somewhat lacking, this is something that can easily be corrected with relatively little work. Fortunately, the tea inside is of superior flavor and quality.
The shipping experience was also nice. The teas were well-packed, and arrived safely and not crushed - something to be admired. The teas also arrived quickly, and without incident, and queries sent to the provided email address were always aswered very quickly and professionally.
Overall, I would rate Yogic Chai, as a company, very highly. There are few shortcomings, and of those shortcomings, none affect the actual quality of the tea. For this inerested in a milder version of their favourite Chai, I would recommend this company wholeheartedly, as I believe they have done a truly beautiful job.
Thanks for reading everyone! Now that the semester is over, posts will pop up a little more often, which will be good for all of us.
You can visit Yogic Chai on the internet at www.yogicchai.com/
Over and out,
Relznuk Zero Relznuk
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The Leaf is Mightier Than The Sword
Hello again, all!
I know, I know... In my last post, I promised another review in a week or so. I'm well aware of that, and I apologize for my failure. Being a full-time student, a part-time blogger, and running your own business can take a lot of time and energy, and I haven't balanced the three too well. I hope I can make it up to you with several up-and-coming reviews, one of which is probably the most exciting product I have ever reviewed on this site (watch for this one sometime after May 13.)
Now, for today's offering. You might think the title of this post is an interesting one. The english and writing lovers among you are probably anxious to point out that the title should say "Pen" rather than "Leaf." But I have very good reasons for this.
Today I'll be reviewing a sample from a tea company called Mighty Leaf Tea. I recently received some samples courtesy of Annelies from MLT. All of the samples were fantastic, but one rose above the rest, so I will mention it here in detail.
Mighty Leaf Tea crafts artisan blends of high-quality whole leaf tea and premium herbs and ingredients. Indeed, the quality of these teas, particularly the notable herbal blend which I will mention today, is as yet unsurpassed in my experiences with herbals. This makes for an exceptional tea experience. Mightly Leaf started as a San Francisco teahouse 12 years ago, and have since progressed and become quite sucessful in the tea business, which I believe is a result of their commitment to excellent teas and a superb customer experience. They ship very quickly, have excellent email response times, and are always positive and eager to help out the customer in any way possible. This type of customer service is a prime example of excellence.
The tea which I will be reviewing today is Chamomile Citrus. Any frequenter of this blog may know that I am a great fan of chamomile tea, so I tend to be rather picky when reviewing them. I'm always hardest on my favorites. This blend, however, has failed to present any serious negative traits worth mentioning. Typically when chamomile is blended with citrus, the chamomile flavor takes a back seat to the strong and overpowering citrus notes. However this is not the case with this particular blend. The subtle and mellow citrus flavor complements the chamomile almost perfectly. You can definitely tell that Chamomile is the main ingredient in this blend, which I say is how it always should be!
Although the samples I received came in tea bags (which I am not frequently a fan of), Might Leaf did not commit any of the sins of bagged tea. They place quality whole-leaf tea in a bag that is actually large enough to promote proper water flow, which is a rare quality for a bagged tea. This tea allows me to be a fan of loose tea while granting the convenience and portability of a teabag. The teabags are also biodegradable, which is important, and definitely appeals to the environmentalist within me. So many tea bags present an environmental disaster!
The color and clarity of the tea was also surprisingly excellent. The tea was extremely clear with no cloudiness, and a minimum of tea dust in the bottom of my cup. The flavor is pleasantly tangy, and presents a near-perfect balance between the sour citrus notes and the natural sweetness of both the citrus of the chamomile. The tea also has a strong enough flavor to keep you sipping to the bottom of your cup, unlike many other bagged teas which are often pale and uninteresting after the first few sips.
I give mad props to Mighty Leaf for bring respect back to teabags. :)
Now, one thing I would like to specifically mention is the packaging, which is both good and bad. The teas came in a sort of folded bubble of cardstock. On the cardstock is printed all of the information you need to know about the tea, including the proper brewing temperature and time. Three teas are included in each bubble. One thing that worried me is that the teas seem to have been slightly cramped inside this bubble, and I worry that sometimes two teabags will press against each other and crush some of the fine leaves and herbs. That worry aside, however, the packaging is convenient, portable, and environmentally friendly.
The shipping experience with Mighty Leaf is also a delight. This is some of the fastest shipping and processing I have seen, with the package arriving faster than I expected (I believe it took 2 days to receive the parcel.) This is important for customer satisfaction, and for the company's reputation!
Overall, my correspondence with Mighty Leaf was delightful in every way. Excellent customer service, fast shipping, and great quality tea in one easy package! I would highly recommend their teas to anyone, and would suggest that other tea companies take a "leaf" (haha) out of the Mighty Leaf book.
Thanks for reading, and be sure to watch the blog for new entries. At some point in the future, I'll discuss some of Mighty Leaf's new blends they have just received out of the prime tea farms in India.
I encourage you to visit their website at www.mightyleaf.com.
Over and out, and SIP ON!
R0R
I know, I know... In my last post, I promised another review in a week or so. I'm well aware of that, and I apologize for my failure. Being a full-time student, a part-time blogger, and running your own business can take a lot of time and energy, and I haven't balanced the three too well. I hope I can make it up to you with several up-and-coming reviews, one of which is probably the most exciting product I have ever reviewed on this site (watch for this one sometime after May 13.)
Now, for today's offering. You might think the title of this post is an interesting one. The english and writing lovers among you are probably anxious to point out that the title should say "Pen" rather than "Leaf." But I have very good reasons for this.
Today I'll be reviewing a sample from a tea company called Mighty Leaf Tea. I recently received some samples courtesy of Annelies from MLT. All of the samples were fantastic, but one rose above the rest, so I will mention it here in detail.
Mighty Leaf Tea crafts artisan blends of high-quality whole leaf tea and premium herbs and ingredients. Indeed, the quality of these teas, particularly the notable herbal blend which I will mention today, is as yet unsurpassed in my experiences with herbals. This makes for an exceptional tea experience. Mightly Leaf started as a San Francisco teahouse 12 years ago, and have since progressed and become quite sucessful in the tea business, which I believe is a result of their commitment to excellent teas and a superb customer experience. They ship very quickly, have excellent email response times, and are always positive and eager to help out the customer in any way possible. This type of customer service is a prime example of excellence.
The tea which I will be reviewing today is Chamomile Citrus. Any frequenter of this blog may know that I am a great fan of chamomile tea, so I tend to be rather picky when reviewing them. I'm always hardest on my favorites. This blend, however, has failed to present any serious negative traits worth mentioning. Typically when chamomile is blended with citrus, the chamomile flavor takes a back seat to the strong and overpowering citrus notes. However this is not the case with this particular blend. The subtle and mellow citrus flavor complements the chamomile almost perfectly. You can definitely tell that Chamomile is the main ingredient in this blend, which I say is how it always should be!
Although the samples I received came in tea bags (which I am not frequently a fan of), Might Leaf did not commit any of the sins of bagged tea. They place quality whole-leaf tea in a bag that is actually large enough to promote proper water flow, which is a rare quality for a bagged tea. This tea allows me to be a fan of loose tea while granting the convenience and portability of a teabag. The teabags are also biodegradable, which is important, and definitely appeals to the environmentalist within me. So many tea bags present an environmental disaster!
The color and clarity of the tea was also surprisingly excellent. The tea was extremely clear with no cloudiness, and a minimum of tea dust in the bottom of my cup. The flavor is pleasantly tangy, and presents a near-perfect balance between the sour citrus notes and the natural sweetness of both the citrus of the chamomile. The tea also has a strong enough flavor to keep you sipping to the bottom of your cup, unlike many other bagged teas which are often pale and uninteresting after the first few sips.
I give mad props to Mighty Leaf for bring respect back to teabags. :)
Now, one thing I would like to specifically mention is the packaging, which is both good and bad. The teas came in a sort of folded bubble of cardstock. On the cardstock is printed all of the information you need to know about the tea, including the proper brewing temperature and time. Three teas are included in each bubble. One thing that worried me is that the teas seem to have been slightly cramped inside this bubble, and I worry that sometimes two teabags will press against each other and crush some of the fine leaves and herbs. That worry aside, however, the packaging is convenient, portable, and environmentally friendly.
The shipping experience with Mighty Leaf is also a delight. This is some of the fastest shipping and processing I have seen, with the package arriving faster than I expected (I believe it took 2 days to receive the parcel.) This is important for customer satisfaction, and for the company's reputation!
Overall, my correspondence with Mighty Leaf was delightful in every way. Excellent customer service, fast shipping, and great quality tea in one easy package! I would highly recommend their teas to anyone, and would suggest that other tea companies take a "leaf" (haha) out of the Mighty Leaf book.
Thanks for reading, and be sure to watch the blog for new entries. At some point in the future, I'll discuss some of Mighty Leaf's new blends they have just received out of the prime tea farms in India.
I encourage you to visit their website at www.mightyleaf.com.
Over and out, and SIP ON!
R0R
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Spring is the Time for Choice (Organic) Teas.
Greetings Readers!
Sorry for leaving you an entire month with no updates to the blog. I’m ashamed and need to do much better with my commitment. To make up for it, I promise at least three entries for this month (including this one.)
I want to open up today’s post by asking you all what is your favorite tea to drink in the springtime? Here in Utah, the end of Winter is upon us. While Spring Equinox doesn’t officially occur until the 21st, it already seems as if Spring has sprung.
One of my favorite teas in the springtime is Genmaicha. The toasted, nutty flavor of the roasted grains of golden-brown rice makes me think of warm days returning after a long summer.
With that in mind, I’ll begin today’s review.
Recently, I was contacted by Abby, a representative of Choice Organic Teas, with a request to sample a few of their blends and provide a review in the customary method. As with most such requests, I gladly accepted. A few days later, a small parcel arrived containing some of their blends, including one of my new favorites that I hadn’t seen before.
I will begin by reviewing a few of the samples I received, and then I’ll mention a few things about the packaging and overall experience I had with this quality purveyor of teas.
The first sample I’ll mention is an organic Genmaicha. For those of you that don’t know, Genmaicha is a traditional Japanese green tea blended with nicely toasted grains of brown rice, which imparts a lovely flavor.
Genmaicha is one of my favorite blends of tea, so I do have a few useful comments towards this particular blend. For the positive aspects – this tea did have a very nice cup colour with very little clouding, and had a very well-blended profile, remaining smooth and blended from the first sip to the last.
However, there are a couple of things I might mention. Primary among these is the size of the tea leaf pieces in the blend – they seemed a little small and broken in comparison to my usual Genmaicha. Generally, an intact or mostly intact leaf tends to provide a better flavour with less asringent. The smaller pieces tend to add to the bitterness of the cup, and alter the flavour somewhat, as well as resulting in a cup that is less clear than one might expect. While this cup was by no means cloudy, I also wouldn’t call it clear.
Overall though, the expert blending of this particular mix made up for it’s shortcomings, providing the perfect balance between the warm, roasted and nutty notes of the rice, and the mellow flavor of the green tea which serves as its base.
The suggestion I would give for this blend would be to incorporate larger portions of the tea leaf into the blend.
The second blend was one I had not seen prior to my correspondence with this company – Lemon Lavendar Mint. This was unique and delightful. The sample I received was a bagged tea, although I believe this blend is also available in a loose version.
This is perhaps the most well-blended specialty tea I have ever had the pleasure to consume, and by far one of the best bagged herbals I have ever had the pleasure to sample. The lemon and mint flavors combined to provide first a refreshing kick, and secondly a lasting sort of vibrancy which persisted through the cup. They also did well not to commit the common mistake with these sorts of blends and overpower the lavender, allowing its delicate floral notes to flourish.
Whatever shortcoming might have been present within the Genmaicha were more than compensated for in this delightful and refreshing brew. Additionally, this tea tastes exceptional over ice, with a slice of lemon or lime and a small pinch of sweetener.
I would grade this tea highly and place it near the top of my list of incredible tea experiences that I have had, and highly recommend it.
For more information on Choice Organic Teas, feel free to visit their website at www.choiceorganicteas.com
Thanks very much for reading, and I hope you’ll visit again in a week or so for my next post.
Over and out,
Relz
Sorry for leaving you an entire month with no updates to the blog. I’m ashamed and need to do much better with my commitment. To make up for it, I promise at least three entries for this month (including this one.)
I want to open up today’s post by asking you all what is your favorite tea to drink in the springtime? Here in Utah, the end of Winter is upon us. While Spring Equinox doesn’t officially occur until the 21st, it already seems as if Spring has sprung.
One of my favorite teas in the springtime is Genmaicha. The toasted, nutty flavor of the roasted grains of golden-brown rice makes me think of warm days returning after a long summer.
With that in mind, I’ll begin today’s review.
Recently, I was contacted by Abby, a representative of Choice Organic Teas, with a request to sample a few of their blends and provide a review in the customary method. As with most such requests, I gladly accepted. A few days later, a small parcel arrived containing some of their blends, including one of my new favorites that I hadn’t seen before.
I will begin by reviewing a few of the samples I received, and then I’ll mention a few things about the packaging and overall experience I had with this quality purveyor of teas.
The first sample I’ll mention is an organic Genmaicha. For those of you that don’t know, Genmaicha is a traditional Japanese green tea blended with nicely toasted grains of brown rice, which imparts a lovely flavor.
Genmaicha is one of my favorite blends of tea, so I do have a few useful comments towards this particular blend. For the positive aspects – this tea did have a very nice cup colour with very little clouding, and had a very well-blended profile, remaining smooth and blended from the first sip to the last.
However, there are a couple of things I might mention. Primary among these is the size of the tea leaf pieces in the blend – they seemed a little small and broken in comparison to my usual Genmaicha. Generally, an intact or mostly intact leaf tends to provide a better flavour with less asringent. The smaller pieces tend to add to the bitterness of the cup, and alter the flavour somewhat, as well as resulting in a cup that is less clear than one might expect. While this cup was by no means cloudy, I also wouldn’t call it clear.
Overall though, the expert blending of this particular mix made up for it’s shortcomings, providing the perfect balance between the warm, roasted and nutty notes of the rice, and the mellow flavor of the green tea which serves as its base.
The suggestion I would give for this blend would be to incorporate larger portions of the tea leaf into the blend.
The second blend was one I had not seen prior to my correspondence with this company – Lemon Lavendar Mint. This was unique and delightful. The sample I received was a bagged tea, although I believe this blend is also available in a loose version.
This is perhaps the most well-blended specialty tea I have ever had the pleasure to consume, and by far one of the best bagged herbals I have ever had the pleasure to sample. The lemon and mint flavors combined to provide first a refreshing kick, and secondly a lasting sort of vibrancy which persisted through the cup. They also did well not to commit the common mistake with these sorts of blends and overpower the lavender, allowing its delicate floral notes to flourish.
Whatever shortcoming might have been present within the Genmaicha were more than compensated for in this delightful and refreshing brew. Additionally, this tea tastes exceptional over ice, with a slice of lemon or lime and a small pinch of sweetener.
I would grade this tea highly and place it near the top of my list of incredible tea experiences that I have had, and highly recommend it.
For more information on Choice Organic Teas, feel free to visit their website at www.choiceorganicteas.com
Thanks very much for reading, and I hope you’ll visit again in a week or so for my next post.
Over and out,
Relz
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Just for You, Just for Me, A Steaming Cup of "Just4Tea"
Hi Readers!
Sorry this post is so very late! I've been pretty busy with a new semester at the University, and also with starting and running my new business (which, sadly, isn't tea-related.)
Today, I'll be reviewing some selections from Just4Tea.com, a delightful company which contacted me some while back. They have been waiting a very long time for their review, and I hope they take some consolation in that this happens to be an especially positive review towards their teas.
The sample pack they sent me contained a number of different teas, but I will highlight a few of these that stood out to me in particular.
The first are their winter and spring oolongs. These are some very delightful oolongs, and each has a subtlety in flavor to differentiate itself from it's counterpart. The winter oolong, my favorite of the two, is very crisp and light. It has a very fine a subtle nutty quality, and a subtle cane-like sweetness, which helps to balance off the flavor. It has a very smooth finish, and a delightful green aftertaste. The winter oolong is a tad earthier than the spring oolong. The spring oolong also has slightly more sweetness, however the nutty note is not as pronounced. Both are delightful.
The second blend that I'd like to highlight is called Tie Guan Yin. This was an exquisite cup, and a perfect blend for cold winter days. Tie Guan Yin is allowed to ferment longer than traditional oolongs, and is also specially roasted to bring out it's unique flavor characteristics. This is a very deep and intense tasting tea - quite a strong flavor. Several notes are detectable - a floral note, some light fruitiness, and some moderate nuttiness. The first note you pick up on while sipping this is the floral one - a nice, crisp and pungent note to gather your attention. As the floral note fades, the fruity notes began to become more obvious, tasting somewhat apricot-ish, and the cup finishes with a smooth, sweet, and slightly nutty note, which leaves a clean and open feeling in your mouth. This tea, in particular, also has a very nice, rich cup color.
And the third blend that I believe deserves some special credit is their Jasmine Pearl tea. I've had alot of different variations on the Jasmine Pearl tea, but this one is among my favorites of the genre. Generally, a Jasmine Pearl tea has a predominant green tea flavor base, with a subtler afterthought of Jasmine. With this blend, however, the Jasmine flavor is much more pronounced, driving the cup through the end, with a milder green tea flavour. This blend also has a delightful coloration which looks great in the cup, and has a significantly strong jasmine scent, moreso than most Jasmine Pearl blends I have tried. It left a lingering smell of Jasmine in my room for 15-20 minutes after I had finished the cup,
This blend also has somewhat less astringent than I am typically used to with a jasmine green tea blend. All of these qualities combine to make this one of the best jasmine pearl blends I have ever had the pleasure of sampling, and one which I will be keeping in mind as I do other similar tastings in the future.
The packaging is also very well-thought of. The labeling is well-designed, containing all of the important information you'd need, as well as some stylish oriental symbols. It is laid out in a fashion that is very appealing and pleasing to the eye as well.
Overall, I would highly recommend that you sample from this tea company (which has a convenient sampler set containing all of their teas), as it will provide an interesting contrast to any other supplier due to the unique style employed in their creation.
Thanks very much for allowing me to sample your teas, June, and I wish you the best of success in your business endeavors.
You can all check out Just4Tea's Website at Just4tea.com.
Over and Out,
R0R
Sorry this post is so very late! I've been pretty busy with a new semester at the University, and also with starting and running my new business (which, sadly, isn't tea-related.)
Today, I'll be reviewing some selections from Just4Tea.com, a delightful company which contacted me some while back. They have been waiting a very long time for their review, and I hope they take some consolation in that this happens to be an especially positive review towards their teas.
The sample pack they sent me contained a number of different teas, but I will highlight a few of these that stood out to me in particular.
The first are their winter and spring oolongs. These are some very delightful oolongs, and each has a subtlety in flavor to differentiate itself from it's counterpart. The winter oolong, my favorite of the two, is very crisp and light. It has a very fine a subtle nutty quality, and a subtle cane-like sweetness, which helps to balance off the flavor. It has a very smooth finish, and a delightful green aftertaste. The winter oolong is a tad earthier than the spring oolong. The spring oolong also has slightly more sweetness, however the nutty note is not as pronounced. Both are delightful.
The second blend that I'd like to highlight is called Tie Guan Yin. This was an exquisite cup, and a perfect blend for cold winter days. Tie Guan Yin is allowed to ferment longer than traditional oolongs, and is also specially roasted to bring out it's unique flavor characteristics. This is a very deep and intense tasting tea - quite a strong flavor. Several notes are detectable - a floral note, some light fruitiness, and some moderate nuttiness. The first note you pick up on while sipping this is the floral one - a nice, crisp and pungent note to gather your attention. As the floral note fades, the fruity notes began to become more obvious, tasting somewhat apricot-ish, and the cup finishes with a smooth, sweet, and slightly nutty note, which leaves a clean and open feeling in your mouth. This tea, in particular, also has a very nice, rich cup color.
And the third blend that I believe deserves some special credit is their Jasmine Pearl tea. I've had alot of different variations on the Jasmine Pearl tea, but this one is among my favorites of the genre. Generally, a Jasmine Pearl tea has a predominant green tea flavor base, with a subtler afterthought of Jasmine. With this blend, however, the Jasmine flavor is much more pronounced, driving the cup through the end, with a milder green tea flavour. This blend also has a delightful coloration which looks great in the cup, and has a significantly strong jasmine scent, moreso than most Jasmine Pearl blends I have tried. It left a lingering smell of Jasmine in my room for 15-20 minutes after I had finished the cup,
This blend also has somewhat less astringent than I am typically used to with a jasmine green tea blend. All of these qualities combine to make this one of the best jasmine pearl blends I have ever had the pleasure of sampling, and one which I will be keeping in mind as I do other similar tastings in the future.
The packaging is also very well-thought of. The labeling is well-designed, containing all of the important information you'd need, as well as some stylish oriental symbols. It is laid out in a fashion that is very appealing and pleasing to the eye as well.
Overall, I would highly recommend that you sample from this tea company (which has a convenient sampler set containing all of their teas), as it will provide an interesting contrast to any other supplier due to the unique style employed in their creation.
Thanks very much for allowing me to sample your teas, June, and I wish you the best of success in your business endeavors.
You can all check out Just4Tea's Website at Just4tea.com.
Over and Out,
R0R
Friday, December 21, 2007
A Delightful Stash of Tea
Hi all,
I hate to say it, but this looks like the last post of 2007! Happy New Year everyone! I hope you've all had, and still are having, a wonderful holiday season. Remember if you have not done so to request a $5 gift certificate on the right side of this blog. It's my gift to you.
Recently, I received a nice review package from Stash Teas. I am a long time fan of stash teas, and have always found them near the top of the list as far as quality is concerned.
For this review, I will start by listing the items included in the review package, discussing my reactions to the packaging, etc, saying something about each of them, and then explaining which item was my favorite and why I think that.
The first thing that impressed my upon examining the contents of the parcel was the packaging. Each of the teas is stored in a very durable foil-type sack. Each sack has a sturdy zipper seal on it to keep air out and hold the aroma in, helping to prevent your tea from becoming stale. Additionally, each bag features a nice description of the tea it contains, explains the proper brewing temperature, and provides intelligent brewing suggestions. The packaging is also very attractive in it's color scheme and design. Definate shelf appeal.
The first item is the very popular Silver Needle White Tea. I have tasted a lot of white teas since I have been a blogger, and found each of them to be slightly different than the others. Stash Tea's Silver Needle White is a delicious, very mild full-leaf white tea. As far as Whites go, this one is pretty good, but not the best. I noticed that the cup was very slightly cloudy. The flavor, however, is fantastic. As good as Adagio's whites, but not quite on par with some of the new organics I have tasted (more about that in a later review). Overall, I would say that this is a very fine white tea. It's well above the average, and it's apparent that Stash has put some considerable effort into ensuring high quality.
The second item is Fancy Golden Tippy Hao Ya. This is a specialty black tea with a unique smoky flavor. I found this tea overall to be higher quality than the white tea. This tea does not have any clouding at all, resulting in a clear and crisp cup of tea. I found myself really enjoying the smoked flavor of this tea. The tea also has a nice color - a nice golden color - which adds to the appeal. This tea's flavor profile is that of a mild black tea with the smoky notes. It's also slightly sweet, with less astringent than most blacks. It is a very fine tea, and I would recommend it to anyone.
The third is a Formosa Oolong Fancy Grade. As far as oolongs go, this is near the top of the charts. It has that delicious, mild nutty flavor common to oolongs, but also has some additional fruity notes that aren't so common. These are lovely features for an oolong to have, though. This tea also has no clouding, and a great color in the cup. A nice golden - not as deep as the Hao Ya, but a nice soft and mellow golden. This tea is also slightly sweet, needing no added sweetener at all.
The final tea is Gyokuro Asahi Pearl Dew. This tea is unique and interesting. This is a green tea, and is unique among greens. It has a subtle sweetness and a strong vegetal taste which I couldn't get enough of. It also has excellent cup color, but does cloud a bit. This is made up for, however, by the nice, whole uncrushed leaves and the unique blend of flavors. This is a very rich tea, with lots of flavor and punch. It's intensity lies in it's flavor blending, and it's underlying vegetal taste.
Overall, the Pearl Dew was my favorite of these, although it was hard to decide between that and Tippy Hao Ya. I adore the flavor blends in the Pearl Dew, really like the tint of the liquid, love the smell, and mostly love that it's high quality and good for me.
You can visit Stash, and order their free catalog at www.stashtea.com/
Hope you've enjoyed the review. More to come early this January, so keep watch!
Over and out,
Relz
I hate to say it, but this looks like the last post of 2007! Happy New Year everyone! I hope you've all had, and still are having, a wonderful holiday season. Remember if you have not done so to request a $5 gift certificate on the right side of this blog. It's my gift to you.
Recently, I received a nice review package from Stash Teas. I am a long time fan of stash teas, and have always found them near the top of the list as far as quality is concerned.
For this review, I will start by listing the items included in the review package, discussing my reactions to the packaging, etc, saying something about each of them, and then explaining which item was my favorite and why I think that.
The first thing that impressed my upon examining the contents of the parcel was the packaging. Each of the teas is stored in a very durable foil-type sack. Each sack has a sturdy zipper seal on it to keep air out and hold the aroma in, helping to prevent your tea from becoming stale. Additionally, each bag features a nice description of the tea it contains, explains the proper brewing temperature, and provides intelligent brewing suggestions. The packaging is also very attractive in it's color scheme and design. Definate shelf appeal.
The first item is the very popular Silver Needle White Tea. I have tasted a lot of white teas since I have been a blogger, and found each of them to be slightly different than the others. Stash Tea's Silver Needle White is a delicious, very mild full-leaf white tea. As far as Whites go, this one is pretty good, but not the best. I noticed that the cup was very slightly cloudy. The flavor, however, is fantastic. As good as Adagio's whites, but not quite on par with some of the new organics I have tasted (more about that in a later review). Overall, I would say that this is a very fine white tea. It's well above the average, and it's apparent that Stash has put some considerable effort into ensuring high quality.
The second item is Fancy Golden Tippy Hao Ya. This is a specialty black tea with a unique smoky flavor. I found this tea overall to be higher quality than the white tea. This tea does not have any clouding at all, resulting in a clear and crisp cup of tea. I found myself really enjoying the smoked flavor of this tea. The tea also has a nice color - a nice golden color - which adds to the appeal. This tea's flavor profile is that of a mild black tea with the smoky notes. It's also slightly sweet, with less astringent than most blacks. It is a very fine tea, and I would recommend it to anyone.
The third is a Formosa Oolong Fancy Grade. As far as oolongs go, this is near the top of the charts. It has that delicious, mild nutty flavor common to oolongs, but also has some additional fruity notes that aren't so common. These are lovely features for an oolong to have, though. This tea also has no clouding, and a great color in the cup. A nice golden - not as deep as the Hao Ya, but a nice soft and mellow golden. This tea is also slightly sweet, needing no added sweetener at all.
The final tea is Gyokuro Asahi Pearl Dew. This tea is unique and interesting. This is a green tea, and is unique among greens. It has a subtle sweetness and a strong vegetal taste which I couldn't get enough of. It also has excellent cup color, but does cloud a bit. This is made up for, however, by the nice, whole uncrushed leaves and the unique blend of flavors. This is a very rich tea, with lots of flavor and punch. It's intensity lies in it's flavor blending, and it's underlying vegetal taste.
Overall, the Pearl Dew was my favorite of these, although it was hard to decide between that and Tippy Hao Ya. I adore the flavor blends in the Pearl Dew, really like the tint of the liquid, love the smell, and mostly love that it's high quality and good for me.
You can visit Stash, and order their free catalog at www.stashtea.com/
Hope you've enjoyed the review. More to come early this January, so keep watch!
Over and out,
Relz
Thursday, December 13, 2007
An Intoxicating Aroma
Before I begin this post, allow me to first express my sincerest apologies to my readers and the tea companies that are in Que for review here at Insani-Tea. I am behind schedule here, and the dates I have given for reviews have come and gone. I have been frantic for the last couple of weeks, as I am also a student at a university, and the last part of the semester and finals week were taking their toll. Now, however, finals week has ended, so I have some extra time with which to manage the blog.
On that note, I'll move right into the content of today's review.
Some weeks ago, I was contacted by a representative of Aroma Tea Company in California. He offered to send me a sample of a couple of his most popular products, and of course, being a tea lover, and a lover of trying new things, I accepted the offer.
Aroma is apparently a popular tea shop in San Francisco that offers free tea tastings, and free tea learning with their Tea Master. This, I thought, was a fantastic idea. Unfortunately, finding myself some distance from California, I am unable to visit with Mr. Daluz (although the time may come, as I may go to graduate school in San Diego), however thanks to his samples, I did have a lovely opportunity to taste his teas, and I was quite impressed.
The thing that initially drew me in with his offer is that the two samples he offered to send were both ones that I had never heard of before. This made it more interesting, and ultimately a lot more fun and enjoyable for me. And trust me, there was nothing run-of-the-mill about these teas.
First, I will identify and explain each of the samples that Mr. Daluz sent, and then explain which one I prefer overall and why.
The first sample was of an interesting Oolong called Blue People. It's called Blue People because the loose tea looks like small blueish pebbles. When I first opened up the sample pack, I thought it looked remarkably like fish tank pebbles. The scent of the loose tea, however, was delightful. Very green and earthy smell. My first brew of the Blue People oolong was impressing also. It has an extremely unique and enjoyable taste, and has moved it's way to the top of my list of all-time favorite teas. Blue People is fermented with a mixture of liquorice root and mint, and while you can taste only a little of the mint flavour, the liquorice root comes through significantly more.
There's something inexplicably nice about the combination of premium oolong and liquorice flavour. This oolong is probably one of the finest specialty teas I have tasted. The tea is also naturally sweet, having a very pleasant flavour with nothing added. Quality is absolutely important to Aroma, and it's apparent in this product. Another nice thing about this particular tea (which is true of many oolongs) is that it can be brewed at least 3 or 4 times without
suffering quality.
The second sample was another oolong, called Milk Aroma Oolong. This is another one of their very popular teas, and another that I hadn't heard about until I was offered a sample. The Milk Aroma Oolong is also very delicious. It seems slightly sweeter and smoother than the blue people, and almost seems a small bit thicker. It could almost be described as "creamy." It gives of the aroma of sweet steamed milk, which is part of how it got it's name.
The tea originated in Taiwan, where the leaves steamed with milk, and then oxidized under open sunlight. This gives it a smooth texture and a unique, slightly sweet and creamy taste.
This is another tea that requires no sweetening unless you have a sweet tooth. It has enough natural sweetness that I might even go so far as to classify it as a dessert tea (perhaps the Blue People also.)
Both of these teas are very high quality, unique, and delicious on their own. My personal favorite, however, was the Blue People Oolong, because of it's earthy taste with the liquorice note, and because of it's unique character, and also because of that weird look people give
you on the bus when you explain to them that you are drinking blue people. :)
Overall, Mr. Daluz' teas come highly recommended, and of you are ever in the San Francisco area, I'd encourage you to stop by his tea shop and have a look around.
You can visit the website and place orders at: http://www.aromateashop.com
Also, in celebration of their 2-year anniversary, Aroma is currently offering 20% off all teas and tea products!
Thanks for reading, and thanks to Aroma Tea Shop for the ability to review their teas,
Over and out,
Relznuk Zero Relznuk
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)