SarsyPie
Tea Reviewer
Member since Apr. 28th, 2014. Reviewed 119 teas.
Reviews of Teas & Herbal Teas from China
Page 1 2 of 2 pages with 30 results
Heart of the Old Tree Sheng Pu'er 2012 from Mandala Tea
Style: Raw (Sheng) Pu-erh – Region: China93 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Jul. 13th, 2014
Method: 3 grams, 3 oz, 200 degrees, 10-15-15-15 seconds, ru kiln gaiwan and Dr. Who mug
Dry Leaf Aroma: This isn’t like some stinky pu’erhs I have smelled! It’s overwhelmingly pleasant, even though I can’t put my finger on the exact aromas.
Brewing Aroma: This has a mineral smell and then something elseâ€...
Golden Fleece from Verdant Tea
Style: Yunnan Gold – Region: Yunnan, China70 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Jul. 11th, 2014
I’m not sure what to make of this! I was expecting something a little different based on the reviews and description.
Method: about 1tbsp (sounds like a lot, but these are small, pointy leaves), 8 oz, 205 degrees, 2 minutes, ForLife brew in mug strainer
Dry Leaf Aroma: This smells like a malted campfire.
Bre...
Ailaoshan Black from Whispering Pines
Style: Black Tea – Region: Yunnan, China93 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Jul. 11th, 2014
Whispering Pines is going to be the death of me, but at least I'll die a very happy, tea-drunk death.
Method: 1.5 tsp, 8 oz, 203 degrees, 3 minutes, French Press
Dry Leaf and Brewing Aroma: light malts and honey
Flavor: Why, WP, WHY?!?!? Every time I think I've found my favorite tea, I end up with another ...
Sparrow Tongue from Butiki Teas
Style: Oolong Tea – Region: Anhui, China77 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Jul. 7th, 2014
Method: 1.5 tsp, 8 oz, 205 degrees, 3 minutes, French Press
Dry Leaf Aroma: Seaweed
Brewing Aroma: very lightly floral
Flavor: Mild, with floral notes. I thought this was a pleasant tea. It’s not my fave, but I liked it!
Morning Sun from Mandala Tea
Style: Yunnan Gold – Region: Yunnan, China97 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Jul. 5th, 2014
Ehrmagerd! OM NOM NOM.
This tea is amazeballs. I made it like this: 1 tsp, 8 oz, 208 degrees, 3.5 minutes. I used my brew in mug strainer. I sampled at 1 and 2 minutes, but it wasn’t strong enough. 3.5 minutes is perfect.
I am going to try a second steep, but I’m already sold. This is gorgeous. It smells and ...
Special Dark from Mandala Tea
Style: Ripened (Shou) Pu-erh – Region: Yunnan, China87 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Jul. 3rd, 2014
Method 1: 1.5 tsp, 4 oz, 208 degrees, seconds: 30, 45, 60, ru kiln gaiwan. Then I blended these together to make 1 cup of tea
Method 2: 1 tbsp, 8 oz, 208 degrees, grandpa style
Method 3: Slightly less than 1 tbsp, 8 oz, 195 degrees, 2 and 3 minutes, Forlife brew-in-mug strainer, Dr. Who mug
Dry Leaf Aroma:...
Flowering Black Tea Cones from Mandala Tea
Style: Yunnan Red – Region: Yunnan, China80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Jul. 1st, 2014
Method: 3 cones, 8 oz, 185 degrees, grandpa style
Dry Leaf Aroma: Black tea, a little malt
Brewing Aroma: I recognize something, but I'm not sure what it is. Dang it.
Flavor: Smooth, malty, not bitter. I will brew these properly eventually, but I purchased them to take to work specifically for this style...
Wild Orange Pu'er from Teasenz
Style: Flavored Pu-erh – Region: Yunnan, China73 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Jun. 30th, 2014
Method: 1.5 tsp, 8 oz, 205 degrees, 1.5 min, Forlife brew in mug strainer
Dry Leaf Aroma: mildly earthy
Brewing Aroma: mushrooms and cinnamon
Flavor: mushrooms and dirt, with a hint of citrus so subdued, you repeatedly ask yourself if it's really there. The mushrooms and dirt are also mild, but contrary to w...
Yabao (Winter White Buds) from Whispering Pines
Style: White Tea – Region: China83 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Jun. 28th, 2014
Method: 1 tbsp, 8 oz, 208 degrees, 5 minutes, Forlife brew in mug strainer & Dr. Who mug
Dry Leaf Aroma: Lightly Evergreen
Brewing Aroma: Same as above
Flavor: Fascinating. This was a very mild and lovely tea. It definitely doesn't look like most teas. The buds are very pretty. This wasn't sweet, but it...
Zhu Rong Yunnan Black from Verdant Tea
Style: Black Tea – Region: Yunnan, China93 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Jun. 26th, 2014
Method: 1.5 tsp, 8 oz, 205 degrees, 45 seconds, Forlife brew in mug strainer & Dr. Who mug
Dry Leaf Aroma: O. M. G. This is positively sublime. See how it made me use a word like "sublime"? It smells like roasty chocolate, malt, and roses. That's right. Roses.
Brewing Aroma: Very malty, but with a hint o...
Oriental Beauty from Butiki Teas
Style: Oriental Beauty – Region: Anhui, China90 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Jun. 25th, 2014
Method: 2 tsp, 8 oz, 195 degrees, 4 minutes, Forlife mug strainer & Dr. Who mug
Dry Leaf Aroma: fruit, floral, a little hint of seaweed
Brewing Aroma: sweetness and raisins, other non-specific fruit
Flavor: Yum. This has a lightly fruity taste, and is mildly sweet. This one made me smile. It has a tiny tinge o...
Mr. He's 1st Picking Laoshan Black from Verdant Tea
Style: Black Tea – Region: Shandong, China70 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Jun. 19th, 2014
Method: 1.5 tsp in 8 oz at 205 degrees for 4 min, French Press
My boyfriend made this as our breakfast tea while I was getting ready for work. There are no instructions on the bag, but I think he did pretty well, considering.
I'm basing my review on his method, but I will try this again using the instructions...
Wild Jujube from Teasenz
Style: Herbal Tea – Region: China80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Jun. 18th, 2014
Method: 2 tsp @ 205 degrees in 8 oz, grandpa style
Aroma: Dry and Steeping aromas smell sweet and candy-like. These are a type of date, and that's just what they smell like.
Flavor: I added a little rock sugar from the start because in my mind, date tea should be sweet. It was only 1/2 tsp or so, and the s...
Jin Jun Mei from Teasenz
Style: Black Tea – Region: Wuyi, Fujian, China77 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Jun. 17th, 2014
Method: 1.5 tsp @ 208 degrees in 8 oz, 4 minutes, French Press
Dry Leaf Aroma: Cocoa and light malt
Brewing Aroma: Strongly malty
Flavor: I was really hoping to pick up some of the honey flavor from the description, or at least some sweetness, but this was pretty neutral. I enjoyed the malty flavors, and I...
Yunnan Breakfast Black from Simple Loose Leaf
Style: Black Tea – Region: Yunnan, China63 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 3/5
Jun. 12th, 2014
I wasn't terribly impressed with this one, but I'd drink it if it was around. Now that I am fancy enough to tell the difference between the two, I find that this was both bitter and astringent. I'll perhaps try this with a shorter steep time and see if that makes a difference.
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Hand Picked Spring Tieguanyin from Verdant Tea
Style: Tie Guan Yin – Region: Anxi, Fujian, China90 / 100 Aroma: 10/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Jun. 11th, 2014
Hello, Gorgeous! This is a freshly picked (May 2014) bright green-leafed aromatic wonder.
Method: 1 tbsp, 200 degrees, grandpa style
Dry Leaf Aroma: Smells *strongly* of honeysuckle and jasmine. Wow.
Brewing Aroma: In the brewing tea, the honeysuckle takes center stage. I can detect a lightly spicy no...
Bi Luo Chun Yunnan Black from Whispering Pines
Style: Yunnan Gold – Region: Yunnan, China87 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 3/5
Jun. 2nd, 2014
Oh my. This is a good one! The dry tea leaves smell like malty cookies with a hint of jasmine. Malty Jasmine cookies! I want to bake some to go with this tea.
The brewed tea smells less floral and more sweetly malty. And the flavor... it's very sweet on its own, without any additives. I love that. It tastes m...
Traditional Tieguanyin from Whispering Pines
Style: Tie Guan Yin – Region: Fujian, China63 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 3/5
May. 31st, 2014
This was a good tea, but I wasn't blown away. Interestingly, the dry tea smells like pumpkin guts. That's the second time I've smelled tea leaves with this aroma within a week. It's very pleasant, but I'm a little confused.
That being said, I didn't pick up on any nuances in the flavor. The flavor here seems hea...
Wuyi Mountain Big Red Robe from Verdant Tea
Style: Da Hong Pao – Region: Wuyi, Fujian, China93 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
May. 28th, 2014
Super. This tea is just excellent!
I like finding finer teas that do well with a Western-style brewing. I admit that I tend toward laziness, and there's just no time in the AM to pull out the gong fu set. While I expect that this tea would potentially be even more amazing brewed with short steeps, it was also won...
Imperial Gold Bud Dian Hong from Whispering Pines
Style: Yunnan Gold – Region: Yunnan, China73 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
May. 22nd, 2014
The dry aroma on this tea is really interesting. It smells malty, and there's a general roasty aroma. It smells like something I have smelled before, but I cannot place the aroma.
The tea steeps to a light yellow amber color and I taste the same malty/roasty type scents from the aroma.
It's a little pricey,...
Yi Fu Chun from Yezi Tea
Style: Black Tea – Region: Fujian, China70 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
May. 22nd, 2014
I originally had the review for this tea under Yezi's Jin Jun Mei, which is obviously incorrect. I am putting it in its proper place, as well as making an update.
Round 1: This tea has a lovely malty flavor. I wish I could pick out some additional aromas or flavors, but alas, I cannot.
I steeped this at 205 deg...
Ancient Gan Tong Tea from Wild Tea Qi
Style: Green Tea – Region: Yunnan, China67 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
May. 21st, 2014
I brewed this at 180 degrees using short intervals. It smelled very roasty, like a genmaicha. The best steeps were between 2 and 3 minutes. Shorter steeps didn't have enough flavor, and longer steeps had a sharp taste I didn't like. But in the goldilocks range, the tea had a pleasant aroma and flavor. I didn't tas...
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Tie Guan Yin High Grade from Yezi Tea
Style: Tie Guan Yin – Region: Fujian, China87 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
May. 9th, 2014
The dry tea smells like matcha, with vanilla. I brewed this for 4 minutes using water at 205 degrees. The aroma while steeping smelled like hay, with hints of jasmine and another floral. Maybe it is the orchid that is mentioned in the tea's description. Not sure.
This has a mellow flavor, and the same florals fr...
Jin Pin from Yezi Tea
Style: Black Tea – Region: Fujian, China90 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
May. 9th, 2014
When I opened the bag of tea and took a deep inhale, I was not immediately impressed. It smelled like tea.
But then I boiled the water and started to brew this, and wow, it's gorgeous. The tea is a lovely amber color and the brewed tea smells exactly like the malted grains used in brewing beer. I mean *exactly*...
Almond Green Tea from Kusmi Tea
Style: Flavored Green Tea – Region: China63 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 3/5
May. 6th, 2014
This was ok. The smell was really good, and I can taste the almond, although it's definitely a mild flavor.
The green tea base is a little grassy, but I guess that's normal. The almond was enough to balance it. Does this taste like almond grass? Kind of. But I would say the almond is first, then grassy almond m...
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