Reviews of Teas & Herbal Teas from Upton Tea Imports
Page 1 2 3 ... 5 6 7 of 7 pages with 173 results
South African Honeybush Superior Organic from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Honeybush – Region: South Africa60 / 100 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Nov. 1st, 2009
The dry leaves have a fruitier aroma than the brewed tea, which is almost totally devoid of fruitiness, and is more earthy and slightly spicy. Tones of black pepper in the aroma.
Very full-bodied. Aftertaste is a bit flat. Not terribly complex in the aroma, but still enjoyable. I prefer Adagio's honeybush, which...
China Pu-Erh Leaf from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Pu-erh Tea – Region: Yunnan, China53 / 100 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Oct. 20th, 2009
This is not my favorite loose-leaf ripened pu-erh. It's palatable and noticeably better than random ones I've sampled. The aroma is dusty, not terribly rich or complex. Pretty smooth flavor. Enjoyable. I prefer ZH26.
And of course, I really strongly prefer Sheng Pu-erh. I do not think Pu-erh is Upton's strong ...
Pu-erh Loose Jia Ji from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Pu-erh Tea – Region: China47 / 100 Aroma: 4/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 2/5
Oct. 20th, 2009
Perhaps I'm not a "discerning pu-erh enthusiast" but I failed to appreciate this one any more than Upton's basic loose pu-erh, and it's about twice the price. The aroma is somehow lighter and less rich and earthy. It does have a clean aftertaste as described, but it's less intensely aromatic. I prefer ZH26 and altho...
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Organic Pu-Erh from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Pu-erh Tea – Region: China57 / 100 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Oct. 20th, 2009
I find this pu-erh to have a richer and warmer earthy aroma as compared to both ZH20 and ZH65. Very smooth but with some nice complexity. While you can make multiple infusions with this tea, later infusions lose some of the complexity...I usually make only one very long infusion.
In the end though? I don't really...
Japanese Ho-ji Cha from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Hojicha – Region: Japan73 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Oct. 14th, 2009
A rich roasted aroma, fairly mellow flavor, with only a little bitterness. Exactly what I would expect of this style. Some hints of the freshness of green tea remain. Moderate level of roast. A few mildly objectionable tones in the aroma...hard to describe...like a slight stale quality (even though overall the tea ...
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Special Grade Shou Mei White Tea from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Shou Mei White Tea – Region: China77 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 3/5
Oct. 14th, 2009
Deep reddish brown color, and very clear. More delicate than typical for a Shou Mei, but still fairly rich and full. Very smooth flavor; no bitterness, and a clean, cool aftertaste.
Unlike Upton's other Shou Mei's for which I found the brewing instructions to be right on, this one I like to brew differently. I br...
First Grade Shou Mei White Tea from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Shou Mei White Tea – Region: Fujian, China60 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 2/5 Value: 4/5
Oct. 14th, 2009
Brownish leaves with some silvery and green mixed in. Light aroma of fall leaves and honey with some vegetal tones. Some astringency and a noticeably unpleasant sourness, although no bitterness.
Of Upton's 3 Shou Mei teas of similar price (see ZW62, ZW23), this is the one I like least. This one is much more simil...
Shou Mei Classic from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Shou Mei White Tea – Region: Fujian, China80 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 5/5
Oct. 14th, 2009
Of Upton three Shou Mei's of similar price, this is my favorite. Leaves greener as Shou Mei goes. Aroma is fresh, clean and vegetal, perhaps even a bit grassy. Very rich aroma; this is the most aromatic of any Shou Mei that I've sampled. Less sweet than most white teas. My only complaint is a fair amount of astrin...
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Season's Pick Shou Mei from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Shou Mei White Tea – Region: Fujian, China73 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Oct. 13th, 2009
This is one of the naturally sweetest teas I have ever tried, with an aroma of cinnamon, honey, caramel, and autumn leaves. Rich, warm, and very gentle. Absolutely no bitterness whatsoever...just a hint of astringency in the aftertaste.
This is one of 3 of Upton's Shou Mei teas of very similar price and I want to ...
South African Green Rooibos (Red Bush) Superior from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Green Rooibos – Region: South Africa93 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Oct. 13th, 2009
Green rooibos is one of my all-time favorite herbal teas. Upton's offering is very similar to other sources of this herb, but I find theirs has a slightly greener character, and is among the most reasonably priced, and for both of these reasons, it is my green rooibos of choice. I drink this particular offering from ...
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Himalayan BOP from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Black Tea – Region: Himalayas88 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Oct. 13th, 2009
This tea definitely resembles a Darjeeling but it packs a bit more of a punch--more bitterness and astringency. People who like the aroma profile and lighter color of Darjeelings but find them a bit too mellow may really like this tea. The finely broken leaves have a good mix of greener and olive-colored leaves. Rem...
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Formosa Amber Oolong Select from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Amber Oolong – Region: Taiwan / Formosa93 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Oct. 4th, 2009
The dry leaves were not very aromatic, but when I brewed it...wow.
This tea has a very rich and complex aroma: bold, earthy, with some nutty and woody tones, and a floral quality as well. Of all the teas I've tried from Upton, this is the one which seems to deviate the most from its lower-grade counterpart--this ha...
Oolong Se Chung from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Se Chung Oolong – Region: China93 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Sep. 21st, 2009
This is my favorite offering from Upton Tea. The whole, light green leaves are tightly curled and become dark green and unfurl a great deal upon brewing.
The brewed tea is light golden green like many greener oolongs. The complex aroma has some of the cripser herbal qualities of green teas, and some sharper tones,...
Chun Mee Dao Ming from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Chun Mee – Region: China88 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Sep. 21st, 2009
I was really sad to see this one go; it was my favorite example of a chun mee. Although Upton's Chun Mee moon palace was close, I preferred this one.
This is an outstanding green tea at a very reasonable price, and it's organic to boot! It is unusually strong, bitter, and complex for a chun mee tea, and my favorit...
Rose Green Tea Organic from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Rose Green Tea – Region: China93 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Sep. 21st, 2009
Whereas people often think of roses as delicate and gentle, this is a very bold tea. The aroma is fruity, dark, and rich, and less floral than one would expect. The flavor is sharp and tangy, much more bitter than the fruity aroma might suggest. This is an outstanding tea, and is available at a very reasonable price...
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Tindharia Estate Oolong (DJ-54) from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Darjeeling Oolong – Region: Darjeeling, India43 / 100 Aroma: 3/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 1/5
Sep. 20th, 2009
The dry leaves have an aroma a lot more like a Darjeeling black or green tea, than like any Chinese or Taiwanese Oolongs.
The brewed tea was deep orange and very clear. Aroma is not particularly strong, mostly of asparagus. Tangy and a little bitter, but quite thin.
More bitter than Tindharia's Green Oolong, an...
Tindharia Estate First Flush Green Oolong (EX-10) from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Darjeeling Oolong – Region: Darjeeling, India37 / 100 Aroma: 2/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 1/5
Sep. 20th, 2009
The brewed tea is very clear, and brownish green color. The aroma is very weak, but it has a lot of flavor. It is only a bit bitter but seems highly caffeinated. The initial taste is tangy, almost pleasantly sour, and it leaves a tingly sensation on the tongue, and a moderate astringency in the aftertaste.
The ar...
South African Rooibos (Red Bush) Superior from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Rooibos – Region: South Africa63 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Sep. 13th, 2009
I find it hard to describe the aroma of Roobos. This one is typical among Rooibos that I've tried...earthy, woody, a hint of olives and spice in the aroma. The flavor is smooth with some sourness. Rich and pleasant.
I found the brewing instructions to be right-on; you can even steep longer with good results. If ...
Honeybush Green from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Honeybush – Region: South Africa63 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Sep. 12th, 2009
I find this tea very hard to describe in words.
The aroma of this tea is very similar to that of regular (fermented) honeybush, although perhaps a bit lighter: it is warm and rich, similar to Rooibos but less grassy. The flavor has some crispness but not much bitterness. There's little sourness in the initial flav...
Organic China Congou Hong Tao #1 from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Keemun – Region: China73 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Sep. 4th, 2009
Interesting and atypical among black teas: more mellow and earthy. The leaves have an aroma very similar to the brewed tea.
When brewed as instructed, the tea is is a dark brown with a slight greenish hue, and less opaque than some black teas. I like to brew it with slightly more leaves than recommended, which yie...
China Green Young Hyson from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Young Hyson – Region: China80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Sep. 3rd, 2009
The aroma is smoky: much less so than gunpowder tea but nonetheless quite smoky. The smoky character is bold without overpowering the other aspects of the tea. The aroma also has some intricate aspects to it.
The tea is much less bitter than the aroma would suggest, and it has a cool and clean aftertaste. I like ...
Formosa Amber Oolong from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Amber Oolong – Region: Taiwan / Formosa67 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Sep. 2nd, 2009
The dry leaves have only a weak aroma, and unfurl somewhat, but not a great deal, upon brewing.
The brewed tea is amber in color as the name suggests; the aroma is nutty and warm, not overpowering, and with a hint of a skunkiness to it. There is only a hint of bitterness and tanginess in the flavor...the tanginess ...
China Chun Mee from Upton Tea Imports
Style: Chun Mee – Region: China70 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Aug. 29th, 2009
This tea, which I enjoyed, has been discontinued, which I don't think is a big loss because I preferred both the Chun Mee Dao Ming and Chun Mee Moon Palace from Upton.
Mellow and subdued, with a coolness to the aroma, without being crisp. There's a little smokiness in the aftertaste but less in the initial aroma. ...
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