3 Leaf Tea, Silver Snail

Picture Credit: threeleaftea.com

3 Leaf Tea Description:
This white tea is grown in Fuding, in Fujian Province in China. The tea is made from the buds that grow on bushes then lightly roasted and rolled. As the buds dry, they twist into small spirals. For being a white tea, the taste is strong with a gentle sweetness that follows each sip.

Sample provided by 3 Leaf Tea

My Review:
I am in the middle of Holy Week services at our church. I play guitar and write out the chord charts for the team. Add on to this updating the church website and trying to write on this blog, and you get a little bit of how my days have gone lately. I mention this because I have been absolutely swamped. It is like a full time job at the moment. And then we get to add seasonal allergies on top of it all. I don't normally review stress relieving bubble baths here so I guess we should have some tea.

Today, I am steeping the last of this season's samples from 3 Leaf Tea. Silver Snail is listed here as a white tea from Fuding which is the home of great white teas. The leaf is rolled into loose balls and resembles jasmine pearls without the jasmine.

Looking at the balls you can understand why this is listed as a white tea. There is a lot of silver colored buds present. I have discovered in my research that the Chinese debate among themselves if this is a white or a green.

My sense of smell is a little out of sorts at the moment. Sniffing the dry leaf I get notes of marine, but again I am probably missing a lot.

I put the snails into my press and added freshly filtered water heated to 175F. I let it steep 2 minutes while I rinsed and warmed my mug.

When I returned I found the press was filled with buds and leaves. In comparison, White Peony also contains a fair amount of leaf in addition to buds, while Silver needle is composed of only buds. While I was expecting the latter here, it is obvious this tea contains a lot of leaf.

Generally, I find the mix of leaf and buds produces a less nuanced tea but a stronger flavor. People who normally drink stout black tea or don't like subtle light flavored teas should consider the white teas that contain more leaf. I believe it would make a better match.

The steeped leaf has a warm and inviting vegetal fragrance. The liquor is a golden yellow.

The aroma off the mug seems to have nutmeg and floral notes. It smells quite lovely.

The taste is really hard to define. It is definitely different than any white tea I have had before. On the other hand it doesn't come off as really a green tea either. It has a well defined bite travelling throughout the sip. It is the good kind of bitter. This sensation reminds me of a Chinese green. Like the aroma, I am getting traces of spice, nutmeg in particular, and floral. It is not on the level or intensity of a green high mountain oolong, yet that is my point of comparison. There is also an earthy woods flavor that kind of rests under other notes. This earthy quality speaks to me as a white tea.

As I said earlier this is a hard to define tea. The flavor is strong and would probably strike most people as a green tea when tasting. That is not s bad thing. Even though it has a strong flavor, there is good depth to the cup. This has some unique and interesting qualities whatever angle to approach it from.

You can find 3 Leaf Tea Silver Snail here.

3 Leaf Tea, Unsmoked Lapsang Souchong

Picture Credit: threeleaftea.com

3 Leaf Tea Description:
One of the most popular black teas outside of China, Lapsang Souchong is well known for it's distinct dark, smokey aroma. Not all Lapsang Souchongs are created equally - some are smokier than others. Our Lapsang is malty, chocolaty and smooth with a slight hint of smoke. It brews up a beautiful dark red infusion and has a rich but soft lingering aftertaste.

Sample provided by 3 Leaf Tea

My Review:
The no worries edition.

Lapsang Souchong, just the name brings a strong reaction from those who have experienced it. It generally falls in to two camps, the lovers and the haters. The lovers wax poetically of campfires and occasionally bacon or BBQ. To the haters, it's a mouth full of ashes. I'm personally a lover but recall being very much hesitant during my first few cups.

This promises to be a new experience as what we will be reviewing today is an unsmoked version. My first thought was is this a Jin Jun Mei? Upon looking and smelling I realize this is something quite different.

The leaf is dark, almost black, with some lighter brown highlights. At first the aroma is faint. Then I catch something faintly grapey that is followed by a roasted scent. After catching the roasting, I wonder how I missed it initially. It is similar to a dark roasted oolong in scent.

I used a scoop of leaf in my clear glass press along with clean filtered water heated to 195 F. The instructions do not mention a temperature which probably indicates boiling water but I generally start just off boiling when I am not sure. The steep time of 3 minutes was provided.

I commonly use my press because I love to watch a new tea to see how the leaf reacts. This is known as the agony of the leaf. I prefer the dance of the leaf as in my mind the leaf is fulfilling all of its created purpose. This was an enthusiastic dancer, giving everything to the cup. I feel it is my duty to honor the leaf by noticing.

Upon pouring, I get a mug of deep orange tea with ruby red undertones. The scent of the wet leaf and the cup are a deep roasting and cocoa.

At this point, before I taste, I should interject that while I am a big fan of smoky tea, I am not much for dark roasted oolong like flavor. While this is a black tea it does have that heavy roasted scent. If I get less than enthusiastic it may well be because this hits a less than favorite profile for me.

Having said that, I taste, and no worries. The heavy roasted notes stay mostly in the aroma (though it seems to have found and clung to my fingers due to my insistence on playing with the wet leaf).

The taste is hearty, full, and rich. There is no bitterness. There is some sense of briskness but not heavily so. It makes me think of wood, and forest leaves. There is just a hint of smoke but it definitely leans more into a good roasted. As I sort of eluded this isn't that overbearing roasted taste that I don't like. In fact I find this nicely enjoyable.

As I generally try during reviews, I added a tiny amount of sweetener halfway through the cup. I think it brought out burnt sugar and more cocoa like notes that were less obvious before. It is tasty either way but I kind of like it sweetened just a touch more. It would probably take milk in stride if you are so inclined.

I'm now contemplating how it would taste iced, as it may hit the upper 60's outside today. That means iced tea on the porch watching the Amish buggies rolling by. I have let the cup cool to room temperature while typing and I am even more convinced this unsmoked lapsong souchang will get the porch treatment later.

You can find 3 Leaf Tea Unsmoked Lapsang Souchong here.

3 Leaf Tea, Furry Peak

3 Leaf Tea Description:
This green tea's delicate leaves are covered in white downy hairs. Brewing the tea produces a crisp fresh aroma that is reminiscent of Spring. The taste is light with a soft peach note that lingers on the tongue.

Sample provided by 3 Leaf Tea

My Review:
This weekend, I survived preparing my tax returns and later prepared a candlelight steak dinner for my Valentine. Smoke alarms may have gone off during that last one. Steak was perfect though, as was the company. Later it began to snow, seeming near white out conditions at times. Today it was extremely foggy all morning. Perfect time for tea.

3 Leaf Tea blends their own flavored matcha and hot chocolate mixes. They have recently expanded with a select offering of loose leaf teas. Today I have grabbed Furry Peak, otherwise known as Mao Feng.

The leaf is a very dark green, appearing almost grayish. There are some lighter green and yellow streaks running down the small curly leaf. Looking really close, the leaf is covered with downy hairs.

Dry, it has a grassy, ocean, and malt aroma.

I used my French Press and about 1 1/2 tsp of leaf. The directions call for 1 tsp, but I am making a mug sized cup. The water was heated to 175 F and the steep time was 2 minutes, per label directions.

After pouring the liquor, I noticed the now spring green like leaf felt really soft and delicate. Yes, I still play with my food. It has a rich umami aroma. I think in the past I have called this scent, both spinach and beef stew. Such a wonderful smell.

The brew itself is a lovely green tinted yellow. After giving it a moment to settle, it is bright and clear.

3Leaf says the cup aroma is reminiscent of spring, of course I've already described it as smelling like lunch... lunch... mmmmm. To me, spring better describes the taste. It is fresh, crisp, and lightly grassy, with a mild clean bite. They mention it having a soft peach note. I would not have described it as such had they not stated so, but can agree because they did. It really doesn't quite hit that mark with me, however, I cannot find a better word to describe the note, except maybe delicious.

It seems more savory than sweet to me, and yet I have no desire to add sweetener to this lovely cup. It is a moderately light cup, so if you only like big bold in your face hearty black teas, you probably aren't going to dig this one. If on the other hand you love a gentler cup of green tea, this is a very worthy version of Mao Feng.

You can find 3 Leaf Tea Furry Peak here.

3 Leaf Tea, Golden Eyebrow

Picture Credit: Threeleaftea.com

3 Leaf Description:
From the Wuyi mountains, golden eyebrow black tea is made from only the most delicate buds on the tea plant. It's long thin twisted leaves resemble eyebrows. Infusing this tea produces a beautiful golden color. The taste is distinctly sweet like honey with a smooth light graham cracker finish.

Sample provided by 3 Leaf Tea

My Review:
I've reviewed a few offerings from 3 Leaf before. They blend their own flavored matcha and make a killer hot chocolate. They have now expanded to include loose leaf tea.

The first to meet my teapot is Golden Eyebrow, as the description states, so named because of the twisted leaves resembling eyebrows.

Jin Jun Mei, as it is otherwise known, does not particularly resemble its namesake to me. The leaf is lightly twisted and lightly curved, so I get the connection. Looking at the beauty of the colors just makes me think awesome tea that needs to be brewed. This is a black tea made only from buds and has a healthy mix of golden and dark brown colors.

The dry aroma is faint in my sample bag. It seems baked like brownies with some maltiness.

I used 1 1/2 tsp because I am using a mug. The directions call for 1 tsp. Per directions, I used boiling water and a 3 minute steep.

The resulting liquor fills my mug with a deep orange/brown or deep reddish color. 3 Leaf mentions a beautiful golden color. I suspect the shallow ceramic bowl they used makes for the difference.

The steeped leaf is chocolate brown and has a honey and molasses aroma.

Jin Jun Mei is a new member of the lapsang souchong family however this is not a smoky tea.

The taste hits all the right spots for me. It's malt and honey over a base that hints at sweet potato. There is a crisp briskness that runs throughout the sip yet remains low key, never presenting itself in the forefront. The more I sip the more I notice a citrus like fruitiness late in the sip.

The aftertaste lingers sweet with a mouth watering dryness.

Golden Eyebrow is one of my favorite type black teas and this one by 3 Leaf is a solid example.

You can find 3 Leaf Tea Golden Eyebrow here.

3 Leaf Tea, Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Three Leaf Tea Description:
All of our signature hot chocolate blends contain 3 or less ingredients. Our blending begins with raw, organic cacao (ca·cao) which creates a smooth rich chocolate base without any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Cacao is the purest form of chocolate where the bean is cold pressed to separate the oil from the protein and fiber. The pressed cakes are then finely milled into a powder to become the finished product. Because high heat is never used, cacao is a raw product. We believe using raw cacao versus using processed cocoa (co·coa) is better for you, and more delicious!

Vegan, Gluten Free 

Ingredients: Pure cane sugar, raw organic cacao powder, natural flavors

Directions: Whisk 2 tablespoons into 1 cup of hot milk until well blended.

Sample provided by Three Leaf Tea

My Review:

Yes, I know, this is not tea. Since I have reviewed many herbal 'teas' on this blog, I feel it is acceptable to review a natural ingredient hot chocolate, and besides, it's hot chocolate!

3 Leaf specializes in flavored matcha but also offer a selection of loose leaf teas and hot chocolates.

I have really been looking forward to trying this since it arrived in the mail but it has not been the proper weather with highs in the 90's. We have suddenly been thrust into some solid October like weather so today's 45 F morning seems just right.

The entire sample is required for this cup. The powder looks a little like rooibos but of course that is the finely ground cacoa with some added sparkle from the pure cane sugar.

I heated the milk in the microwave then poured half of it over the powder. Had I been thinking I wouldn't have poured the powder into the mug until after the microwave, because now I have two mugs to clean. D'oh!

I then grabbed the mighty MatchaDNA frother and began mixing. In mere moments I had a hot thick and creamy mug of chocolaty foamy goodness. I slowly poured the rest of the milk in the mug and took the glamour shot.

The first taste is not what I expected. It was better! I have had the common grocery store variety of peppermint hot chocolate. It is watery with over the top mint in the face. This blend from 3 Leaf is very different. The first thing I notice, after the foam on my nose, is how deeply cocoa and rich tasting is this mug.

It is sweet but not overly so. I probably notice more because I never add sugar to anything. My Splenda monkey won't let me. So the rare treat of cane sugar is more apparent to my senses.

The next thing that comes to mind on first sip is, where's the peppermint? Then mid sip, it slowly rises and fills your mouth with cooling. It really is more sensation than taste. That is some beautiful restraint. When I'm drinking tea I want to taste the tea first, then the added flavor. Same with hot chocolate. I want to taste decadent rich chocolate. Then give me a little something extra to add to it, not take away. That is exactly how this peppermint hot chocolate fulfills it's role, and it does so perfectly.

Excellent work 3 Leaf!

You can find Three Leaf Tea Peppermint Hot Chocolate here.

3 Leaf Tea, Peach Matcha

3 Leaf Tea Description:
Matcha is a stone ground green tea where the whole tea leaves are ground into a very fine powder. Unlike most teas where the leaves are discarded after brewing, with matcha, the entire leaf is consumed. We import our matcha direct from Japan to ensure our customers get a fresh product. Matcha is naturally high in antioxidants and contains approximately 25-35mg of caffeine per 1 gram serving. It also contains an amino acid called L-Theanine which combined with caffeine, helps you feel alert but calm.

Vegan, Gluten Free
Ingredients: Matcha, natural flavors

Sample provided by 3 Leaf Tea

My Review:
This marks my first exposure to flavored matcha. Well, unless you count Starbucks green tea Frappuccino as flavored as I believe they add vanilla in their sugar loaded syrup. I also often mix my own morning cold lattes with vanilla or caramel syrup. Still, this feels different.

3 Leaf Tea sources their matcha from Japan. I am assuming this is basic grade matcha (I could be wrong). It is nicely spring green and very fine.

The dry scent is definitely peach. However, it reminds me of the aroma of Stash peach teas. It smells good but dry it seems more candy than real peach.

I based my test mug on the website directions to prepare as a cold latte: Whisk 1 tsp of matcha with 1 tsp of sugar in 2 oz of hot (170°F) water. Add 6 oz of cold milk and stir. Pour over ice.

I began with 1 tsp of matcha and one packet of Splenda. Yeah, I know but this is the way I like it. Then I added the 2 oz of water. Since I already threw tradition out the window with my sweetener, I feel no shame and grabbed my newest gadget - the handy dandy MatchaDNA Milk Frother - and began to mix.

You can see in the picture this really mixed up nicely and held a copious amount of foam.

I tasted at this point. The peach actually tastes pretty good. Far better than the dry scent suggested. Of course a packet of Splenda in 2 oz of water is extremely over the top sweet - just like going to Starbucks :)

Next, I completed the preparation by slowly blending in 6 oz of 2% milk. There is maybe 95 calories in the milk. Pretty much nothing in the tea. So half the calories and caffeine of a can of Coke.

But how does it taste? Actually, it is quite enjoyable. Better than any bagged tea attempt at peach flavor I've had. It does not taste entirely like biting into a peach to me despite the use of natural ingredients. It may be that the matcha changes the flavor, definitely the milk and sweetener affect it.

It does not taste like candy and is not syrupy sweet like eating canned peaches. It is more somewhere between the aforementioned Stash (which I always liked) and a real peach.

I have enough of the sample left to try this without milk and sweetener, but honestly this is the way I would choose to drink this in the morning.

This is very smooth and creamy. There is not a hint of bitterness. It leaves a very lingering peach aftertaste. I have little reference to judge this against, but I could and will easily drink this again.

You can find 3 Leaf Tea, Peach Matcha here.

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Update!
I just read Oolong Owls's excellent review of this one. I get it now. The taste IS peaches and cream. How did I miss that? After seeing her review, I feel more confident saying this is a worthy matcha.

3 Leaf Tea, Aged Tangerine Pu'erh

3 Leaf Tea Description:
2009 pu'erh packed into a tangerine, imported from China.

Steep 1 tsp in boiling water for 3 minutes.

Sample provided by 3 Leaf Tea

My Review:
The wife and I went to town this morning to have breakfast. Met up with a couple old friends and enjoyed some good food and good conversation. When we arrived home and checked the mail, there was the usual pile of bills and an envelope of samples from 3 Leaf Tea. This is a new company launched in 2014. The owner, Luciana, has developed several flavored matcha. She also has hot chocolate, and a small collection of loose leaf teas. In the envelope was one sample of each category (matcha, hot chocolate, and loose tea).

Normally, when I receive samples they go to the back of the box. I do try to mix things up so you don't read only reviews of one company through several posts. 3 Leaf Tea arrived at the most opportune time. I have been craving pu'erh for a few days but haven't been home long enough to enjoy it. Today is finally the day and I have never tried a pu'erh aged in a tangerine before.

The sample arrived in a clear plastic ziplock bag. As you can see the label tells you what you are drinking and how they recommend you prepare it. I appreciate the steeping instructions being on the label - no web searching required.

The dry leaf has a very fresh scent. It is fresh hay with just a touch of fruit from the tangerine. There are no off aromas.

The leaf is loose and dark twists. Pieces of the tangerine are clearly evident. Based on the picture on the website, I assume when you order this, it includes an entire tangerine packed with leaf. I really should check on this and update.

The sample was about 2 tsp of leaf. The directions call for 1 tsp per cup with boiling water. The steep time is 3 minutes. This is not how I normally prepare pu'erh but I am going with the directions and we will see what happens.

The resulting liquor is at first glance 'tea' colored. Actually, it has a slightly more ruby tint than the normal orange/brown cup. The however is that it is not the deep inky black sip I was expecting with a long steep.

The wet leaf is black and has an aroma far more characteristic of shu. It is strongly barnyard in scent. This seldom translates into the cup so don't smell the leaf if you don't want to know.

Upon first sip, I am again surprised. I am not sure exactly what I was expecting. I guess I was thinking this would be a heavily fruit flavored cup. It is not.

The taste is a dusty dry spiciness that is neither astringent nor bitter. It has a deep but gentle earthiness that lets you know it is pu'erh. There is also a background note of tangerine/orange zest.

This first cup isn't particularly sweet on its own so I added sweetener to see what happens. It does not bring out any new flavors but it does make more space for what is present. Just take it easy. It gets very sweet very quickly. At this point I think this would make a great iced tea. I did not attempt it.

The second cup was a nearly four minutes. At first, while the cup was really hot, I thought the dry spiciness had disappeared. Once the cup cooled to a comfortable to me temperature the taste had returned to nearly identical to the first.

This is not a pu'erh of great complexity and depth but at the price, I don't think it is trying to be. What you are getting is an interesting everyday sipper. I think this would be a fun one to play with by adding various homegrown herbs and see if you could com up with an interesting blend. I have some chocolate mint and some lemongrass and one or the other just might find their way into the rest of this sample.

You can find 3 Leaf Tea Aged Tangerine Pu'erh here.

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Update:
I contacted 3 Leaf Tea and asked about this tea. When you order, you do indeed get an entire tangerine filled with pu'erh. That makes this an even sweeter deal at the current $2.50 price.