Golden Tips Tea, Jungpana Premium Darjeeling

Golden Tips Description:
A first-rate Autumnal from the paradisiacal tea plantations of Jungpana. Amber liquoring with a riveting aroma, this is sure to become your favorite morning cuppa. Fittingly robust and bodied, the tea brings in whiffs & undertones of muscatel complimented by distinctive maltiness unique to Darjeeling black teas through the pre-winter harvests. Taste buds capitulate to the bold slightly-earthy character of the tea as it flushes your mouth with its dominant character. A slight palatableness engulfs as you roll the liquor. Floral and dark chocolaty notes are sustained during the entire experience. An excellent tea and among our best-sellers every season.

Sample provided by Golden Tips Tea

My Review:
Today we travel to paradise, at least according to the rather colorful description by Golden Tips for this autumnal flush Darjeeling. Let's see if it lives up to the words.

As with all the samples from Golden Tip Tea I have reviewed, the resealable pouch has one of the most thorough labels out there.

The dry leaf has a fruity scent with a slight sour grassiness.

The leaf looks like tea. It has more cinnamon coloring and even some green, than say a Ceylon or Assam. This is large broken pieces of leaf that is lightly twisted. You know, tea.

I used my French press as normal, with 200 F water. The leaf amount is 3-4 g. My steep time was 4 minutes.

Once steeped the leaf has notes of toast and chocolate, along with some hints of malt.

The brew is a dark honey/orange. This is how most of the Darjeeling black teas I have tried look once steeped. It is clear with no obvious cloudiness.

When tasting, I first notice the bite. It is not an overly tannin bite, rather more like a spicy gravely thing. Wow, that makes no sense. Taste it you'll see.

It is not bitter and the bite fades quickly into a smooth muscatel along with a woodsy flavor. I do get the floral notes mid sip and on into the sweet finish. The chocolate I get, but can't say if it is subliminal, due to the description and the wet leaf scent I experienced earlier. Maybe it really is there. Maybe I just want it to be.

This is a pleasant, easy to drink Darjeeling. If your first cup needs to shock your eyes open, then I would wait and make this a late morning, early afternoon, cup. Personally, I like a more gentle nudge in the morning. I could see me on the porch at 6:00 AM with a cup of this tea.      

You can find Golden Tips Tea, Jungpana Premium Darjeeling here.

Golden Tips Tea, Arya Ruby Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush

Golden Tips Description:
Our second flush 'Arya Ruby Black Tea' is a classic example of Darjeeling summer royalty. The well-made leaves are wiry and have a delightful appearance with plenty of silver tips. Manufactured to perfection, the tea boasts of an immensely complex character with abundance of muscatel flavor. The fruit-flowery notes flush your mouth with a sweetness that is pleasant and comforting. The aroma scents of rich caramel with a slightly woody character. The nose is sharp and slightly fruity which resonates muscatel richness. Overall, the tea has a fantastic texture, a balanced and rounded body with an extremely smooth flavor that leaves a sweet lingering aftertaste in your mouth. An excellent limited edition Darjeeling second flush black tea.

Sample provided by Golden Tips Tea

My Review:
I prepared this one yesterday but wasn't satisfied with my results. Today I am upping the amount of leaf, the water temperature, and the steep time and see how that changes my opinion. All the previous Golden Tips Teas have been very delicious. This one was a little too understated for my tastes. So let's have at it, again.

The sample came in a resealable pouch with all the pertinent label information, including the steeping parameters and even the picking date.

Opening the pouch, I smell tea, tobacco, and hay.

The leaf is long withered and slightly twisted pieces. There are some silvery tips present.

Yesterday, I used 2 grams of leaf. The water was heated to 195 F and I steeped for 3 minutes. Not being satisfied with the overly subtle result, today I am using 3+ grams, 205 F water, and a 4 minute steep. I used my Bodum press as the steeping vessel.

The result is a deep caramel colored liquor. It is not the dark orange/red one normally associates with black tea, but is typical of my experience with Darjeeling tea.

The wet leaf was a deep woodsy aroma. The leaf reveals itself to be large broken pieces even with the FTFGOP1 Ruby designation on the grading. I was expecting full intact leaves.

Up front I first notice a peppery bite. It is not overwhelming but enough to make you take notice. As the bite settles, the notes turn to woodsy autumn leaves. There is a small amount of fruitiness present.

This is pleasant enough, it just isn't making a memorable impression. I like subtle teas when I can detect great depth to them. Others have raved on this tea. It just isn't speaking to me again today.

I decided to add sweetener to pump up the cup. It did. Really this is quite enjoyable sweetened. I am not noticing any new flavors, just more off what was already in the cup. I could drink the sweetened cup often. My feeling is it would taste good iced as well.

As I said, other reviews on this are very favorable. For me personally, it was just OK.

You can find Golden Tips Tea, Arya Ruby Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush, here.

Golden Tips, Halmari Gold

Golden Tips Description:
Assam is a celebrated tea growing region in the world and there is no doubt over the fact that Assam black teas are the most sought-after in the world. However, even in Assam, there are those rare and special days when ideal climatic conditions backed by intuitive manufacturing excellence garnered by years of experience prepares something as rare as this Halmari Gold Clonal Black Tea....
An absolute luxury, the finest of the finest and clearly one of the best Assam black teas.

Sample provided by Golden Tips Tea

My Review:
The label on today's tea says the leaf grade is GTGFOP1 CL. I believe all those letters stand in part for Golden Tips Flowery Orange Pekoe First Clonal. The one (1) denotes the highest quality. There appears to be an extra G that leaves me puzzled. Often an S is used in place of the first G stating it is the finest but since the 1 already covers it... Ah well, it makes sense to those who know.

This is a second flush Assam. Opening the resealable pouch has me lingering for one more sniff. Just wow. Malt and hay and fruit and wow. I remove a spoon of leaf for exam. If you had put this in front of me and not told me what it was, I would guess Golden Monkey. The leaf is a beautiful mix of nearly black leaf and golden buds. It s lightly twisted and curled.

The leaf was placed in my press with water heated to 200 F. I steeped for four minutes. This is mid range on both the time and temperature per the label directions.

The result is a ruby/orange brew. The wet leaf has turned cinnamon brown and the aroma from the press is malt, honey, and cocoa. Again, I linger to just enjoy the fragrance. I'm kind of giddy to start sipping but I resist and stay in the moment.

You can't help but inhale the malty bouquet as you raise the cup to your lips. The first sip has a lively briskness to it. Then I notice the thick full bodied feel of the tea. This not bitter. I didn't find it particularly drying for an Assam. The taste is similar to the leaf aroma though not as intense.

I am finally learning to appreciate Assam teas. This one seemed especially fragrant to me. I am very sensitive to the tannins in black tea. I can tell, this is not one I could tolerate on an empty stomach. I did not try it, but believe a spot of milk and sweetener would calm it down nicely. That sounds odd to me as this is a very smooth and full tea after the initial hit of briskness.

The malt lingers in the aftertaste.

You can find Golden Tips, Halmari Gold here.

Golden Tips, Gopaldhara Gold Darjeeling Black Tea

Golden Tips Description:
Among the most sought after invoice's from the years pre-winter harvest, the Gopaldhara Gold is an autumnal beauty. A delicate yet rounded black tea with intricate flowery notes. The tea brings about a subtle and sweet profile with hints of fine muscatel and an slightly earthy roundness. The lingering aftertaste brings in sensations of dark bold chocolate and cocoa. A fantastic leaf tea texture with golden tips spread evenly, this is definitely among our better autumn Darjeeling's.

Sample provided by Golden Tips

My Review:
Today I continue my education with an autumn flush Darjeeling. I usually try to start these reviews with a photograph of the sample packaging. It helps me to see the thought and care that goes into a shipment. Golden Tips does an excellent job. All the samples have been completely sealed and carefully labeled.

Opening the pouch I get an interesting assortment of aromas. It first says tobacco to me, then no, its cocoa. Wait, I'm getting something very sweet. My brain can't focus it. Thoughts of mint, orange, citrus, and candy flash past me.

Removing a spoon of leaf had me feeling warm and fuzzy on this very cold February day. The leaf looks so much like fall. There is a touch of green left, while being mainly various shades of tans and browns. I do see a stem or two in the mix.

Looking over my growing collection of brewing equipment, I chose the Bodum press. I don't have a reason other than it has served me well and clean up is pretty straight forward.

The water was heated to 200F. I couldn't decide between boiling and 195F, so this is my compromise. The steep was 3 1/2 minutes. The recommended is 3-5.

The brew is orange brown and light in the depth of the tint. By that I mean it is opaque rather than a solid impenetrable color. It seems quite clear with no floaters or cloudiness. It is kind of shiny.

The aroma of the wet leaves is pretty noteworthy. It is dominated by a wonderful grapiness. I know Darjeeling is noted for its Muscatel grape aroma but this one is so nice. Along with the grape is a woodsy scent and a hint of chocolate. Yeah, I know.

The sip is clean with no bitterness. Its rather mellow at 3 1/2 minutes. There is only a mild briskness. I think this would take hotter and longer in stride.

This may be the very first Darjeeling I have ever tried where I understand why some people are obsessed with them. Most of the time I can't tell a lot of difference between Darjeeling and Nepalese. This one stands out to  me.

After a little jolt of briskness, I get grape, but it isn't straight up grape. It has a fuller taste like a hit of citrus is backing it up. This is followed by an awareness of the woodsy leaf taste with just a hint of chocolate. As that fades the grape rises up again and remains in the lingering aftertaste.

There is just a touch of dryness but who cares. This is really a pretty amazingly tasty tea.

You can find Golden Tips, Gopaldhara Gold Darjeeling Black Tea here.

Golden Tips, Mankota Exotic Assam Black Tea Second Flush

Golden Tips Description:
Mankota produces some excellent second flush black teas every year. This tea in particular boasts of all characters of a premium Assam tea. The tea is robust, bold and extremely malty. The full-body of the tea finishes on a slightly sweet note which makes it an absolute prized possession. Sprinkled with golden tips all over, the dark red liquor shimmers in the cup. 
A fantastic breakfast tea and a must-try if you love Assam tea.

Sample provided by Golden Tips

My Review:
I am having one of 'those' days. To top it off I just got off the phone with our new internet provider and it left me totally frustrated. Yeah, I may have gotten loud with the poor girl on the phone who wasn't to blame. I may have had to apologize for taking it out on her. Golly, I need tea!

Assam, I am only beginning to appreciate. I've mentioned before how years of mediocre to plain bad grocery store bagged Assam kind of scarred me in my early tea drinking days. I have learned good quality leaf makes a world of difference. This one is labelled Exotic Assam. Oooohhh! Here's hoping.

I opened the bag and... just, wow! The aroma is sweet and fruity. It smells of fresh country hay. Combined it has maybe a touch of dry tobacco leaf scent. I love the smell of this stuff.

Forgive me for getting a little cutesy with the leaf. I formed it into a little heart shape because it is just so beautiful and aromatic. The leaf is small twists of dark chocolate browns and pretty golden buds.  Did I mention this is an Assam? Just, wow!

Into the press it goes. Filtered water heated to 200 F was added. The steep was 3 1/2 minutes.

The leaf and the cup have a wonderful fruity, malty, bready warmth about it.

The liquor is bright and clear. It is as much ruby as it is orange. So far I cannot find a single flaw.

After cooling a bit I take my first sip. I think Golden Tips nailed it with their description. I'll go through the motions of furnishing my own point of view in hopes my word choice adds to the picture.

This is so completely different from the Chinese Yunnan teas I normally drink. It is just as far removed from grocery store bagged Assam, The first thing I notice is the brightness of the tannins. It is snap you awake brisk (Woo Hoo!), without crossing into bitter. That quickly fades into nicely malty. The maltiness stays with you long into the aftertaste. It is joined by a sweetness that seems fruity without declaring a particular fruit.

It does leave a moderate dryness that comes with the brisk territory. The however, is that it seemed easy on the stomach. If you add sugar or milk, which I am sure this would take well, then that might not matter to you.

A second cup is definitely in order. The cup is maybe a little lighter in color and texture. Gone is the super brisk beginning. It is replaced by a warm spiciness, followed by mineral. This leads into plum notes. The malt is much lighter but still hanging around for your tasting pleasure.

I can't remember the last time I have had a really bad cup of tea. I do recall the last really good one, and I happen to still be sipping on it.

You can find Golden Tips, Mankota Exotic Assam Black Tea Second Flush here.

Golden Tips, India's Original Masala Chai

Golden Tips Description:
Originating from India, Masala Chai or 'Spiced Tea' is one of the most popular black tea blends in the world. This ancient traditional recipe is prepared by blending a strong & robust black tea with an array of fresh & aromatic spices. Our signature 'Masala Chai Spiced Tea' is symbolic of the original house blend which has been cherished in India for decades now. A combination of Assam CTC & orthodox leaves blended in a varying ratio is taken as the base. The base tea is then blended with exotic and fresh indian spices including crushed cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, long pepper, dry ginger and clove. Widely distinctive from the Chai tea blends produced in western countries, the original indian masala chai tea blend stands out due the superior and distintive properties of spices grown in India.This strong and full-bodied tea is characteristic of a slightly malty flavor with exotic flavor of fresh cardamoms combined with delicate notes of black pepper and clove. Traditionally prepared only with milk, Masala Chai can also be enjoyed and taken without milk. This expertly created blend is not only invigorating and delicious but also stimulates the mind and is known to increase immunity. A must have for all tea lovers.

Sample provided by Golden Tips Tea

My Review:

Today we journey back to India where Masala Chai originates. This tea is listed by Golden Tips as a Signature Blend on the label. I like the resealable bag and the simple yet eye-catching label. With this blend I wish it were a little more thorough. There is no list of ingredients.

It does list this utilizes Assam tea, both CTC and FTGFOP1 leaves. Looking at the dry leaf, I have to go to the product description for clarification. The FTGFOP1 leaf has been orthodox processed, and the result is tiny pellets of leaf.

The description above lists spices including crushed cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, long pepper, dry ginger and clove. I am left wondering what the green thing is that looks like a pistachio shell.

I used my press today, as the screen in it is fine enough to keep tiny leaf out of my cup. This was steeped with boiling water for 3 1/2 minutes.

The result is a pretty cup of tea. It is a deep orange that under light looks a bit burgundy. The scent is spicy but not too spicy.

Traditionally in India this would be prepared with milk. I went with a standard Western mug method using water.

The sip is lightly clove and cardamom with the cinnamon and ginger hanging back some. The pepper does combine with the ginger for a healthy bit of heat at the end of the sip. The base seems smooth and slightly malty.

At this point I add sweetener as I believe chai is traditionally very sweet. I used one packet of Splenda and that is always sweet enough for my tastes. I think, yes, it really livens things up. The flavors are brighter, more even, and cleaner. The base is more prominent as well. The heat remains the same.

Next, I added some milk to sort of imitate how the tea is intended to be prepared. If you look on Golden Tips product page, they have a cup picture. The tea has a very deep color. Yeah, mine is more tan and looks like I just added milk to a cup of tea. That said, it's pretty good.

I think the milk makes the flavors melt back into each other where they remain strong but harder to separate. The ginger and pepper bring a spicy kick to the end of the sip.

To me it is kind of a toss up between this and sweetened only, as to which I like best. I think I'll go with milk for two simple reasons, milk helps comfort the spicy edge, and I find this is easier to chug. I'm pretty sure I could easily down a gallon of it this way.

I really need to take the time soon and prepare Chai on a stove top steeped in milk. I want to know what I'm missing by taking the easy way out.

Finally, I've talked about the spicy heat from the pepper and ginger. I normally don't like the pepper in chai. Turns out I do like it just fine, when done correctly. This doesn't make you sneeze and it didn't burn my throat. It really is a pleasant spicy, just be aware if you have no tolerance for spicy heat.

You can find Golden Tips, India's Original Masala Chai here.

Golden Tips, Avaata Supreme Nilgiri

Golden Tips Description:
An exquisite green tea from the coveted organic Avaata Tea Estate in the Nilgiris in southern India. The perfectly manufactured leaves boast of a light green texture combined with opulent long silver tips. The liquor has a very pale green appearance in the cup. The flavour is extremely smooth and fairly sharp typical of non-fermented green teas but without any hint of bitterness. A sensation of fruits and flowers flush your mouth with every sip of this certified organic green tea.

Sample provided by Golden Tips Tea

My Review:
Today I wasn't really planning on writing a review. I had already had several cups of restaurant bagged tea and a cup at home while straightening out the latest install of a computer game. When the thirstys hit I started rummaging.

Being a sucker for shiny objects I grabbed this one. Actually, I was digging for a green tea as I wanted something lighter in flavor. While the gold metallic pouch does conjure images of C-3PO, it was the words Nilgiri and green that swayed my final decision.

When the resealable pouch was opened my nose detected malt, grass, and hay. The bag is rather large for 10g of leaf. After removing some for steeping it seemed appropriate, even necessary.

The dry leaf looks barely touched. There are large full whole leaves, some silvery buds, and some leaves and buds joined with the stem. It is dry and slightly brittle looking, yet hardly looks withered at all. The magic of firing.

I used the clear glass teapot and 180F water for a 2 1/2 minute steep. During the steep almost all the leaf remained at the top and hung down towards the bottom.

The result is a very lightly tinted brew. It looks like watered down white grape juice. As it cools it becomes more golden.

The wet leaf is now revitalized and takes on a fresh steamed vegative scent. The cup does not have a strong distinctive scent to my nose. It just suggests a gentle green tea.

The sip is very clean and gentle. It starts with a kind of fresh mineral taste that leans towards metallic but never goes there, It seems sharper than it is, juxtaposed against the gentleness of the cup. Then I notice a grassy note joined by what seems a touch malty, mixed with corn, while hot, but closer to nutty as it cools.

The taste kind of ends abruptly, though not jarringly so, then a sweet grassy aftertaste rises lightly and completes your journey with a slight twinge of a good type bite.

There is no bitterness and only mild astringency associated with this cup as prepared. If you are wanting a big, bold, in your face, green tea this is not what you are looking to buy. If you love a quiet green tea that delivers a lot of flavor beneath still waters, then this may well be the tea you are looking for in your meditative moments. It is also priced quite affordably.

You can find Golden Tips Tea Avaata Supreme Nilgiri green tea here.  

Golden Tips, Thurbo Moonlight Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush

Golden Tips Description:
Every season the Thurbo Moonlight has been a favorite among our connoisseur friends from across the world. This Moonlight summer black tea is at part the best and is characteristic of fluffy brown-black leaves with extravagant silver tips. The aroma is sweet and flowery with a bright golden liquoring cup. The flavor is extremely fruity and flushes your mouth with its presence, without any sort of astringency. 
An outstanding second flush Darjeeling.

Sample provided by Golden Tips Tea

My Review:
Today I am continuing to expand my knowledge of tea from Darjeeling, India. This tea come from the Thurbo estate. Pretty much everything you could want to know about this tea is printed on the label.

This is a 10g sample tightly packaged in a resealable bag. When I removed a scoop of leaf, the pouch contents puffed up making it look like I had never gotten in to it.

As you can see I took a generous scoop. I would guess it to be nearly 2 tsp by volume. The leaf looks a lot like crushed fall leaves with greens, and various shades of brown. There are even some silvery tips.

The scent is fruity and hay. The fruit kind of makes me think grapes.

I used my green ceramic teapot and 200F water for a 4 minute steep. The recommended is 3-5.

The result is a neat golden liquor. I tried to capture its beauty, but there is only so much you can do with a cheap digital camera and room lighting. It is far shinier and more complex than I could capture.

Sadly, I can't say I caught much of an aroma off the leaf or the brew. My wife just started a pot of chili in the kitchen and the amazing smell of onions and garlic are kind of overwhelming by nose at the moment.

The wet leaf doubled in size. Not sure I was expecting that out of a fully oxidized tea leaf. If you are a tea ball user, make sure you use a large one, just to be safe. The leaf needs plenty of room to move in the water for a good infusion.

I notice a big taste difference between this and the Giddapahar Muscatel I recently reviewed.

This one is very fruity. It is also kind of floral. Don't let that scare you. It is not like the overwhelming floral of some oolongs. This is a soothing sensation that speaks in a quiet voice.

There is no bitterness. I detect only mild to moderate briskness that leaves a mild dryness.

The aftertaste is a neat swirling of fruit that is grape like, and the delightful floral, that weave in an out of a woodsy leafy taste.

The website states the time of day recommended for sipping this one is afternoon and evening. That makes sense. This is not the kick in the pants of most breakfast teas. It is a solid cup for sitting quietly for a moment or sneaking in a chapter with a good book.

You can find Golden Tips Thurbo Moonlight Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush here.

Golden Tips, Giddapahar Muscatel

Golden Tips Description:
An excellent second flush Darjeeling with an abundance of natural muscatel. A handpicked tea from the Giddhpahar tea estate in Darjeeling with gentle fruity notes, a rich aroma and a complete rounded flavor which is a defining characteristic of premium summer Darjeeling teas.  A must-have for anytime of the day.

Sample provided by Golden Tips

My Review:
My second tea to be reviewed from Golden Tips. The first was a Silver Needle Darjeeling and it was awesome. This one is a Darjeeling black tea. I have tried a few but must admit to not being well versed in them. Hopefully, after going through these samples I will have a better handle on what to expect. Or maybe I won't, and that is cool also, as it means the flavor field from Darjeeling is wide open.

This 2nd flush tea comes from the Giddapahar estate in Darjeeling, India.

The first thing that caught my eye on the label was the grade. This is SFTGFOP1 MUSK. Breaking it down all these letters mean a muscatel tea made of the very finest gade (The F means finest, the S and 1 raise this to very finest) of Tippy Golden Flower Orange Pekoe. Thank you Wikipedia for the explanation.

Opening the resealable sample pouch, there is a scent of muscat. What does muscat smell like? Ask 100 people and you'll get 100 definitions, but once you smell it, you'll know it. To me it is fruity, woodsy, and fall dried leaf in scent. It does not really make me think grape or wine as the Muscat grape is often used.

Removing a scoop of leaf for examination, I notice this is mostly thin twists of dark leaf. There is some evidence of silver tips (the TGF mentioned in the grade). The heavy oxidation may make seeing more tips difficult or maybe this is what TGF looks like. If you have a good grasp on the subject, I love for you to share it.

1/3 of the 10g sample was used to brew 12 ounces of tea in my ceramic pot. The filtered water was heated to 200F (approx 95C). The steep was between 3 and 4 minutes. I was distracted by a bunch of texts at the time that I could not ignore.

So the leaf really expanded.  Some full whole leaves are easily seen. You can click on the pictures to expand them. They are dark olive green to cinnamon brown in color.

The brew is a bronze/caramel color. It is clear and almost sparkling. The aroma is similar to the dry scent with the addition of a bready note.

The taste is similar to the scent and kind of brisk with a swelling bite mid sip. Under the bite this is quite mellow and fruity. It is a bit of a contradiction but it works.

I get no bitterness from the mug as prepared. I do notice a standard amount of drying. The fruit, and a baked bread note, swirl around each other. It leans towards naturally sweet. The aftertaste hangs on. It is fruity, woodsy, and almost malty.

This is such a different experience than I get from other black teas. The closest would be Nepalese tea.

I drank this on an empty stomach on purpose - for science! This tea caused me no discomfort as many black teas tend to arouse. I am not sure when most people drink a cup of Darjeeling but I can see this as a mid-morning or early afternoon pick me up.

You can find Giddapahar Muscatel 2nd flush here.

 

Golden Tips, Okayti Silver Needle Darjeeling White Tea Second Flush (Organic)

Golden Tips Description:
Handpicked from the most delicate and tender portions of the tea bush, early morning and just before sunrise, this Okayti White is a class apart. The fluffy silver needles are manufactured to perfection and display an opulence only found in certain select White teas. The nose to the infusion is superb with a delicate character combined with grassy notes which follow sweet hints of honey. The liquor is pale and almost colourless. The flowery character in the flavor is extremely complex and perfectly fruity. With no grassiness at all, the flavor keeps on developing in the mouth once you keep rolling it for a few seconds till it peaks and flushes your mouth with a unique sweetness. If you love white tea, you should not miss this.

Sample provided by Golden Tips Tea.

My Review:
It seems the deeper into the world of tea I go, the more I realize I have to learn. Take for instance white tea. When I picture it in my head, I think immediately of China, but white tea is now produced on many estates all over the tea growing world. I reviewed several of those last year. This year I continue the journey by reviewing a silver needle from Darjeeling India by Golden Tips.

Golden Tips have been in business since 1933. By the looks of their sample label, they have it down to an art and a science. The small label includes steeping instructions and the usual, then goes further to include the estate, date of picking, and the grade. The font is tiny but easily readable. I am not sure what more even the most demanding label reader could want.

The 10g sample is packed in a black resealable plastic or mylar pouch.

Opening the bag, I smell sweet hay in the field, and clover. How fresh and inviting. The leaf is long and silvery. Looking closely, you can see the tiny hair of youth on the buds.

The instructions call for 1 tsp of leaf. I am using a lot more as I will be preparing a mug sized serving - about 10 oz. Today I debated which teapot to use and finally chose the clear glass teapot. This was a great choice. Once the filtered 175F water was added, the leaf separated top an bottom, with most leaf standing or hanging vertically. There was some movement in the pot but mostly this was a wonderful posing event. Very appreciated.

The steep was 4 minutes. When I removed the lid it had another field scent. This time I could detect dandelion greens. I haven't even tasted yet and already this is complex.

The liquor, in the mug, is a golden sunshine yellow with a floral aroma. It was nearly clear in the pot but quickly darkens upon cooling. My first thought after pouring was this is very clear. Upon a closer look, the tiny bud fur can be seen floating about. I would not want it any other way.

The taste is a mix of cucumber and nutty. There is zero bitterness detected and no real bite. There is a slight amount of cheek tingle and dryness in the cup. As I continue to process the taste, I am picking up once again on the fresh sweet hay caught early in the dry leaf. As I finished the cup I caught a floral finish that once again reminded me of clover.

Golden Tips calls the taste perfectly fruity. I personally do not interpret the taste that way. What I am calling nutty might possibly be described as stone fruit though it is not a sweet fruit taste. It really is a matter of semantics, brewing technique, and water. The point is this is an excellent white tea.

I love how complex the session has been. The flavors, though more subtle than most black teas, do not hide if you pay attention. Remember to take your time with this one to seek out the nuances. You will be rewarded.

You can find Okayti Silver Needle Darjeeling White Tea Second Flush here.

Happy 2015

Last year I reviewed a lot of really good teas here on The Everyday Tea Blog. I am excited to say there are already several samples lined up and ready to go for review in the coming year.

I thought for the first post of the new year I would share something a little different. I was contacted by Golden Tips Tea in India and asked if I would like to review some of their tea. I'm no fool. I said yes. This was late December just before Christmas. Nine (9!!) days later a box of samples arrived in my mailbox.

Here is a picture:

And a closer look:

The box was wrapped in cloth and the edges sewn. Then the corners were reinforced with what I assume is wax. I asked around of other tea drinkers and apparently this is not uncommon practice in this part of the world. It is, however, the first time I have seen it. I thought it was cool enough that I wanted to share the experience.

Under the material and inside the box were a number of samples:

I will start steeping on these and many others in the coming days. I hope you join me on my continuing quest to try, and review, every tea on the planet! This could take a while.

Happy New Year All and many great steeps!