Simple Loose Leaf, Sheng Cha Oolong

Simple Loose Leaf Description:
Sheng Cha is an oolong tea grown at 1,100 m elevation and is grown wild.  Sheng Cha is made from tea plants left to grow for decades in the wild, this imparts a more earthy palate to the leaf.  Look for notes of sesame seed biscuits, toast and wheat.

Sample provided by Simple Loose Leaf

My Review:
Another short break from my white tea extravaganza. Today we will be looking at a tea I had not heard of before this sample. Sheng Cha. Sounds like a raw puerh. Instead this is an oolong. It does not say as much on Simple Loose Leaf's site, but I believe this tea comes from Taiwan.

The top removed from the resealable pouch causes me to ponder what I am smelling. After a moment I decided it was like the tops of strawberries. It is more than subtle, but not enough to think scented.

Scooping out a spoon of leaf, this looks like typical tieguanyin nuggets. Mainly dark green, with lighter green highlights, and a stem that reminds me of a polliwog tail.

The nuggets look deceptively loosely packed. Turns out they are hiding some massive leaves.

My Bodum press was called into service for this session. I wanted clear glass and lots of room. The press was warm and wet as I added the leaf. The damp aroma was a lot like an American biscuit.

Simple Loose Leaf's steeping parameters offers a range on the temperature from 185 F to 200 F. I used 194 F filtered water, and the 2 minute steep as called for by Simple Loose Leaf.

While steeping the nuggets fizzed, like a carbonated beverage. Pretty cool to watch. The leaf was in constant motion. It was sloooow motion but movement none the less. The leaf slowly began to unfurl. It wasn't until after the liquor was poured into the cup that I realized just how huge the leaf actually was that was packed in those nuggets.

After the first steep most of the leaf was still only slightly relaxed. The wet steeped leaf has an aroma that has again changed. It is kind of a baked bread scent with very light touches of strawberry and apricot marmalade. Slightly stronger is the aroma of light roasting and the floral notes of oolong. It is an interesting mix.

The color of the brew is like that of white grape juice. It has a light fruity and floral scent. The taste is a little of an eye opening, "O Wow!" moment. Not because it is the most amazing tea I have ever tasted, but because of the quick succession of flavors that shoot by. I doubt I caught them all.

First, I tasted biscuit and baked bread, then fruit. Again it reminds me of strawberry tops. I have not seen any other reviews that caught this same note, so it is just for me, and I appreciate it. The next flavor to fly by is a brief moment of walnut shells. Then it settles into a fruity and floral oolong flavor. Mixed throughout I catch brief roasted notes.

It is interestingly kind of tart leaving a little tingle around the lips and gums. It is also a bit sweet. The feel is a bit milky or almost foamy. It is a very curious cup. I can't quit tasting and analyzing.

The second cup calls for 1-2 minute steep. I chose 1 1/2 minute. The flavors seem to follow the first cup pretty close with maybe a touch more tingle.

This is a cool, need to try it, tea. I have read several reviews. All of them have been positive and all of them have interpreted it differently. I expect minor differences but this is all over the place. I find that fascinating.

You can find Simple Loose Leaf, Sheng Cha Oolong here.

Simple Loose Leaf, Mint Chamomile Rooibus

Simple Loose Leaf Description:
Our Mint Chamomile tea will put a smile on your face regardless of the day you are having.  Brew a cup of this floral, sweet and soothing tea and enjoy a wonderfully fresh finish of this beautiful cup of tea.

Ingredients:
Chamomile Flowers, Roobius Tea, Peppermint Leaves, Natural Vanilla Flavor

Sample provided by Simple Loose Leaf

My Review:
Another from the monthly subscription box for review. This box contained 5 samples. The number varies from 4-6 depending on what is included in that month's box. Monthly plans range from $13 to $15 depending on how many months you purchase (1, 3, or 6 month plans).

Today's tea is actually a herbal. It comes, as you can see, in a simple resealable pouch. The label is decorative and lists ingredients, a description, brewing information, as well as contact info.

I do notice one minor issue. The company lists part of the name as Rooibus. The ingredient list spells it Roobius. While they can name this anything they like, to my knowledge the correct spelling is Rooibos. I understand typos. You will probably find plenty on each page of this blog. I do try to catch them. The ones that get away seem glaring once published.

Opening the sample, I smell mint. I love peppermint. Something in the rest of the ingredients, probably the vanilla, is making this smell much like a Peppermint Patty. It is not quite as distinctively chocolate, but it wasn't just me either, my wife sniffed the bag and said the same thing.

I filled my mesh basket with leaf and set it in the mug. Boiling water was used for a 5 minute steep.

The result is a dark honey caramel brew. It is mostly clear with very little sediment making its way into the mug.

Tasting is a little different from the initial scent. First comes the peppermint. Often peppermint can be a bit... overwhelming. Despite its strong aroma it plays nicely here. It quickly steps back and allows a creamy sensation to take over. I suspect this is the vanilla, although I can't say I actually taste it.

Next, I notice the apple like flavor of the chamomile. At a five minute steep it is a light taste. My wife doesn't care for long steeped chamomile because to her the apple is too much flavor. She normally only steeps it three minutes. I thought it perfect at 5 minutes.

The rooibos is faint. It appears briefly late in the sip adding a sweet fullness to the taste. I am not a big fan of straight rooibos. I find it harsh, medicinal, and scratchy, like drinking sawdust. When done well, as with this tea, it adds a nice enhancement without dominating.

The aftertaste sees the cooling peppermint step back into the lead.

I enjoyed this and would drink it again. In fact, I have plans to add some cacao nibs for a little touch of decadence to this otherwise tasty cup.

You can find Simple Loose Leaf Mint Chamomile Rooibus here.

Simple Loose Leaf, Lemon Grass Herbal

Simple Loose Leaf Description:
Lemon Grass is a native herb of Southeast Asia.  It is said to help with digestion, calms the nerves, and helps with high blood pressure.  Our Lemon Grass has a delicate Meyer lemon flavor with a hint of sweet ginger and an uplifting floral aroma.

Sample provided by Simple Loose Leaf

My Review:
Today is one of those days when I probably should just walk away from the kettle before someone (me) gets hurt. Wow, seriously. I dropped the scoop of leaf on the desk - not once, but twice. I dropped the open bag. I almost dropped the camera into the cup - while it was full. Fortunately I did not get injured and the loss of leaf was minimal, but seriously, what a day.

OK, deep breath, this one is a caffeine free herbal. The only ingredient is lemon grass. I find that surprising. I have had lemon grass many times, blended with other ingredients. It is a good solid flavoring.

What surprised me is when I opened the sample, I smelled lemon grass and ginger. There was also a touch of grass. All the times I have sipped it, I never knew it had a ginger note.

I removed the aforementioned dropped leaf from the resealable pouch and eventually got in on the plate. Yeah, it looks like wood shavings and dried grass. Some of the leaf is now a very fine dust. Maybe I did that with my clumsiness. No idea.

My wife has already been into this leaf. What did she think? Well, all I got out of her was, "I want it back after you have a cup." I think that means she liked it.

I should have used a Finum basket to keep the fine sediment out of my cup. I should have, but the previously mentioned wife has both in use at the moment. So, instead I used my cup with the stainless mesh basket. The mesh is not fine enough for this leaf but I figure it is just added fiber.

The water is boiled and poured over the leaf, covered, then steeped for about five minutes. The brew is a very fragrant deep honey colored. The bottom of the cup has some sediment from my steeping choice, otherwise the liquor is clear.

The taste is strong and fragrant with lemon. My olfactory is basking in the sweet floral notes that accompany the taste. The lemon gives way to a warm hint that is ginger like, with out the heat and scratchy qualities. The lemon stays strong but blends with a grassiness at the end.

I did not realize how pleasant lemon grass tasted on its own. I can see why my wife has claimed it for her very own.

You can find Simple Loose Leaf, Lemongrass Herbal here.

Simple Loose Leaf, Gyokuro Green

Simple Loose Leaf Description:
Gyokuro is matured under full shade for three weeks and has an aroma of orange blossoms.  With savory and earthy tones this tea also has the memories of nori with a faint whisper of french beans and cucumbers.  Gyokuro is an exceptional tea that demands a unique brewing method to reach its full potential.  Using a lower water temperature is key.  Use water between 120 F and 140 F when brewing.  Use 1 to 2 grams of tea per ounce of water and let the tea steep for 5 minutes for the first steeping.  Subsequent steepings require only a minute or two.

Sample provided by Simple Loose Leaf

My Review:
I am not well versed in Japanese green teas. I know all the cool kids are doing it, but I have always heard the beat of a different drum I guess. Well, today I break from my non-comformity and review this offering from Simple Loose Leaf.

This one was included in the monthly tea subscription box I received for review. This box contained 5 sample bags, 2 reusable cloth tea bags, and detailed instruction. It was well packed.

The resealable sample has a fancy but clean label with description and brewing instructions. That is a good thing as I would have done this all wrong.

The dry leaf has a grassy scent with citrus notes. Removing about half the sample, this is grassy green and chopped pieces of leaf.

The instructions say to use 1 to 2 grams per ounce of water. Further research on the internet claims 1 tsp of gyokuro is equivalent to 4 g. I used two tsp.

The next step is to heat the water to between 120 and 140 F. Seriously? I know people who have their water heater set higher. Further research says you can use hotter water but it won't taste as good. So, 125 F, is what I shot for with my kettle. That is a lot harder than it sounds. Water heats really fast to that low of a temperature, so watch closely.

The tea was steeped in my clear glass teapot for 5 minutes. Yep, that seems like a long time but the water is really cool. The leaf pieces danced their slow ballet, separating to the top and bottom of the pot. The liquor is very lightly green tinted sunshine. The wet leaf is now a deep lush forest green. The aroma is grassy and just a touch green bean.

This tea seems a little fussy compared to most of what I brew. Let's see if it is worth the effort...

This is way cooler than I think most people prefer to drink their tea, however it is the perfect temperature for my tastes. I am not noticing any hint of bitterness and only the slightest tongue tingle. My first thought was 'grassy' but after another sip I realize it is far more complex than one simple word. I think Simple Loose Leaf comes pretty close in their description.

This really does have some orange blossom, except I taste it rather than catching it in the aroma. I am also catching the cucumber notes. I love that flavor in a tea, so I notice it as more than a whisper. They also note this as savory and I agree. It has the sensation of salty with out the salt. A fellow Steepster friend said that was the perfect description of umami. So, yeah, this tastes umami :) Others found this to be sweet. To me, there is little sweetness. It's almost like it is seasoned with dill. The aftertaste is drying, on the other hand the grassy, cucumber, and dill lingers long in the aftertaste.

This should steep a few more times. The instructions say to only steep a minute or two after the first cup. I can do that. The second cup is similar to the first. There is less distinctive cucumber and the introduction of a light earthiness.

I am pleasantly impressed. My first experience with Gyokuro was a little fussy but definitely worth the effort.

You can find Simple Loose Leaf, Gyokuro Green here.

Simple Loose Leaf, Lapsang Souchong

Simple Loose Leaf Description:
Our Lapsang Souchong is a black tea smoked to perfection.  This tea is savory, smoky, slightly cool with a hint of menthol.  Look for a crisp sweet pine flavor as you are brewing this excellent black tea.

Sample provided by Simple Loose Leaf

My Review:
I received this along with four other samples in a monthly tea subscription box sent for review. I believe there is approximately 7g of tea in each pouch. That should be enough for 3 western 6 ounce cups of tea or one gong fu session in each bag. More on this later.

The sample bags are simple yet attractively labelled. They look like old recycled paper sack type material and are aluminum lined.

The leaf has a fairly strong pine smoke aroma. It just smells so much of the campfires I grew up around. I always give a positive nod to memory association.

Pouring a scoop out for review reveals fine cut lightly twisted leaf. It is darker than it appears in my picture, with lighter highlights.

I used half the sample, or about 3.5g in my press along with 10 ounces of water heated to boiling. This is pretty typical of how I normally drink my tea. The steep was 4 minutes. The recommended is between 3 and 5 minutes.

Based on the dry aroma, I expected this to fill the house with a strong smoky fragrance. It did not. Actually, the steeped scent is much milder than the dry.

Some Lapsang Souchong take on a bbq meat or bacon aroma. This one leans that way with a savory taste and yet remains steadfastly in the charred (but not ashy) pine realm.

The brew is a much lighter caramel color than I would have guessed. This one just keeps surprising me.

The sip is at first pine smoke. No surprise there. This mellows into a lighter mineral note. Then I get the cooling menthol sensation that Simple Loose Leaf mentions.

The aftertaste is sweet and smoky. I think the sweetness is what gives this the slight smoked meat leaning.

I am getting only a slight briskness. I am not sure it is really there. I believe the initial hit of smoke conjures the illusion of briskness.

There is no bitterness. The cooling sensation leaves only a slight cheek tingle.

When I first tried smoky teas this would have seemed very heavy to me. Now, I find it to be on the lighter, thinner, side of smoky. The menthol is what sets this apart from the pack.

At the beginning of this review I mentioned the monthly tea box subscription that Simple Loose Leaf manages. Per their website, here is how it works:

Each month you will receive a box of wonderful and unique loose leaf teas. Every month we make sure you have everything you need to get the perfect cup of tea brewing right out of the box! Shortly after receiving your first tea subsciption box we will email your Member ID to you. You can use your ID to get a 50% discount on all extra tea ordered at Shop.SimpleLooseLeaf.com! 

Each month you receive 4-6 samples to try. You can buy more at 50% off. The cost is between $15 and $13/month depending on which subscription you choose. This Lapsang Souchong is currently listed as $5/oz regular non-subscription price.

You can find Simple Loose Leaf, Lapsang Souchong here.

What-Cha, Nepal 2nd Flush 2014 Cannon Ball Green Tea

What-Cha Description:
A unique tightly rolled green tea with a citrus nose and well defined lemon blossom taste, a rare and unusual tea which is not to be missed.

We are proud to source all our Nepal teas direct from Greenland Organic Farm, who are very much at the forefront of a burgeoning Nepali tea industry dedicated to producing high quality artisanal teas. Greenland Organic Farm are completely pesticide and chemical free farm dedicated to producing tea in an ethical and fair manner. Greenland Organic Farm is located in East Nepal in the shadows of Mt. Kancghenjunga at an altitude of 3,000m.

Sample provided by What-Cha

My Review:
Our building project over the summer has really gotten me behind on my reviews. Apologies to What-Cha and the other tea companies on my list for not being able to keep up the pace.

Today is another exciting and unique offering from Nepal. Why is it called Cannon Ball? Only guessing here, but pouring out some of these monster balls of leaf, it just sort of fits. As you can see in the picture the balls are not particularly even in size. The smaller ones are about the size of your average oolong nugget. The bigger ones, well see for yourself - right below the monster at the top left of the picture is an oolong sized nugget that is partially hidden.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. The leaf is packaged in aluminum resealable pouch that is simply and clearly labelled. The leaf sent is very delicious. It is kind of a mix of bread, honey, malt, and hay. I want to eat that smell!

The instructions say to use 4-5 balls per cup. Well, my cup is actually a mug and I use 10 oz of water, so I'm using 7 cannon balls. I used 167 F water and steeped for 2 1/2 minutes.

The leaf was interesting to watch. It did not dance in the water, instead it sort of mushroomed. Bubbles gassed out of the balls as they slowly expanded. You can see in the wet leaf picture that the leaf is still holding on to the tightly wound ball shape.

The scent of the wet leaf, and actually the appearance, reminded me of steamed veggies. I used to call it spinach, which I only eat raw, so I think steamed is way more intense than this. It is a very nice steamed flavor whatever the scent.

The brew is a white grape color when poured and turns a little more golden as it cools. The little bit of cloudiness I got was my fault. I removed the strainer to examine the leaf and drained a little remaining tea out of the bottom without straining. Maybe not as attractive but definitely does no harm.

The taste of the first cup is crisp, vegetal, and savory. It is not even suggestive of the aroma of the dry leaf. It is similar in many ways to other green teas, yet unique as well. There is a dryness (astringency) that doesn't really stand out at first but becomes more noticeable as you continue to sip. There's also a bite that hinges on good bitter without crossing the line. Late in the sip, and on into the aftertaste, is a citrus note. What-Cha calls it lemon blossom. I have never been privileged to that scent, so I'll take their word for it.

This appears to be a prime candidate for resteeping. I fired up the kettle and went for round two. Some of the leaf rose to the occasion but mostly it unfurled and made a leaf bed on the bottom. As the press was turned to get a better view, the bed wiggled and swayed like jello. The scent is more intensely lemon now. I didn't notice the dryness as much but the bitterness was more intense. It crossed the line a little much for me. To be fair I used only 8 oz of water this time with the extra leaf. I added a little sweetener to tame the taste. It balanced out well. Now the citrus really pops and I get a fairly strong nuttiness early in the sip and a healthy dose of grassy vegetal late, before once again turning citrus in the aftertaste with floral notes drifting in between the grass and the citrus. This really took to sweetening well.

I may come back to this one later. I have read reviews that claim the third steep is the best. I look forward to finding out for myself. Right now though, meatloaf is being served in the kitchen and it just happens to be one of my very favorite meals. It's a good day when you can have great tea and a great meal.    

This is a unique green tea and worth giving a try. You can find Nepal 2nd Flush 2014 Cannon Ball Green Tea here.

What-Cha, Nepal 2nd Flush 2014 Silver Needle White Tea

10g Sample Bag

What-Cha Description:
Another great Silver Needle with all the characteristics normally associated with the best Silver Needles; a strong fresh aroma and delicate taste of fruit along with the distinctive apricot finish associated with Nepali teas.

Silver Needle Tea is made purely from the youngest tea buds and has to be carefully selected and picked by hand.  As a result of being so labour intensive, only limited amounts are produced each year and the tea commands a very high price.

We are proud to source all our Nepali teas direct from Greenland Organic Farm, who is very much at the forefront of a burgeoning Nepali tea industry dedicated to producing high quality artisanal teas. Greenland Organic Farm is a completely pesticide and chemical free farm dedicated to producing tea in an ethical and fair manner. Greenland Organic Farm is located in East Nepal in the shadows of Mt. Kancghenjunga at an altitude of 3,000m.

Sample provided by What-Cha Tea Redefined

Beautiful Fragrant Leaf

My Review:
I have had a bit of a rough tea day so far. It started at breakfast when our Saturday morning spot didn't have any tea. How does that even happen? Later, I ordered a green tea frappuccino at Starbucks only to be given the most sickeningly sweet syrup overload drink. I know they would have made it right but they were so busy I just accepted it. Now at home I have cast a threatening eye upon this innocent victim... er, tea, and have warned it had better not disappoint. The tea has not flinched.

What-Cha packs its samples in two different sized bags depending on how fluffy the leaves. Both contain 10g. One is nearly twice the size of the other. Bravo What-Cha! Also thank you for the simple label with brewing instructions and the resealable bag.

A Lightly Colored Liquor

Opening the bag I can smell sweet grassy hay, with some malt, and a hint of fruit. Nice. Removing a third of the sample for steeping, I get my first look at this beautiful leaf. White fuzzy leaves with some tan and hints of green. Simply gorgeous.

I could gaze on it forever... or I could put it into the press and add water heated to 80 C (176 F) for 2 1/2 minutes.

The result is a very lightly colored yellow liquor that is clear and bright. The white fuzzy buds are now alive and green. The wet leaf scent reminds me of fresh bread. My day is certainly improving.

It certainly looks beautiful and smells wonderful. Is the taste going to delight or be too subtle to enjoy?

Picking up the cup and taking my first sip confirms my speculation that this was going to be an exceptional tea. It is seriously good.

My first taste is very smooth and a mix of malt trailing into fresh hay. There is zero bitterness or bite. I am noticing no dryness associated with astringency. It does feel a little mineral at the very beginning of the sip and again at the end. Late in the sip I catch hints of melon or cucumber and the suggestion of fruit. What-Cha calls it apricot.

The aftertaste is fresh and clean with a lingering mix of hay and malt.

Yes, the flavors are more subtle compared to the usual black tea standards, but if you love a good white tea, this is a must try. To my personal tastes this is a superb white tea.

You can find Nepal 2nd Flush 2014 Silver Needle White Tea here.

What-Cha, Kenya Flowery Orange Pekoe Black Tea

Sample Pouch

What-Cha Description:
An earthy black tea with fruity hints which is a big step above the usual black teas to come out of Kenya.

Sample provided by What-Cha

My Review:
This morning I find myself trying to put some order into my almost overwhelming tea collection. I have also made up a few packages to send to friends. I still have a couple yet to assemble. One thing I am noticing is I am no closer to order. Yesterday, I searched most of the day for one of my favorite comfort teas. It was late afternoon before I found it. Eeek! I need a break. Let's drink some tea!

This one is from Africa. A lot of tea comes from Africa but generally it is pulverized into poor quality tea bag dust and sent to your local grocery store. Opening the resealable pouch I catch hints of malt and tobacco leaf.

Large Pieces Of Dry Leaf

Scooping out a third of the sample (about 3g) it is immediately clear this is not your typical CTC (Crush Tear Curl) Kenya black tea found in most grocery store tea bags. The leaf appears much larger than any orthodox produced tea I've seen. It does not say on the label, or the website, but I suspect this may be all or mostly hand picked and processed.

I used my press and water heated to the recommended 95 C (203 F) and steeped it for 2 1/2 minutes. The guidelines say 2-3 minutes.

The result is a nicely orange liquor that sparkles as I pour it.

The Full Cup Before The Incident 

As I move the cup across the room to my computer, I bump a picture on the desk. It falls and hits the cup splashing tea everywhere. Soaked the mouse pad and the desk. Fortunately, no harm done and I managed to regain my composure quickly.

So after the clean up on aisle 3, the tea has cooled to drinking temperature - which is probably cooler than most of you like it but I don't care for extremely hot tea. My first sip is... really nice. This is extremely smooth. Honestly I was expecting a lot of throat grabbing bite. Nope. None. No bitterness. If it is astringent, I am immune. I am also not noticing any problem with stomach burn on an empty stomach. I am sensitive enough to it that I am going to have a light snack just in case. Yeah, any excuse to eat a cookie :)

What I am getting is a really smooth malty sip with a fruitiness mid sip. This dissolves into as close as this gets to bite, which is really more of a woodsy taste. What-Cha calls it an earthy finish.

The Wet Leaf 

The wet leaf is chocolate brown and contains large pieces of broken leaf.

I generally don't resteep most black teas. Usually the results are disappointing. The first cup was so good, I thought I would chance it. I steeped for 3 1/2 minutes. As I was pouring I caught a scent like earthy pond water.

I made it to my desk without incident this time.

While the cup was hotter than I normally like it, I took a sip and thought it was kind of mushroom and pond water. However, as the cup cooled the smooth malt returned at the front of the sip, then finished with earthy woodsy taste blended with the mushroom. The really hot cup was not my style but I quite enjoyed this second cup, once it cooled. It remains very smooth.

 I am once again impressed by the offerings of What-Cha. This is a very delicious black tea. 

You can find Kenya Flowery Orange Pekoe Black Tea here.

Simple Loose Leaf, Decaf Breakfast Black

Simple Loose Leaf Description:
A delicious whole leaf Ceylon Black Tea, decaffeinated by CO2 natural processing. This Decaf Breakfast provides a deep robust, yet gentle flavor with a dry and smooth finish that has a subtle hint of honey. Delicious as a traditional black tea, served either hot or iced, and often enjoyed with sweetener and milk.

Brew at 212F for 3-5 min.

My Review:
I mentioned in the Strawberry Black post that it was the last tea from the 6 month subscription I was given by Simple Loose Leaf. I also mentioned that one tea had slipped past me during review. It was this Decaf Breakfast Black. I had originally selected it for my wife. She cannot tolerate caffeine so she drinks mostly herbal teas. Most grocery store type decaf teas leave a lot to be desired. I thought she deserved better.

Opening the resealable pouch I catch the dry leaf aroma and it smells like grain. The scent is very pleasant. One more mention of the pouch - it has a vent in the back that helps to force the air out of the bag once the top is sealed. I really like that feature.

I steeped it for 3 minutes in a Finum basket with microwave heated water. In my opinion this is not the proper way to prepare tea. It is the method I often use late inn the evening when fixing a bedtime cup. Here it appears to have turned out OK. I think my normal kettle/press method might have resulted in a darker cup.

This was a nice gentle tea, soothing and relaxing. It is just what I needed this evening. Decaf is never going to taste as full as regular tea because the caffeine is part of the taste. That said this is still really pretty good. It is actually far better than I expected. The taste is slightly malty and earthy or wood. Definitely a solid decaf black. My wife might drink it for breakfast, as for me this is a great last cup of the day.


Visit the Simple Loose Leaf site.

Simple Loose Leaf, Strawberry Black

Simple Loose Leaf Description:
Our bold South Indian Flower Orange Pekoe Tea joined with the mouth-watering flavor of strawberries for a delicious combination! This tea can be enjoyed hot or iced for any occasion.

Ingredients:
South Indian Flower Orange Pekoe Black Tea, Freeze-Dried Strawberries, N/A Strawberry Flavor

My Review:
I pushed this tea to the front of my 'to review' list because I noticed on Steepster that Simple Loose Leaf is running a promo where you can sign up for a 3 month plan and the first month is $1. After the first month the rate is $15/month including shipping in the US. There is a five dollar additional fee per month for Canadian tea drinkers to cover their really high shipping rates. Depending on your selection each month you will choose two teas from a choice of 5 and they will ship one or two ounces of each. Alternately you can choose to receive a sample of all 5 teas. The code to use is 1DOLLAR3MONTH For more information check How It Works.

I feel comfortable mentioning this tea of the month club as this tea completes a six month subscription I received from Simple Loose Leaf. I have enjoyed all of them and loved the Winter White Chai. I did just notice I have forgotten to record one of the teas and will fix that in a few days. Anyway, I think Simple Loose Leaf is a solid value - a good product at a reasonable price.

Now on to this one. The South India leaf is really dark. Submerged in my scoop is a chunk of strawberry. The scent is intense strawberry but almost like it has been dipped in chocolate malt. Yeah, it smells that good.

I steeped it for 4 minutes in boiling (212 F) water in my press. The brew is deep orange/red and sparkly like a fruit juice. The wet leaf is broken orange pekoe and has expanded nicely. The scent is strawberry.

The taste is more reserved than the scent suggested. Yes it is strawberry but it is not in your face STRAWBERRY. I can catch the black tea base late in the sip and it shares space in the lingering aftertaste. As is usually the case for me, I like the flavor more as the cup cools. I think this would make an excellent iced tea. Perfect for a porch swing on a lazy summer afternoon. All I need now is a porch, a swing, and a lazy afternoon!

Visit Simple Loose Leaf online.

Simple Loose Leaf, Yunnan Breakfast Black

Simple Loose Leaf Description:
Our Yunnan Breakfast is a wonderful Chinese black tea with rich awakening flavours. Its invigorating fragrance and glossy red liquor offer a robust taste with a peppery finish. Enjoy this bold tea hot.

Sample provided by Simple Loose Leaf.

My Review:
I've said it before but it is worth repeating, I love Yunnan black teas. Today's easily qualifies as an everyday tea. The website lists the price at $9.97/3 oz. That is very reasonable if it is an enjoyable tea. Of course the price goes down, if you have a monthly club membership, based on the number of teas you agree to buy.

I really like the resealable pouch Simple Loose Leaf uses for their teas. It has a vent in the back making it easy to push out excess air. This is the only company I have encountered using this system.

The leaf in the bag has a breakfast cereal smell to my nose, like cheerios maybe. I removed a scoop of leaf and it is mostly dark leaf with touches of golden buds scattered throughout. The picture looks more golden than my sample.

I steeped two different mugs of this, each with fresh leaf. The first I used the equivalent of two tsp with 6 oz of boiling water and steeped 3 minutes. The result was bitter and not so enjoyable, although I could catch some smoky notes and cocoa behind the bitterness. I should have only used half the leaf.

So cup two was with 12 oz of just off boiling water using about 1 1/2 tsp of leaf. This time I steeped for just over one minute. The leaf is broken pieces that turn chocolate brown once steeped. The aroma of the wet leaf is lightly overdone brownies and light smoky notes.

The sip is lightly smoky, slightly spicy, with a bit of pepperiness. I expected cocoa but mainly I catch nice leather notes along with an earthy or woodsy flavor. This cup is not at all bitter.

This is actually pretty good. I think it might benefit from a slightly longer steep but 3-5 minutes as suggested might be pushing it. I think I'll try two minutes next time and see how that works. At one minute it is pleasant and more complex than one would expect based on the cost.

All of the teas from Simple Loose Leaf so far have proven themselves to be a good balance between quality and cost. If monthly clubs aren't your thing, you can still purchase their teas individually.

Visit the Simple Loose Leaf website.

Simple Loose Leaf, Cherry Green

Simple Loose Leaf Description:
Young Hyson green tea infused with rich black cherry flavor creates a deliciously fruity green tea. Delicious hot or iced.

Ingredients:
Young Hyson Chinese Green Tea, Dried Cherries, Safflower Petals, N/A Black Cherry Flavors

Sample provided by Simple Loose Leaf

My Review:
I received a 6 month membership from Simple Loose Leaf to review their teas. I have greatly enjoyed all of them so far and do recommend their tea and their monthly club. I also love the bags they use for the tea. The little vent on the back side helps remove the air so the tea stays fresher. It is a great idea.

I have never had a cherry tea before. I have loved peach teas for years. Recently I discovered that strawberry and tea go together really well despite my suspicions to the contrary. So maybe a fruity tea like cherry can be a good thing.

Opening the pouch, this is definitely cherry. The label says there are dried cherries in the mix but they must be chopped very fine as I don't see them. I don't know that they add anything to the flavor but I always enjoy the appearance of safflower petals.

Per the instructions I brewed this at 180 F for 2 1/2 minutes. The result is a green tinted, slightly cloudy cup. Simple Loose Leaf, on their website, recommends a few second rinse and dump before steeping to awaken the leaves. I did not do the rinse.

The taste is leaving me not sure what I think. I mean what is cherry tea supposed to taste like? Cherry pie? I wish. Maraschino cherries? Thankfully not as I don't like them. The label says black cherry. Yes, I get that but it is the black cherry taste I get in the summertime from a shaved ice drink. It is very sweet (not as sweet as shaved ice drinks but sweet). It is somewhere between candy and Kool-aid. Along with the cherry I can taste the hyson green tea. It is pleasant enough.

Given that I don't know what I should be expecting I cannot say if this is an accurate tasting cherry tea. I think it would be refreshing iced - or poured over shaved ice :) Maybe it is great and it is just not my thing. Based upon my previous experience with Simple Loose Leaf, I suspect this to be the situation.

Visit the Simple Loose Leaf website.

Simple Loose Leaf, Winter White Chai

Simple Loose Leaf Description:
A soft, delicate version of traditional Indian chai, Winter White Chai features our fine Shou Mei white tea amongst the backdrop of customary chai spices, with one surprising addition: coconut. Delicious served in the traditional chai manner with milk and sugar or untouched for a more simplistic and delicate cup.

Shou Mei, Cinnamon Chips, Cloves, Red Peppercorns, Black Peppercorns, Coconut, Lemongrass, Cardamom, Ginger Root, N/A Cardamom, Ginger, Cinnamon, Clove, Vanilla and Coconut Flavor

My Review:
This tea is the sixth in my continuing subscription provided by Simple Loose Leaf. I am enjoying their offerings and would (and do) recommend you give them a try. They offer sample sizes of their teas in case you want to see for yourself first before you commit.

As I have stated in previous reviews, I love their packaging. The vent to evacuate air out of the bag is a brilliant idea. The package has ingredients and steeping information, except I did not see a leaf amount per cup.

The leaf is interesting in appearance, looking very much like the picture. I believe this is my first experience with Shou Mei. The dry aroma is interesting but I can't grab any one flavor to explain what I am getting. Cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, and coconut mixed. Spicy but not overly so.

I heated the water to 200 F per instructions using a large scoop of the big chunky leaf and steeped for 2 1/2 minutes. The liquor is clear and golden. The scent is much like the dry.

The taste is different from a tradition chai. I often find them overwhelming. This is not so much subdued as it is lighter than what I have normally encountered. To my senses, and I admit to not being good at distinguishing various spices, this is clove, ginger, and a lighter touch of cinnamon. I can't say I really taste the coconut. I kind of sense it bringing balance to the cup. The other ingredients are so tightly intertwined I am not able to pull them apart.

This reminds me of a powdered chai I used to buy in a coffee can sized container at Sam's Club - Mystic Chai. The big difference is this is not sweetened. Mystic Chai is way over sweet even for my sweet tooth. I added one packet of Splenda here and found even that to be a bit much.

I feel my description is not doing this justice, as chai is not high on my list of cravings. I did enjoy it, more so than most tea of this type. I can definitely see sitting around a fire on a cold evening and sipping this one.

Visit Simple Loose Leaf today.

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Update:
I realized after posting that though this contains cinnamon and ginger, one of the main flavors I am tasting is cardamom. I often confuse it as cinnamon and ginger. So what? Well, I think it speaks well of this tea that I am still thinking about it a couple hours after walking away from the cup.

Simple Loose Leaf, Casablanca Earl Grey Green

Simple Loose Leaf Description:
A unique blend of our nutty Organic Gunpowder and Nilgiri Black Indian Tea flavored with peppermint leaves and citrus bergamot oil. A wonderful and surprisingly delicious variation on the traditional Earl Grey. Enjoy this aromatic cup hot for a delicious uplift, or for a Moroccan twist, add a bit of sugar.

Peppermint, Organic Chinese Gunpowder Green Tea, South Indian Flower Orange Pekoe Black Tea, N/A Bergamot Flavors

Sample Provided by Simple Loose Leaf

My Review:
I LOVE EARL GREY! There I said. Actually, in Internet terms I guess I shouted it. I love Earl Grey black. I love Earl Grey Green. I love it white, smoky, or creme. While I enjoy all manner of tea, from the unpretentious to the exquisite, Earl Grey is the one type I would find most difficult to live without. I usually have several varieties on hand at all times.

When Simple Loose Leaf generously offered to allow me to review their subscription service, this is the first tea I added to my basket. The subscription service is extremely flexible, you get to choose which teas you want, how much, and how many. It is a really cool idea that I have enjoyed and do recommend.

The price of the teas vary depending on your subscription choices. This one for instance, ranges from a high of $0.20/cup at 1oz to a low of $0.07/cup for 4oz of tea. That is pretty inexpensive. So far the teas have been even better than the price suggests.

Now on to the review. First the packaging. The label lists the ingredients and a second label on the back of the pouch offers steeping guidelines. This is much appreciated. The pouch itself has a resealable zip strip top. The back of the pouch has a vent that aids in removing the air trapped inside the pouch when closing. This is a totally awesome addition!

This is a unique blend that includes both black (Nilgiri) and green (gunpowder) teas along with glorious bergamot and peppermint. Peppermint? Sure why not, it sounds interesting.

I opened the bag and removed about 3g of leaf. The leaf is small chopped pieces of leaf. It looks fresh and smells very worthy of the Earl Grey name. I steeped for two minutes in my press with water heated to 180 F. The resulting brew is nicely burnt orange.

I took my first sip. It was nicely (some would say heavily) bergamot. My first reaction was where is the peppermint, but before I could even complete the thought the peppermint came rushing up from underneath. Emphasis on the rush! It leaves a chilling breeze on the lips, just like it should.

I can taste the green tea early in the sip and the black base mostly in the aftertaste. I am not noticing any bitterness or dryness associated with astringency. I did add sweetener for the Moroccan twist as Simple Loose Leaf suggests. Oh, who am I kidding? I added sweetener because it is Earl Grey and I like it sweet.

Interestingly, the cooler the cup becomes the more prominent the peppermint.

This is the only bergamot/peppermint tea I have ever seen. I rather enjoyed it. If you are a weenie this might be too intense of a thrill ride for you. Earl Grey adventure seekers should give this a try.

Visit the Simple Loose Leaf site.

Simple Loose Leaf, Vanilla Decaf Black

Simple Loose Leaf Description:
A delicious whole leaf Ceylon Black Tea, decaffeinated by CO2 natural processing, combined with the smooth flavor of vanilla to create a deliciously sweet and sensual tea, perfect for an after-dinner treat.

Ingredients:
Decaffeinated Ceylon Black Tea, Jasmine Flowers, N/A Vanilla Flavor

My Review:
I have been trying to review this tea for a month. Every time I brew a cup the aroma fills the air and my wife smells it and takes the cup out of my hands. I think that is a good sign for Simple Loose Leaf. Not so much for me. So to be perfectly honest, what I am reviewing today is cup number two from the same leaves.

The dry scent is intoxicating - vanilla and light jasmine. Mmmmmm. The leaf is large pieces of leaf. No CTC here. There are a number of jasmine flowers spread throughout the mix. I used one scoop (about 3g) and just boiling water in my press. The steep for the first cup was 3 minutes. I didn't get to taste it. :( The second cup was around 5 minutes.

The cup is a nice orange. The first cup was darker. The first sip reminds me of cotton candy. I love cotton candy. It is not bitter. I did not notice much drying. Being a Ceylon, both surprised me. I added a little sweetener at this point to see what happens.

This is a very warm cup of flavor. It tastes like caramel to my taste buds. Vanilla is a flavor that I tend to taste above everything else. This tea is no exception. Others often say the vanilla is very light but it is always the predominant note I catch. Here though it combines with the jasmine and the Ceylon base and leans heavily towards caramel. I am noticing as the cup cools the Ceylon base is apparent in the aftertaste. Bonus points for tasting the base in a vanilla tea!

My wife avoids caffeine. Me not so much. That said, I can see why she keeps taking my cup. Even though I had the second steep this is very nice.

Simple Loose Leaf is a fairly new company. They initially intended to offer only customized subscription monthly tea service but now sell by the ounce and sample sizes as well. The teas I have tried so far have been a solid value based on cost.

Visit the Simple Loose Leaf website.

Simple Loose Leaf, Lady Earl Grey Black

Simple Loose Leaf Description:
Our very popular Earl Grey blend of citrus bergamot over an extraordinary Nilgiri Black Tea with the added indulgence of Vanilla. This mouthwatering combination is the perfect invigorating treat. For the famed "London Fog" effect, add steamed milk and enjoy a smooth and creamy delight.

South Indian Flower Orange Pekoe Black Tea, Earl Grey Flavor, Vanilla Flavor, Cornflowers

Sample provided by Simple Loose Leaf

My Review:
OK, here's the deal. Simple Loose Leaf has set up a subscription system allowing the customer to pick what teas they will receive. You select the number of teas you would like and the quantity, Simple Loose Leaf then mails one tea per month. If you order beyond a certain amount the shipments are front loaded - meaning you will receive more than one tea per month. It sounds a bit confusing but it really isn't once you read their explanation.

The selection is good and the teas are reasonably priced. In fact the larger your subscription the more discount you receive on the cost. That is all well and good but only if the tea is worthy of being ordered. Let's see.

I received two teas this month. Vanilla Decaf Black for my wife and I to share and this Lady Earl Grey Black tea. As I cut the top off the package, I noticed a faint vanilla fragrance before actually pulling open the recloseable zip strip. Then as I got into the pouch I saw what I at first tought was a hole in the package. My heart sank. Then I realized it was part of a port in the back of the pouch. The apparent purpose seems to be to remove the air from inside the bag. I have never seen this before. It is a pretty cool idea.

The tea leaf is dark small twists with gold and blue petals. I used a scoop of leaf or about 3-4g in my press with water heated at 200F. I probably could have used full boil. The steep was three minutes.

The result is a dark orange liquor. The wet leaf is much larger pieces than I was expecting. My guess is this is orthodox produced leaf rather than CTC. The aroma is vanilla and very inviting.

The vanilla is to me the most noticeable flavor. The bergamot once you stop to analyze what you are slamming down becomes obvious. It is not perfumey or too citrus. From what I'm tasting, I suspect I would greatly enjoy their Earl Grey.

The Nilgiri black tea is smooth. There is a slight tartness but that may be from the bergamot. It is also slightly drying and that may be the vanilla. While it is difficult to single out the base this feels creamy and full.

This is called Lady Earl Grey not to be confused with Lady Grey by Twinings version. This is not the Twinings version. This is a very nice Earl Grey Creme.

If I have a real complaint it is that I wish the vanilla were just a bit toned down so the other elements could stand out. That is not a valid complaint though as I have said that of every vanilla and bergamot tea I have ever tried.

As I was typing this review I finished the first cup and immediately started a second. Except, oops, I forgot to pour it. So cup two has steeped 10 minutes! with full boiling water. The color is interesting depending on the light it is either deep caramel or nearly crimson. Amazingly the long steep has not hurt this at all. In fact I may prefer the second cup. It seems smoother and deeper in flavor. A very nice cup that did not turn bitter.

I am very impressed with the packaging and the leaf quality. This Earl Grey creme otherwise known as Lady Earl Grey is well worth the price.

Since designing my own subscription I notice you can now order tea in 1oz, 2oz, & 4oz increments as well as sample sizes.

Visit the Simple Loose Leaf site.