Teasenz, White Peony

Teasenz Description:
An authentic white tea from Fujian consisting of a mix of green coloured leaves and white silver needle buds, resembling a White Peony. Exceptionally smooth and sweet flavour. Full of flavour: It's unbelievable how many steeps you get from the same leaves.

Sample provided by Teasenz

My Review:
It has taken a few days to get to this tea that I intended to review earlier. This morning it was so coooold outside. It was near the freezing point. Pretty sure the herb garden and porch flowers won't survive, but it is that time of year. This one seems appropriate for the day.

From Fuding in the Fujian Provence of China, the home of great white teas. This is the last of the Teasenz samples they have provided. I have found all of them to be reasonably priced and wonderful in flavor. I expect no less from this one. I should also mention Teasenz offers flat $5 worldwide shipping on all orders under 2kg.

The sample packaging is a resealable aluminum pouch. The label is simple and does contain western brewing instructions.

Opening the bag I am met with the sweet scent of fresh field hay along wonderful floral notes.

The leaf is as pretty as the aroma. The silver buds are covered in white fuzz. The accompanying leaves range from light green to dark brown. Except for settling, mostly from my pathetic group box storage system, the leaves and buds appear full and intact.

The brewing instructions run counter to popular western ideas about the proper water temperature. Generally it is believed you must use cool water when steeping. Teasenz recommends 195 F. They also state that using even hotter temperature will still result in a non-bitter cup. I have found this to be generally true. The difference for me is the 3-4 minute steeping time. I often use 1-2 minutes on the first steep.

I grabbed my clear glass teapot. It hasn't seen much action lately, due to my own neglect. The 195 F water was added and I set the timer for 4 minutes.

The leaf floated on the surface at first. Then many of the leaves slowly turned and pointed downward, still clinging to the surface. Some of the brave leaves abandoned the safety of the collective and dove to the bottom.

The resulting liquor is golden yellow. It is bright and clear except for some of the tiny white fuzz common to white tea, and a few bits of leaf. I now recall why I don't use the glass teapot more often - I can't remember to use a strainer to filter out the leaf bits. It doesn't bother me personally, but it does kind of look odd in the pictures.

Taking a sip, I first catch clean fresh mountain stream water. It is filled with stone and mineral elements. This turns into a taste that reminds me of the smell from damp forest leaf. Late in the sip I catch floral notes. They are light and remind me of the namesake peony flowers.

For cup two I again steeped for 4 minutes in 195 F water. The brew color is golden yellow like the first. This time I remembered the filter!

The taste is very different. The stream water elements are replaced by a heavier darker flavor that teeters between stone, the forest leaves of the first cup, and a stone fruit note. It is maybe apricot with even some plum hints. This cup seems thicker and more syrupy.

Teasenz says this will resteep many times. My experience with white teas believes this to be true. I won't be able to confirm it today as this is all I have the time to complete.

I have had many white peony teas, this one is as good as some I have tried at twice the price. If the soothing taste of white tea appeals to you, I recommend giving Teasenz White Peony a try.

You can find Teasenz Ehite Peony here.

Teasenz, Fujian Silver Needle

Teasenz Description:
For many centuries enjoyed by imperial families in China. Fuding's Silver Needle is a pinnacle-grade white tea with a soft, smooth, and silky-sweet taste.

Silver Needle is the most famous white tea from China and also known as 'Bai Hao Yin Zhen'.

Sample provided by Teasenz

My Review:
The weather has turned back to beautiful warm sunny days and cool nights. A/C by day and furnace by night days. Love it. Not loving the fall allergies that have hit like a brick today.

I have tried several Teasenz offerings to date, and all of them have been very good. I hope the trend continues as Fujian silver needle is one of my favorites. I haven't done a lot of comparison pricing but this one seems exceptionally reasonable at $15.45 for 70g (2.5 oz).

The packaging is a resealable aluminum bag. The label is brief and clearly provides brewing recommendations.

My first test with any tea is the sniff test. I have had enough white tea that I have certain expectations. This one meets them well. The scent is that wonderful sweet hay I expect, and more. This one has a melon fruitiness along with almost a minty hint. I can't say for certain it is not the allergies, but I don't think so. It certainly smells, not only nice, but fresh.

There was a little bit of crushed leaf when I removed a scoop. I am pretty certain that is my fault. Things are a little out of hand at the moment and the bag was a little banged around. The vast majority is full white fuzzy buds with hints of green.

I used my clear glass press and water heated to 175 F. The steep time was 4 minutes.

When the water hit the leaf it all began to float. As it steeped some began to slowly sink to the bottom while standing on end. The visual dance of the leaf is an important part of my tea experience. I encourage you to take note of it while preparing your own cup.

The liquor is far more enticing than I was able to capture with my point and shoot camera. It is a deep golden amber. It is almost radiant as it captures the light and reflects it back.

So far this is shaping up to be a very nice tea.

Upon tasting, I will first tell you I have had deeper more complex white teas, but not at this price. That is not to say this is a simple one note cup. It certainly is not. In fact there is plenty of depth. I am finding it to be just what I wanted today.

It is clean and crisp. As with most white teas there is not a hint of bitterness. This is naturally sweet and does not ask to be sweetened. It is not grassy but isn't exactly the typical hay taste either. It kind of fits in between somewhere but closer to the hay. There are floral/fruit notes swirling around the taste. I still get an occasional flash that suggests mint. It is very brief and light. Quite refreshing.

As I sip, I can feel stress melting away as I begin to relax. The wonderful thing about a good tea is the feeling of rejuvenation that comes with the peaceful contentment.

This has a good solid flavor at a reasonable price. Once again I can recommend giving Teasenz a try.

You can find Teasenz Fujian Silver Needle here.

Teasenz, Xin Yang Mao Jian

Teasenz Description:
The most flavorful and fragrant of all Chinese green teas. Xin Yang Mao Jian’s small, roundish leaves with fine, white hairs develop into an intense green color when brewed, producing a refreshing liquor that transports you to a relaxing, calming world after a long day. Robust flavor, lingering fragrance and an invigorating taste.

Sample provided by Teasenz

My Review:
It is cool outside today like fall. I'm sure it will warm up again soon, at least for a few more weeks, but it sure is crisp out there today. That makes this a good day for tea!

The Teasenz teas I have tried so far have been wonderful. The resealable sample packaging is simple and to the point - what's inside and how to prepare it.

Cutting off the top and breaking the seal takes me to far away places for a moment. The nose is a hefty dose of malt along with a sweet and sour aroma like fresh cut dewy grass.

Removing some leaf for examination and brewing has me feeling like a kid on Christmas morning. The picture only kind of tells the story. Reaching in the bag it is like pulling a birds nest out of a birdhouse. The leaf is so tightly wound it looks like long stems or almost pieces of wire. It is very dark green with some lighter green accents and a silvery cast from the fine bud hair. This is kind of a long paragraph just about the leaf, so I think that is a good indication of how I enjoyed playing... er, examining it.

Because it is so loose and wiry, it is hard to judge how much is there. The directions say to use 2-5 grams. Yeah, that's probably how much I pulled out.

Into the press it goes. I added about 10 oz of water heated to 175 F and let it steep for 5 minutes.

The aroma of the pot and the wet leaf is much more green leafy plants now.

The liquor is bright yellow with a tint of honey.

The wet leaf is a bright and alive shade of green. There are some whole leaves. Some are torn. There are also stems present.

I have had Xin Yang Mao Jian before, without looking back at my old reviews it has been long enough I can barely remember. Tasting the tea is almost going to be a new adventure.

The first thing I notice is the bite. More accurately, it is bitter, but it is what I consider the good desirable kind. It opens your eyes to make you notice but doesn't cause you to pucker. It is a crisp refreshing note. Along with the bite is a sweetness that is a good contrast.

This begins to feel thick about mid sip. As it trails off a strong vine like taste kicks in and really lingers.

I was curious how today's review stacked up against my previous tastings of this tea. Most of what I wrote today agrees with a review from a few years ago. One notable exception is that I noted this as sweet. In the past I sweetened everything, which I seldom do today, so only a sugar overload was recognizable as sweet back then. Progress.

The other thing I noticed was the steep time. I thought 5 minutes seemed a bit long. Previously I steeped this only 2 minutes. My thought here is Teasenz has given a steep time based on normal western teapot brewing. I really think a shorter steep would tame this a little. It is not out of control wild by any means, yet I feel a less intense cup would enhance the cup making it more meditative. I plan to go with a shorter steep next time.

Once again Teasenz has provided a very solid tea. Experiment with the steep times and see how you prefer it.

You can find Teasenz, Xin Yang Mao Jian here.

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Update!
I just published this and I'm already updating? Yeah, I just noticed on Teasenz website the recommended steep time is ONE minute. Well, that makes a lot more sense. I'm glad I checked and impressed I recognized the issue - which was the primary reason I looked up the old review. Definitely should make for a more relaxing cup.

Teasenz, Jin Jun Mei

Teasenz Description:
Malty and honey-sweet, with the subtle fruity aroma of oranges. This wild-picked bud tea provides a uniquely rich and savory cup reminiscent of fresh-baked, whole-grain toast with a touch of sweet honeyed butter on top. The malty profiles of barley and wheat are in the foreground, followed by an aftertaste that reveals the fine bud quality of the tea through a fruity scent of oranges.

Sample provided by Teasenz

My Review:
August already? This summer has gotten away from me. Seems my tea drinking has as well. I spent much of the first half the year feeling very poorly and now I am trying to catch up on a hundred different things at once and getting nowhere. Aaack!

I grabbed this one this afternoon because, well, Jin Jun Mei. This is my second Teasenz tea. The sample bag is resealable - as all should packaged. The label is clean and simple. It does not give a description or harvest information but then that is the kind of thing you normally check out when you order. At this point, you want to know how to prepare the tea, and that is what is on the label.

Opening the bag is a treat. The tea leaf smells so good. It is malt and grains, honey and straw, and notes of cocoa. I know. Mmmmm. Right?

Then I remove some leaf and immediately remember why I love Fujian black tea. Simply put, it's gorgeous. The dark lightly twisted leaf mixed with an abundance of tan colored buds. Seriously, I love the look of Jin Jun Mei.

One thing I like better than looking at the leaf is sipping the tea made by steeping it. I should mention that I added a little more leaf to the pot than what is pictured in the dry leaf. I saw that it calls for 2-5 grams. The picture is about 2. I steeped 3-3.5 grams for a 12 oz mug.  The water was heated to 195 F and the steep time was 5 minutes.

Pouring the tea, I continued my feelings of 'died and gone to Heaven'. The liquor is a dark ruby, almost black cherry in color. It is bright and clear.

The wet leaf is nearly intoxicating. The honey and sweet potato notes fill the air, along with a fruitiness that rivals any wine I have every smelled. Oh, my lands. So good.

There is just enough bite contribution to add substance without bitterness or pucker.  The honey and sweet potato are present in the taste but not as heavy as the aroma suggests. There is malt and hay notes as well. As you breathe while sipping the fruit wine note emerges. Teasenz calls it orange. Probably, but to me it says wine. Accompanying all this action and mixed in with the bite is cocoa and molasses.

Oh, Jin Jun Mei how I love you.

It is almost supper time and I don't even care. This demands trying a second mug from the leaves.

The second mug is every bit as dark as the first. While really hot (not how I normally drink my tea), I catch a peppery note taking the place of the bite from the first cup. After cooling a few minutes the cup returns to a copy of the first mug. Translation: delicious.

I seldom sweeten straight teas any more, but for the sake of experimentation I added a packet of Splenda. Just as I expected, it adds nothing. In fact, I find it a distraction as it makes the cup entirely too sweet. Fujian tea just has a natural sweetness of its own that doesn't need tampered with, in my estimation.

Despite my messing with it, this is a wonderful tea. I honestly cannot find a single area for complaint. Well done. Just from what I have seen so far, I highly recommend giving Teasenz (especially Jin Jun Mei) a try.

You can find Teasenz, Jin Jun Mei here.

Teasenz, Liu An Melon Seed

Teasenz Description:
A legendary favorite tea of emperors and dignitaries including the empress Dowager Cixi and Henry Kissinger. Liu An Melon Seed is known for its unique shape and taste. Single leaves, carefully cut to equal size, are pan-fired over low heat, shaping the leaves into a beautiful melon-seed shape and creating a tea with bright green leaves and a refreshing, crisp flavor.

Sample provided by Teasenz

My Review:
A brand new month. A new opportunity to drink and review tea! I am starting the month with a new to me company. From their About Us page, "Teasenz is a China-based, international retailer and wholesaler of fine Chinese tea and tea ware."

I received 5 samples and all will be reviewed in the coming weeks. I grabbed this one today simply for the name. Liu An Melon Seed is a green tea and not made or scented with melon seeds. The name comes from the shape of the leaf after processing.

The sample came in a resealable aluminum pouch. The label provides basic brewing parameters, though they disagree slightly on time with the website.

Opening the bag, I smell malt and fresh dried hay.

I have no idea what type melons the Chinese are growing that have seeds that look anything like the leaf, but I'll take their word for it.

The leaf is green and rolled into little cylinders that are straight and pretty evenly sized.

I used a steeping basket today to prepare this in a mug. It is new and I wanted to give it a test drive. Looking back, I probably should have used the clear glass teapot so I could watch the leaf expand.

Regrets aside, the basket with the leaf was lowered into the mug containing 175 F water. The steep time was about 3 minutes. About because, well new gadget and text message interruptions.

Once brewed, you get a better understanding of the processing. What leaf, that has relaxed, shows the cutting necessary to make each rolled melon seed the same length. The steeped leaf is really green and fresh. You just want to get a fork and eat it.

The liquor is brilliant yellow. With the lighting behind, it almost becomes fluorescent. It shines. You have to really look hard to find any floating particles.

In my panic to get back on track, I did sniff the wet leaf, but honestly don't remember much about it. Shame on me for my sloppiness. I recall it being vegetal and that's about it.

Getting my first taste - it was worth the wait. Chinese green teas just really appeal to me. This one is no exception. It is not bitter and has no sharp edges. It does have just enough bite to excite the palate. It is clean and crisp. The feel is a bit creamy. The taste is a mix of nutty with underlying floral.

The aftertaste is grassy with floral and melon notes. It is not a strong aftertaste but lingers a long time. I also catch a definite dryness and some cheek tingle. It certainly isn't out of place with this type tea.

I immediately prepared a second cup, something I don't do as often as I used to do. I steeped this cup for two minutes. The color is very close to the first. The cup aroma while steeping was spicy and reminded me of the sweet basil my wife cut in the herb garden this morning.

The taste of this cup is stronger. It has a more pronounced nuttiness along with a grassy and vegetal kick. At times I sense, more than taste, some spicy notes. I found the second cup to be just as delicious as the first.

You can find Teasenz Liu An Melon Seed here.