Verdant Tea, Traditional Tieguayin

Verdant Tea Description:
Partially oxidized traditional Tieguanyin recalls sweet and savory kettle corn with woody incense undertones and a touch of tart berry . This tea starts with rich candied violet flavors paired with a sweet caramel toasted aftertaste. The green, juicy fruit flavors unfold and reveal steamy banana custard profile with notes of butterscotch.

The mineral notes in this tea remind us of the Li family’s Wuyi oolongs, accented with marigold flavors and toasted marshmallow. This tea continues to yield beautiful flavor over many steepings. Enjoy this hot or ice it for a rich and sweet summer treat.

My Review:
I got this one in a tea trade with a friend. She wrote Yummy :) on the sample packet. I think that means she approves.

Cutting the top off the sample and removing the leaf reveals dark mossy looking leaf that is tightly rolled. It isn't the hard shiny pellets I normally associate with this type oolong. It makes it appear more woodsy. I can detect only a slight green oolong aroma from the dry leaf.

I used my press and the entire sample which looks to be about 8 g. To the leaf was added 10 oz of water heated to 205 F. I steeped 30 seconds. Steeping recommendations came from the product brewing page of the Verdant Tea website.

30 seconds is not a lot of time for rolled oolong leaf to open and expand. It did loosen and double in size. The scent of the wet leaf is a surprise. I know this is traditional tieguanyin and yet based on the dry scent I expected a more green aroma. This is roasted without question. In fact the leaf is quite strongly so. The liquor is a lovely bright and very light yellow.

Verdant's descriptions are always so colorful. My taste buds are not so developed. Given the scent of the wet leaf, I am again surprised by the flavor. This should be strongly roasted by the aroma but it is not. Instead it is at first buttery and salty, savory, then sweet with floral notes late in the sip. Underneath the entire sip sits a light roasted nuttiness that is very reminiscent of the toasted rice in genmaicha. The floral note comes off as green oolong to me rather than violets. There is a certain amount of cheek tingle that I normal get with ginger, though here it is from astringency that leaves the mouth slightly dry.

This will continue to develop over several more infusions. I can say after the first mug that this is an interesting and complex tieguanyin. I also have to agree - this is Yummy :)

Visit Verdant Tea.

Verdant Tea, Vanilla Citrus Spice

Verdant Tea Description:
Yunnan black tea at its best has the most exquisite citrus and spice flavors to it. A good Dian Hong is cinnamon sweet with orange aftertaste. We decided that we would take this most beloved flavor pairing and bring out to the forefront through a satisfying blend that is beautiful hot and iced.

We start with Zhu Rong Yunnan Black, a spicy and full bodied tea with notes of sweet potato and cayenne. Next we bring out the citrus with orange peel, and draw out spice with ginger, cinnamon, and coriander. Finally, we emphasize the sweetness of the tea with generous whole vanilla bean and toasted dandelion root, creating a creamy and full bodied blend.

Ingredients:
Zhu Rong Yunnan Black, organic orange peel, organic ginger, organic cinnamon, organic coriander, organic vanilla bean and pods, organic toasted dandelion root

My Review:
It is late in the evening and I need tea. I grabbed this one thinking it was a tisane blend (meaning decaf). Oops. Looks like I may be up late tonight. It's all good as this is Zhu Rong Yunnan black, which is a wonderful Dian Hong, along with a bunch of spices and other goodies.

I took the leaf picture above and if I do say so myself, and I do, that is one good looking leaf.

I used my press and water heated to 209 F. The steep was two minutes. The brew is dark and a little cloudy from the spices. I was only supposed to steep this 45 seconds at 205 F. Of course I didn't look it up until after steeping. It didn't seem to hurt the cup any.

My first sip reminds me of spice cake. At first I don't taste tea, but as I grow accustomed to the flavors and it cools just a bit the Yunnan tea comes through gently. The main flavors though are the ginger, cinnamon, and orange peel. The vanilla seems very faint to me, adding only a slight smoothness to the cup. There is a bit of pepperiness late in the sip.

I said it before, I am not a big fan of teas that even remind of chai. That being said this is well blended and pretty tasty.

Verdant Tea, Dark Roast 10 Year Aged Tieguanyin

Verdant Tea Description:
Master Zhang rarely releases such mature aged tieguanyin, but when he does, the result is intensely rewarding. His fresh tieguanyin is complex and intoxicating enough as is, so a slow subtle roasting and aging process over ten years brings this level of complexity to its extreme.

The wet leaf’s aroma is intensely nostalgic, reminiscent of the carved sandalwood beads our Buddhist tea mentors carry, along with notes of rose, cinnamon and vanilla.

The tea steeps out with strong notes of spiced rum-infused fruitcake, with its vaporous aroma and raisin-like sweetness. The texture on the palate is similar to a very clean well-aged pu’er.

Later steepings are similar to marzipan cake with an aftertaste of caramel apple and nag champa incense. We were only able to obtain ten pounds of this limited release, so if you love aged Tieguanyin, this is a great opportunity to stock up.


My Review:
I have never had an oolong that was aged on purpose. Sure, I have had my share of teas that have stayed in the drawer too long but that often doesn't end well. I really have no idea what to expect.

The dark nuggets of the sample leaf have no real aroma. I used 4 g in my press with water heated to 205 F. I steeped for 40 seconds. The website calls for 30. The liquor is a dark honey color. It has a light roasted aroma along with notes of tieguanyin. The wet leaf is another story. At first while it is still steaming, the roasting is very strong. As the leaf cools a moment a magical transition happens. I have never smelled sandalwood before but this must be the aroma Verdant mentions in the description. It is spicy and reminds me of an incense I burned years ago. It is a very wonderful aroma.

I get a certain amount of side tongue tingle with the first sip. The roasted notes are much milder than I expected. I am not the biggest fan of overly dark roasted, so I am pleasantly surprised. This is a very smooth and silky cup. I did not get cinnamon and vanilla in the wet leaf, but it seems lightly present in the sip.

Much of Verdant's description is way beyond my senses to detect. Maybe it is there, maybe it is not. I leave that to you. As I stated, I am not a big fan of dark roasted oolong but this I really like. The roasting does not grab you by the throat, and the oolong notes are likewise present but gentle. The sip finishes with a honey like sweetness that yes, reminds me a bit of raisin.

If you have an opportunity to try this one - take it. A unexpected delight.

Visit Verdant Tea online.  

Verdant, Sichuan Caravan

Verdant Tea Description:
We love pu’er for its multi-dimensional complexity. One of the most interesting and often overlooked elements of the pu’er experience is the vaguely numbing and tingling sensation that fine pu’er leaves in the aftertaste. Our goal with this blend was to highlight this textural quality of great shu pu’er, while at the same time creating a warming, rich and perfectly integrated taste experience.

We start with the incredible Yanxin’s Reserve ’04 Shu Nuggets. This tea is known for its pastry-like dessert flavors, and its smooth sweet aftertaste. We build on that richness with one of our favorite ingredients to pair with shu pu’er, dried elderberries. The dark sweetness of the elderberries brings out the natural berry qualities of the pu’er itself, and lingers on the sides of the tongue.

Next we draw out the pastry sweetness of the pu’er with a touch of licorice root, which helps highlight and blend the sweet spice of ginger root. Ginger starts to emphasize the tingling texture of this fine pu’er, but on its own, it doesn’t push quite far enough. That is why we added a touch of Sichuan peppercorn to round out this tea and make it whole. Sichuan peppercorn has a uniquely numbing flavor that elevates this blend to a new level. Taken as a whole, no one flavor stands out above the others. They work together smoothly to emphasize everything warm and satisfying that we love about shu pu’er.


My Review:
Looking into the bag leaves me guessing what this is. I pulled up the website and immediately saw pu'er. Well OK. I was pretty sure I saw ginger in the mix and the description confirmed it. In addition there are elderberries - I don't think I have had them before - and licorice root to bring out the sweetness. Sounds interesting.

The dry scent is earthy pu'er and ginger. It also seems a bit smoky but I am not sure if that is cross over from some Russian Caravan I had near by. I used half my sample or roughly 1 1/2 - 2 tsp in 12 oz of water heated to 208 F. The steep was 2 minutes per Verdant's guidelines. The result is a cloudy brew that is orange/caramel/brown. The wet leaf is a little fishy to me. That is what I thought of the previous Master Han's pu'er I reviewed. The wet leaf is also quite spicy of ginger and pepper.

Sipping I get ginger first, then elderberry and licorice root combine to really give this a sweet fruit highlight. Finally it drifts into a tingly warm feeling in part due to the addition of the sichuan peppercorns.

I really can't think of anything to compare this with. It is kind of reminiscent of a fall chai blend but not really. The ginger feels familiar but the elderberry and licorice take it elsewhere. I am still getting a hint of smoke so if it is not supposed to be there on purpose, it is a pleasant accident.

I can't really separate the pu'er out of the mix. Everything else seems very well balanced. I am guessing I am tasting pu'er without it being obvious.

This will definitely make your cheeks tingle. While this is very well blended, and quite complex, spiced teas are really not my thing. Other reviews, I have read, rate this very highly, so I must accept that not every good tea will suit everyone's tastes.

Visit Verdant Tea online.

Verdant Tea, Yu Lu Yan Cha

Verdant Tea Description:
Fresh young Xinyang Maojian leaves are traditionally oxidized over three days and hand roasted in Laoshan Village as a black tea.  The Spring harvest of this ingenious tea finds the perfect balance of sweet potato, chocolate notes, honey, and silky smooth texture. Closest to a fine Jin Jun Mei in profile, this collaborative tea continues to prove that the world of tea is still young with room for innovation everywhere.

The name Yu Lu Yan Cha Black comes from the ancient names of Henan and Shandong province. Yu is Henan, and Lu is Shandong. To commemorate this landmark cooperative tea producing effort, Yu Lu is added to the tea name. Yan is the first part of Wang Yanxin’s name, honoring her innovation in creating this new tea.

My Review:
I cut open the brown sample bag and poked my nose in... WOW! is all I could think to describe the aroma. It is deep smooth creamy chocolate, with some roasting, and another scent of a particular type tree that my brain won't associate a name with. But just WOW! should suffice.

The dry leaf looks like Dian Hong or a Jin Jun Mei. Beautiful, and my favorite types of straight black tea. I took out about a 5 g scoop and placed it in my press with 10 oz of 202 F water. The steep was 2 1/2 minutes. The brew is a deep caramelly orange. The wet leaf is roasted and brownies in scent.

The sip is different from the dry or steep aroma. It hints at malt and chocolate but only hints. This kind of suggests sweet potato.  It sounds like I am saying this has very little flavor but that is not true at all. I am just having trouble finding the right words. What I can put into words is the roasty taste is very present and it is honey and grain flavored. Underneath and very late in the sip I am getting floral notes that say rose to me senses. I've not read that in any one else's description. The liquor is kind of thick and almost creamy, or silky, as it glides across the tongue.

I have to say I quite like this one.

Visit Verdant Tea online.

Verdant Tea, Master Han’s Wild Picked Yunnan Black

Verdant Tea Description:
Every batch of tea from Master Han is very different from the harvests before. This is because, instead of trying to reproduce results through identical processing, Master Han tastes, smells and carefully evaluates each harvest he picks to determine what will bring out the most in the natural leaf.

This unique black tea is lighter than Master Han’s last harvest, closer to a sheng pu’er in its perfumed florals, crisp vegetal aftertaste and bright body. Yet, it is definitively a black tea in its caramel, malt and chocolate notes. A tea like this challenges the hold fast lines between categories and in doing so, challenges our palates with new pairings. To find so much bright citrus in a chocolatey black tea is something that many strive for through blending.

The creamy sweet body, nutty aftertaste and herbaceous undertones evoke that certain olive oil taste that all of Master Han’s Qianjiazhai teas seem to have.

My Review:
Did someone say Yunnan black? Yes please! Verdant Tea is pricier than most teas that I drink but they have yet to disappoint. There have been a scant few that were not to my tastes but the quality remained high. So Verdant and Yunnan black, I'm trying not to raise my expectations too high but it is probably too late.

The aroma out of the bag did not reveal much. I only have enough for this one session. A larger bag will most likely have a lot to say. The leaf, however, speaks volumes. There is a lot of beautiful color in the twisted leaf. I'm not noticing it in the picture above but mine had some green and silver mixed in with the brown and orange.

I used 205 F water and a one minute steep which gives me a cup that is caramel in color and very clear. The wet leaf had a forest leaf scent with some darker sugary cocoa scent.

The sip has some bite on the edges of the tongue. This is really light tasting. I am used to Yunnans packing more, well, just more. Hmmm. Maybe the one minute recommendation was not enough. I am getting a light earthiness with what I can agree is olive. In the aftertaste I catch a hint of malt.

Oh, there it is. As the cup cools the flavors come out of hiding. If you drink your tea very hot you might miss a lot with this one. It is still light and earthy with olive, but in addition I am getting more typical yunnan notes of honey, grain, and malt. There is also the taste of grape. The leaf more than the fruity berry.

I thought this when I looked at the leaf, now I am going to share it. This reminds me of the Oriental Beauty Oolong, mixed with a black from Nepal. It's kind of lightly Darjeeling like but subtly.

With the second cup I steeped several minutes on purpose. It did not get overly bitter but it was potent. The flavors remained the same as the first with the added power of over brewing. Not my favorite from Verdant (stupid expectations got in my way) but it is good and an interesting experience.

Visit Verdant Teas here.

Verdant Tea, Master Han's Shu Pu'er 2002

Verdant Tea Description:
The liquor is perfectly light and clear, with the green plantain and olive oil flavor distinctive to Master Han’s Black Tea and his Qianjiazhai shu pu’er. The tart notes in the tea are reminiscent of a blend of hibiscus, elderberry and rose. Herbaceous hints of coriander and fennel sneak into the aftertaste.

The musty and aged quality of this tea is so refined that it moves away from earthy and more towards the satisfying smell of old libraries. The more you sip, the more a camphor-like aftertaste and cooling sensation build up in the back of the throat. The aftertaste continues to build and get sweeter and juicier the more steepings you enjoy. It is exciting to see Master Han innovating and trying new things even when he has an established tradition of sheng pu’er. May future years bring more of this precious pu’er.

My Review:
Today I am having a go at a 2002 puerh. It is out of stock, which means it is gone forever but reviewing this one will give some indication of what to expect from new cakes from Master Han.

The portion I have to sample is very dark and tightly compressed. The dry scent is a bit fishy to my nose but Verdant calls it sweet raisin aromatics with mossy forest undertones. I placed it in my press and added boiling water for a 30 second steep.

The brew comes out ruby red and grows darker in the cup. The wet leaf still has some fishy aroma to me, call it raisin all you want. But there is now darker notes like cocoa and brown sugar mixed with musty old book leather. This is starting to interest me.

The sip is like sniffing book leather along with wheat notes. Late in the sip it turns, not exactly brisk and not bitter, maybe more pronounced is the word I am thinking. As it cools I am getting what I will agree to be raisin notes. The aftertaste is kind of nutty and fruity. This is not fishy, or barnyard (beyond the leather). It is harsh but not completely mellow either.

Verdant is very specific and colorful in their description. If they get all those notes out of this then God bless them. Maybe with more steeps I'll come up with a few of them myself. My opinion is this is a much better puerh than the initial leaf aroma suggests but it is not one of my favorites.

Visit Verdant Tea online.

Verdant Tea, Zhu Rong Yunnan Black

Verdant Tea Description:
Lady Zhu Rong was a legendary dagger-wielding warrior-queen of Yunnan descended from the god of fire. The spice and power of this tea compelled us to evoke her kingdom of Dian, an independent state before it was conquered by China and renamed Yunnan.

The aroma of the wet leaf is that of fresh roasted sweet potatoes... Behind the rich savory sweetness is a potent cayenne pepper aroma.

The early steepings are full and all-encompassing like cedarwood smoldering in an incense censer. There is a dark spice that moves towards clove, but is tempered by a sweet cinnamon note. This new harvest builds on the smoldering base with luscious notes of honey, and waffle wafer cookies.

Later steepings develop towards creamy banana, and the spice slowly builds up towards ginger, galangal and even a hint of cardamom, evoking a warming cup of honey-sweetened chai.

My Review:
I have said it before on this blog, I love Yunnan black tea. Just by looking at the magnificent leaf, I feel I am in for a treat. My Steepster friends rave on this one as well as many other teas from Verdant. I no longer question whether this will live up to the ravings. I am confident it will.

The dry leaf did not give up any hint of what the steep would bring out. I noticed no scent. Even so I could gaze on it for a long time and not grow weary. Just beautiful.

I used almost 2 tsp of leaf in my press with 205 F water and steeped for about 45 seconds. The resulting brew is caramel in color and shiny. The wet leaf smells divine. It is deep dark chocolate and browned cocoa. It is such a dark scent it almost approaches coffee without any bitter notes. I notice just a bit of malt and grain, maybe more dark bread like. I could go on but you get the picture - there is a lot going on.

The sip is honey and brownies or rich browned cocoa. It also suggests fruity and leans to spicy. It is such a thick feeling tea. As you breathe while swallowing you catch hints of roasting over fire that must have happened during the processing. This is slightly drying but absolutely free of bitterness.

I don't get some of the notes Verdant mentions but that may be the different methods used to brew and the distinct probability that they just have better tasting skills. I think no matter what level ones skills, this would prove to be an interesting and complex tea. Very good.  

Visit Verdant Tea online.

Verdant Tea, Bai Mu Dan White Tea

Verdant Tea Description:
This Bai Mudan is a pre-Qing Ming Spring 2013 harvest from Fuding, the most famous white tea growing region in China. Hand picked and quickly processed to lock in the “fresh from the field” taste that fine white tea preserves, this beautiful tea is one of the most complex and nuanced white teas we have ever tried. Made from a mixture of silver needle white buds and young green leaves, this tea achieves a balance and fully engages the palate in a way that traditional silver needle often struggles to provide.

My Review:
One look at this one and it was obvious there was silver needle buds mixed in with the leaf. It is a beautiful looking tea with hairy silver buds and various shades of wilted looking green leaf just waiting to be revived in the water. I forgot to sniff the dry leaf but I do recall it looking very fresh.

For the first cup I went with 175 F water and a one minute steep, following the low end of Verdant's recommendation for western brewing. The cup was light golden in color. The wet leaf scent was melon and a fruity aroma I couldn't identify.

I tend to love white teas. Sure, they tend to be subtle but there is usually a great deal of depth to the cup if you slow down and notice. So far my experience with Verdant has been very good. They have consistently delivered a quality cup of tea. Even the teas that have been a little outside my comfort zone have been interesting experiences. This cup of Bai Mudan is just not grabbing me. Why am I not amazed? Hmmm. The first cup is too light and lacks definition.

 Back to the drawing board. I researched my favorite experience with Bai Mu Dan (from Concept Teas) to see what I might have done differently. Apparently, I used 200 F water and a Two minute steep. To the tea kettle! Key theme music and spinning cup.

Ah yes, this greatly improved the cup. It is now feels creamy and vanilla like and tastes strongly of almond. Very nice. While still not my favorite Bai Mudan, it was much improved simply by using different parameters.

Visit the Verdant Tea website.

Verdant Tea, Golden Fleece

Verdant Tea Description:
This is the finest, most nuanced and intriguing Dian Hong we have ever encountered... This tea is not the assertive experience that some seek in a black tea.  It is not robust in the traditional sense.  Instead, this is a subtle experience that will appeal to lovers of fine oolong and pu’er.  The mouthfeel is perfectly smooth- not creamy, but silky.  The taste unfolds slowly, confident in itself.  The sweetness begins like that of vanilla ice cream, but quickly expands on the palate in the aftertaste with a gentle tingling similar to raw sugar.  An enveloping honey profile is also present.

The wild-picked buds yield an intriguingly well-integrated spice profile.  It is hard to pick it apart, but there are certainly cinnamon flavors, and the sweetness of ground clove and allspice.  The tea has a warming quality and a brightness that truly feels like sunlight.  In later steepings a satisfying thickness like incense and sweet morel mushrooms begins to develop and mix with the sparkling and sweet qualities.

My Review:
Dian Hong is always at or near the top of my favorite tea types. This one by Verdant Tea is another, like Laoshan Black, that has achieved near mythic status among my fellow tea drinking friends. Given Verdant's track record so far, and taking one look at this beautiful golden leaf, I have no doubt I will love it.

The leaf really is gorgeous to look at, the golden buds are covered in fine downy hair. The aroma dry does not give a lot of clues as to what is coming. It reminds me of a tall brown dried field.

I used two tsp of leaf in my press and boiling water. The steep time was around one minute. The brew starts out light orange brown in the cup and turns darker as it cools. I used the word brew instead of my usual liquor because the wet leaf sings malt. So intoxicating an aroma. I could sit here and sniff the leaf all day but I think I'll drink tea instead.

Wow! Good choice. This is fabulous. It is honey and brown sugar, along with the malt, giving it a bread like quality. Some Dian Hong has a sweet potato taste. This edges that direction but turns away. It is sweet, warm, and yes, silky. Just wow!

I see where Verdant is referring when mentioning a spice profile. Late in the sip and into the aftertaste it does suggest spices. I can't say I am sophisticated enough to pull out the particular spices they mention but that's OK as no matter what the notes are, they are welcome and amazing.

I don't join the mythic status crowd easily, but I really can find no flaw with this tea. Definitely a must try for Dian Hong lovers.

Visit the Verdant Tea website.

Verdant Tea, Laoshan Black

Verdant Tea Description:
The wet leaf of this Autumn Harvest Laoshan Black has a beautifully addictive aroma of salted caramel and fresh baked brownies. The complexity of the aroma follows through beautifully in the early steepings with caramel chocolate candy flavor, a perfect balance of sweet, slaty and savory. Later infusions yield more dark juicy fruit flavors, especially raspberry. The famous Laoshan malty quality comes through in the aftertaste to complement the chocolate.

My Review:

This one came to me by way of a swap. I definitely got the better end of the trade. This particular offering from Verdant has reached near mythic legendary status with the Steepster crowd. That always makes me nervous. Can it live up to the hype? What if I don't like it? Ahhh, pressure! 

Opening the bag, the first thing I notice is the picture doesn't tell the story for once. It makes it appear to be big bulky leaf when the reality is it is thin wiry twists. That must be one tiny bowl. It is very dark in color. The dry aroma is mildly roasted. I wasn't expecting that.

I used 1 tsp of leaf with 8 oz of water heated to 208 F steeped for 3 minutes per my tea swap friends recommendation. Verdant says to use 4 g and steep for 30 seconds. The result is a light orange/amber cup. The length and bulk of the leaf has increased dramatically after brewing. The wet leaf aroma is baked brownies as mentioned in Verdant's description. Usually I don't get a vendor's notes. This one is spot on.

With my first sip I am drawn into another dimension where time stands still in the world around me and the cup begs me to linger, which I willingly desire to obey. It turns out this is really as good as all the hoopla and marching bands declared. Seriously good.

This is chocolate. It is roasted caramel drizzled with honey. The aftertaste is rich malt. 

I am reminded of a time a couple years ago when I received my first samples from Teavivre. One of those samples was Bailin Gongfu. Maybe memory fails me and these taste nothing alike but it was a turning point for me. I discovered there is so much more to black tea than the Assam and Ceylon teas I had experienced before this time. Laoshan black is one of those experience changing teas.

This is Verdant Tea's most popular tea and from what I can tell, for good reason.

Visit the Verdant Tea website.

Verdant Tea, Imperial Breakfast Blend

Verdant Tea Description:
A fine breakfast tea should gently wake you up, acting as a transition and ritual to welcome the day.  Too many breakfast blends achieve this through caffeine alone, brewing up so intense that they are hard to palate.  We realized the best breakfast tea is going to give you more than caffeine.  Its flavor is going to be warm and sunny, the texture gentle but satisfying, the aftertaste refreshing.  The sensation of drinking the tea should make you want to start the day.

We achieve this by starting with Laoshan Black and Zhu Rong Yunnan Black.  This combination creates a satisfying body with a warm and bright flavor.  A touch of Wuyi Mountain Big Red Robe Oolong accents the warm fruity qualities, while Master Han’s 2002 Shu pu’er strengthens the base and a bit of Bai Mu Dan White tea provides a uniquely refreshing aftertaste.

This brews up beautifully hot or cold, and can be just the comforting cup in the morning or throughout the day.

My Review:
This is so interesting looking in the bag. Big white buds, golden twists, dark gnarly leaves. This is topped by the scent of the dry leaf upon opening. Oh my lands. This is dark honey coated burnt caramel goodness. It has been a long time since dry leaf has drawn me in so quickly. Just wow!

I used 2 tsp of leaf. It seemed like a lot but then look at the fluffy nature of the leaf. I let it soak for a moment in the bottom of my freshly rinsed press. Then I added boiling water and steeped for one brief minute.

The liquor is orange and clear. The wet leaf aroma is much like the dry with the added touch of seeming fresher and more alive. The scent of the cup reveals the caramel and a touch of the dark Wuyi. The Yunnan is the driving flavor here with the oolong filling in the bottom end. I really don't taste the puerh or white - or at least I can't single them out. As the cup cools I also catch light notes like cinnamon.

As is usually the case with me, the more the cup cooled the more I enjoyed it. Really hot, I thought (and usually do) the flavors were subdued and locked together. As it cools they separate and blossom. By the time this reached room temperature I decided it was an exceptional blend.

Visit the Verdant Tea website.

Verdant Tea, Autumn Harvest Dragonwell Style Laoshan Green

Verdant Tea Description:
Steeped up, the beautiful fresh leaves dance in the cup, and release a rich, potent citrus sweetness. The texture is crisp like the mineral notes of Dragonwell, but moves quickly into grassy green bean flavor and mouth watering texture. This innovative tea from the He family is absolutely worth picking up to compare to traditional Shi Feng Dragonwell.

My Review:
I see this tea has been archived on Verdant's website. That means they have no plans to offer it again in the near future. I have it, so I am reviewing it anyway. I believe this to be from the autumn harvest of 2012.

This laoshan green has been flat pressed which alters the flavor profile from standard laoshan green. It really is one of the many amazing things about tea. How the master presses, rolls,or twists the leaf in processing really does affect the flavor in the cup.

I steeped this for 1 1/2 minutes in 175 F water in my clear glass press. The resulting liquor is sparkling clear and very light yellow/green tinted. It almost looks like white wine in the cup. The wet leaf has a spinach and potato aroma - hey, I just call them as I smell them.

The sip is crisp. It is also slightly bitter. It reminds me of dandelion greens but not nearly as bitter. Not meaning to mislead, this is exceptionally easy to sip. This really doesn't evoke images of dragonwell with me. It more closely reminds me of Tai Ping Hou Kui. Beyond this comparison, I think beans and nutty also fit the taste.

This was different. It disappeared quickly. I am not sure why this is no longer offered but I am glad I got to try it before it is gone forever.

Visit Verdant Tea online.

Verdant Tea, Laoshan Bilochun Green

Verdant Tea Description:
This tea is made from fresh-picked leaves and buds for a sweet grassy flavor.  The hand rolling gives the tea a much longer steeping life than traditional Laoshan Green, and a more savory full-bodied base note.  The Spring harvest captures the creamy oat and soy milk notes of traditional Laoshan Green, while intensifying the sweet, green snap pea notes with a long, lingering aftertaste and tingling mouth-feel. It is exciting to be able to support projects in innovation like this one that not only benefit us tea drinkers and the He family, but advance the state of tea in general and keep challenging producers to bring out the best in their specific terroir.

My Review:
The leaf on this is long dark twists that look very brittle. I used 1 tsp of leaf with a cup of water heated to 175 F. The steep was one minute per Verdant's suggestion. The leaf turned brightly green and sank to the bottom. The wet leaf scent was spinach and kelp. The liquor had almost no color but as it cooled in the cup it turned light yellow.

This is clean and crisp with some bite that tickles the edges of the tongue and cheek. I am finding it slightly salty but lightly creamy. It is not quite to the point of buttery. The taste is fresh reminding me of pea pods. The more I am sipping the more this has become incredibly sweet. The aftertaste is long lingering and has an almost tieguanyin viney oolong taste about it. This really makes the mouth water.

I just read the description posted above. They pretty much nail this one except I don't find it grassy. To me grassy is a taste I associate with Sencha. This is more like a very sweet spring field of grass. This is very nice.

I just published this moments ago but I am already revising it. As the cup cools this becomes like melted butter on corn without the greasy feel. I am also catching notes of nuts in it. Yum.

Visit the Verdant Tea website.

Verdant Tea, Silver Buds Yabao

Verdant Teas Description:
Yabao is one of the most intriguing teas out there.  Picked from compact winter buds, young Yabao is light in body but wonderfully nuanced.  It has none of the earthy qualities of pu’er.  Instead, it is sweet like raw sugar, with the silky spice of Yunnan budset teas like Golden Buds black.  This 2008 harvest still maintains a fresh sparkling quality to it, with toasted marshmallow flavors coming through in later steepings.  Growing so close to the wild forests of Yunnan, the tea has hints of pine or cedar in its aroma that complement the spice perfectly.

My Review:
Are we now harvesting tea on some exotic alien world? Actually, no. This  unusual offering is from Yunnan China. I don't even know how to describe its appearance much less how it is produced. It looks kind of plantlike and kind of like it came from the depths of the ocean. Apparently this is sort of a white tea that ages well. It is made of bud sets that have not yet opened, picked in mid to late winter.

This was steeped western style in my press with boiling water for 4 minutes. The result is a very lightly tinted clear liquor. The buds, pods, whatever they are, have a scent like mushrooms stored in a pine or cedar box. The wet leaf looks like giant opening grains of wheat.

The taste is a very unusual. My best effort to explain it is marshmallows sprinkled with limestone dust. Forgive me but I worked in the limestone industry for 31 years. The scent and the taste are unavoidably familiar and kind of stay with you.

There is some herb scent as well, maybe basil? Very, very light notes of cinnamon and apple. It is kind of pine tasting but only mildly so. To my sweet tooth this is only mildly sweet. To me this is far closer to sheng puerh in taste than to black or white tea, though it does not have the strong mineral bite of a young raw puerh.

With later cups I am still trying to pinpoint the taste and I am still at a loss. It seems to taste kind of like smelling a freshly pulled tree root with fresh damp earth attached. It is not puerh like at all but again that is the closest association.

Just when I think I have experienced the boundaries of tea, one comes along and moves them. This is very different. As weird as my review may make this sound let me add I rather enjoyed this tea.

Visit the Verdant Tea website.

Verdant Tea, Sun Dried Jingshan Green

Verdant Tea Description:
The flavor of the early steepings are sweet and refreshing with a mouth-watering juiciness to the texture.  The predominant flavors are light, sweet and mellow vegetals like sweet grass or aloe.  In the creamy body, there is a teasing hint of savory oat or sweet pea.  The texture is sweet, juicy, and full bodied.

The later steepings continue to grow brighter and thicker as the aftertaste becomes even juicier with floral notes of rose water.  More of the traditional silky Yunnan texture comes through in later steepings, along with hints of refreshing celery.  Longer steepings bring out the more savory aspects of this tea, and intensify the texture with more pronounced warm, numbing spice of coriander or anise.   Citrus aftertastes of lime linger long after your last sip

My Review:
Today's tea comes from Yunnan Provence in China. As you can see in the picture the leaf is kind of a dusty looking dark green. I prepared this western style using my press. The water was heated to 175 F and I steeped for 2 minutes.

The liquor is a golden yellow with a hint of green. Just what I needed to remind me of spring on this very cold day in January. The wet leaf scent is something new. I immediately thought citrus when inhaling.

The sip is light, mellow, and at the same time thick. It is very creamy, almost buttery. The flavor is vegetal but not grassy. They call it sweet grass. It is very good. The aftertaste is sweet and lingering. There is a bit of dryness but no bitterness. I seldom use the word savory but I think this is a good opportunity for it here. Mouthwateringly delicious.

The scent of the wet leaf after the second steeping is fresh lake air. This is a very different cup than the first. It is less sweet and more milky tasting. It is even more savory than before. Very good in a totally new direction.

This will go another cup but I am out of time for the day,

Visit the Verdant Tea website.

Verdant Tea, Mrs. Li's Shi Feng Dragonwell Green Tea

Verdant Tea's Description:
The first sips are green as can be, packed with chloryphyl spinach with a taste like fine Gyokuro green tea. The aftertaste is sweet and crisp like white grape and sparkling water. The second sip reveals a strong cucumber and fresh melon flavor: juicy and refreshing.

Later sips show off the fruity, lychee profile of the tea, and a light caramel honey sweetness in the aftertaste. The liquor is full of down from the fresh buds, creating a thick and velvety mouthfeel like creamy vanilla pudding.

My Review:
I crave dragonwell from time to time. It has a distinct taste that sticks with you. I am looking forward to this one from Verdant. It is from the spring of 2013.

The leaf looks much like the picture - Large pressed flat and jade green. It looks kind of like it is dusted in white.

The steeping instructions are different than I have used before. The website calls for 175 F water to be be gently poured to half full, then three quick pours to stir the leaf. They say to start sipping immediately and do not cover.

The result is a liquor the color of white grape juice. The brew aroma is a light steamed spinach. The wet leaf is seaweed and steamed spinach scented. How can it possibly have any flavor with out steeping? I don't know.  Verdant recommends drinking from the steeping vessel and when the cup is down to the 1/3 mark, fill it back up. I can't do that. Even at 175 it is too hot for my system.

I will have to pour into a drinking cup and wait until it cools. This resulted in a short steep of about 30 seconds. Verdant's method would result in one continuous steep.

The sip is very good even with my botched methodology. Green and fresh. Sweet and crisp. A little like spinach but not really. Using my imagination I can see the white grape aftertaste. I probably wouldn't have reported it that way had I not read it.

There are zero harsh edges and no bitterness - not that I expected any. There is only a bit of drying common to the type of tea. Later cups were steeped 2 minutes and are as flavorful as the first. This is a very fine example of dragonwell.

Visit the Verdant Tea website.

Verdant, Eight Treasures Yabao

Verdant Tea Description:
Yabao is an incredibly intriguing tea, evoking marshmallow sweetness, spice, and even cooling cedar notes.  By combining it with a light sun dried green jasmine from Yunnan, and whole vanilla bean, this brew steeps up perfectly smooth, thick and velvety.  The floral elements of the vanilla and honeysuckle are extended to the aftertaste with marigold and rose petals, and the spice of the yabao is sharpened with goji berry.  This well-integrated take on the traditional “Eight Treasures” is sweet but nuanced, and great hot or iced.

Ingredients: Yunnan Green Jasmine, Silver Buds Yabao, Organic Goji Berry, Organic Marigold, Organic Whole Vanilla Bean, Organic Honeysuckle, Organic Rose Petal, Organic Elderberry

My Review:
Yabao? What the heck is Yabao? According to Wikicha, "Yabao is a tea made from tea buds in the Yunnan Province of China, whose name "Bud Treasure.""  It is considered by some to be a white tea and others to be a puer. This in all honesty to me looks like an herbal tea.

Using my press and 185 F water, this was steeped for two minutes. The wet leaf aroma is not appealing to my nose - reminding me of cat pee. Sorry just stating facts. It is probably more of a kiwi scent but I call them as I see or smell them. The brew is dark golden and just on the verge of orange.

I take a sip and immediately notice rose and a spicy metallic sharpness. Hmmm. I added some sweetener, which is how I normally enjoy my tea. This causes the rose and the sharpness to go into hiding. Now I taste floral jasmine and sweet honeysuckle with just a hint of vanilla. There is a slight peppery note late in the sip. At the very front of the sip I catch just a glimpse of the marigold.

This is an interesting mix of flavors. This is reportedly very good iced with tasting notes of strawberry and kiwi. I am not a big fan of chai or floral type potpourri mixes, so this is not something I would buy for myself. I would however gladly sip it on a summertime porch with friends.

Visit the Verdant Tea website.

Verdant Tea, Spring Loashan Green

Verdant Tea Description:
The body is perfectly smooth, silky and creamy, while the aftertaste lingers in the back of the throat with a sweetness that only an early spring tea could achieve. The dominant flavor is that of oat cereal and vanilla soy milk.  The green qualities of the tea come through not as an assertive grassiness, but more as the sweetness of hearts of Romaine or crisp, refreshing cucumber.  In later steepings, there is the taste of green soy benas, along with fresh, fragrant notes of sugarcane and lychee.

The leaves are so tender that after the tea is steeped out, you can eat the leaves whole for a sweet, delicate snack.

My Review:
This will be my very first experience with a Verdant Tea. Their teas are consistently highly rated by my fellow Steepster friends. Be warned the upfront price will scare many everyday tea drinkers from purchasing. At roughly $20/ounce this seems very high but if you get 10 cups from an ounce that is $2/cup. That is at least what you will spend for mediocre tea in a coffee shop. Now if you steep it twice it becomes $1/cup, at 3 x it is $0.67. That is certainly reasonable. My tea friends often say something along the lines of life is too short to drink bad tea.

This particular one is a green tea from the spring of 2013 harvest. The leaf is dark and crinkly looking. I used kind of a mix of the directions for steeping from Verdant's site. I placed the leaf in the bottom of my press and added water heated to 175 F by pouring down the side of the glass rather than directly upon the leaf. I wish instead I had added the leaf to the water as I think that would have made for a lively dance of the leaf. I steeped for the recommended one minute.

The leaf turned bright and spring green. The liquor is very clear and has a very light yellow tint. The wet leaf is very aromatic. Maybe artichoke scented. I normally call it stew beef but this tea has more to it and seems more steamed vegetable to me.

They say the dominant taste is oat cereal and soy milk. I've never had soy milk but I can see the oat as it reminds me of Cheerios. It has a real smooth and creamy texture, There is just a touch of bite late in the sip leaning towards vegetal like a dragonwell tea. The aftertaste is sweet and lingers. As I continue to sip and the cup cools, it is now bringing notes of cream corn. This is very good.

Cup number two I steeped for about 1 minute 15 seconds. The wet leaf still maintains that strong artichoke/beef stew scent. The cup color remains very clear and light yellow. The taste is very different. Gone is the creamy butteriness. Now this is a more green tasting tea with a light metallic bitterness. That is not a complaint. It actually tastes very good but these are the best words I can use to describe it. This leans toward nutty or woodsy. The aftertaste seems not as sweet.

Cup three was steeped for two minutes. The wet leaf has a more seaweed aroma. The liquor is consistent with previous cups. This is a lighter version of cup two. This is slightly biting on the sides of the tongue. Still has a very sweet lingering aftertaste. I think I'll quit here but I am very pleased with this tea.

Visit the Verdant Tea website.