What-Cha, Vietnam Red Buffalo Oolong

What-Cha Description:
A brilliant oolong tea with a creamy smooth texture and delightful honey taste.

Sourced by Geoff Hopkins of Hatvala, who regularly travels Vietnam in search of the best teas, all of which are sourced direct from the tea producers.

It is Hatvala's mission to raise awareness of the high quality Vietnamese teas which are often overlooked on the world market and it my pleasure to assist by making Hatvala's full range of Vietnamese teas available on What-Cha.

Sample provided by What-Cha Tea Redefined

My Review:
So today I am reviewing the last of the What-Cha samples I received from Alistair. My first review came as What-Cha was the new kid on the block. A year later they appear to have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the tea world. I love that they offer teas from around the world, places that I didn't even realize grew tea. I have loved almost everything I have tried from them. I also found that when I asked a question, if Alistair didn't know the answer already, he was willing to dig in to it to find out the answer. So, thank you What-Cha. Much continued success!

Beautiful nuggets

The sample is packaged in a resealable aluminum pouch. The suggested brewing parameters are clearly labeled on the front of the bag.

Opening the bag, I am met with a rapid fire hit of three aromas. The first passed before I could identify, though it was familiar. The second was a touch of a roasted scent. The final, well, it reminded me of a certain smell that often came from a room down the hallway in my college dormitory. Not sure what it was but the guys all coughed and laughed a lot ;)

The leaf is rolled into nuggets typical of oolong, except for the unusual color. I lightened the photo so you could see it better. It is very dark, almost black, with cinnamon streaks. It looks like some one rolled a Dian Hong. Just looking at it, this is a hit with me. (rolled, hit, college - I so amuse me)

Lovely fall colored mug

I  followed directions by steeping for 2 1/2 minutes at 203 F. The nuggets quickly began to expand. The leaf didn't so much dance in the water as it relaxed and stretched. At the end of the steep. looking into the glass pot was a bit like looking into a dark cinnamon colored jungle.

The result is a nifty fall colored liquor. It is bright, clear, and glowing. It reminds me of the colors outside my window today.

The steeped leaf has an aroma that again is familiar but I can't quite recognize. It kind of reminds me of grape jelly, honey, and brownies - kind of. Anyway, it smells good.

I poured the leaf out on a plate for a better look. The color is very neat with brown, cinnamon, and olive greens. The thing that caught my attention was the pile of leaf, through the camera, looked like a dragon on the plate. No college joke here. It is called pareidolia. It is when the brain tries to form a recognizable pattern, like faces in a cloud. So, bonus points for random dragons.

I don't see a buffalo, I see a dragon!

Once I take a sip, I am confused for a moment. This isn't like a typical oolong. It isn't black tea. It doesn't remind me of a green.

There is absolutely no bitterness. I am not noticing much if any astringency (drying).

You can tell words aren't coming to me. The taste is much lighter than I expected. I have gone through my reviews of oriental beauty and Bao Zhong teas, thinking maybe this was similar to those teas. Nope.

There is a woodsy taste. It also reminds me of stone notes, like stream water that has rushed through stones. It doesn't have a strong roasted note but more hints. It is honey and malt, yet only lightly.

I really hate that for my last What-Cha supplied review, I can't come up with a better description. On the other hand, it makes for a good mystery. Maybe you will be inspired to find out for yourself, the secret of the red buffalo.

You can find What-Cha Vietnam Red Buffalo Oolong here.

What-Cha, India Darjeeling 2nd Flush Goomtee Oolong Tea

What-Cha Description:
A delightful oolong tea which evolves and develops with each subsequent brew. A great fruity nose with a complex taste of orange and spice.

Sample provided by What-Cha Tea Redefined.

My Review:
I'm having a blah day. I knew I had not written many review posts lately - I will say the matcha reviews took an extraordinary amount of time to test, photograph, write, edit, and post, but really like most people summertime is just not prime hot tea weather. I forced myself to grab one out of the box today. Turns out What-Cha is just the treatment I needed to fight the summer tea blahs.

As with all What-Cha teas I've reviewed, this is a 10g sample in a resealable aluminum zip lock bag. The label is simple and to the point. It tells me what I need to know including a description and a best by date.

I opened the bag and my blahs went scurrying over the hill. I held the bag to my nose several times. So sweet. So spring flowers. I finally decided it has the aroma of a bouquet of peonies. Let's see, I could continue smelling this or...

Removed about 3g of leaf. It is as pretty as the aroma. The lightly twisted leaf has streaks of red and browns, along with some silvery white tips. So glad I grabbed this already today.

I used my clear glass Bodum press with water heated to 195F. I let this steep for 3 minutes per the label instructions. The leaf did not move much at all during the steep. I won't hold the lack of dance against it. I can't dance either.

As always with a Darjeeling, I am surprised at how light in color it is when poured. It looks like old fashioned ginger ale without the bubbles. I wish I had better photography skills to capture the glow of the cup. It is liquid sunshine.

The scent of the wet leaf is intoxicating. It reminds me of peaches, no wait, it's grape, I mean orange. Yeah, it is like that.

Tasting, I first notice the muscat grape notes, along with touches of malt. Beyond this it, at first, grabs me as fresh mountain stream water. Then I notice fruity notes that lightly suggest orange. I am not able to identify any spice notes as mentioned in the description. I'll chalk that up to different brewing parameters.

This is a gentle, relaxing cup to meditate upon. At the same time, I found it invigorated me. It definitely took away the blahs. Since I waited so late in the day to get started, I am going to have to break for the evening meal. I hope afterwards to pick up with more cups as this is really an enjoyable oolong.

You can find What-Cha, India Darjeeling 2nd Flush Goomtee Oolong Tea here.

What-Cha, Korea Dong Cheon Daejak Sparrow's Tongue 'Jakseol' Green Tea

What-Cha Description:
A more affordable, yet still brilliant Korean green tea from the Daejak picking.

A larger leaf Korean tea from the Daejak (fourth) flush, subsequent flushes are less prestigious and hence cheaper than previous flushes. As the leaves are bigger than earlier flushes, a greater number of steeps can be achieved.

Sourced at a discounted rate from another UK retailer who imported it direct from Dong Cheon, Korea. Dong Cheon is a tea factory which processes tea from a co-operative of over 80 farmers. It is the factory processing which makes Dong Cheon teas more affordable compared to other Korean teas.

Sample provided by What-Cha Tea Redefined

My Review:
I'm starting this review with an apology to What-Cha, even though I know Alistair understands. I've been fighting health issues for a while and my box of What-Cha samples have sat untouched for a while. Apparently a long while, as this tea is currently out of stock. In the expectation it will be restocked, I will proceed with the review. Beside who doesn't want to try Jack Sparrow tongue green tea? Yeah, I know that's not the real name, but that's how my twisted brain read it.

I don't recall saying this before but I appreciate What-Cha listing the steeping temperature in both Celsius and Fahrenheit on the label. Especially true with this tea as the temp is really low. No clumsy conversions needed.

The first note coming from the open bag is a light roasted scent.

The leaf is really dark. It is kind of battleship gray with a darker purplish tint. It is an unusual color. The leaf is lightly twisted curls.

I used about 3g of leaf (abt 1 1/2 tsp) in my press. The tricky part here is the recommended water temperature is 158 F. I fired up the kettle and watched as the thermometer climbed. Turning it off moments early and letting momentum do its thing. The steep time was 1 1/2 minutes.

The wet leaf remains somewhat twisted at this point. It has turned a lush green, so the unusual dry color is from the processing. I can't tell at this point if this is whole leaf or large broken pieces. Either way, it looks lush. The scent of the wet leaf is roasted like the dry leaf.

The liquor is the color of lemon aid with maybe a shot of lime tossed in. It certainly looks refreshing on this hot summer day.

 One thing I can immediately say is a steeping temperature of 158 F works great for me to begin sipping right away. I have no idea how those of you who like it really hot, keep from hurting yourselves. I'm a temp wimp.

So the first sip, I'm tasting the roasting. Come on, it is not THAT roasted. I have noticed that notes I love, and one's that I am not so crazy for (roasting), tend to take over my experience when tasting. I have read other's reviews of this tea. They barely, if at all, mention it. In fact, one called this a must have tea. Time to put on the big boy pants and try again.

OK, now I am catching corn notes up front. This abruptly shifts to a momentary metallic taste. Not to worry as it glides gently into a grassy finish. There is no bitterness. I do notice some dryness, that I kind of like.

Time to move on to mug two. If I were gongfu gaiwan brewing this would be like cup five through ten. I just much prefer my big western mug.

Interesting, I wasn't expecting this much difference between the first and second mug. This one is a combination of seaweed (Nori, if that makes it sound more appealing to you), corn, and grass. The light roasting is gone (Hallelujah!) as is the metallic note.

This is an interesting and more complex tea than one might expect at the price. It is not going to make my must have list but I am glad to have tried it.

You can find What-Cha, Korea Dong Cheon Daejak Sparrow's Tongue 'Jakseol' Green Tea here.

What-Cha, Darjeeling 1st Flush 2014 Kanchan View White Tea

What-Cha Description:
A delightful First Flush White Tea from Darjeeling, Kanchan View White is a great tasting White Tea. It is on the fuller side when compared to typical White Teas yet still lighter than Green Teas. It has a wonderful citrus taste and makes a great 'everyday' White Tea.

Sample provided by What-Cha Tea Redefined

My Review:
This appears to be the last entry in my world wide white tea extravaganza, unless of course I missed one in my box of samples. That would be a shame now wouldn't it?

Last time we looked at an Assam. Today we move northward to the Darjeeling region for this Kanchan View Tea Estate white tea. Like the Assam, I do not recall ever having experienced a white Darjeeling, I love new adventures.

Opening the resealable 10 gram sample for my first whiff from the bag, I am met with a herbaceous full aroma. I am not sure how to describe this. It is less leaf like and more vine in scent. There is a fragrance that lightly reminds me of strawberry leaves. There is also a light citrus fragrance. What leaf aroma I catch seems more green than white. It is a lovely combination.

I pulled out about a third of the leaf for today's review. What-Cha calls for 1-2 tsps per cup, but I am using a mug, so I use more leaf. Anyway, the leaf, just look at it. Isn't it beautiful? I mean seriously, it looks like it was just plucked from the bush and placed on the dish. I don't know how well you can pick up on it from the picture but there are many examples of the classic perfectly shaped leaf and a bud here.

I am once again using my clear glass teapot as my brewing vessel. I think I have done this for all the latest white teas. I may have used the press once or twice but it handles nearly identically.

The water was heated to 194 F (90 C) and I steeped for 3 1/2 minutes. These are per Wha-Cha's label directions. I appreciate that I do not have to have a web page open to find out recommended brewing parameters.

The liquor is a very yellow/golden color. It is light, clear, and bright. The wet leaf is fuller, more plump, and even more alive looking than before.

I did sniff the leaf and the pot, unfortunately a storm last night knocked out my internet modem and after I got everything rebooted, I kind of forgot what I was catching. I do know it was not a classic white tea aroma and not quite green either.

So, I finally get to taste... Wow, I'm not sure what I think. While this is hot, it has a kind of dusty feel and taste. It is not really bitter or rough edged. It is making my lips feel slightly numb. This is so very different than what I expected, I am having to take some time to process.

Once the cup cools it picks up a woodsy flavor under a vine taste. There is also a touch of muscat grape type flavor. The aftertaste is strong, lingering, slightly sweet, and plant like. What I am calling plant and vine here reminds me of the green plant of a geranium. I normally reserve this description for oolongs. There is no resemblance between this Darjeeling white and an oolong except in my brains attempt to describe the experience.

Cup two is also at 194 F and about a 3 minute steep. The color stays consistent with the first. I did pay attention to the wet leaf this time. Looks like the reason I couldn't remember the first cup scent is nothing really jumps out.

The taste while hot is not dusty like the first. This has a duel personality going on. It is darker more woodsy and almost mushroom. At the same time it has a brighter more green sheng, almost bitter but not, flavor. There is a stone fruit kind of thing like almost apricot present. As it cools I am noticing more of a floral note that reminds me of peonies. The aftertaste is again strong and green vines with a citrus touch. It leaves me with a touch of cheek tingle.

I love the leaf on this tea. I love the bold color of the brew. The taste is good. It certainly is not subtle and it is nicely complex. I try not to let my personal tastes affect my reviews. I try to judge each tea on what it is and does that match the companies description. This does accomplish that end. All that said, while there is nothing inherently wrong with this tea, I find this one just doesn't speak to my tastes personally. I could not find another review online to see if I am missing something. Out of the 37 teas I have reviewed from What-Cha, this is only the second that I have been less than enthusiastic about. As much as I hate the idea, I guess I really can't love them all,

You can find What-Cha, Darjeeling 1st Flush 2014 Kanchan View White Tea here.

What-Cha, Assam Silver Needle White Tea

What-Cha Description:
A great tasting Silver Needle with a delicate sweet taste and no detectable astringency.

Assam Tea is world famous for the strong malty character of its black teas. However, the green and white teas produced in Assam are virtually unknown. The reason for this is the prior lack of investment into tea in the Assam region, which has meant that tea producers have lacked the knowledge and tools required to produce good quality loose leaf tea outside of blacks. The recently founded company Heritage Tea has sought to address these issues by setting up a modern factory for tea processing. The new factory, combined with the knowledge and expertise of Rajen Baruah (a professional tea planter with 30 years of experience) has resulted in great quality loose leaf teas previously not found in Assam.

Sample provided by What-Cha Tea Redefined

My Review:
Continuing with my white tea extravaganza theme, we are going to the Assam region of India for today's review. White tea from Assam - who knew, right? With almost all tea grown in India being crushed, torn, and mangled into little paper bags, until recently better quality loose leaf has been hard to find. Even then, it is generally black tea. So I have no idea what I am in for here, but What-Cha knows how to pick 'em so I look forward to the experience.

Opening the resealable sample I catch a familiar fresh grassy hay scent but there is also an abundant presence of malt. Very nice aroma.

The leaf certainly shouts white tea with its white downy covered buds. It also says, but more quietly, silver needle. With silver needle we are all accustomed to the big plump buds from China. These are more needle shaped with darker colored ends. They seem more brittle as well. Don't take this description as negative. It is a very nice looking leaf, just different.

I used about 3 g in my clear glass teapot along with water heated to 80 C (176 F). The steep time was 2 1/2 minutes. I noticed as it steeped, the leaf remained at the top of the water but hung vertically. There was little movement but I was entertained just the same.

The liquor is very light in coloring, looking a lot like white grape juice. Of course with our silly hard water it wasn't long before it looked more like beer. It is very clear and bright, with the exception of some downy hair typical of white tea.

The wet leaf has a lot of green in it. It plumped nicely and kind of resembles snap pea pods.

The taste is very much to my liking. It is sweet and wonderfully malty. This is very smooth with no rough edges or bitterness. I notice some fresh field hay with just a touch of melon. There is another note present that I seldom mention. This has a honeysuckle floral that pops in and out.

I seldom use this description because honeysuckle grows in all the fence rows around here in the summer. It is a scent I know well. The taste of the liquid found in a single tiny drop inside the flower has a wonderful honey like floral taste. That reality is almost never replicated for me when tasting tea. It is here.  Love.

OK, because this is a white tea, and like most white tea the flavors are gentle and quiet. Do not go in to this expecting your normal breakfast Assam smack down. If on the other hand you, like me, love the deep but quiet flavors of white tea, then this is a beautiful one that you should try.

You can find What-Cha, Assam Silver Needle White Tea here.

What-Cha, Vietnam Wild 'Mountain Mist' Silver Needle White Tea

What-Cha Description:
A brilliant silver needle with a complex taste of melon and gentle smoke finish.
Its complex taste is as a result of mist blocking out the sun on the mountain on which it grows wild, which results in slower leaf growth and a complex taste.

Sample provided by What-Cha Tea Redefined

My Review:
Today I continue the wide world of white tea extravaganza. In the recent line up of teas this is number 7 of 10. I have reviewed several more in the past. If you have missed any and want to check them out, you can follow this link for a complete listing of all reviews of white teas.

Yesterday we were in Africa. Today we journey to Vietnam to review this mountain mist white tea. I cut open the top of the resealable pouch and breathed in the fresh field grass aroma. I don't detect melon or smoke at this point. It kind of makes me think green tea.

Scooping out about 3 gram of leaf for pictures removes all doubt. This shouts white tea. It is like someone white washed the leaves. Awesome. Close examination shows this to be a leaf and a bud. Even so it is strangely white, like snow on the leaves. Instead of soft and subtle the leaf is kind of crisp.

I used my clear glass teapot along with filtered water heated to 176 F (80 C). The recommended steep time is 2-3 minutes. I split it and down the middle at 2 1/2.

There was not a lot of leaf movement during the steep. I really did not expect much as the leaf is not particularly rolled or twisted.

The  brew is very lightly yellow tinted in the teapot but seems more apricot colored in my cup. The once ghostly white leaf is alive and green.

In the pot aroma, I'm not ready to call it melon. Maybe it lightly resembles the aroma of mush melon without the overpowering aspect. I do notice a hint of smoke. I think it is more on my fingers from playing with the leaf. What can I say, I have to involve all my senses in my tea addiction.

The wet leaf feels dense. That makes sense. I used my cup to measure the water and only got slightly more than 3/4 of it back in the first cup. Really thirsty leaf I guess.

The taste is, just wow.  At first is seems almost dairy to me. It is like milk, but has a vegetal green tea like taste behind it. The is a very good crisp amount of bitter - but not the pucker up kind. This is the refreshing type found in excellent green teas. I can't recall catching it in a white tea before. As the cup cools I realize what my taste buds were trying to decipher as dairy, while my brain kept trying to call melon (because that is what the label says) is actually creamy corn. I have tasted this before, but where?

So I started going through my notes. I am trying to convince myself it is something akin to mao feng. Then I find my note for What-Cha, Vietnam Wild 'Five Penny' Green Tea. It is also grown wild in the shaded mountain mist. To me, this also explains the unusual look of the white tea leaf. Five Penny's green leaf is battleship grey. I am assuming both come from the same varietal, maybe even the same trees.

The second cup is even more pronounced but different in flavor. Where as the first cup was an amazing green tea like cup of white, this one is more sheng like. It is brighter and more bitter. Maybe shortening the steep time would reduce this if you find it offensive. I am kind of digging it. I mean it is a white tea that resembles a green tea and a sheng puerh. Awesome. The main flavor here is apricot.

What I am discovering is 1) I really like Vietnam tea 2) Vietnam tea seem bolder than other teas. This is at least true of what I have sampled so far. If you like green tea but find the subtle nature of white tea is generally lost on you - well this tea may just speak to you. Subtle it is not. It is quite flavorful and complex.

You can find What-Cha, Vietnam Wild 'Mountain Mist' Silver Needle White Tea here.

What-Cha, Malawi Bvumbwe Peony White Tea

What-Cha Description:
A huge leaf tea with a smooth and sweet honeyed taste with apricot notes. Another great white tea from Satemwa which makes a great 'everyday' white tea.

Sourced direct from Satemwa Tea Estate in Malawi who are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of great tea production while caring for the local environment, providing their employees a fair wage and contributing to the local community.

Sample provided by What-Cha Tea Redefined

My Review:
It has been a couple weeks since my last post. My lungs have been giving me fits to the point that even making tea was hard work. I think the doctors have me well on the road to feeling human, and I NEED tea.

So far in the white tea extravaganza, I have not drifted too far off the beaten trail. We did see a unique Yunnan silver needle and a snow bud that is often considered a green tea. The other three were excellent examples of the traditional take on white tea.

Well, hold on, as we are about to go way off the rails with this one. I cannot even pronounce Malawi Bvumbwe with any degree of certainty. It hails direct from the farm in Africa. My first clue this is different is the overstuffed size of the 10 gram sample bag. I've had 100 gram bags that were comparable in size.

Opening the resealable bag I am at first reminded of a barn full of new hay. The longer I sniff the more I catch a fruity malty mixture.

Measuring out the 3-4 tsps listed on the label is pretty much impossible. Instead I eyeball 1/3 of the sample bag (just over 3 grams) for my 10 ounce cup. The leaf is huge. It is not curled or twisted. It is just big leaves.

Further, this doesn't look like any white tea I've ever seen. The leaves are mostly brown with some green hiding away if you look for it.

Upon closer inspection, I notice the silvery buds. I admit to not seeing them until I asked questions. The leaf is so unusually large and brown that the buds don't jump out at you, but they are in the mix.

Today, I used my clear glass teapot to steep this leaf. Filtered water was heated to 175 F and poured over the leaf. The steep time was 3 1/2 minutes.

Looking at the steeping leaf in the teapot, it reminds me of some of the purple varietals I've sampled. White tea is produced by plucking the leaf and bud, and withering. The leaves are generally not fired to halt oxidation. So, whether the leaf is dark to begin with (as in a purple varietal) or have darkened due to oxidation, we may never know. I am pretty sure the plantation is not telling. No matter, it remains some beautiful and fascinating leaf.  

The brew is beer colored. It is even darker in later steeps. The taste is apricots drenched in fresh mountain streams. It is slightly malty. I catch lovely floral notes of peonies. It is so mellow and lightly sweet.

I sense more resemblance to a light black tea than to a white. Now, stout black tea lovers will most likely never make that connection because it is such a subtle tea. The cooler it got the more I loved the taste. It had almost a wine like bouquet with the floral notes. The trouble I had with it was, at room temperature, it becomes a gulping tea, as I found it that refreshing.

With the second cup, I add plums to the taste along with the previous apricots and peonies. While it remains smooth, it has just enough bite trying to peek through that it is interesting. This is almost like sipping a Nepalese tea.

If you enjoy a mild meditative tea, this one from Africa should not be missed. While I am not feeling entirely back in the swing of things, I really enjoyed this one. A great welcome back tea.

You can find What-Cha, Malawi Bvumbwe Peony White Tea here

What-Cha, Darjeeling 1st Flush 2014 Giddapahar Black Tea

What-Cha Description:
Another great top-end First Flush Darjeeling Tea; with a sweet start, spicy finish and slight briskness with light tannins..

Sample provided by What-Cha Tea Redefined

My Review:
Today we are back to India for some much needed caffeine and theanine. I recently reviewed an autumnal flush Darjeeling from this same estate. I am very curious to open up this sample and see the difference between a first flush and a third. I'm also hoping I can tell the difference, because, you know, I sort of review teas a lot. This could be very embarrassing.

What-Cha's samples are a generous 10 grams. Depending on how much leaf you are accustomed to using, you can get up to five steeping sessions. I generally use around 3 grams, so I can easily get three separate sessions with each. I try to always mention the sample bags are resealable as not every company packages their product this thoughtfully. Steeping instructions are clearly displayed on the label.

Opening the bag, I get my first clue that this will definitely be a different experience than the autumn flush tea. The aroma here is straw and grass with a healthy dose of fruit and floral. It smells like orange blossoms to me.

Removing a large scoop of leaf provides my second clue this is different. If you sat this in front of me and said guess, I would suspect a green tea or possibly a white peony. Nothing about the appearance shouts black tea. The leaf is various shades of green with a few cinnamon colored tips to keep me confused - in a good way.

My press was just cleaned and is still hot and wet inside. Adding the leaf to the wet press, while the kettle heats, releases the first notes reminiscent of a Darjeeling. The water was heated to 195 F and the steep time was 3 minutes.

The leaf has really come alive. It is green and moist. I still don't visualize black tea.

The leaf grade is labeled as SFTGOP1 or Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe. I believe the 1 stands for finest quality. That basically means when this was originally graded and packed it contained whole leaves and buds.

Some settling has occurred and now some of the leaf is still full and intact while others are large pieces. I don't notice any really small pieces. Certainly nothing suggesting this is anything but a high quality leaf.

The liquor is honey yellow with a green tint. The label says black tea, but it continues to mock me.

So I finally taste. Oh there you are. The What-Cha description on the sample label nails this tea, "A brilliant sweet start with a spicy finish." Attempting to expand on this a little - after the sweetness I catch the first notes of muscatel. It is a light grape leaf like flavor. It fades quickly into a moment of mineral. Just as quickly it moves right into that spicy finish with the leaf taste moving below the spice.

The aftertaste lingers well in a sweet fruity note, as just a touch of cheek tingle moves in to further please the senses.

The difference between this first flush and the autumn flush are day and night apart in almost every way. I just checked and What-Cha does carry the autumn flush as well as this first flush. Before I recently started reviewing a wide range of Darjeeling teas, I thought I had a good handle on what they tasted like. In truth, I had no idea. I Seriously suggest trying a sample of both teas mentioned here, from this same estate. The difference will astound you. Just so you know, both are excellent.

You can find What-Cha, Darjeeling 1st Flush 2014 Giddapahar Black Tea here.

What-Cha, Nepal Monsoon Flush 2014 Pearl Oolong Tea

What-Cha Description:
An incredibly rare and unusual oolong with a great taste and aroma. Incredibly smooth, absolutely no detectable bitterness or astringency with a great taste of apricots and nectarine. 

Only 6 kilograms were produced in total this this year and we are delighted to have been able to secure 2 kilograms.

Sample provided by What-Cha Tea Redefined

My Review:
Recently I came across an interesting statement. It went something like this: Twenty years ago we counted on our phones for the internet. Today we count on the internet for our phones. I remember those early days of dial up like it was yesterday. Oh wait, I'm living them again today. Yeah, with only a few days left on this billing cycle I have once again exceeded my data limit. When that happens I get throttled to dial up speed. It is impossible to post pictures to the blog at the moment. It is not fun but I will attempt to persevere. With my son's help, and his cell data plan, I may be able to make today's post work.

Today's review is an oolong from Nepal. That is interesting in itself. Making this even more intriguing is the leaf is rolled into pearls. Oooh something new! They are larger than dragon pearls green tea and smaller than the black pearls from Teavivre. The pearls are an interesting mixture of browns, greens, and silvery white. Up close they appear almost leathery and almost furry. The pearls vary in size. I am not sure that can be easily discerned in the picture. The scent is sweet like honey, kind of malty, with touches of hay thrown in for good measure.

The label says to use 4-6 pearls per cup. Since I am using a mug, I chose to use 8 pearls. The water was heated to 185F (85C). I used my press for the 3 1/2 minute steep.

The pearls have only partially unfurled. What has loosened up is turning freshly green. The liquor is a slightly green tinted honey yellow. The aroma is pretty amazing. It really does have a strong apricot and nectarine scent.

To me the taste is much less fruit than expected. There is no hint of bitterness or astringency. It is wonderfully smooth. I always expect oolong to taste either strongly geranium or strongly roasted. This is completely neither. It has more in common with my idea of a white tea.

This starts with hints of stone fruit, followed by a mineral sweetness. It next turns to a peppery spiciness with hints of mushroom before trailing off into a sweet aftertaste.

The second mug was steeped slightly longer. The wet leaf has a neat spicy note that I think is sandalwood, though don't quote me on that one. It is mixed with fruit and vegetal notes.

While the second mug tastes much like the first, I find the stone fruit flavor to be more defined. To me it has hints of cucumber which may be why it reminds me of white tea. I also noticed how this feels when I breathe after sipping. It is strange. Though it is hot and thereby makes me feel warm and comfortable, it also has, not so much a cooling sensation, as more a refreshing quality. It is like a warm breeze on a hot summer day.

I very much enjoyed this different take on oolong. I feel certain it will steep again, but I am stopping here while my son is around to help add pictures so I can post... Well never mind, apparently I can't post until the 24th. The price of living far from civilization.

You can find What-Cha, Nepal Monsoon Flush 2014 Pearl Oolong Tea here.

What-Cha, Vietnam Wild 'Five Penny' Green Tea

What-Cha Description:
A wild growing green tea with a vegetal taste combined hints of fruit and smoke.
It has a complex taste as a result of the wild tea trees being shaded by mountain mist and is processed using traditional methods which utilise a wood fired oven.

Sample provided by What-Cha, Tea Redefined

My Review:
It snowed here last night. Little more than a dusting, but it kind of put me in a meh mood today. I am just ready for spring. It took much of the day just to desire a cup of tea. I know, stupid meh mood.

I decided to do away with the random What-Cha grab today. Instead, I sat aside a few white teas for an upcoming white tea face off. Then I rummaged through the remaining samples for something that said spring to me. This one caught my eye.

I do not know what the name 'Five Penny' means, but I understand Vietnam and Green Tea just fine. I have found the other Vietnam teas I've tried to be little known jewels.

Opening the sample bag, I catch a sweet, kind of fruit or slightly berry, grassy scent. It is fresh and crisp.

Pulling out a scoop of leaf, I found my meh mood gone, replaced by my childlike tea wonder. I may have said, "Oh, Cool!" when I first saw this. The leaf is a sort of battleship gray. Yeah, it has some olive hints, but yeah, battleship gray. I also noticed the tips aren't silver or tan like normal. These are white.

The leaf is dense, solid twists and large in size compared to most of what I have been drinking lately. I think my, "Oh Cool!" is justified.

I used my clear glass teapot and 176 F water. The steep was two minutes. The leaf didn't dance. What movement I saw was more like the slow graceful moves of a swan out on a lake.

The liquor poured a light golden green tint. It seems slightly cloudy but that may be my fault. I did nor use a strainer and my teapot won't completely drain without being turned nearly upside down. It's all good. I only had to fish a few leaves out of the mug. If I weren't taking pictures, I would have left them.

The wet leaf is now a large dense mass. It is fresh and green, having lost all of its gray coloring. It has a green living vegetal aroma of steaming vegetables. I should really hang out in the kitchen more and learn to better identify which vegetable, but that's as close as I get for now. Moving the leaf to the plate, I was amazed at just how heavy it feels. Really, it just makes me think jungle foliage.

The sip hits fast with an amazing green tea bite. It is big and powerful for such a  delicate looking brew. It is what I call the good kind of bitter. It doesn't make you flinch or pucker. Instead, it leads me to stop, close my eyes, and settle in to enjoy.

The bite settles down but does not completely fade. As it drops in intensity, I get a front tongue tingle, mixed with sweetness, and taste similar to corn.

At the end of the sip, a mild fruitiness appears mixed with the corn, and a viney plant taste. It does not strike me as grassy.

I have heard others mention the smoke that What-Cha mentions. I almost never catch smoke in green teas. I do not catch it here either. I guess I don't know what I am to expect. It is often easy to catch in black tea. Someday, I may get a glimpse and realize I was tasting it all along.

So are you tired of winter and feeling in a meh mood today? I can tell you this one brought me righ out of it this afternoon.

You can find What-Cha, Vietnam Wild 'Five Penny' Green Tea here.

What-Cha, Georgia Natela's Gold Standard Black Tea

What-Cha Description:
A most unusual hand processed tea with soft tannins and slight malt with hints of toffee.
Natela of Nagobilevi Village makes only 50kgs a year of this tea by hand, utilising methods she perfected over many years with tea leaves she 'borrowed' from the local State Farm during the Soviet era.

Sample provided by What-Cha Tea Redefined

My Review:
Georgia, Georgia... Yeah, the name just causes Ray Charles voice to sing in my brain. I know, not the same Georgia but I don't care. Just go with me on this one and don't mess with my mood as we journey back to Russia for today's cup.

Reading the company description above, I love that the artist behind this tea perfected her craft on 'borrowed' leaves. It rings familiar of a time when the servants of the rich in colonial America 'borrowed' the steeped leaves for their own home use. I am sure both carried some risk.

As I open the resealable sample bag, the leaf of this has a sweet, fruity, tobacco type aroma that catches my interest . A very nice start.

The leaf is dark chocolate in color with a few golden strands. The leaf is long with some tightly wound and others loosely plump. It has a moderate curl.

I used the press today, for no real reason other than I had just washed it. Filtered water was heated to 203 F. The steep was a little less than 4 minutes. That is longer than I would normally go with a first time black tea. The label said this is sweet and soft, so I went with near the maximum recommended time.

The result is a dark caramel cup. The wet leaf expanded quite a bit revealing some whole leaf and what seems to be large torn pieces. The leaf looks green tinted below the cinnamon colored surface. The cup has a clean sweet fruity scent that reminds me of Darjeeling, but maybe that's just me.

The taste begins light with a slight maltiness. Then the tannins kick up a pleasant storm across the tongue. It is like one of those late summer storms after a drought. It is so welcome and refreshing. Just like a summer storm it passes quickly. It leaves behind a slight toffee taste, that I might have missed if I hadn't known to wait for it. Then the sip ends with a lingering fruitiness.

The bite does not come off as bitter and leaves little in the way of dryness, though some cheek tingle remains like distant rumbles of thunder. Faint reminders of the earlier storm.

The second cup has a stronger malt aroma mixed with fruit. The taste is just as delicious as the first. Sweet, smooth, with a less dramatic storm this time.  The fruity aftertaste remains as does the pleasant tannin tingle on the cheeks.

If you can't tell, this was a very solid black tea that I found quite satisfying.

As the cup finishes I hear Ray once again, "Just an old, sweet song, keeps Georgia on my mind."

You can find What-Cha, Georgia Natela's Gold Standard Black Tea here.

What-Cha, Vietnam 'Fish Hook' Green Tea

What-Cha Description:
A powerful green tea which has a lovely grassy taste with strong astringent tones.
Produced on a small family farm utilising traditional methods of hand-rolling the leaves and using wood fired ovens.

Sample provided by What-Cha Tea Redefined

My Review:
I really tried to reach into my What-Cha box today and pull out a random tea. I tried. I failed. I mean, come on, Vietnam Fish Hook Green Tea! I am a sucker for an interesting name from a far away place that I know little about.

That's why I love What-Cha, they make it possible to explore a much bigger tea world of amazing tastes than I even knew existed.

OK, resealable aluminum bag with a simple to follow label, yadda, yadda, yadda, let's brew some tea!

Opening the bag for my first sensory impression. I can't come up with words to describe the scent. It is kind of grassy but there is another element. It is kind of halfway between corn and hazelnut to me.

It's show and tell time. I placed a scoop of leaf on a plate. It is unusual in color. It is kind of a battleship gray (or grey if you prefer) coating over a tiny green leaf. Yes, they are kind of kinked and resemble a fish hook.

I placed the leaf into my still warm and wet, from cleaning, clear glass teapot. This really amped the grassy aroma. Then I added water heated to 167 F per the label and steeped for one minute.

The result is a very lightly yellow tinted liquor. There is no cloudiness. The leaf is bright green now and highly scented in a steamed vegetal way.

Taking my first sip leaves an immediate positive impression.

This tea has a grab you, and force you to notice, bite. It is, to my tastes, the good kind of bitter. At this point I am not sure it is astringency as there is very little dryness associated with it. The taste kind of reminds me of halfway between Dragon Well and Tai Ping Hou Kui. Feel free to disagree. It's grassy and not so much buttery but kind of corn tasting.

For those who follow the blog regularly, you may recall I am doing my best to kick the Splenda monkey. I mention this because it is difficult to tell if something is naturally sweet without additives when you are used to sweetener overload. That said, I believe this to have a natural sweetness.

Cup two was steeped for 1 minute 10 seconds. The bite is substantially reduced. This is grass first, then corn, followed by a nice mineral note. I keep thinking I smell floral notes as I sip but as soon as I notice them they vanish. I do notice much more of a cheek tingle with this cup but still minimal dryness.

I liked this one a lot. It is not subtle and it is flavorful. Watch your temperature and your time with this one as I am pretty sure it could get very bitter very quickly. The heavy bite of the first cup could probably be held back by a steep shorter than one minute. I did not try it as I like the bite.

You can find What-Cha, Vietnam 'Fish Hook' Green Tea here.

What-Cha, Assam 2nd Flush 2014 STGFOP-1 Black Tea

What-Cha Description:
The perfect black tea to wake you up in the morning with a full malty taste and great aroma.

Assam Tea is world famous for the strong malty character of its black teas, however high quality loose leaf tea from Assam is virtually unheard of. The reason for this is the distinct lack of investment into tea in the Assam region which has meant tea producers have lacked the knowledge and tools required to produce good quality loose leaf tea. Recently founded Heritage Tea, have sought to redress these problems by providing by setting up a modern factory for tea processing combined with the knowledge and expertise of Rajen Baruah, who has been a professional tea planter for the past 30 years. The end result is great quality loose leaf tea, the likes of which have not been found in Assam previously.

Sample provided by What-Cha: Tea Redefined

My Review:
Buckle up kiddies, we are about rocket into morning wake up tea. I admit to having little exposure to Assam teas. This is from poor exposure in my early grocery store tea bag days. Assam was just boring and tasted like tea. The monotonous single note of cheap CTC tea underwhelmed me.

I have since experienced a scant few better quality Assams. Enough to know my original perceptions were incorrect. What-Cha has so far provided top notch leaf from many of the less well known areas of the tea growing world. I think it is past due to have a go at a well known tea type and see how it will fare.

The first thing I notice when breaking the seal, is the rich malty scent. Yeah, there is a touch of something fruity as well, but malt! I very much approve of what is coming out of the bag.

A scoop of leaf is removed and it is full of color and definitely not CTC. The twisted leaf is dark and shows lots of cinnamon and tippy tan throughout. Very nice.

I used the green machine ceramic teapot with water heated to 95C (194F). The steep was two minutes. I used abt 3g of leaf (1/3 of the 10g sample) and 10 ounces of water.

The result is a bright shiny orange brew. Very clear. Thinking back to my tea bag days, I was expecting a hazy much darker brew. It is really hard for me to capture just how bright this cup is, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

The wet leaf has exploded in size. What I am seeing is large broken pieces of cinnamon and olive leaf. I pity the teaball that tries to contain this leaf.

The aroma is malt, malt, and more malt. Deliciously wow. There is probably some fruit notes as well, but, malt!

The sip is as nice as the aroma. As you fill your mouth, the nose picks up the malt. Yes, there is also a fruitiness mixed in for your enjoyment.

Really though, what most stands out to me is how smooth textured this is, with pretty much no bitterness or bite. It is somewhat drying but nowhere near the level I have experienced with lesser decimated CTC leaf. Maybe I should stop using that description but it is my reference point, my home. It is what I have known Assam to be, and now it isn't.

Another reference point that appears to need adjusting, is that I am drinking this on an empty stomach, without distress. Next to Diet Coke, Assam was always the biggest offender of stomach burn. I have added no sweetener or milk and feel no need for either. For those of you who have only experienced better quality Assam leaf, you will have trouble grasping just how awesome that really is to me.

Will a black tea go a second steep? Let's find out. I steeped this cup for 4 minutes. The color is only slightly lighter than the first. The aroma is lighter as well.

The taste is a little different. It is not as malty, though there is some present. It leans a little more stone fruit with an earthiness. Not because it needed it but more just to see, I added sweetener. Since I have mostly eliminated additives recently, I find it too sweet now. So my sugar addiction is almost broken and this must be naturally sweet on its own - something I am not yet recognizing since getting the Splenda monkey off my back. To counter the sweetness, I added a splash of milk. It smoothed the cup out well enough. I'm just not sure I liked it. I preferred this tea straight without additions.

If you have never experienced an Assam, or have avoided them like the plague, this is a good one to give a try. If you are an Assam lover already, I think you will be equally impressed.

You can find What-Cha, Assam 2nd Flush 2014 STGFOP-1 Black Tea here.

What-Cha, Vietnam 'Wild Boar' Black Tea

What-Cha Description:
A brilliant wild growing black tea with a rich taste of chocolate and malt.
The wild growing tea leaves are picked by local hill tribes who bring the leaves into town where they are processed. The tea is named after the wild boar which roam the area.

Sample provided by What-Cha Tea Redefined

My Review:
So a little about my day. When I awoke, I sat on the edge of the bed. My wife walked in and asked why I was just sitting there. I told her it was because I wasn't sure where I was going. Yeah, this guy needs caffeine.

When I got to my tea stash, I discovered I never cleaned the green machine teapot from yesterday. Note to self: Never, ever, again brew CTC tea in this little pot. I did not think it would ever come clean.

I have learned I really do enjoy a small ceramic teapot for black teas. If I stumble on a great deal, I would like one with a large mesh filter basket built in. Back to tea...

Forgetting my new rule that I would randomly select my next tea from the box, I dug through specifically looking for black tea. This one promises smooth, malty, chocolate. It says so right on the label.

Opening the resealable aluminum bag releases the malty scent of the dry leaf. Yeah!

The leaf is mostly dark chocolate brown with almost like a frosty coating. There are some brown tips to be seen in the leaf.

The leaf is long mostly narrow twists. There are a few that are partially unfurled.

Into the freshly sparkling tiny green teapot go the leaves, along with 8oz of 203F bottled water enhanced with minerals. I am trying to determine if a change in water from our filtered county water, will enhance the taste.

The steep time was 3 1/2 minutes. The brew is a sparkly clear and bright orange in color.

The wet leaf has turned green and cinnamon in color. I see some pieces but also some full leaves. It has really expanded.

The aroma is malty and baked smelling. It is sort of reminiscent of unsweetened chocolate.

I did not add sweetener or milk to the mug. I always try it straight first. I determined this was rich enough in flavor that I did not feel it necessary to add anything.

I can taste the malt and baked unsweet chocolate and it is similar to the aroma but light. There is a briskness to the cup that is more than welcome. This reassures me I may yet wake up. It begins early in the sip at the front of the tongue and spreads out and around the sides. This gives way to a sharper finish. It leaves a little dryness in the fruity aftertaste.

About mid sip, I catch a fruity almost muscat flavor that reminds me quite a bit of the Darjeeling I tried a few days ago. The taste is kind of woodsy and like fall leaves.

Pu-erh, oolong, and white teas I always expect to get multiple cups from the same leaf. Good green tea should go at least twice. Often more. Black teas are hit and miss. You should always try. Some Yunnan teas can be steeped five or six times.

With that in mind, the second cup from the same leaves is much lighter in color. The scent is kind of mushroom. I am finding the taste to be similar. It is woodsy, mushroom, and creek leaf in taste. It is drinkable but not what most people would expect from a black tea. Really it is kind of like a deep sheng (raw) pu-erh taste. It even has the sharpness of a sheng. I like it but you may not.

Although this is far more complex and flavorful than anything you are likely to grab off the grocer's shelves, it is a tea that I think the first cup would be easily accessible to your non-tea friends.

You can find What-Cha Vietnam 'Wild Boar' Black Tea  here.