What-Cha, Yunnan Graceful Purple 'Zi Juan' Purple Varietal Green Tea

10 g Sample Package

Yunnan Graceful Purple 'Zi Juan' Purple Varietal Green Tea

What-Cha Description:
A brilliant rare tea produced from purple varietal tea leaves, with a smoky aroma and taste combined with a wonderful smooth texture.

Sample provided by What-Cha

My Review:
This is my first review for What-Cha (Tea Redefined) a new UK based company. As such, I want to note a few things I learned from their website.

First, is the free international shipping for orders of $35 or more. Lesser size orders have a flat rate of $6. That appears to include Canada for my friends to the North that usually get socked with much higher rates than here in the US.

Second, I'm going to quote from their home page, "All our tea from Nepal, Assam, Kenya and the Azores has been sourced directly from the very farmers who produced it! This means the tea is as fresh as possible, it doesn't sit around waiting to be resold in warehouses. For example, our Nepal teas only takes 48 hours to reach us after being prepared and are added to our website ready for sale within 24 hours of arrival, tea does not get any fresher. Additionally, it is best for the environment as it means the tea only makes one journey to us before being sent on its way to the consumer. Most important of all it means we can cut out any middlemen and offer the cheapest possible price."

Yunnan Graceful Purple Dry Leaf

On to the review. The sample came in a sealed silver aluminum zip lock pouch. I love it when the samples reseal. Information is clearly printed on the label. The source information is not listed for this tea but a quick review of the website says it is Hunan Xiangfeng, China.

The tiny tear at the top of the sample was me trying to get in to the bag before I took the picture. From the aroma, once I did open it, I had good reason to be in a hurry. You know that kind of sweet, slightly sour scent of fresh cut grass that many Chinese green teas have? Yeah this. Along with a gentle, not really malty, not exactly yeasty, kind of bread note and a stronger but behaved really wonderful smokiness.

I have to admit here, the moment the scent hit me, I grabbed my press and scrubbed it to make sure there wasn't any lingering scents from previous use.

Cupped, now cool down so I can drink! 

The leaf is dark and long strands. At first it almost looked too dark to be a green tea. I believe this is due to it being a purple varietal. The leaves are actually purplish on the bush before picking. Once processed as a green tea they turn this very dark green color.

I used the parameters listed on the label and steeped for 2 1/2 minutes. The result is honey golden liquor with a lovely fresh green aroma.

Side note here: I did almost no color correcting on the pictures. This tea just seems very photogenic.

The wet leaf was interesting. It swelled a lot after the first cup but did not completely relax. The aroma was earthy and vegetal. Just by the wet leaf, I would not have known this was a green tea. If I walked in at this point I would have thought it was sheng. The leaf has none of the smokiness present in the dry leaf.

Wet Leaf

The sip is mild and a little vegetal. It is still not obvious that this is a Chinese green. It is slightly earthy, and I detect a touch of saltiness - which may just be me. The smoke hits late in the back of the sip. It is not a powerful note. It just fits the occasion.  I detect just a hint of bite (just a hint) but no bitterness.

At this point I fired off a question to Alistair at What-Cha. I am still wondering if this is a sheng. If it is, this is the most mellow sheng lacking all that bright bitterness that often accompanies it. If it is indeed a green tea, it is completely different than any I have had before. Its uniqueness is very captivating.

My question was answered very quickly considering the different time zones involved. This is indeed a green tea. The reason I am detecting sheng like qualities is the large leaf purple varietal of this tea bush is grown in Yunnan and used in the making of pu'erh.

Mug two continues much the same as the first. There is a stone fruit presence that reminds me slightly of apricot. Another example of how this reminds me of sheng is in its antihistamine like quality. My lungs feel cool and fresh like I can breath to my toes. Also present is a peaceful sense of well being. Love it. Final comparison is the quiet stomach rumble leading me to believe this tea is soothing to my system.

Mug three and 30 ounces later, while this is steeping it has a wonderful spicy/floral aroma. The taste remains strong but light. It is gently spiced, floral, and smooth. It is kind of drying with mild cheek tingle. The earthy, stone fruit, and a touch of smoke at the back are still present.

I feel certain I could keep steeping this leaf (and indeed I may) but I want to post this before it gets any longer. I think it is probably obvious already that I truly enjoyed this one. I've sampled hundreds of teas and sometimes think I have about seen it all and then something completely different comes along...  

You can find Yunnan Graceful Purple here.

Teavivre, Silver Jasmine Green Tea (Mo Li Yin Hao)

Silver Jasmine Dry Leaf

Silver Jasmine Green Tea (Mo Li Yin Hao)

Teavivre Description:
Hugely popular in China, Silver Jasmine Green tea is produced by adding jasmine flower petals to the tea buds during processing, so infusing this premium green tea with a subtle fragrance and taste of jasmine.  After drying the flower petals are removed, leaving the tea with its unique taste and fragrance.  TeaVivre's Silver Jasmine is made from premium Fuding Da Bai and Da Hao tea trees grown in Mt Taimu, Fujian.

My Review:
Seems like forever since I have posted, and indeed it has been over two weeks. I had a bout with allergies that turned into a lot more serious lung infection. I'm feeling a lot better now but the medicine I'm on is taking a toll on my senses. We'll see how it goes today.

You've no doubt heard the expression, you get what you pay for. Many times this is true. Often the secret to bargain hunting is to understand what you are after. This tea is a prime example.

I have had several versions of Jasmine tea from Teavivre. Their Premium Jasmine Dragon Pearls remains my absolute favorite jasmine ever from anywhere. Slightly more expensive, The Jasmine Silver Needle White tea comes in a close second. Interestingly, for my tastes the highest grade Superfine Jasmine Downy Dragon Pearls comes in third for me. I guess that means I have beer tastes instead of champagne. I'm OK with that. So that kind of makes today's tea the light beer of jasmine teas as it is the lowest priced version Teavivre offers.

Steeping Silver Jasmine

Opening my 100 g bag and removing around 2.5 g, I am met with the familiar scent that won me over three years ago with the Premium version. Before then I thought I didn't like jasmine as it was too fake or perfumey for me.

Looking closely, there are some silver tightly wound buds in the mix along with the green leaves. I used my clear glass teapot and 5 oz of water heated to 194 F. The steep was a little over one minute.

Teavivre calls the liquor color pale yellow mint. It looks a touch darker in my picture but their description is pretty accurate.

If you notice on the spout side in the picture that arc is actually water vapor condensed on the inside surface. Sadly, I did notice a crack running along the top of the spout. I couldn't get a good shot of it. I must have hit it on the sink while cleaning. I think it is safe to use, for now.

OK, back to the review:

I have prepared this tea a few times already. Here is what I have learned. On the bag, Teavivre recommends 1-2 tsp of leaf for 8 oz. 2 tsp will produce a very strong jasmine flavor. It isn't perfume but it is too strong for me. The taste reminds me of blooming jasmine teas in fact at first I swear I taste globe amaranth.

Wet Leaf

So I tried again with 1 tsp (roughly 2.5 g) and found it is plenty. Now the cup is nice and inviting with just a hint of bite from the green tea. There is no bitterness and only a slight cheek tingle.

What it lacks is the depth of the Premium Dragon Pearls. Then again it is $12 for 100 g compared to $19 for the Premium.

This version is better than any I have found in bag form and better than much of the loose I have sampled. Whether this tea is a bargain treasure depends on what you are after. If you are looking for an everyday jasmine that will go great with a meal, then this is an excellent choice. If you are looking for a tea to sit and ponder, I suggest kicking it up a notch. After I tinkered with how to steep it per my tastes, I found this to be a very nice, less complex, tea.

You can find this Silver Jasmine here.

Green Terrace Teas, Ali Shan High Mountain Oolong

Vacuum Sealed Sample

Green Terrace Teas Description:
Ali Shan is one of Taiwan’s most famous tea growing areas due to its high elevation and rich soil.  The cool and moist climate allows the tea leaves to grow more slowly, developing a higher level of complexity and flavor.  Our premium grade Ali Shan High Mountain Tea, or “gao shan cha” in Chinese, is grown at elevations of 1,300 meters (4,265 ft) and above.  It has a sweet buttery taste with a creamy body and mild floral undertones.  The tea becomes more vegetal after a few steepings, bringing a pleasant variation of tastes among each infusion.  Overall, this is an exquisite and savory oolong that can be enjoyed at any time of day.

Origin:  Alishan, Chiayi County, Taiwan

Harvest:  Spring 2014

Sample provided by Green Terrace Teas

My Review:

Best laid plans and all aside, my intention was to review this one immediately after sipping the Li Shan for more of a side by side comparison. Instead sandwiched between the two oolongs three days have passed. Two of which were filled with all day shopping sprees, and Sunday was church and family. Normally I would complain about the shopping, but this time we were looking for patio furniture and a new grill, so I kind of got into it. Who am I kidding, it was totally my idea!

Dry Leaf

So, back to tea. I have had both Li Shan and Ali Shan high mountain teas before, but never together. I wasn't sure if I could tell them apart. So I love that I have this opportunity to sample them both this close together. The samples come in identical vacuum sealed packaging. It is a good thing they are clearly labeled.

The open 10 g bag reveals very little of what is to come, only faint scent traces that smell like... light green oolong.  Using my bamboo scoop, I examined the pellets. Again, the two teas appear very similar. The leaves are rolled tightly with the stem exposed.

Steeping Leaves

My intention was to steep both the same way to keep the playing floor even. So once again the mighty crystal teapot sees action. The leaf in the pot, I added 190 F water and steeped 1 1/2 minutes for the first cup.

At this point, I realized I am brewing more tea than would fit in the 5 oz cup that I used last time. I quickly had to shift gears and pull out my clear glass mug.

I can only hope I haven't thrown off the comparison greatly.

The result is a very light manila colored liquor that is bright and clear. The leaf has largely relaxed, but not nearly as much as the Li Shan first cup. The wet leaf has a marine or seaweed aroma.

A strainer was used when pouring to catch the leaf that hasn't fully unfurled. Only one leaf escaped through the narrow spout of the teapot.

The tea in the mug turned slightly more honey colored as I waited for it to cool enough for me to start sipping.

High Mountain Oolong

The sip is immediately different from the Li Shan. While both are creamy, the Li Shan tasted like corn to me. This one has a floral bite or tingle to it that dances towards orchid with slight hints similar to lavender. None of the floral elements are overpowering.

This is a beautiful cup.

As it cools, a more typical green oolong taste is drawn out and mingles with the previous more unique floral tastes. There is also a nice cooling sensation that is highlighted between sips.

Below I have a picture of the wet leaf for those who like a better idea what they are getting. The leaf is already quite bulky and it hasn't even fully relaxed yet. I did not dig through the pile, however I did not notice and small broken pieces in the leaf.

While the Li Shan was quite enjoyable, I have to admit I am much more fascinated by the first cup of this Ali Shan. We must investigate with further cups before drawing any firm conclusions. Oh, the sacrifices I am willing to make for this blog.

Wet Leaf

On cup two I was more observant of how much water was used. I poured this pot without the strainer and had no leaf in my mug. As I poured, the brew had a green tint that quickly changed to white grape in the mug.

With this cup I am noticing a light butteriness and a hint of mint, in addition to the previous floral aspects. This cup is better than the already wonderful first cup. It seems very sweet.

I am going to keep steeping this leaf a while longer but from what I am tasting I can confidently say I prefer this Ali Shan over the Li Shan. Both are very good, so this is a personal preference. Get a sample of both and see for yourself.

You can find this and a nice variety of teas and teaware here.












   

Green Terrace Teas, Li Shan High Mountain Oolong

Vacuum Sealed Sample

Green Terrace Teas Description:
Li Shan, or “Pear Mountain”, is named after the abundant pear orchards that originally occupied the region. In addition to its rich soil, Li Shan’s high altitude maintains a cool and moist climate that is ideal for creating superior quality tea. Our spring harvest was grown at an elevation of about 2,000 meters, or over 6,500 ft! Tea from Li Shan has a very high demand due to its limited supply and superior quality. Floral and fruity in character, this tea also has a very clean, soft mouth feel and evokes exotic flavors such as mango and tropical fruit. Can be steeped multiple times without losing flavor.

Origin: Lishan, Heping District, Taichong City, Taiwan

Harvest: Spring 2014

Sample provided by Green Terrace Teas

My Review:
I am super excited about my next couple reviews. I have both a Li Shan and an Ali Shan high mountain oolong to review. I have had only a few of each, but enough to believe I am in for something special. It will also be the first time I can compare the two back to back.

Green Terrace Teas is a small tea shop located in Taiwan. Most companies located in Taiwan seem to have very high shipping rates to the US. Green Terrace Teas has free shipping over $49 and a flat $5 shipping rate for smaller orders. Their teas are currently well priced making this a real opportunity to try out what Taiwan has to offer.

Dry Leaf

The golden foil vacuum sealed sample (say that 5 times fast) is 10 g. Cutting the top and removing some of the leaf for examination reveals rolled nuggets with partial stems of varying shades of green and some yellow tones. The scent is of fresh and clean green oolong and a sweet aroma that to me is kind of creamed corn scented.

I used 1/3 of the sample which appears about a level tsp (somewhere between what is in the bamboo scoop and what is on the plate). Once again I rolled out my new favorite glass teapot for the minute and a half steep with 190 F water. The steep was intended to be one minute but I got drawn into the dance of the leaf, and well, as they say, time flies when you are having fun.

The leaf relaxed and expanded quickly!

It is always interesting to see such large leaves appear, almost magically, from those tiny dry pellets. The liquor is clear and a very light cream or manila colored.

Steeping

I poured it into a 5 oz Corelle stoneware cup that is coincidentally made in Taiwan. The brew turned a little more honey colored in the cup. Had I poured when I intended I think the brew would have been nearly clear.

The taste is not what I was expecting based on Steepster reviews. They all seemed to have fruit and floral flavors flying everywhere. I did not have the same result. To me this has a corn like taste. It is smooth and creamy but not overly so. Despite the smoothness this also has a bite. They play off each other and it is interesting.

Now as the cup cools I do begin to detect a fruitiness that is kind of pineapple and coconut? I read one review that said Pina Colada. Yeah, I can see that. It does not jump out and scream it, but it is there.

The aftertaste is slightly drying. In it, I catch the floral element I have been expecting. I have always called it geranium. Those who don't like green oolongs sometimes call it latex. No matter how you feel about green oolong, that flavor is mild and well behaved here.

Sunshine in a cup

The wet leaf, as you can see in the picture below, contains large leaves. Some joined together by the stems. There are some smaller broken pieces but not enough to cause me any concern.

I am looking forward to several more steeps from this leaf so back in the teapot it goes.

The second cup was steeped at one minute. As the water hit the leaf I noticed a spicy fragrance similar to cinnamon. The leaf is now pretty much filling the water in the teapot. The liquor has more of a floral bouquet.  The sip has a nice cooling freshness like mint without the mint taste. I must be starving for vegetables as this taste similar to potato to me. I really do not understand why I am not getting the same results as others recorded, but yeah, potato. Behind it I am getting a green kind of floral, kind of vine like notes. I know it sounds a bit odd but this is really good.

Wet Leaf

Cup three was prepared on day 2 with the same leaf and a one minute steep. This cup is much lighter than yesterday's cups but is nicely floral. When I first sipped this cup while hot I noticed a kind of earthy or maybe even cave flavor. It was gentle, well mannered, and pleasant. As the cup cooled the earthy note fades and this becomes a gentle bouquet of floral notes.

The fourth, and final cup, was steeped for two minutes. It is a little darker than cup three and has the same floral scent. The taste is also quite similar to the third cup with the addition of a spicy note.

You can find this and a nice variety of teas and teaware here.

Tea For One

In this post I am continuing to share more of my teaware collection. Here is my tea for one pot and mug. I bought this at an auction at our church. I wasn't looking for such an item and I didn't need one, but the opportunity presented itself and it was for a worthy cause. So, why not.

Tea For One 

What appears to be dark brown staining seems to actually be permanent. I scrubbed it several times and even took bleach cleanser to it but the darker area remains. Ah, it adds character.

Tea For One Pot And Mug

The pot looks smaller than the mug. It is not. The walls on the mug are very thick and the two hold about the same amount - roughly 12 ounces. That is my standard mug size though I usually only fill a mug to around 10 ounces. I find the thickness of this mug to be uncomfortable to sip from and find it better suited to soup or oatmeal. 

Crackled Interior

I have not used the teapot very many times. In fact I recently decided to retire this pot. The reason may not show up clearly, even if you click the picture above to expand it to full size. The glazing on the inside of the pot has a crackled appearance. The safety of such glazing seems to be cause for great debate on various pottery sites. It may be safe to use but I am not taking any chances. This one has been moved to display only mode.

The Persimmon Tree, Butterscotch

Butterscotch Tin

The Persimmon Tree Description:
Now available as a delectable tea-time treat, our Butterscotch brew takes the buttery goodness of butterscotch and lightens it up into a white tea infusion. Taste the classic favorite of butterscotch in an fresh brew that smoothly and lightly dances down your throat.

Ingredients:
Organic White Tea Leaves, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Pink Peppercorn, Organic Merigolds, Organic Flavors

Sample provided by The Persimmon Tree Tea Company

My Review:
One of my fondest memories of my grandmother, on my dad's side, was her butterscotch pie. It was made from scratch and oh, so good. Mom swears today that I am remembering her (mom's) pies and not my Nana's. Sorry mom, I love you, but your butterscotch pie was a pale comparison to the real thing.

So we go into this review knowing we have a preconceived ideal that I cannot set aside. Yes, I know this is butterscotch and not butterscotch pie. I will try to relate the tea more to the candy my grandfather always had in the dish along side his recliner. I'll try, but come on... pie... you know?

Dry Leaf

Removing the seal and opening the tin I am met with an interesting looking blend. There is white tea leaf running from silver, through green, and into brown. The leaf appears to be various sized leaf, much of it whole. Then I notice the marigold petals. I don't know how much flavor they add but they sure pretty up a blend. There are also pink peppercorns. I never notice them as being obtrusive or particularly spicy in a tea, though I do understand why their presence may scare some people.

The dry leaf scent does not remind me of pie. :( It also doesn't really read grandpa's candy discs either. It has kind of an alcohol or medicinal aroma. At least it is pretty to look at.

Steeping

I used a healthy scoop and a half of leaf - because it is white tea - in my glass teapot. To it was added 180 F water. I steeped per the middle of the recommended guidelines for white tea on the back of the tin, which was 3 minutes.

You can see most of the leaf stayed at or near the surface. The liquor is clear and actually a little darker than it appears in the picture.

Once poured into the mug it turned a little more golden in color.

While steamy hot this tastes like the dry scent. To me it is more alcohol flavored than butterscotch. I read one of the reviews on The Persimmon Tree's website that said they mixed this tea half and half with a straight white tea as they found this too potent. So I will try that later.

The Steepster reviews are generally highly favorable but I did note some of them said this leaned more towards scotch (the alcohol) than the buttery dime store candy. So I guess it depends on your expectations how you will react.

I cannot separate the peppercorns in the taste. There is cinnamon in the ingredient list and I can catch hints of it swirling around.

Butterscotch Steeped Leaf

During my tasting of this tea my son needed a ride to pick up his car at the mechanics. I had to abandon the half full mug. By the time I returned, the tea was room temperature. I found I liked it much better this way. The initial taste of it cold is a combination of scotch and white tea. The aftertaste is more of what I associate with butterscotch. I also notice there is more of a creamy feel to the cup now.

This is not Nana's world famous (in my mind) butterscotch pie. It does however have potential. I am going to experiment with different times and temperatures, and maybe try cutting it with another white tea to see if I can find a balance point for my tastes. Most reviewers liked it just the way it is, so as usual, it is a personal thing.

You can find Butterscotch here.

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Update: The next day after posting this review, I prepared this tea again. This time I used my standard steeping parameters for Bai Mu Dan of 195 F for 1 minute. This is much more to my personal liking. The scotch alcohol taste is greatly reduced and replaced with more of a dime store buttery candy taste. It doesn't hit the mark exactly but it is close. I think the white tea gives it a little twist. A sweet dessert in a mug without the guilt.

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About The Persimmon Tree:

(From their website) The Persimmon Tree® offers our customers some of the world's finest organic teas and botanicals. Not only are most of our fresh high quality teas from around the globe hand-blended and organically grown, some of our teas are also fair trade, ensuring fair working conditions, fair wages, and a better life for tea workers from countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

At The Persimmon Tree®, our mission is simple: to enrich people's lives through the pleasure of tea.

My Gaiwan

My gaiwan with a mug for size reference

Teavivre Description:
This gongfu gaiwan is custom made by TeaVivre’s careful selection. The gaiwan looks exquisite, is comfortable to hold. It is well made, pour our water smoothly. The white color is elegant. The lid is printed with TeaVivre logo. On the body of the gaiwan, there is a representative icon of Chinese tea ceramany, (cha dao).

Capacity: 90ml / 3.04oz

This beautiful gaiwan was a gift from the awesome Teavivre team. Thanks!

My Review:
Things may be a little different today. I am going a lot more picture heavy with this post. I received this beautiful gaiwan some time ago from Teavivre and have never given it a proper review. Until very recently I have been content simply brewing all my teas in my clear glass Bodum French Press. It works super well for all types of tea. Why use anything else?

Well, one day I saw a really inexpensive Yixing teapot online and thought I'd have some fun. At the same time I ordered a clear glass teapot for flowering teas. Having never been a teapot person, I really didn't see the need, but proceeded to order anyway. Making this long story shorter - I got hooked. My press still gets a work out but not nearly as much as before the teapots arrived.

Adding Leaf

So now I am starting to bring the gaiwan into the rotation. I'll be honest, the reason I have not devoted more time to it already is my sweetener addiction. This gaiwan holds 90 ml, that is around 3 ounces - that and sweetener do not mix easily.

So the secret to using it is finding teas that I don't feel the need to sweeten. Now that I am getting into enjoying teapots and alternate brewing styles, the time is right.

For today's session I chose In Nature's White Moon Tea. The leaf looks like Bai Mu Dan (White Peony) but it is slightly oxidized (like White Monkey) under moonlight. Then it is post fermented like puerh - technically like a dark tea as this is not from the puerh area in China.

I used a very healthy scoop of leaf  that filled the gaiwan about a third of the way. It was slightly more than I would typically use with my press. My normal cup size generally runs about 10-12 oz. So here I am using around 1/4 the water per steep. As a point of reference a standard bathroom Dixie Cup comes in two sizes - 5 and 3 oz. We in the west are so used to supersizing everything. Truth is 3 oz is still a lot of liquid.

Check out how nice the leaf looks in the gaiwan.

White Moon Leaf

Some people drink from the gaiwan. Not me. I can't sip anything that is near boiling. I choose to pour into a cup (a pitcher should be used when sharing). Today I am using a very pretty little cup and saucer my wife bought for me at a local antique store. I know nothing about it other than it says Japan on the bottom and it holds 90 ml, or 3 oz. A perfect match. The reflections make it hard to see but the designs are all jade green with gold trim.

Pretty Little Cup From My Wife

The inside of the cup looks like a pearl with its various streaked tones of color. Once the tea had steeped for about 20 seconds, I poured it into the cup. With the shape of the inside and the pearlized finish, the resulting brew resembled a sunflower bloom. At least I thought so.

The Brew Looks Like A Sunflower Bloom

A word about pouring a gaiwan. What I read online said to grasp the rim with the thumb and middle finger while holding the top of the lid with the first finger. The lid is slightly lifted to pour while not allowing the leaf to get in the cup. The saucer stays on the table. Yep, that's the way most people do it. I get burned doing it this way. I found it easier to place my pinky, middle, and ring finger under the saucer and hold the lid with my thumb. The gaiwan gets very hot, very fast. So be careful. 

The wet leaf plumps up beautifully in the gaiwan. I have not tried oolong in my gaiwan yet, but I have seen pictures of the gaiwan being completely filled with huge leaves after they have unfurled.

The Wet Leaf

So now comes the big question - does using a gaiwan make the tea taste any different? Absolutely. Using a more leaf to water ratio and extremely short steeps, intensifies the flavors. The layers of flavor are released slowly so each cup tastes different. In my previous review of this tea, I noted how it tasted like white tea but more intense. The tea for that review was prepared in my press and poured into a 12 oz mug. Using the gaiwan the flavor of the early cup is apple wine, and that is with out any sweetener. With the gaiwan, a quality tea should resteep many times. Yep, I think I'm going to like brewing with this gaiwan.

If using a gaiwan sounds like something you would like to try, you can find one like mine at Teavivre.