Jane Pettigrew's Tea Companion

There are many books out there on tea and I would like to own them all. However, not able to afford them, I just own three; two audiobooks and one hardcover.  It turns out that I owned this hardcover even before I got interested in tea and this is The Tea Companion a Connoisseur's Guide by Jane Pettigrew. Today I wanted to give it a quick review.

It is divided into two parts, that first of which deals with the general aspects of tea, while the second one focuses on the different  tea regions & estates around the world. The information from the first part is just about enough for any newbie to get up to speed on history, current trade and production, accessories and, of course, preparation. Not any of these aspects is dealt exhaustively and much further reading can still be done, but as a primer it is an outstanding resource. The second part is a catalogue of the great teas by region. Each one has its own profile including its characteristics and preparation advice.  Following this, a word or two is mentioned on the less relevant, yet present, tea producing regions.

It is a small , profusely illustrated book. Very nice to flip through. In one sense  it is a coffee (tea) table book. However, as I see it, it is somewhat bipolar as to its intended audience. For beginners the first part is to the point and thorough, but the second seems useless as they are unlikely to have a chance soon to sample any more than a couple of the varieties mentioned. More experienced tea drinkers on the other hand can find new horizons to explore here, but will probably find that they already know the stuff from the first part, and hence, skip it.  As I write this I think that maybe, the intention after all is for the tea drinker to grow with the book. For my part I find myself consulting it more and more as I move into the pure varieties.

It is terrific to receive it as a gift and recommended if going seriously into tea, or if you're into book collecting.

There's a also an updated edition called The New Tea Companion which covers the same topics.

Gunpowder tea review

I've been looking for an alternative to the Japanese standard green tea sencha for a while now. Sencha is fine, but to me it leans a bit to too much to the bitter-astringent side. My previous attempt with the Longjing didn't pan out, so I went for a less ambitious grade of green and see how that would turn up. I set my sights on the gunpowder after hearing about it for a while and thanks to a final push by Pettigrew's guide, bought it.

From the very beginning I expected it to be something radically different in its aspect. I expected gunpowder tea to be, well, powder. It is not. Gunpowder tea consists of rolled up green tea leaves into small pellets. When these expand in water they take five times as much volume than when dry, so an appropriately large steeping basket is the way to go when brewing it. At least the one I've got here, which  comes from my local provider, has some noticeable debris that come out  when the leaf uncurls. Could be particles of the same leaf, but to me it looks like dirt. Luckily, the brew itself appears to be unaffected.

The liquor is stronger than the Longjing but softer than the sencha.  Once again, the leaf is very tolerant to prolonged steeping or resteeping. A teaspoon might be enough for 32 oz of water. Speaking of water, the tea appears best-brewed when it is just rumbling than near boiling or after-boiled. Unlike all my other teas, one wants to keep on swallowing with this one; as it cools, the more pleasant it gets. Call me crazy, but I've been leaving a cup of this over the last few weeks for a middle of the night drink instead of plain water and not only does it do the job, but also still tastes quite good. This one too is non-grassy (now that I come to think of it I've had a good run avoiding those of late). 

From what I read, it is a very popular beverage in Morocco where mint is added and I can taste why. It is very refreshing, especially when it has had time to cool off. In my short experience, it is probably among the top three in this area.

Lapsang Souchong tea review

We have seen now different kinds of teas, some pure, some flavored. The pure ones derive their taste from their very own qualities plus some processing while the flavored ones generally get theirs from added elements such as fruits, petals or essential oils. One can still find a midway category between these two and here are those teas whose flavors are brought up by a moderate alteration of their nature. One example is the hoji-cha which was born when someone, either by insight or accident, roasted green tea leaves. Another, arguably, is the Puerh which is left to ferment. And another yet is the Lapsang Souchong of which will be talking today.

The Lapsang Souchong is a black tea from China that has the peculiarity of being smoked. It's discovery, no less, has been a boon to many.

This tea is probably the oldest member of my tea shelf and I inherited it, so to speak, from my dad who had tasted it once and bought some in London. The original batch was a Fortnum & Mason tin of whole leaf. It had stood there for over 20 years and when I finally began brewing some of it, I found that it had weathered the intervening years very well. When this ran out, we bought some more from the same company, these time in tea bags, and found that, well sure, the flavor was more pronounced, but it still was essentially the same.

The Lapsang Souchong teas are smoked by drying the larger Lapsang tea leaves over pinewood fire. The resulting smoky flavor is not quite like those found in hams or salmon. It rather has its own distinctive taste. Nowadays, having run out of all Fortnum leaf, I brew from that of my local provider and with this even the taste of sap is clearly present.

The Lapsang flavor is intense and can even be too powerful for some. Thus, brewing time is an important aspect to watch for.  Unless you really, really love smokiness, an overbrewed Lapsang can be unpleasant, even undrinkable. I'd say experimenting with shorter infusion times is the right way start for newcomers. It can also be an interesting ingredient for those who prepare their own household blends as a relatively small amount of leaf can lend a touch of smokiness to a base mix or even add piquancy to otherwise flat brews.

On a few occasions I've prepared some as iced tea and, though good, it generates some  dissonance as one's mind tries to harmonize the flavor with the drink's temperature.

I also think that it can be a very agreeable companion to those who have or like to stay up late. For the way ahead preparing a cup or pot in early evening can provide a warm feeling for a prolonged time. In regards to food, it pairs well with spicy cuisines, sausages, meats and more, and can even be accompanied with regular meals, but it will very likely overpower blander dishes.

In closing, Lapsang may not be for everyone, but for a great many it can bring joy and comfort and it is a fine example of what of what can be achieved tastewise with tea with just one step. 

Lonjing Dragon Well tea

The Longjing (aka Lung Ching)is a famous green tea from China that received the 1988 gold medal from the Institute of Quality Selection. At the present time I'm trying to get tea of differing  grades and locations for a project of mine and this Longjing has been in my radar for a while. I finally got a few grams at my local teashop.

Must say that I had some high expectations for this one. Among these, was to get a high grade alternative to Japanese sencha. Had to be tasty and not too expensive. It passed latter requirement with 100g@$17. I was underwhelmed with the former: it was too difficult to get anything out of it. Here's what happened on the first go.

3 minutes: almost transparent; tasteless

4 minutes: same aspect; still tasteless

5 minutes: some pale color now; still a long way to go

7 minutes: greenish golden liquor; faint flavor

10 minutes: marginally more intense; about the same taste

15 minutes: Oh, I give up. It is not giving anything more.

I know, I know, these are unusual steeping times for green, but I had to know if something would turn up in the end. One can get more from regular white tea on a quick steep than from this one. On the positive side it never turned bitter.

Now, really; I was half-jesting in the last paragraphs. Subsequent trials were more successful by adding more initial leaf: this compensated the faintness enough to yield a pleasurable brew. Since this is my first time with this tea, I do not know if it should be this way. Maybe I got a bad batch or something. I got the very last couple of ounces from the big tin at the shop and even the owner asked me if I was sure to take it all. "Sure! Pile it on!"

When properly prepared I find something buttery about it. As with the rest of the Chinese greens that I've tasted, this one stays well-behaved and rounded. Another plus is its non-grassiness.

So, pending an alternative source, I'd say skip this one in favor of other alternatives and come back to it later.

A Look at Darjeeling no.4: Ahmad

Today we close this small series on Darjeeling teas. What we have today are teas by Ahmad. As I said on a previous installment Darjeeling teas in the past have neither excited me or repelled me.

From what I seen, tea people are really nice  and those who sport the most knowledge, those that can be called connoisseurs, tend to get their kicks through quality and grade over added flavorings. I claim no specialized knowledge and I like to think myself as falling somewhere in between connoisseur and layman.

The first tea, the Ahmad Windsor Darjeeling, is in loose leaf form. Once again, no tea grading info. With this Darjeeling I attempted to informally test myself and see if I could pull out some of its hidden flavors. The result: I couldn't. This tea tastes like... jalapeno! Not spicy hot, but it has all the flavor in there. Wow! I knew that tea could have subtle flavors, but I never imagined something so blatant.   This must be an anomaly. But if you like unusual flavors, but dislike added essences and/or flowers, by all means consider this one.

At the same time that I received this loose leaf as a gift, I also got a tin of English Breakfast teabags from the same brand. The tin looks very nice on the shelf, decorated with embossed beefeaters and English guards, but the contents' only redeeming quality is its strength. It is not Darjeeling by any stretch (nor claims to). This one is probably sold as a tourist trap, leading the unwary buyers to believe that they are getting a genuine English tea experience from their purchase. Talk about two opposing results from the same brand name.

Closing the series now, Darjeeling are fine teas to be sure. Through the series my views have indeed changed moderately in favor of the Darjeelings as a whole. This probably was helped in part by listening concurrently to Tea Rage podcast which trumpets the region. I still prefer my China, but now I begin to see somewhat clearly what the fuss is all about. Over the series there were a few surprises and unusual flavors. Of those tasted, I have to give best award to the First Flush form Golden Tips of Darjeeling followed by the Lipton loose.

A Look at Darjeeling no.3: First Flush

Picking up from where we left last time with the Golden Tips of Darjeeling, today we taste the higher  grade  of the pair: the First Flush.  Golden Tips has plenty  premium teas for sale, but this one appears not be quite on that category though it is a bit more expensive than the Kanchan view and in a smaller package.  

I sent a message to the Golden Tips people through there website to know more about the teas I had with me (Kanchan, and First Flush) before review, but received no answer. Like the previous teas on this series, there is no indication of leaf grading.

So well. When opening the First Flush packet I expected to find something similar to the Kanchan in size and color, but instead I was surprised with almost silvery leaves. For a moment I thought that it might be white tea, but on brewing the first pot, I discovered that it was something quite out of my experience.  Not white tea definitely; but something  in between black and green that defies my precise identification. Gets close to an honest black, but doesn't quite get there on liquor aspect or taste. The brew color, in fact is quite clear with the color of fresh straw moving a bit into lemon.

However, the resulting infusion can be quite good. After half a dozen trials I've got to know this one better. It is delicate and sensitive to to brewing time. About 10% more of the usual black tea amount is needed to give it strength, while  a short infusion time must be followed. Around 3 1/2- 4 minutes yield the best results; a faint bitterness shatters the flavor if left any longer. Also, in my experience, it works better when brewed a cup at a time over a whole teapot. Can't explain this.

As said, the taste is delicate, yet not as faint as that of a white tea. No undernotes did I find. The Darjeeling maltiness is more present than in the Kanchan View, but still comparatively subdued.

So far, this has been the best Darjeeling of the ones I've tasted.

A look at Darjeeling No. 2 : Golden Tips Kanchan View

There is something odd in my relation to Darjeeling teas. I like them, but find them unexceptional. It is pretty much the case of Bach's Cello suites: some people love them and think it the best music ever written or close enough, but no matter how many times I've listened to them or the different performers I've tried, I cannot get what the hype is about; and I really do dig Bach's music in general especially the keyboard music.

Packet

So today I give one more honest, open go at Darjeeling teas. The tea today is Golden Tips of Darjeeling Kanchan View and I have high expectations for it and for its companion a first flush (2012?) Highland which we'll check out next time. Both are estate grown black teas from the region.

As you can see, these are neatly packed and once  unwrapped it might be best to have a clean empty tin at hand to transfer the contents. Despite the company's name, there is no indication as to leaf grading. To my untrained eye, the leaves look longish.

Refilled a tin

The brewing time takes just a bit longer than usual. Smells good, but nothing extraordinary. Surprisingly, the maltiness with this one is very subdued. What we get instead is a moderate to bold bona fide plain vanilla black tea taste. No subtle aftertastes here. I guess many people like just that: a true, no frills tea, and this is how I find this one. There is a hint of metallic taste too.

However, when prepared as iced tea very distinct licorice notes emerge.

For my part I usually like some variation to the black tea theme without going overboard; something this one does not meet when hot. Notwithstanding I can still find a use for this one: it can be a trusty base for house blends as, being less astringent than the Lipton, lends a more ample space to work with flavorwise.

Not extraordinary. Good, yes, but not something to go looking for. Overall, the Lipton has an edge over this one. Next time let's see if the First Flush Highland helps change my mind.

A look at Darjeeling no.1: Lipton tea

Darjeeling is an area in India on the foothills of the Himalayas. The teas from this region are quite famous and go under the same name.  Unofficially these are touted as the champagne of teas and accordingly carry high prestige.

 

Over the next few weeks I'll review some of the Darjeelings I've come across lately. This week we start on known territory.
 

Not long ago I got some packs of tea from someone who went to the very Darjeeling region and was surprised to find among these a couple of boxes Lipton branded  black tea loose leaf Darjeeling. It is surprising because the brand, rightly or not, is generally associated with teabags and so-so tea. Interested, I prepared some teapots over several weeks to taste what was it like.
 

On the box I find no indication as to its specific leaf grading other than it is long leaf, which makes me think that it may not rank among the best in quality in this department. Among the dried leaves I find some few stems.
 

The color and aroma were within the expected bounds. The taste has the distinct Darjeeling maltiness and the leaf is very tolerant to oversteeping without getting bitter. However, attempts to resteep it, yield weak brews with the maltiness all but gone. Overall good on the first steep, not extraordinary. However, the more I tried it, the more adept I became in handling it. Just recently I've been getting some pretty tasty smoothly rounded cups out of it.
 

On the stomach it feels a bit aggressive at times unlike the rest of the Darjeelings we'll talk about later. Maybe leaf quantity has something to do with this.
 

Can't say if this tea is a deal as I do not how much it costs. However, I find nothing fret about with it. It's fine to trust in big brands once in a while.

My first Oolong

Up until a few days ago there had been a glaring gaping hole in my tea experience: I had never tasted oolong tea before. I decided to see what it was like once and for all. I intended to get a yamamotoyama packet at my local Japanese store, but standing before the shelves I found that they only had it in teabags. There was only one other oolong which was an unbranded one in bulk; this one in loose leaf. I bought 100 g of it for $1.5 which makes it the cheapest tea that I have ever purchased. After opening the cellophane bag I found that it not only contained the tea leaves proper but a hodgepodge of sticks and dust in about equal proportions and also, I kid you not, a half an inch piece of cardboard. With just a bit of trepidation I prepared myself a teapot of it and despite of its irregularities and cheap price it turned out to be both tasty and refreshing. I plan to remove the sticks and another foreign material out, enjoy, and get a better one in the future. I also discovered that this tea is very, how should I put it, fluffy in that it takes more space in the container for the same weight than black tea, pretty much the same way as white tea does. Of course, the added materials and debris do not help.

(Had a photo of the tea, but seems I've lost it [the photo, not my marbles] . Here's a parakeets photo instead)

Thé Ronde d'Automne review

After the wonderful discovery of the Tuscan apricot tea I went back to the place of my original find looking for more from the same vein and I'm glad to say that I was not disappointed. The shopkeeper brought down a tin of a tea called Thé Ronde d'Automne that was fragrant with the aroma of hazelnuts. Immediately I knew this was one to get. Unfortunately, they had run out of it at that time and it took three more visits and as many months to finally purchase some. Quite popular it must be!

As the aroma betrays, this is a black tea perfumed with hazelnuts. The leaves are fair sized, are a mix of Ceylon and china and have actual hazelnut pieces mixed in. Researching on the net, I found that there is also some vanilla in there for good measure.

For a teapot, about 20% more leaves and bits are needed than a regular black tea to get the same brew strength. The brewing time is also on the longish side taking around 7 minutes. Fortunately this one is also resistant to getting bitter.

The brew color is dark and unusually cloudy though not opaque or thick as it swallows uncomplicated. My guess is that the cloudiness stems from parts of the hazelnuts being dissolved in the liquid and threw the mesh.

The taste itself is pleasantly nutty. I'm not a fan of hazelnuts myself (I'm an almond guy) and the success of the Nutella spread mystifies me as I cannot find anything special in it.  Yet, the flavor in Ronde d'Automne does the trick for me. Comparing it with the Frangelico liqueur, which I also like, it is very similar, but a degree or two lower in intensity. The flavor also has the benefit of not getting lost in the teapot so each sip is almost as good the first one. The taste of the black tea is also entirely cloaked in this blend, though slight astringency can appear if oversteeped or if too much leaf is used.

It doesn't appear to have the high amount of caffeine that the Tuscan apricot has, so more cups can be drunk without noticing caffeine highs. Also, it is only anecdotal, but I find that it soothes and relieves reflux and stomach pain. I can cannot assert it as a fact, but will keep on testing.

Some people say that tea (except Puerh) shouldn't be stored for long.  With the Ronde d'Automne I believe that this might be the case. The fresher the better, is a sound advice here and so despite the problems of finding it, I believe it is better not to stock up when you do. Instead, just buy what you might prepare within the next few months.

A nice solid addition to the tea shelf and also a good choice as an introduction to tea in general or for somebody that already loves nuts.

Harney and Sons Chocolate Mint tea review

The aroma of perfumed teas can sometimes be intense. At other times it can be the tea's most distinctive quality. Both cases bloom together in the  Harney & Sons chocolate mint black tea which is the most aromatic perfumed tea that I have come across. No other even comes close. One can understandably be suspicious when faced with so heavy perfumes: who knows what they could be masking. As said, the aroma is strong. In fact, you could detect it from a yard away, with your eyes closed and with the tin sealed. Opening the tin is an experience in itself: the full force of the smell fills the airways in an instant. The surprising fact is that it isn't unpleasant at all; one would think that the manufacturer overstepped all bounds; this isn't the case.

What you see inside our small flakes of peppermint leaves and regular black tea in about equal proportions.

For brewing, this one is ready in about 4 min. The taste is somewhat strong but not overbearing. As with the smell, it really does taste like mint chocolate: liquid mint chocolate sans sugar. I cannot determine what gives the chocolate flavor to the duo. Unlike other perfumed teas, the black tea itself does peer through the flavoring without having to look for it and in fact, the black tea tastes better than average. The result is well balanced.

Now, I tried to think up with what food it would mix well, but couldn't come up with anything. With what would you pair real chocolate mint anyway? Neither spicy or blander foods seem right. Pastries… maybe, if they're moist enough. Other sweets feel like compounding… I can only conclude that this one works best as an after meal drink.  I also get a feeling that this one would go down well with insomniacs as its, so to speak, dark components would be welcome to pass the time with in the wee hours of the morning. It is specially pleasing at home in cold weather.

Not tried it as iced tea. I don't think that its strength and taste would give good results cold.

If you're a chocolate mint fan, you should definitely get this one. Also, I would recommend to offer it to guests as an intro to tea in general.

Tea podcasts: review

 

Since 2008 I have dabbled in the tea podcast offerings out there and I decided to take a closer look on them just a month or two ago. I'll review here four shows, sticking only to those that have audio-only streams because when I listen to my iPod, my gaze is on other business. I'm not dissing on video shows, I just don't have the patience to watch for long. Oddly enough, all four shows that I review here have not been updated in a long while.

steap.tv

This one mainly reviews teas live. The listeners get the double benefit of checking their own experiences against the tea reviews and getting very honest, on the spot descriptions. The hosts typically, or at least on the shows that I have listened to, taste the tea of the day at differing steeping points and give their impressions. On the downside, the unscripted nature of the show makes it drag a bit. The older shows also have not so good audio quality, but you can hear what they have to say most of the time. There is also a flagship video version.

The Tea Lover's Room with the Tea Lover Chic

My first love. This one focuses more on tea rooms and tea parties. Settled in Sacramento, the host is adorable and feels like as if she were your favorite aunt. The show has different sections and starts with the basics, explaining everything, but avoiding undue detail. As the episodes progress, the show evolves to include other aspects. The piano music theme never fails to get me jolly. As with the rest, it has not been updated for many years. I hope she's all right, and will be back soon to offer us more of her love for tea.

Lainie sips

In this one Lainie gives us quick and precise reviews of different teas. She also deals with certain aspects of the tea drinking experience, such as using more than one pot and the virtue, or sin of flavored teas. Listener calls are also common which gives us the opportunity to hear what other people are enjoying. Finally, Lainie has an active blog at Lainiesips.com

Teacast

Of all four, this is the one that caters to the highest point of expertise. What I mean is that this one is less for beginners and more for pros, or those that have years of experience on their backs. It may not be intended to be that, but the result is beyond what occasional drinkers may be interested in. It has interviews, general topics, the business of tea and more. Unfortunately, this one also has the lowest audio quality and often it is difficult to discern the words from the female host. Notwithstanding, you may want to check out one or two episodes, especially the one that deals with the science of tea.

To wrap it up, if you're a beginner in tea, start with The Tea Lover's Room and then move up to Lainie sips. Also, compare your experiences with the reviews at Steap.tv. Leave Teacast for last.

Update May-13

Since I wrote the previous words there have common into my radar screen a couple more tea podcasts. Best part of both is that they have been recently active.

Tea Rage

To me, the host feels like the AVGN of tea. The most snobbish of the bunch, he expresses his rage at the incongruities of the tea world. Fun,  likeable, not over the top, and recommended.

Verdant Tea

Unlike the rest. This one goes back to the source of tea. Of particular interest are the second and third episodes. Last word I heard is that the host is on the field and that more episodes are on the way.

Finally, i just wanted to mention that the Tea Lover's Room episodes are still available at www.tealoversroom.com or at the wayback machine

Update Jul-15:

Tea Rage & Verdant have also gone into dormant state; however here are some new ones that have popped-up over the last year:

Year of Tea

The likable host is trying to review a different tea each day for the whole year and throws everything but the sink for flash examination: black, green, flavored, chamomile, mate and the odd mix. You're bound to find something available to you here.

Tealife

A very specialized show focusing on the Japanese Tea Ceremony and the most structured of them all. I like the anecdotes section and Marius' soothing voice.

World Tea Podcast

As far I've listened into, it goes mostly for the production and general business side of things. Has about half a dozen episodes on the Tea expo. What kind of brings it down are the subpar audio (though not as bad as teacast) & the volume levels between the hosts and guests.

Talking Tea

Interviews with different experts around the tea arena.


So far my two recommendations still stand: Try to find the episodes of the Tea Lover's Room Podcast for their charm and for their introduction to the tea world and Tea Rage for the entertainment and the purist view.

Yamamotoyama teas review

I have heard tea being compared to wine. One aspect of the comparison is all too true: premium teas can go way beyond what normal people are willing to pay, much the same way as in some wine bottles. Wouldn't it be wonderful to get readily available great tea for low prices?

The Yamamotoyama brand of teas grants this wish. If you can look past the pre-packaging of their products, you find in their teas very high value. My first acquaintance with them was with their jasmine tea teabags some years ago, and have been a fan ever since. The flavor in that case is very pleasant and can be very intense if you oversteep it. That is not a problem because it allows you to stretch it over many cups; I can get five 16 oz. cups out of just one teabag.

Another great tea I have found from them is their hojicha roasted green tea. This comes in loose leaf form. Even though I bought the cheapest family pack I got a very drinkable tea. The flavor can be intense to the point of unpleasantness if you oversteep it or if you use too much of it, but with just a bit of restraint you can get excellent results. To my palate it tastes just like the seaweed used for sushi making; if you're anything like me, you might not want to compound the flavor by having both at the same time. I have also found that it leaves my mind fresh and that it can be had an hour before bedtime with no ill effect on my sleep.

In the same family pack category there is also the genmai, which is green tea with brown rice. I skipped it the first time I saw it in the store shelves not knowing what it was about, but in the interim I listened to a review of it in that Tea Lover's Room podcast and decided to try it out. The podcast's host, the Tea Lover Chic, didn't like the tea blend that much (I believe that it was not Yamamotoyama), but that didn't deter me; in fact, I so trusted the brand by now, that I went on. The results were wonderful! I found this tea even better than the aforementioned hojicha. Only one word can I use to describe its taste: toasted. I can add that it is very, very pleasantly so. I do not know what device of ingenuity they used to get to this Goldilocks flavor, but they nailed it precisely. In my palate, this flavor does overpower, or more accurately, cloak, the grassiness of the green tea; for me this is not a bad result. The actual rice flavor undertone stayed low and did not become unpleasant, even after prolonged steeping. I found that this one needs about the double of leaf as the hojicha to reach the same brew strength and that it doesn't retain enough flavor for re-steeping.

Although I am not too much a green tea fan, the pure sencha is also commendable. Once it has cooled enough to drink, I get the taste of something akin to a rich vegetable broth. I find that I have to watch this one more closely than the others, because it can easily get bitter if time runs away from me. About 4 to 4 1/2 min. of infusion does the trick. A second steeping can be pulled off, but all the good  flavor from the first go falls down to about one fourth and the bitterness now shows, so I do not recommend it. Dust or fannings that fall through the tea basket's mesh are something to watch for because, for, if they remain in the teapot, they can still make the brew bitter after a while.

All of these teas are very cheap in price too. 7 ounces or about 200 g of loose leaf can be bought for about $4-$5 which to me, it's a steal. This does not mean that you have to stock up when given the chance. It is so readily available, that there is no reason to buy more than one packet at a time of the ones you like or wish to taste.

I am sorry to see that they do not have oolong in loose leaf, as I would like to taste it from them, though they do have it in teabags. There appears also to be not one but two lines of higher grade offerings, especially of the sencha, at higher prices. These I have not tasted as of yet. The family packs easily  score  on my uncouth taste buds. Finally, it appears that also there is matcha from this company. Since it looks that it is too much of a bother to prepare, I have skipped it. This is not to mean that I will not take a look into them if given the chance. If so, I'll let you know.

The Yamamotoyama teas are the best value that I have found so far.

Cherry Tea

During my childhood, my family had a cherry tree in the garden and I liked it  much. These are  also very popular over at Japan. They believe them very beautiful and frankly, they are. When they bloom, they are a sight like no other.  The pink petals, which are soft and delicate, blow with the wind in spring.

It may come to a surprise that these petals can be collected and added to foodstuffs such as pastries. Accordingly, it is not a too much of a stretch to have them in your tea. Tokyo Printemps (the name will surely vary from merchant to merchant) is a cherry flavored Japanese green tea sencha. I gave it a try after giving it a sniff at my local provider. The green leaves are mostly whole and so are the  dried petals.  Most of the flavoring appears to come from added essential oils. The aroma, unsurprisingly, is cherry like; but when I open the packet at home it gives me an unusual sensation: I feel as if I'm unwrapping a present from a loving daughter. True! 

For a pot you need about the usual quantity of leaf. The taste is also like cherries, but not so much like the fruit itself. The grassiness of the green tea is subdued or almost entirely cloaked. Care must be taken to not oversteep it as the flavor can get overly intense resulting in what I would call cherry sting.

I believe this would make a very good tea for a morning tea party.

The downside, at least for me, is my own palate which has been accustomed to years of artificial cherry flavoring in medicines and the like. When I drink it, I am sometimes reminded of those; and medicine is not something you want to be reminded of when drinking your pleasant tea. The case is also similar to that of the Soleil Levant from Hediard, which instead of tasting like oranges, tastes like children's medicine. I know, I know: it is the medicine that tastes like oranges, not the other way around. With the Printemps, you can avoid this by not steeping it too much. Oh, there is also the lesser a complaint  in that it is not fit for re-steeping.

If you're a cherry fan or at least have a passable interest, do ask for this tea, but if you're like me you might probably want to pass on this one and just watch the flowers.

Tuscan Apricot tea

I tend to be a purist about tea. That means no sugar and no milk for me.  So far, I have drunk tea for its own sake and enjoyed it. I believe that ultimately, tea tastes very good by itself: not necessary to add anything. That said, I also believe that some flavors, natural perfumes or processes can help bring other tea qualities that you normally don't get. For instance, there is the very popular Earl Grey, the smoky Lapsang, the toasty Genmai or the pungent Puerh. These, and similar ones, are just one step removed from the original taste and I feel one can be happy by not straying too far from home base. Safari hunting is not required for tea.  Get too far away, and you may no longer be drinking tea at all.  I'm amazed at the tea shop at some of their offerings. There are blends like Blueberry Bran Muffin Rooibos or Winter Fresh Mint Caramel Toffee Silver Needles (I'm making these up, but aren't there mixes similar to these?) and sure enough, when you take a look inside the tin , there are a hodgepodge of bits and pieces and flowers and who knows what else in there. I must say that they do smell good, and they probably taste that as well, but they are not my cup of tea (wink wink). They're just too far removed. If you happen to like those, carry on, nothing wrong with you; I won't burn you at the stake or anything. It is just that I like simpler tastes.

Despite that, not too long ago I wandered from my comfort zone just a bit. At my favorite tea shop, I was looking for something new, and among the suggestions I smelled the perfume of apricots. This one caught my attention above all others. From what I previously said, you may safely assume that I am unsure of those teas that have bits and pieces mixed in. This apricot tea has those in small quantity, but it smelled so good that I bought a couple of ounces. And very cheap too! From its appearance, it has dried flowers, dehydrated fruit and your standard black tea. I don't think it has any extra essential oil in it. The smell is fruity and flowery, but not cloying at all. The underlying smell of tea remains hidden under the bouquet. I prepared myself a pot. Due to the added contents I correctly added in more weight than with pure black. It brewed fairly quickly; in about 4 to 5 min. it was ready for drinking. The taste was very fresh, with apricots all around. Still, no cloying sensations, but very far away sweetness. The black tea flavor now sprung lending roundness to the brew, but still under the apricots. I was taken.

I would recommend this tea almost anyone including you, unless you positively hate scented teas. If you're a milk and sugar guy or gal, you might want to check it out as it might give you richly rounded, milky cream results. For the iced tea lovers, I'm not all that sure, because I suspect it would taste too much like bottled commercial offerings once ice is added.

On the downside, the brew can turn unpleasant if you let it oversteep. Also the leaves do not lend well to a second brewing, so you'll have to be mindful in both cases. Caffeine wise this one packs quite a punch; I'm regularly tolerant, but this one makes me woozy after a whole pot.

Check with your local tea merchant for it. If ordering online, apparently this Canadian site has the same one as mine. It is both cheap, pleasant  and uncomplicated.

Puerh tea review

Puerh is a fermented tea from the Yunnan province of China.

I do not know what was in my head at the time, but when some family members of mine went to China it did not occur to me to ask them to bring back some tea; double my bad since they were going to the actual birthplace of tea bush and were some of the finest teas are cultivated, that is, Yunnan. Fortunately, they had more sense than me and brought me a small box with Puerh tea.

I never had this one before, but I did remember it was mentioned several times by Heinrich Harrer in his book Seven Years in Tibet. If I remember rightly, this tea is taken to Tibet in caravan and is packed in brick form for easier transportation. Once it gets there it is usually prepared with yak butter.

The tea which I received came in a nice flat square box with a magnetic closing lid. The tea itself is wrapped in thin white paper. Both the paper and the box are written with Chinese words which I cannot read. I assume they are the manufacturer's brand and probably some characteristics of the tea such as aging.

My tea was compressed in discus form. Though, technically not a black tea, its leaves are very dark and though compressed, they appear whole, not broken. To prepare yourself some tea, you have to chip  loose some leaves carefully with a knife as to make the least damage to them.

This tea can be steeped several times. I have now got it for several months, and have gotten about 2 1/2 L of great tasting tea for just 5 1/2 g of leaves. I do not think it can be stretched much more than this and still get a pleasurable beverage. I do not use a timer to measure the tea strength, but , I go mostly by feeling and by tasting small sips every minute or so. I do this for all of my teas. When I get the desired intensity, I remove the strainer with the leaves. Unlike some black teas, Puerh tea does not get bitter if you leave it too much in the water. In fact, if you're so inclined, you can get some really dark brews if you let it sit for long periods of time.

Despite stemming from green tea it tastes nothing like it. I would say it feels very close to a black one. So, what does it taste like? I guess the taste varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and according to aging, but the one I got tastes, get ready for this, like very lightly smoked mackerel. It is not unpleasant, quite the contrary. It is refreshing and gives nice sensations to the whole mouth. I would even say, that it has fine-grained wood  undertones. I have not taken a very close look , but I think it tastes even better as it cools down without, of course, letting it cool down completely. I find nothing unpleasant with the taste though I wouldn't say everybody, or even the majority of casual tea drinkes can find it appealing. It is neither easy nor difficult to get into it. For my part, by the second pot I was already hooked .  So far, I have had it with spicy foods and it mixes well. Unless, you brew it very lightly, I don't think it would go well with blander foods as I think it would overpower them.

I will not get into the health benefits of Puerh because, even if it had no health value, I would drink it for its own sake and because I don't fear comfortable making health recommendations. Besides, there are dozens of sites which tout the properties of this tea. Having said that, I will just mention two related issues that I came across. While reading For All the Tea in China by Sarah Rose this caught my attention: "indeed if tea does ferment and fungus grows, a carcinogenic substance is produced". Knowing that Puerh is 'fermented' with microbes and probably funguses, it is not hard to put two and two together. So I went to the Google Scholar search page and typed in "Puerh carcinogenic". Fortunately, I found no paper that even hints to a possible connection, though   I did find many that point to the opposite direction exploring  Puerh's possible protective attributes. Whew!

I came across a big caveat. I began to notice that one  to three hours after drinking my usual full teapot I felt lightheadedness and very mild nausea. Nothing to worry about, I guess, but tea shouldn't have these kinds of aftereffects. Could be the caffeine, but this doesn't happen to me with black teas and Puerh doesn't have as much caffeine to begin with. I asked the employees at my local tea shop to see if they had experienced something like this and they told me that they had but with other teas and when they drink too much of them. One suggested it might be a blood pressure drop. Reducing the amount of leaves helps but I still get some aftereffects. Maybe not drinking as much in one sitting…

Overall, this is a tea that should be experienced, not because of any extraordinary quality of its own, but because it is so different from other teas. The taste might not be immediately pleasurable, but if you give it the chance to grow on you, you might end adding it to your regular set of teas or saving it for special occasions. If possible, shop around before committing yourself to any large quantity.