Tea Review: Assam STG FOP 1 (Tazo)

Advent Tea Calendar Day 5

Assam STG FOP 1 2nd Flush
Tazo
Type:  Black
Origin:  India, Assam
Product Description:  Super Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe 1st Grade is the formal and (shall we agree?), much more romantic moniker for this tippy and twisted second-flush leaf tea from the upper Assam Valley.  Hand-plucked in the peak season -- June and July -- this tea goes through an extremely fine sorting process to increase the content of the tiny golden tips.  In addition to its impressive name, it offers you full and rich Assam character, bold astringency, brown sugary briskness and caramel notes.

Temperature:  208° F
Amount:  3 grams
Steeping Time:  3 minutes

The dry leaves have a rich aroma of dates and brown sugar.

The infusion is red amber with an aroma of brown sugar, sweet potatoes and a hint of plum.  The taste is moderately astringent with notes of caramel and roasted vegetables.

This tea was best at one infusion where the aroma and astringency are at their peak.  The warm, roasted aroma is worth lingering over the cup.

This tea was purchased from the flagship Tazo store in Seattle.  Unfortunately, it has since closed and Tazo no longer appears to offer teas other than their signature boxed blends.  

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Nepali 1st Flush (Tazo)

Advent Tea Calendar Day 3

Nepali 1st Flush
Tazo
Type:  Black
Origin:  Nepal
Product Description:  This tea hails from the tea-growing region in the eastern part of Nepal, bordering on India's Darjeeling region.  The tea from the more famous tea region of Darjeeling has nothing over this complex and floral-scented liquor.  It is thought that the first tea bushes here were grown from seeds given to the Prime Minister of Nepal by the Chinese Emperor.  This Chinese variety of plant stands up well to high elevation and cold temperatures.  The first-flush teas, produced from February to April, are the most prized and feature a light fruity taste and mild astringency.

Temperature:  208° F
Amount:  3 grams
Steeping Time:  3 minutes

The dry leaves have a spicy floral aroma with notes of fragrant wood and camellia oil.

The infusion is light yellow with a savory/sweet floral aroma similar to sweet pea.  The flavor is lightly floral with a hint of fruit similar to peaches and a long, clean finish.

I enjoyed the subtle flavor and aroma of this tea at a 3 minute steeping, but I found it was fantastic at 5 minutes.  The flavor and aroma became lively and robust with very little astringency and no bitterness.  On a personal note, I was surprised to detect an aroma similar to the wooden Japanese hair ornaments in my collection that have been dipped in camellia oil to give them a shine.  

This tea was purchased from the flagship Tazo store in Seattle.  Unfortunately, it has since closed and Tazo no longer appears to offer teas other than their signature boxed blends.  If you do find a tea supplier that carries Nepali tea, it is definitely worth sampling.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Tea Review: Pu-erh Tuocha (Tazo)

Pu-erh Tuocha
Tazo
Type:  Puerh
Origin:  China, Yunnan Province
Product Description:  This Chinese specialty is sun dried and rolled so that the pu-erh leaves can undergo a fermentation process unlike any other tea. The result is just as unique—aromas of wood, earth and leather, the dark amber color of tea is rich with flavor and sweet earthiness.

Temperature: 202° F

Amount: 1 piece (5 grams)
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry tea has a salty, marine aroma similar to nori.  

The infusion is reddish-copper with a salty marine aroma and a touch of earthiness, reminding me of a rich boullion.  The flavor is robust, earthy with a hint of ginger and wood.

This tea has a full flavor and complexity that I find desirable.  After a third steeping, it became less complex as the hints of wood and ginger are lost, but still provides a satisfying flavor and would stand up well to multiple steepings.  I would serve this to guests, perhaps after a short, first-steeping and following a heavy meal.

This tea was purchased from the flagship Tazo store in Seattle.  Unfortunately, it has since closed and Tazo no longer appears to offer teas other than their signature boxed blends.

This tea was purchased by me.