Tea Review: Jade Snail Organic (Kuan Yin Teas)

Jade Snail Organic

Kuan Yin Teas
Type: Green
Origin: China, Hunan Province
Product Description: 

A premium organic green tea from Hunan Province in China, made with one bud and two leaves newly opened after Qing Ming festival in April. The leaves are tightly rolled into a snail shape, and the liquor features a bright jade color. The body is mellow and vegetal, with delicate notes of sweet melon to finish.

Temperature: 175° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaves have a sweet green aroma with whole wheat-like notes.

The pale yellow-green liquor has a savory and vine green aroma with notes of ground nuts.  The taste is sweet and vine green with light notes of sesame and a sweet green and sesame finish.

This green tea is very approachable and remained flavorful throughout three infusions with the promise of more.

This tea was received as a gift from a third party.

Tea Review: Bai Hao Oolong/Oriental Beauty (Teahouse Kuan Yin)

Bai Hao Oolong (Oriental Beauty)
Teahouse Kuan Yin
Type:  Oolong
Origin:  Not available
Product Description:  Not available.

Temperature: 185° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf aroma is floral and has notes that remind me of a fragrant wood similar to paulownia.

The golden infusion has a floral and honey aroma.  The taste is floral with a touch of honey and a long, floral finish.

This tends more flowery than other Oriental Beauty oolongs I've encountered.  A slightly lower steeping time brought out a bit more of the honey aroma and flavor, but the floral notes remain prevalent.  After several steepings, the flavor and aroma remained bold and delicious.

I purchased this oolong some time ago and it is not listed on their website at this time.

Tea Review: Avongrove Darjeeling 1st Flush (Teahouse Kuan Yin)

Advent Tea Calendar Day 2

Avongrove Darjeeling 1st Flush (2012)
Teahouse Kuan Yin
Type:  Black
Origin:  Avongrove Estate, Darjeeling, India
Product Description:  Not provided.

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

The dry leaves have a spicy aroma with notes of wood, fruit, and even pepper.

The light amber infusion has an aroma of flowers and honey with a floral taste and a velvet finish.

This tea was a bit more powerful in flavor than I was expecting for a 2012 Darjeeling and I would like to try it again at a slightly lower brewing temperature.  At three steepings this tea remained aromatic and flavorful.  I noticed notes of honey more in the second steeping than in the first and third.  

I purchased this tea from Teahouse Kuan Yin in early 2013, and it appears that they do not currently have it in stock.

Tea Review: Hojicha Green Tea (Teahouse Kuan Yin)

Hojicha Green Tea
Teahouse Kuan Yin
Type:  Green
Origin:  Not Provided 
Product Description:  An infusion of our hojicha has a light, sometimes reddish brown appearance, and carries a toasty, slightly caramel-like flavor. Its low caffeine level makes it a great choice on a cool evening.

Hojicha is comprised of the stalks and twigs of bancha and kukicha teas, making it sweet and low in caffeine. It is charcoal roasted, making it unique among Japanese greens. This firing brings the color from green to a reddish-brown and gives it that toasty tone, while also making it longer lasting than other Japanese teas.

Temperature: 195° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaves have a rich, smoky, roasted aroma with hints of spice (chili powder), burnt caramel, and fig.

The orange amber infusion has a rich, broth-like taste and aroma that reminds me of freshly roasted nuts and smoked wood.  

I was able to get two nice infusions from this hojicha without a notable loss of flavor, color, or aroma. While not traditionally a breakfast tea, I like it in the morning due to its dark, rich aroma and flavor as well as its low caffeine content.   I've found that it does quite well steeping up to 3 minutes in near-boiling water without becoming too astringent, though it doesn't have as much character on a second steeping.  At the slightly lower temperature of 195° F, the second infusion reminded me of a recent meal of chazuke (a Japanese dish made with rice, dashi, and green tea).

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Ti Kuan Yin (Teahouse Kuan Yin)

Ti Kuan Yin
Teahouse Kuan Yin
Type:  Oolong
Origin:  China, Fujian Province
Product Description:  This classic example of a Ti Kuan Yin, one of the premier Chinese oolongs, is lightly vegetal and floral. Ti Kuan Yins are less oxidized and therefore more reminiscent of green teas, but without any astringency or grassiness.

Ti Kuan Yin, the tea from which Teahouse Kuan Yin takes its name, is itself named after Guan Yin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. The name is often translated as Iron Goddess of Mercy, after an old translation of Guan Yin's name. Ti Kuan Yin is made in both Taiwan and China, and ours is the Chinese variety, made in Fujian province.

Temperature: 185° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf  has a deep and heady aroma, smelling of spicy plum.

The infusion is pale yellow with a full, floral aroma.  The taste is warm, floral, and a little sweet with an apricot finish.  I picked up something grain-like in the aroma after the second steeping.

This tea held up well through three steepings with almost no astringency.  The flavor notes and aroma were present throughout and I was left with a warm, clean taste long after the tea was gone.  This is certainly suitable to serve to guests who would enjoy the floral notes.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: White Peony (Teahouse Kuan Yin)

White Peony Organic
Teahouse Kuan Yin
Type:  White
Origin:  China, Fujian Province
Product Description:  Our White Peony creates a gentle full-bodied brew, with scents of sweet straw, almond, and citrus. Its mouth-feel is smooth and velvety, and is prized for its low astringency and savory finish. It brews to a light shade of amber. Our current White Peony is IMO certified organic.
White Peony is a popular white tea consisting of buds and two leaves picked early in the spring. It is also referred to as Bai Mu Dan, and is grown in the northern region of the Fujian province. White Peony is darker than Silver Needle, but tends to be lighter than Shou Mei.

Temperature:  175° F
Amount:  2.5 grams
Steeping Time:  3 minutes

The dry leaf was sweet with a hay-like aroma.

The infusion was a bright, light amber with an aroma of spicy honey and hay.  The flavor was full-bodied and had a marine quality, with a savory-sweet characteristic similar to mirin and a velvety finish.

The flavor actually reminded me of the seasoning on inari sushi which is where I picked up the mirin quality.  I would feel comfortable serving this to my guests for at least three steepings as it holds up well throughout.  It was a surprise to find the flavor notes were unchanged while becoming milder with each steeping, yet the aroma became largely floral by the second infusion.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Silver Needle Organic White Tea (Teahouse Kuan Yin)

Silver Needle Organic White Tea
Teahouse Kuan Yin
Type:  White
Origin:  China, Fujian Province
Product Description:  Silver Needle is the rarest and most prized of white teas. It is comprised of only the downy tea buds before they open, so that they resemble soft white needles. Its flavor is extremely fresh, because so little processing takes place in Silver Needle production. The leaves are very lightly oxidized, and undergo no frying or rolling process. Our Silver Needle is IMO-certified organic.

Temperature:  175° F
Amount:  2.5 grams
Steeping Time:  3 minutes

The dry leaf aroma was sweet and peppery with a hint of vinegar.

The infusion was bright, with a pale golden color and a delicate floral aroma.  The taste was sweet and flowery, with a velvety mouth feel and a surprising hint of something fruity like pear in the finish.

Though light, this tea was quite flavorful and held up well through a second steeping.  I would pair this with something lightly flavored like bread, brie, or pear slices.  I could happily drink this tea throughout the day and would definitely serve it to guests.

This tea was purchased by me.