Tea Review: Fancy Golden Tippy Yunnan (Stash Tea)

Fancy Golden Tippy Yunnan
Stash Tea
Type: Black
Origin: China, Yunnan Province
Product Description:

An extraordinary Yunnan tea with twisted, golden leaves. The aroma is sweet and alluring and the taste is malty and smooth with lingering honey overtones. A subtle smoky note emerges as the tea cools.

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

The dry leaves have an aroma of fruit, oats, and fragrant wood.

The liquor is copper-red with an aroma of baked fruit and hint of green vine.  The taste has notes of stone fruit and malt with a long fruity and honey-like finish.

The first infusion had the fullest flavor, reminding me of biting into just-ripe fruit, with a hint of tartness at the back.  The next two infusions were slightly lighter, though notably sweeter, taking on a more berry-like aroma.  I purchased this tea from the Stash retail store in Tigard, Oregon and it is unfortunately not available for purchase online at the time of this review.

This tea was purchased by me.

Stash Tea Shop

Stash Tea Shop is located at Stash Tea Company corporate headquarters in Tigard, Oregon on SW 72nd Avenue, just a short drive from Interstate 5.  The retail store has been open to the public for over 12 years and yet it remains something of an open secret among tea enthusiasts as it gets little press and rarely turns up in web searches for tea shops in the region.

While the tea shop signage may be subtle, the brightly colored Stash Tea truck parked near the entrance of the lot will almost guarantee you won't miss your turn.

Step inside to a warm and inviting space, well-lit and open with good flow.  To the right inside the door is a tea sample station where you'll have the opportunity to taste a couple varieties of loose leaf tea during your visit. 

Seating is available at window-side tables at the front of the shop and at the tea bar tucked away in the back.

On display is a wide range of loose leaf teas, matcha, and teaware available for purchase.  The ubiquitous Stash boxed tea line as well as a variety of locally sourced snacks are located near the tea bar.

Customer service and the cashier are located at the round counter in the center of the tea shop.  Staff are available to answer questions and make suggestions and touchscreen menus will help you select teas and tisanes prepared hot or cold, to enjoy in-house or to-go.  The menu also includes tea lattes, shaken iced teas, nitro teas, seasonal specials, and tea flights.   

For my first visit, I decided to go all out and requested a Tea Flight.  I was provided with an erasable Tea Flight card to list my four tea selections from the options on the menu.  When everything had been prepared, the flight was presented on a serving board with the tea bowls numbered to correspond with my card.  

My tea flight included:

1) Fern Trail Oolong - smooth, buttery, and floral
2) Scholar's Pavilion (green tea) - nutty, mellow, smooth, and buttery
3) Gold Silk (black tea) - notes of caramel, smoke, and plums
4) Creme Brulee (flavored black tea) - just like its name suggests

The person who prepared my teas was knowledgeable and kindly recommended that I begin with the green tea (#2) so the more nuanced flavor wouldn't get lost after sipping a bolder tea.  All were well-brewed and delicious!

Address:
16655 SW 72nd Ave #200, Tigard, OR 97224

Hours:
10:00am to 6:00pm

Tea Review: Brandy Oolong (Stash Tea)

Brandy Oolong
Stash Tea
Type: Oolong
Origin: Taiwan
Product Description: Brandy Oolong gets its name from the beautiful brandy-colored liquor it produces. Compared to other oolong teas, Brandy Oolong is more oxidized, resulting in a smooth, complex cup. Lovely, lingering flavors of plums, figs and molasses are evident with each sip. In Taiwan, this tea is often served cold in a champagne glass for sophisticated sipping. Brandy Oolong is great for multiple infusions.

Temperature: 180° F, 195° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf aroma is malty and sweet with notes of walnuts.

The orange amber infusion has a rich aroma of dark bread and baked fruit.  The taste is dark and rich with notes of molasses and an apricot-like finish.

This oolong is very agreeable to experimentation with time and temperature.  Steeping at 195° F resulted in a dark, rich, and delicious flavor.  While the flavor and aroma mellow significantly by the third infusion, it was still quite enjoyable.  Steeping at 180° F produced a super rich and roasty bordeline buttery aroma with a sweet, rich, almost buttery taste and a lingering sweetness in the finish.

This tea was purchased by me.