Tom's Tea Page

Table of Contents

• The Teas
  • Black
    • India
    • China
    • Other
  • Green
    • China
    • Japan
    • Other
  • Oolong
    • Jade
    • Pouchong
    • Tie-Guan-Yin
    • Mid-range
    • Classic
  • Other
  • Blended
  • Flavored and Scented
  • Not Actually Tea
• References

The Teas

• Black Tea

  • India

    • Darjeeling

      nim says: The word most people use for the flavor of Darjeeling is "astringent." Other descriptions include "bright", "light", and "clean". At first, I really didn't like Darjeeling teas, but one day they all of a sudden became very tasty. Darjeelings are often considered one of the finest teas; they go way up in terms of price, and there are a lot of different estates. This can be quite confusing and intimidating at first, but don't be afraid to put off a detailed study of Darjeelings until you've explored a number of other teas. I certainly did.

      Darjeelings are typically divided into "First Flush" and "Second Flush" based on when they are harvested. First flush comes after the spring rains, around March, whereas the second harvest is in the summer. The season of harvest makes a big difference in terms of flavor! First flush teas are generally lighter in color and have a "brighter" and often sweeter taste. Second flush teas are usually darker and are often more rich, complex, or full bodied.

      You can brew fine Darjeelings a little under a full boil, perhaps at 200°F or so.

      First Flush

      • Upton TD78: Puttabong Estate SFTGFOP1 Cl. 2007 First Flush. The leaves for this tea are very green, and have a spicy, peppery smell. The cup brews to a light amber, and has a sweet, fairly smooth flavor, with no astringency at all. Only the slightest hint of the pepper that I noticed in the leaves. Quite good overall.

      Second Flush

      • Specialteas #148: Darjeeling Poobong SFTGFOP1 Vintage. Second flush. Smooth, well rounded, and delicious. Little astringency. My favorite second flush to date. Unfortunatly this went out of stock after my first sample pack and I have been unable to reorder.
      • Upton TD04: Arya Estate Ruby Second Flush (EX-4). Fruity and complex.
      • Specialteas #147: Darjeeling Makaibari FTGFOP1S Organic. Distinctly fruity and somewhat sweet.
      • Upton TD19: Margaret's Hope FTGFOP1 Ch. Spl. Second Flush. Complex, flavorful, but a little too astringent for me.
      • Upton TD82: Singbulli Estate Darj. SFTGFOP1 (DJ-234).

    • Sikkim

      Very Darjeeling-like, but a bit mellower. I preferred these over Darjeeling when I was still acquiring the Darjeeling taste.
      • Upton TS70: Sikkim TGFOP, Temi Estate.

    • Nilgiri

      A very basic India black. None of the astringency of Darjeeling, none the maltiness of Assam. Just basic India black, often with nice subtle flavors.
      • Specialteas #332: Nilgiri Thiashola TGFOP1. This made it on to my restock list. It is simple and clean. A nice afternoon relaxation tea.
      • Specialteas #331: Nilgiri Tiger Hill OP (CL). Also not bad, but I prefer the Thiashola.
      • Specialteas #333: Nilgiri Thiashola SFTGFOP1 Organic. Very tasty. If I wasn't already set on #332, I might have picked this instead.
      • Upton TN64: Iyerpadi Estate Organic BOP.
      • Upton TN74: Dunsandale Estate TGFOP. Not terribly fond of this one. It has a bit of an aftertaste I don't like.
      • Upton TN94: Dunsandale Estate TGFOP EX/SP. Considerably lighter than most Nilgiri teas. Has many of the same notes as a Darjeeling. Not quite what I'm looking for, though.

    • Assam

      Typically described as "malty". These are 'pick me up' sort of teas, typically found at breakfast and often included in breakfast blends. There are a lot of Assam estates, with a wide variety of teas, but unlike Darjeeling they tend to stay fairly reasonably priced.
      • Upton TA40: Tippy Orthodox GFOP Assam. Upton's most popular Assam, and with reason. Perhaps the best Assam I have tried so far. Further proof that the fanciest, most expensive tea is not always the best.
      • Upton TA71: Madoorie Estate TGBOP. Part of Upton's Assam sampler. This tea reaffirms my belief in staying away from BOPs.
      • Upton TA27: Halmari CTC BOP. Much like the above tea, this reminds my why I don't like CTC teas. Even at short brewing times, they can get quite tannic.
      • Upton TA90: Doomni SFTGFOP CL.
      • Upton TA75: Mokalbari East Estate TGFOP1 (Special/Clonal).

  • China

    • Keemun

      The standard phrase for Keemuns is "The Burgundy of Tea". I'm not quite sure what this means. Keemuns tend to be fairly robust and flavorful, without being overpowering. I find them to be an excellent default black tea, they are a staple of my black drinking.
      • Upton ZK24: Organic China Keemun Dao Ming. My friend Karl (a big Keemun drinker) recommended this to me, and I have been very pleased. This is my favorite Keemun. It has slight chocolatey overtones, much like the Emperor's Red.
      • Specialteas #501: Keemun Special Grade China. This tea has quite noticeable earthy overtones that I didn't like. It's low on my list.
      • Specialteas #502: Keemun Imperial China. A good very basic Keemun. Not too complex.
      • Specialteas #503: Keemun Hao-Ya A China. Has a bit of an astringent taste to it that I didn't really like. Quite sweet and a bit flowery.
      • Specialteas #504: Keemun Mao Feng China. My second favorite Keemun. Rather fruity or flowery. This has gotten high reviews from others, and I can see why.
      • Upton TT52: Premium Bold-Leaf Formosa Keemun. Meh. I was rather disappointed. Stick with China Keemuns. However, Upton claims to have a new lot which is better.
      • Upton ZK72: Keemun Ai Ming Organic. Yum. This may displace the Dao Ming as my stock Keemun. Very sweet.

    • Yunnan

      Yunnan teas are generally dark and complex. People often use the word "peppery" in association with them. For some reason, Yunnans don't seem to be very popular. I quite like them, and make sure to keep one in my regular restock pool.
      • Upton ZY89: Hao Bin Ren. Very golden leaves. Medium amber cup. Sweet and smooth, not very peppery, maybe a little smoky. Maybe butterscotch notes? Maybe worth reordering. (08/23/07)
      • Imperial Teas Imperial Yunnan Gold. Rather overpriced, but very very good. The dry leaves are all a sort of yellow-gold color, meaning the tea is all from the very tips of the branches. This also means the tea very high in caffeine.
      • Upton ZY51: Yunnan TGFOP. One of Karl's favorites, and I can see why. This is the Yunnan I typically keep on hand. Very peppery and perhaps a bit smoky too.
      • Upton ZY64: Organic Yunnan Select Dao Ming.
      • Upton ZY64: Yunnan Organic Ning Rong. Smoother and mellower than ZY51 but distinctly less peppery.
      • Specialteas #507: China Yunnan Imperial.

    • Lapsang Souchong

      This tea is smoked over a pine fire. My coworkers call this "Bacon Tea" because they think it makes the office smell like bacon. It is a very distinctive tea. I really dig it, although it might be an acquired taste. This tea is very low in caffeine, and is quite mellow. This makes it an ideal evening tea. Also, a really good sitting-around-the-campfire tea.
      • Upton ZS80: Lapsang Souchong Imperial. Very very smoky. Perfect campfire tea.
      • Upton ZS90: Lapsang Souchong Black Dragon. A wonderful tea. Very mellow and less smoky.

    • Other China Blacks

      • Adagio Golden Needle:
        A Fujian black tea, with long, wiry leaves, occasionally golden. It brews a dark amber cup, with a reasonably rich taste. Similar to a golden monkey, although not as sweet; not quite as full-flavored as a good Keemun. Not my favorite instance of this kind of tea, but it's fine. (08/30/07)
      • Upton ZK16: Flowery Orange Pekoe:
        A Congou black. Medium-dark cup. Has hints of the deeper flavors you'll find in the Keemuns, but they're fairly subtle. Not bad, but not on the must-order list.
      • Upton ZK74: Bai Yun Shan:
        A Congou black. Some golden leaves, slighty dusty, with a rich aroma. Medium-dark cup. A fine, rich taste, slightly sweet, slightly smoky. Not very complex, but smooth. Inexpensive; may be worth reordering. (08/27/07)
      • Specialteas #593: Emperor's Red: Handmade in the Fujian province. I've heard several teas termed "chocolatey", but this is the first one that made me understand the term. The tea has a very noticeable aroma of chocolate. The tea is very, very good. It is on my short list.
      • Specialteas #510: Golden Monkey. Monkeys are evil! Eeeevil! I generally don't find these as good as the Keemuns, but will have to retry them at some point.
      • Specialteas #597: China Red Peony Rosettes (Black Mudan). Cool form factor, but otherwise unremarkable (but certainly not bad). The fact that all the leaves are tied together makes it easy to fish the bundle out of a cup when done brewing if you don't have a little basket. Of course, I just carry a little tea basket with me when I travel.

  • Other Blacks

    • Ceylon

      Many people would give Ceylon (Sri Lanka to the rest of the world) its own category. I don't really like Ceylons, so I stick it in 'Other'. I don't really have a good word for the taste of Ceylons. They are often blended with other teas or used as a base. I find Ceylons tend to make good iced teas.
      • Upton TC50: Uva BOP. Not my cup of tea.
      • Upton TC85: Kenilworth Estate OP Wilson Select. Quite good, for a Ceylon. A little bitter for my tastes, even when very lightly brewed.
      • Specialteas #319: Ceylon Vithanakande FBOPF (EX).
      • Specialteas #306: Ceylon Nuwara Eliya OP. I actually almost like this tea. But not quite.

    • Africa

      Africa has a few good tea growing regions. The teas tend to be fairly robust; screwing up brewing or adding excessive milk or sugar will not ruin the tea. They are also fairly hearty and full bodied.
      • Upton TK30: Golden Kenya TGFOP. Meh. Nothing against it, but I don't think I'll be ordering more any time soon. Robust, but not too heavy. Pretty decent with a little sugar.

    • Indonesia

      Somewhat similar to Africa, Indonesia (sometimes called Java) teas are full bodied and hearty.
      • Upton TI65: Tjbuni Estate TGFOP. Hearty, but with some subtle high notes. Somewhat bitter, even when lightly brewed.

• Green Tea

  China is the place to be for fine green teas. After a couple millennia of practice, they get it right. Japan also has some distinctive teas that are well worth stocking.

  • China

    • Lung Ching / Long Jing / Dragon Well

      As my coworker Chang put it: this is bourgeoisie tea. One of the most renowned China greens. I really really like Dragon Well. It is a very low key flavor. Very vegetal (tea-speak for the grassy, leafy taste), in a good way. Easily one of my favorite teas, and a good introduction to refined greens. Good Dragon Well can get a bit pricy, but it is very worth going for a high grade. Dragon Wells really want to brewed at a very low temperature: 180°F or less for no more than 3 minutes.
      • Upton ZG71: Long-Jing (Lung-Ching) Green (Superfine). A wonderful, wonderful tea. Very much in the top tier of my teas. For the love of tea, do not over-brew. It becomes bitter and much less tasty very quickly.

    • Gunpowder

      A popular style of China green. The low broad leaves are rolled into little pellets (different than pearls) which 'explode like gunpowder' when brewed. Even top grade gunpowders are quite cheap. The flavoring of Gunpowder teas is less subtle then other China greens. The liquor is bold and powerful, but not in the way that a strong black tea is.
      • Upton ZG30: Special Temple of Heaven Gunpowder. My favorite Gunpowder. Strong, yet not bitter. Can take a little over-brewing if push comes to shove, but definitely best at 180--190°F for 2-3 minutes, tops.
      • Upton ZG32: Green Dew Gunpowder. Very good. Plainer than ZG30. A bit more robust.
      • Upton ZG34: Jade Pearl Gunpowder. A bit more vegetal than the previous two. I don't really like this as much.
      • Upton ZG25: Organic Pinhead Gunpowder. A very interesting flavor. I've heard it called 'smoky', but isn't at all like a Lapsang Souchong. Quite strong in this tea.
      • Upton ZG24: Organic Gunpowder Green Dao Ming. Also somewhat 'smoky', but less so.

    • Other China Greens

      • Upton ZG75: China Special Green Tai Mu Long Zhu. Rolled into little pearls much like Jasmine Pearls (see below) but without the jasmine. Tasty, but not distinctive enough to make an impression.
      • Upton ZG65: China Yunnan Jade Leaf Imperial. Basic, simple, china green. Fairly robust.
      • Teance Dragon's Beard. Tightly bundled 'sticks' of tea. Break in half and take the thread off before brewing. Simple, robust, and tasty. But not distinctive.
      • Specialteas #542: China Tian Mu Qing Ding. Somewhat similar to the above two. Sweet, and a fairly vegetal. Quite resistant to overbrewing.

  • Japan

    • Bacha

      • Upton TJ06: Japanese First Grade Bancha.
        

    • Sencha

      A Japanese classic, and the most popular green tea in Japan. This tea is rather vegetal, and generally quite flavorful. Often served in Japanese restaurants. You really want to keep the temperature and the steep time down, otherwise you will end up with a bitter, nasty cup.
      • Upton TJ10: Japanese Sencha. A very basic Sencha. It is worth a little extra money to move up the scale from this, however.
      • Three random bags of Sencha from Japan. Much better. Very sweet.

    • Gyokuro

      Another popular Japanese green. Generally very vegetal and often rather sweet. The plants are grown in the shade. You should brew at a very low temperature.
      • Specialteas #700: Gyokuro Superior, Asahina Japan. Yum. Do *not* over-brew.

    • Gen-mai Cha

      Toasted brown rice is added to a base of Sencha (or occasionally Bancha). The taste is very distinctive -- it tastes exactly as if there was toasted brown rice added to the tea. This tea is also often served at Japanese restaurants, only slightly less often than plain Sencha.
      • Upton TJ21: Gen-mai Cha. A quite decent tea. Again, I think a slightly more expensive version might be a good investment.

  • Other Green Tea

    • Darjeeling

      Green teas from India's Darjeeling region share many of the characteristic flavors of the region's black teas, but tend to be more subtle and low key as one might expect from a green tea.
      • Makaibari Estate Organic Long Leaf Green . Tasty. Very pale liquor.
      • Makaibari Estate Organic Green (DJ-29). Seems to be discontinued.

    • Kenya

      • KTDA Cooperative Whole Leaf Green. Quite different from the average green tea. Worth at least a sample pack. Very robust and somewhat sweet, it doesn't have any of the refined notes of many of the China or Japan greens but could be a very good everyday green. I think I might actually order more.

    • Indonesia

      • Java Green Gunpowder. A fairly dark liquor. A little more robust than China gunpowders. Also, a heavy 'smoky' flavor, much like ZG25.

• Oolong Tea

  For the best Oolong teas, Taiwan is where it is at. China has some Oolongs that are not bad, and there is the occasionally tasty Darjeeling Oolong. But for the most part, stick to Taiwan (Formosa). Unlike black teas (and to a lesser extent green teas), the most important characteristic of an Oolong is not where it is from, but rather how oxidized it is. As you may recall, black teas are fully oxidized, green teas are unoxidized, and Oolongs are in between.

  • Jade Oolong (Tung Ting) (12--20%)

    Many people use words like "nutty", "buttery", and "woody" to describe Jade Oolongs. The flavor is subtle and complex. These teas are a staple in my tea diet. They can get a bit pricy, though.
    • Upton TT86: Jade Oolong. A basic Jade Oolong. This tea has long been a staple for me.
    • Upton TT87: Jade Oolong Supreme. I actually don't like this as much as the basic version. It is definitely different, but not in any way that is easy to describe.
    • Upton TT88: Formosa Oolong Spring Dragon. Quite tasty, but also not quite as good as the basic Jade Oolong.
    • Upton TT84: Tung Ting Oolong. A bit vegetal, but not in a good way.
    • Upton TT81: Tung Ting Classic Oolong. Very tasty. A bit less "nutty" and "woody" and bit more "buttery".
    • Upton TT80: Nantou Mountain Oolong. Yum. Very tasty. I like it a bit better than the basic Jade. NOTE: This tea was discontinued and product number was recycled.
    • Teance High Mountain Dark Roast Oolong June 2005. Delicious. A little bit darker than the average Jade Oolong, as the name might imply. Many nice subtle flavors. That said, this tea is really expensive. I probably won't be buying more, it just isn't worth it.
    • Upton TL66: Thailand Ming Thai Oolong. Not bad at all, but not distinguished enough from the basic Jade Oolong to merit reordering.

  • Pouchong (5--10%)

    Another lightly oxidized style, popular in China as well as Taiwan. I'm less fond of Pouchong style tea, and tend to prefer the Jade Oolongs. Sometimes described as having a "deeper" flavor.
    • Upton TT90: Formosa Pouchong.

  • Tie-Guan-Yin (30%)

    A very popular style, mostly in China. Sometimes transliterated Tikuanyin. Fairly green, but not usually vegetal.
    • Upton ZO84: Tie-Guan-Yin Oolong Imperial. Classic, simple, Tie-Guan-Yin.
    • Chrysanthemum Oolong. A tie guan yin base with chrysanthemum flowers. Medium amber, medium oxidation. I think the chrysanthemum flower taste gets lost a little bit. It's not as astringent a tea as some ti guan yin, so perhaps that's the effect. But I don't see it as a clearly better cup than ti guan yin plain. Perhaps I should try a higher concentration of flowers by mixing my own. (09/05/07)
    • Upton ZO86: China Oolong Buddha's Palm.
    • Upton TT80: Formosa Heavy-Baked Ti-Guan-Yin. Meh. Not bad, but not exceptional. In my mind, this is a bit closer to a Pouchong than a Tie-Guan-Yin.
    • Imperial Tea Court Monkey Picked Tieguanyin. Much like most of the tea from The Imperial Tea Court, this is overpriced but quite tasty.
    • Teance Monkey Picked Tikuanyin.

  • Mid-range Oolong (40%)

    As you might expect, this is the category for middle-of-the-road oolongs. Not mostly oxidized, not lightly oxidized, but somewhat oxidized.
    • Upton TT55: Formosa Amber Oolong.
    • Specialteas #611: Formosa Fancy Oolong Organic.

  • Classic Oolong (70%)

    This is what most people think of when they think of Oolong tea. Typically a slightly deeper shade of amber liquor, with fairly full flavor.
    • Upton TT47: Oolong Fancy Imperial.
      Medium sized leaves yield a cup that is light amber in color
    • Upton TT15: Oolong Fine Grade. Classic deep oolong flavor. Quite cheap, and a good value. Serious Oolong fans could do a bit better though.
    • Specialteas #619: Bai Hao Special Grade Formosa. You must use a lot of leaf for this tea, otherwise it ends up rather weak. Overall, quite tasty. Classic oolong flavor, with many complex notes. This is one of my regular stock items, although I'm a little less pleased with the most recent batch (ordered March 2007).
    • Upton ZO93: Organic Imperial Bai Hao Oolong. Removed from Upton Tea's inventory.
    • Specialteas #191: Poobong Oolong, Black Musk Darjeeling. This tea lives up to its name. It is both Darjeeling and Oolong. The flavor is very much Darjeeling, but mellower and subtler than a black version. The leaf is very loose, so use lots. Also, brew close to a full boil, perhaps at 200°F.
    • Upton TT49: Tippy Champagne Oolong Lot A47. Very tasty, but not tasty enough to justify the (rather large) price.

• Other Tea

  • White Tea

    Often billed as the most refined tea, White teas are basically just picked and dried with no other processing. I'm actually not terribly fond of White teas, and they tend to be expensive too. Use lots of leaf and brew at a low temperature.
    • Upton TW25: White Peaches and Cream. Kinda nice. I don't think I'll be reordering though. The added flavoring is subtle, and the tea is quite good, but the whole experience didn't do it for me.
    • Upton ZW20: First Grade Shou Mei White Tea. This tea was reviewed very highly on Upton's site, which is almost always a good sign. Nevertheless, it didn't speak to me. I just don't really like white teas.
    • Specialteas #557: China White Peony (Pai Mu Tan).

  • Ho-ji Cha

    Ho-ji Cha is Japanese Bancha tea that has been roasted. The leaves and the liquor are a sort of brownish color. The tea definitely tastes like it has been roasted. It is rather hard to describe the exact flavor. I've heard this called "brown tea".
    • Upton TJ40: Japanese Ho-ji Cha.

  • Pu-Erh

    Pu-Erh teas are very distinctive. Green tea (typically from the Yunnan area) is placed in damp caves for many years and allowed to decompose a bit. The resulting tea is... different. It has a very earthy flavor. Definitely order a sample before ordering a lot. You can get compressed cakes known as Tuo-Cha as well as loose leaf. The cakes are a bit stronger and more flavorful. This tea is used in Chinese medicine as a digestive aid, especially with greasy or fatty food.
    • Upton ZH30: China Pu-Erh Tuo Cha, Size 1.
    • Specialteas #591: Bold-leaf Pu-Erh.

• Blended Tea

  nim says: It is hard to categorize blended teas, so I'm just going to list those I've sampled. I tend to prefer single estate teas to blends, partly because most blends are made from lower quality tea, but also because blends tend to mask the subtle flavors of individual teas. That said, there are quite a number of very good blends, and one would be seriously remiss to skip them altogether.
  • NEW REVIEW
    Upton TB02: Leadenhall Street Breakfast Blend.
    The leaves are very, very fine, fannings mostly, a blend of Assam and Ceylon. This is very clearly a hearty, daily-plonk sort of tea. It doesn't stand alone very well, it's a bit too strong. It may go well with milk and sugar; I'll have to try that with the remainder of the sample. It reminds me of the Bewley's Irish Afternoon tea that my parents gave me recently. Probably not a reorder, but we'll see how the test-with-milk goes. (08/28/07)
  • Upton TB86: Richmond Park Blend. A blend of Keemun, Ceylon, and Darjeeling. One of my favorite blends. The tea used in the blend is of fairly high quality, and the result is a flavorful and robust tea. I often pick this one when serving guests who don't really know what they want other than "black tea".
  • Upton TB49: Darjeeling-Ceylon Iced Tea Blend. As the name implies, this makes a damn good iced tea. It tastes exactly like one thinks iced tea should. It's also OK hot. Makes a good sweet tea too.
  • Upton TB75: Baker Street Afternoon Blend. Keemun, Darjeeling, and a bit of Lapsang Souchong. Very tasty. The base tea is of high quality, and the resulting liquor is well rounded, robust, and very pleasant. Another keeper.
  • Upton TB84: Robert Fortune Blend 41 (Darjeeling-Yunnan). Upton patrons reviewed this tea quite highly, which got me to try it. I didn't dislike it, but it didn't rank above either a nice Darjeeling or a nice Yunnan.
  • Specialteas #805: Mount Everest Breakfast Blend. The Yunnan takes the edge off the Assam, resulting in a quite strong but very drinkable pick-me-up cup.
  • Upton TB70: Finest Russian Caravan.
  • Specialteas #815: Smoky Russian Caravan.
  • Upton TB10: Bond Street English Breakfast Blend.
  • Upton TB15: Java Blend.
  • Specialteas #817: Samovar Blend Tsarina. An interesting blend with both black and green teas. Quite tasty. Ignore the brewing suggestion, brew a fair bit off a full boil. This has made my restock list, and is a favorite afternoon tea.

• Flavored and Scented Tea

  • Earl Grey

    Earl Grey is flavored with bergamot oil. (Bergamot is a Mediterranean citrus fruit.) It has a very distinctive taste. The base tea is usually a China black. There are many many variations on the theme: green tea base, other flavors to combine with bergamot, etc, etc. This is one of the few teas I take with cream and sugar. A wonderful afternoon treat, especially with scones, jam, and clotted cream. The Brits do get some things right.
    • Upton TE16: Earl Grey Blue Flower. All I can say is 'yum'. The Blue Flower part adds a nice flavor and sweetness to the tea. This is on the permanent list.
    • Upton TG10: Green Tea Earl Grey. Ick. Don't bother. It's just gross. The base tea is just bad, and the flavor is added badly.

  • Chai

    Chai is a traditional Indian drink made with tea and various spices such as cinnamon, clove, cardamom and ginger. The tea is typically simmered in milk and heavily sweetened. Chai is becoming very trendy these days. You can brew in water and add milk and sugar afterwards, but it is well worth trying it the traditional way at least once.
    • Upton TE33: Chai Spice Tea.

  • Jasmine

    A good Jasmine tea is a truly divine treat. They tend to have a natural sweetness to them that makes a very good tea for after a meal. Typically, Jasmine teas are made by tossing jasmine flowers in with the tea during the drying process. Usually the flowers are removed afterwards. Sometimes, more than one set of flowers is used, so you will see tea advertised as "scented five times" or some such. Jasmines can get a bit pricy.
    • Upton ZJ90: Guangdong Province Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearl. Wonderful. One of the best Jasmines I've tasted. The tea comes in little spherical 'pearls' that are hand-rolled from two leaves and a bud. The tea unfurls beautifully as it is brewed. A bit pricy, but well worth it. This tea one of the first teas in my permanent collection and I expect it will stay there. These seem to be fairly high in caffeine.
    • Upton ZJ96: Organic Yu Ya Jasmine. Quite good. I still prefer the pearls.
    • Upton ZJ85: China Jasmine Pearls. Not as good as the premium pearls (ZJ90) and not much cheaper either. Not to say it is bad tea, just that it is not worth the savings.
    • Teance Hand Tied Jasmine Balls. From my favorite local tea house in Berkeley, these large spheres of jasmine tea tied around a red clover blossom are utterly amazing. They are a bit too expensive for everyday drinking, even for me. But they make a wonderful gift. They unfurl like flowers in the pot. Make sure you brew in something transparent to watch. Oh, and the tea is delicious too.
    • Upton ZJ60: Organic Black Jasmine Ancient Beauty. As the name implies, this is a black tea scented with Jasmine. The base tea is surprisingly good, and the Jasmine is not too overpowering. That said, I don't think this will make my restock list. I can't really see myself drinking it regularly. It is a bit too sweet and heavy for my regular black tea drinking, and it can't compare to, say, ZJ90 when I'm in the mood for Jasmine.

  • Other

    There are a few other random flavored teas that I quite like. And some that are really gross.
    • Upton TP40: Rose Congou. A gentle sweet rose flavor. I'd like to find one with a slightly nicer base tea.
    • Specialteas #569: Rose Congou.
    • Upton TP42: China Rose Special Chun Mee. A rose flavored green tea. Not bad, but I didn't reorder.
    • Upton TE21: Monk's Blend. For a long time, Upton didn't have a Monk's blend, however they recently added it to their collection. Of course, their version is different than every other Monk's blend I've tried, they have a Ceylon Earl Grey mixed with green tea, instead of black tea with grenadine and vanilla. Their version is tastier though.
    • Upton TJ52: Japanese Cherry. Bleh. Don't bother. It tastes like bubble-gum, in a bad way.
    • Upton TB54: East Frisian Sunday Tea. Ewww. This tasted really gross. I'm not if it was the flavoring or the base tea, or both. I really didn't like it.
    • Upton TF56: Raspberry. When I was much younger, I really like Bigelow's "Raspberry Royale" tea with lots of sugar and milk. I don't any more, and Upton's version isn't really much better.

• Not Actually Tea

  Many people really like "herbal tea". But the name is a misnomer. It is not tea. It does not come from the same plant as tea, therefore it is not tea. At best, it can be a pale imitation of tea.

  That said, non-teas can be caffeine free and often tasty in their own right. One would be remiss not to keep some on hand for those time when real tea is just not an option.

  • Rooibos

    A South African Herb. Naturally caffeine free. My favorite non-tea by a long shot. Rooibos has been becoming very popular these days, often marketed as "Red Tea" (not to be confused with what the Chinese call "Red Tea" which is black tea). Rooibos lends itself well to mixing with other flavors. I'm quite partial to Rooibos and Lemongrass in the late evening.
    • South African Rooibos (Red Bush) Super Grade.
    • Rooibos Chai.

  • Honeybush

    Another South African herb. I don't like it as much as Rooibos, but it is also fairly popular.
    • Honeybush Vanilla.

  • Chamomile

    An age old herb. Brews a yellow liquor which is fairly sweet and purported to be very good for helping people sleep. I find it a good base for herbal blends.
    • Egyptian Chamomile.

  • Other Stuff

    More random herbs to throw in hot water.
    • Lemon Grass. Lemon grass makes a nice, relaxing brew. Also, very good for mixing.
    • Certified Organic Peppermint. Mint is a classic evening non-tea. Also, very good for mixing. Try with some Rooibos.

  • Blends

    People throw a lot of random crap together into herbal blends. A lot of random crap. Sometimes it's even tasty.
    • Upton BH75: Chamillo Blend. Has a chamomile base, but with lots of citrus, fruit and other flavors. Quite tasty. This the main herbal blend I keep around.

References

• Wikipedia entry on Tea.
• ISO tea brewing spec.
• List of ISO Tea specs.

Copyright 2007 Tom Giordano
Last modified: Tue Aug 21 13:54:04 EDT 2007