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Tea Reviews

Entries in Oolong Tea (13)

Friday, February 26, 2010
12:00PM

California Tea House Red Robe Tea - Guess the Leaf, Win Some Bomb Tea

California Tea House Red Robe Oolong TeaMike: California Tea House Big Red Robe Oolong tea has the smoothability factor equivalent to that of a baby's bottom. Just try it and you'll see. This oolong tea has a certain silky property to it I haven't tasted in any other oolong or any other tea either. The oolonginess is not overly strong but still present and the smokiness factor is there as well as if the tea was a little more roasted than most oolongs. California Tea House was kind enough to send us some samples of their teas and we're kind enough to give them the tea reviews they deserve. If you've tried this blend, let us know.

Rating: A

Dax: California Tea House, bring on more of this Red Robe Tea! Gifted and I were looking to take our teasan abilities to the pinnacle of Mount Achievement. California Tea House Big Red Robe is something of a mystery upon first site. No leaf categorization is identified on the label, but the palate let it be known that it is indeed an oolong tea; a great oolong tea at that. I was a fool to say that it was a black tea at first, but this was only due to its unique mesquiteability. Not many oolong teas can play these roles in the same act, yet this California Tea House review made the SAG proud.

Rating: A+

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Thursday, February 25, 2010
12:00PM

Naivetea Lychee Oolong Tea - Heaven in a Teacup

Dax: Naivetea lychee oolong is one helluva tea. Wifey fully supports Naivetea, and this lychee oolong tops her charts. For me, it was a blockbuster smash, kind of like when Avatar came out, it changed everything. Naivetea yuzu oolong tea is still my favorite of their offerings, but man this is fire. The oolong tea fresh out of the package smells like a lychee factory, and the taste is smooth, pure, and worth the imminent triple steep. I had to try this guy cold and it was better and more authentic than any Snapple I've ever had. Naivetea is the real best stuff on this planet...besides Nintendo, but you know what I'm getting at.

Rating: A+

Mike: Teasans's Log: steeped Naivetea Lychee Oolong, suspicious scent fills the air upon opening package. Fruit galore. Smells fresh. Oolong tea scent also prevalent.
Poured an unmeasured quantity of Naivetea Lychee Oolong into tea press. Added about 709 CCs of hot water, about 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Steeped for about 10 minutes. Unleashed the flavor.
Tastes like fresh pear right off a tree. Looked up lychee, appears to be a type of Asian Berry, the only member of its genus. Who would have known? Oolong tea flavor is potent. Contender for best tea easily. Happy I tried it. Fresh.

Rating: A

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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
12:00PM

Tazo Joy Tea - Looking Good On Paper

Tazo Joy TeaDax: It seems like Tazo tea reviews are becoming second nature for the TeaAmigos, as their color-coded packaging is frequently gracing my inbox.  Today's steep is the Tazo Joy, a seasonal blend that mixes black tea, green tea, and oolong tea into one little teabag.  I say bring it on.  The smell is very bold and refreshing, begging you to get your steep on.  Color is dark, similar to a breakfast tea.  Now for the conundrum, which leaf brings out the most flavor?  The standout performance and Oscar goes to oolong tea.  I really liked this blend due to the fact that the oolongability is high, and the black tea plays a great supporting role.  Let me say that sometimes black tea tries too hard to be in the foreground, but it is forgiveable. Look for this one next Christmas time, or on a clearance aisle at Target (pronounced Tar-jay).

Rating: A-

Mike: Tazo Joy is a blend of black tea, oolong tea, and green tea meaning it covers the full spectrum of teas except for white tea. The packaging also says that these are fine, "celebratory" pickings. Let me tell you an analagous story all about this Tazo Joy.
I was in a celebratory mood out in Chitown at a club when I ran into a pretty little thing. Females love a teasan's game, especially when I whipped out my Tea Amigos Gifted Teasan business card. The game was over and I swooped her. I found out the reason she was so fine was because she was 1/4 black, 1/4 Puerto Rican, 1/4 Japanese, and 1/4 Jewish. Children with mixed ethnicities tend to do well in the looks department. Anyway, I'm not going to go into too much detail but let's just say what looks good might not always end up being as good as you imagined.
Same with this Tazo Tea. Though Tazo joy looks great on paper, performance is merely average. The black tea taste is too strong and leaves the other teas in the dust. Still not bad, just not as good as it looks. Solid daily drinker quality.

Rating: B

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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
8:22PM

Naivetea Lavender Oolong Tea - Vancouver Bound, But No Crown

Naivetea Lavender Oolong TeaMike: Naivetea Lavender Oolong is probably the weaker of the oolong teas sent to us by Naivetea. Nevertheless, it is the equivalent to making it to the Olympics but not taking home the gold. The fact that you made it is an accomplishment already.
Naivetea Lavender has the usual strong oolong base with a very pleasant lavender tinge. It smells and tastes a lot like a weaker jasmine tea which is a little more subtle. Generally speaking, I am a fan of strong, almost overwhelming flavors so this lavender tea was a little less majestic than I had dreamed. However, if you are a fan of lavender tea you're not going to want to miss this lavender oolong. It's smooth as silk.

Rating: A

Dax: Naivetea has it made in the shade with their ridiculous varieties of oolong tea. Today's special was the lavender oolong tea, which resulted in this Naivetea review. Clearly, the oolong tea base is nothing to fudge with, as its smoothness is felt in every sip. The lavender effect was soft and delicate, giving a pleasant aftertaste that makes moms happy. Although I cannot say that this Naivetea Lavender Oolong is as unique as their other blends, calming down with a cup of this lavender tea will wind you down just right.

Rating: A

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Monday, February 8, 2010
10:52PM

Naivetea Passionfruit Oolong - A Monster In the Game

Naivetea Passionfruit Oolong TeaDax: The Gifted Teasan passed me an unidentified cup of oolong tea today and uttered the words, "steep on, playa." Now I had a feeling this was some Naivetea brand steep, and at first sniff I smelled the passion.. Synopsis: Naivetea Passionfruit Oolong tea. Naivetea I have the highest expectations of your tea, higher than none other, and of course I was not let down. This Godzilla brew is a monster in the game with the silkiest oolong tea base and a fruit finish that will have you saying, "that tastes like some more!" Steep it again and wach the flavor re-up without a hint of resteepage. Another banger, reviewed with passion.

Rating: A+

Mike: Like every other oolong tea from Naivetea, their passionfruit oolong is fire. There's no secret method of steeping but there are some tips and tricks for maximum results. Primarily, make sure the water is hot enough. Oolong doesn't diffuse well in temperate climates and requires Death Valley plus temperatures to infiltrate your steeparatus properly. The little sheet that comes with it says 208 degrees which is just under boiling temperature.
The first time I steeped this Naivetea oolong tea I waited some time post-boil to make tea moves and ended up using colder water. Still good but following directions to a tea (get it?) and using the hot hot hot water will enhance your experience. Overall, solid oolong tea base with rich passionfruit tones. Tastes exactly how you would expect, but you expect Naivetea to win in the first place. Damn, this is good.

Rating: A

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Wednesday, February 3, 2010
12:00PM

Naivetea Yuzu Oolong - Wow Is An Understatement

Naivetea Yuzu OolongMike: Naivetea Yuzu Oolong tea will be your final resting place. If I was in prison and had the option of receiving conjugal visits or being brought a fresh cup of properly brewed Naivetea Yuzu Oolong, I'd choose the latter. Same effect, tastes a lot better too.
Naivetea tea sent us a bunch of samples to review and we obliged but we did not expect to be blown away. We got a tea store being twerked on in the pipelines and we're going to carry this brand of oolong tea if notonly so we can sell some of that Yuzu goodness. So what does it actually taste like? It's a complex blend of really rich oolongability and what seems like a bizarre blend of every citrus fruit you have ever tried, from lemon, to tangerine, to clementine, to orange, to bergamot. You can't even taste all the flavors until you let this tea rest on your tongue long enough to unleash all the flavor. Notice somthing new with each taste.

Rating: A+

Dax: I have never been hit so hard over the head by a tea than I was with Naivetea Yuzu Oolong tea. Naivetea snapped and put the most unique citrus flavor on Earth into an oolong tea that can only be described as "life-changing". I simultaneously put three new teasans on the map with one steep, and don't even think about the double steep, this tea packs more flavor than James Brown in a UPS truck. Folks, this may be the best. tea. ever. Period. Hall of Famer. Exclamation point.

Rating: A+ (We're not worthy)

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Friday, January 29, 2010
12:00PM

Naivetea Mint Oolong - Teasan's Delight x 2

Naivetea Mint Oolong TeaDax: When Naivetea showed up at TeaAmigos HQ, I instantly knew that this was going to be a hit.  Naivetea Mint Oolong is a prime example of how rich and delightful a legit oolong tea can be.  What starts as a beautiful, fragrance-infused mint loose tea, soon becomes large leaves of rich freshness, just waiting for a resteep.  Naivetea Mint Oolong tea is not only heralded by my taste buds, it is now demanded when mint oolong tea is desired.  Now I can't say this is 5 stars across the board, and this is solely because the oolong tea taste that I am quite a fan for, was lacking.  Throw some more oo in there and this is 100% official like a referee whistle.

Rating: A

Mike: Naivetea comes at you hard with flavor and equally hard with the smoothness. The good people at Naivetea sent us a nice sampler pack of their teas with a personal letter and we love them for it. Naivetea doesn't waste time with green, black, or white teas. They go straight for the elite and focus solely on oolong tea. They are definitely teasans of the oolong tea hustle and we respect that.
I had the pleasure of steeping Naivetea Mint Oolong and I was overcome with a flavor that can only be wrought by a horde of Chinese soldiers from the Ming dynasty. Jet Li and Jackie Chan took turns flying side kicking my tongue with the mintiness. This mint tea, or more correctly, mint oolong tea has perhaps the sharpest flavor of mint. Bright yellow steep-drip and a hearty smell strong enough to clear nostrils if need be. Overall, a powerful steep.

Rating: A

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Thursday, November 5, 2009
10:19PM

Ten Ren Pouchong Tea - Classics Wrapped and Redefined 

Mike: Tenren Pouchong tea is a very light yet flavorful oolong tea. This is the point in time where I would normally go on an irrelevant tangent, allude to something inapplicable, or offer a silly analogy whose players are suspect. Not this time. I don't really have much to say except that this is a good tea. Freshness is awarded to those teas that enter with maximum steepability and it definitely pertains to this Pouchong Tea. What the hell is Pouchong? A teasan like me should know...

Rating: B+

Dax: With a name like Pouchong, you better come correct with the flavor.  Ten Ren Pouchong Tea does just that.  TenRen Tea puts the packaging into play and laced us with some quality "wrapped" tea.  I say this because Pouchong literally means "the wrapped kind" referring to the way they dry Pouchong tea leaves.  Regardless, they got is right first try, giving off a succulent melon aroma and light oolong tea taste.  Not so much grassy as it is crisp and oolongy, but Ten Ren Tea still hit it good.  Could have had a longer lasting flavor, as my final sips were a bit light.

Rating: B+

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009
12:00PM

Mighty Leaf Wuyi Oolong Tea - Are You Doctor Yet???

Mighty Leaf Tea ReviewDax: Here we steep again with a Mighty Leaf tea review.  Today's special is their loose tea Wuyi Oolong.  The oolong tea has beautifully dried leaves that smell like the epitome of freshness.  Mighty Leaf tea has been topping our charts, and I want to say the same about this loose oolong tea.  Well, I can almost say this is a top tea, but something about it didn't have me selling my mom's VCR for it.  It was very smooth with a nice hint of sweetness that Mike prolly did not care for, and the steep was very potent as well.  An overall great oolong with characteristics of Ten Ren Pouchong aftertaste, just not an Olympic athlete.  Just a starter in the all-star game.  How's that for high expectations.

Rating: A

Mike: Mighty Leaf Wuyi Oolong tea is a solid oolong. It lacks some of the pizzazz of the other Mighty Leaf Teas we've rewviewed but is tasry nevertheless. The Wuyi oolong seems a little less fermented than other oolong teas. It's a lot closer to its brother, green tea, than its cousin, black. I generally prefer my oolongs fermentier. Nevertheless, Mighty Leaf still brings the freshness here, it's just not my favorite brew from them.

Rating: A-

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Wednesday, October 21, 2009
12:00PM

TenRen Oolong Tea - Pre-Grammy Stardom

TenRen Oolong TeaDax: One calm, early morning I grabbed this oolong tea from TenRen and guess what? I got to steepin. What I usually like about Ten Ren is tha thier chineses teas have a really traditonal feel to them. Not that I'm Chinese or anything, you just feel like this is legit. Ten Ren oolong tea is very grassy, and Mike was right, it can get oversteeped with quickness. TenRen should have put that on the package. The flavor is pretty regular with a hint of extra grassy, but it doesn't have the cack-like addictive taste as Twining's China oolong. Still a decent steep.

Rating: B

Mike: Ten Ren Oolong Tea comes in a pretty light brown package with a neat gold design. Aesthetic packaging is a plus. Other than that, upon entry into oral canal, Ten Ren Oolong behaves much like most Oolong teas. A neat grassiness is certainly a unique feature but not one necessarily worth the hefty Tenren pricetag. Avoid oversteeping this oolong tea from Tenren because it can get a bit bitter. Steep for the love, steep for the game.

Rating: B+

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Friday, September 18, 2009
2:30PM

Alnatura Gruner Gunpowder Tee - The Blitzkrieg

Alnatura TeaDax: So the wife gets on her globetrotting steez and hits up Germany to visit our cousins.  Thinking about her dufus husband, she grabbed a few specialty teas from the German brand Alnatura.  I don't know what the fudge the package says, but I'm guessing this is some all natural tea.  Alnatura Gunpowder tea is first up to the plate.  From the looks of it, it seems that this tea, once steeped, will get up out of the tea press and walk to the men's room.  It reminds me of Little Shop of Horrors where the plant is screaming, "Feed me!".  Despite the super growth of the loose tea during the steep, this beast gave off a familiar oolong tea smell.  The taste is very powerful and confirmed my oolong beliefs.  It's kinda nice to be able to distinguish the nationality of the tea that you're sippin on, as this Alnatura tea does not taste Chinese whatsoever.  Ahh the life of a teasan...pick this one up if you are ever tea shopping in Germany.

Rating: B

Mike: Alnatura Gunpowder Tea, aka Gruner Tee in the native German, is a German loose tea. Because neither Dax nor I speak or understand German, we used our masterful Teasanship to determine that this Alnatura tea was an oolong tea. So how does it taste?
The aptly named Alnatura Gunpowder Tea is blitzkrieg of flavor, marching into your mouth wif the quickness. An almost creamy aftertaste carpet bombs your tongue as you realize you may have oversteeped. Oversteepage certainly created a heightened bitterness that may not have been there otherwise but I am a fan of extreme flavors and actually cherished it. This may not be the most flavorful oolong tea, but Alnatura provides a solid, daily drinker with no obvious bad taste qualities. I'd definitely give this one a shot.

Rating: B+

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Wednesday, September 16, 2009
12:00PM

Double Koi Organic Ginger Orange Oolong Tea - Throw It In the Bag

Double Koi TeaMike: First, let me just open by thanking Double Koi Tea for the samples they sent us. It took us a while to get around to doing Double Koi Tea Reviews but here we are. This Double Koi review is for their Organic Ginger Orange Peach Oolong tea. As you can see, this organic tea has a lot going on so lets break it down. I'd say the most identifiable flavor is the ginger which gives this Double Koi tea a slightly spicy entry. A soothing orange soon begins to mingle. Peach comes in at the end to finish off the taste sensation though rather subtely. Aight, so what's the problem. Ah yes, we're missing the oolong tea. Where's it at? Pretty much no where to be found. If I were the Double Koi Tea Company, I'd change the proportions to include more oolong. Otherwise, this flavored tea tastes a little watered down.

Rating: B+

Dax: Shout out to Double Koi tea company for sending us their lovely loose tea. The TeaAmigos are more than proud to steep teas from the smaller guys, so stand up and get your tea heard! Okay excuse the disclaimer, but little guys need love too.  So first on the menu was their succulent ginger orange peach tea, a literal fruit gift basket of oolong tea.  They crammed this baby full of fruit tea goodness, and the ginger tea was the fattest.  Peach pieces held the aftertaste down , closing out this lovely one.  Double Koi keeping it real.

Rating: A-

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Tuesday, March 24, 2009
9:12AM

Twining's China Oolong Tea - Royalty

Mike: Twinings Oolong Tea is a Chinese Tea bustling with flavor like daaaamn. I’ve never tried Oolong tea fromTwining’s Teas so it was a pseudo familiar introduction. Still, the comparison must be with other Oolong Teas, and not with Twinings Brand teas, so I have little basis for comparison. but I am quite familiar with


Nevertheless, this tea really hits the spot. It tastes like a perfect hybrid between black tea and green tea. It has a very aromatic, leafy taste of green teas, but the delicious, bitter, slightly acidic aftertaste or a rich black tea. I am definitely looking forward to dipping my Oolong teabag into yet another unsuspecting cup. Twining’s China Oolong Tea definitely passes the litmus test, sets the bar, and <insert random cliché synonymous with beating expectations here>.

Overall Rating: A-

Dax: Oolong tea has always shared characteristics of hay. Maybe it's just me, but Chinese tea gives you a eco-friendly green flavor to savor and makes you think that you are some field-grazing horse or cow. Twining's China Oolong Tea gave me this feeling, and made me realize that indeed I am a true teasan. My palette has grown very fond of tea, including this oolong tea from Twining's Tea. The teabag's smell paints the image of a Chinese emperor dressed in all purple like Rick James or Prince, with his/her feet soaking in tea leaves while peasants play Outkast instrumentals on the mandolin.

See, what had happened was Judge Mathis, is that every time I have an oriental tea, be it loose tea, regular oolong tea, or some other Far Eastern variation it really just tastes like viscous, grassy water, kinda like how beer tastes like crap when you first drink it.  Now, after trying tea after tea, I support this grassy concoction called oolong tea, and am down for what Twining's has done.  Heed these Twinings tea reviews, you'll be saying WOW all day.

Overall Rating: A-

 

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