Not in the same cup. Although looking at today's title, it doesn't seem like such a bad idea to try. A nice, sweet fruity taste paired...maybe not with traditional Lapsang, but a lighter smokey tea, like Bohea or Black Dragon?
I have to say, I'm a little annoyed that Teas, Etc has been out of both Raspberry Tart and Bohea every time I've gone to order for the last several *months*. This does not bode well for business, in my opinion. However, I have found replacements that seem to be working nicely, so no lasting harm, I suppose.
I like raspberry tea, but not enough to drink it "just because". The fact is, it helps alleviate certain female ailments to the extent that I've come to rely on it heavily from month to month. So I finally searched my other favorite tea retailers and found an herbal tisane at Adagio called "Raspberry Patch" that includes dried raspberries. I wasn't sure if that would work, since the leaves have more of the substance that's supposed to help, but I mixed a bit of it with the Harney & Son's Supreme Breakfast that I'm not fond of, and it both improved that tea and worked as a nice painkiller, so win-win!
On the Bohea front, the replacement I've found is a blend of organic black tea (?) and Lapsang, which results in a nice, mellower smokey tea for those days when a full on campfire isn't really necessary. Black Dragon from Tantalizing Teas is excellent...and I think I just might try mixing it with a little of that raspberry patch tea next month to see how it turns out!
As for my Tea Words - I've been failing miserably on those. I've been drinking excellent teas lately, so perhaps I can get back into the groove here soon...
In the meantime...what's in your cup?
Showing posts with label lapsong. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lapsong. Show all posts
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
On Tap Recently
I know - I committed to posting once a week, then walked away for two. Bad blogger. Bad Twitterer. I apologize. I'll do better.
But aside from the fact that this is the busiest season of the year for me (both at work and at home), I've also been in a bit of a tea-drinking rut, having the same cups over and over and over just because it's easy and familiar in a hectic time.
On and off again, I've been drinking:
Keemuns from both Adagio & Teas, Etc. I do so love Keemun.
Yunnan Noir & Black Pearls from Adagio (strong, wake-me-up tea)
Assam Melody from Adagion - because sometimes, you just want that malty raisin flavor.
Lapsang Souchong from Adagio - the last dregs of my big canister, sadly. I must order more soon...'tis the season for smoky tea!
Fall Decadence from The NecessiTeas - I just can't get over the caramel/orange/cranberry blend. It's odd, and oddly inviting...as well as very warming in the snowy cold weather we've been having.
Tropical Green, also from The NecessiTeas - smells like Juicy Fruit, and we drank it over ice for dinner one night. Very yummy stuff, that.
Raspberry Tart from Teas, Etc. - in my cup today.
I've been thinking about my puerh cabinet lately. I haven't done a puerh tasting in quite awhile, and every time I open the cabinet to get a teapot out or put one back, the most wonderful earthy scent comes wafting out into the room. I'm well aware that my environment here in arid Montana isn't optimal (or even good) for aging puerh, but even if it's just sitting there, that lovely aroma calls to me every time I open the door.
I'm certainly no gongfu brewing expert, but when I do get out the yixing ware and brew up several cups of puerh, it's a very centering experience. Perhaps I'll make some time next week for a session in the midst of the last minute Halloween party prep chaos.
But aside from the fact that this is the busiest season of the year for me (both at work and at home), I've also been in a bit of a tea-drinking rut, having the same cups over and over and over just because it's easy and familiar in a hectic time.
On and off again, I've been drinking:
Keemuns from both Adagio & Teas, Etc. I do so love Keemun.
Yunnan Noir & Black Pearls from Adagio (strong, wake-me-up tea)
Assam Melody from Adagion - because sometimes, you just want that malty raisin flavor.
Lapsang Souchong from Adagio - the last dregs of my big canister, sadly. I must order more soon...'tis the season for smoky tea!
Fall Decadence from The NecessiTeas - I just can't get over the caramel/orange/cranberry blend. It's odd, and oddly inviting...as well as very warming in the snowy cold weather we've been having.
Tropical Green, also from The NecessiTeas - smells like Juicy Fruit, and we drank it over ice for dinner one night. Very yummy stuff, that.
Raspberry Tart from Teas, Etc. - in my cup today.
I've been thinking about my puerh cabinet lately. I haven't done a puerh tasting in quite awhile, and every time I open the cabinet to get a teapot out or put one back, the most wonderful earthy scent comes wafting out into the room. I'm well aware that my environment here in arid Montana isn't optimal (or even good) for aging puerh, but even if it's just sitting there, that lovely aroma calls to me every time I open the door.
I'm certainly no gongfu brewing expert, but when I do get out the yixing ware and brew up several cups of puerh, it's a very centering experience. Perhaps I'll make some time next week for a session in the midst of the last minute Halloween party prep chaos.
Friday, November 14, 2008
On Tap Today and Order Arrival
This morning I’m drinking Cranberry Autumn from Harney & Sons. My tea orders got here yesterday, just in the nick of time, since I’d almost run out of black tea (my staple for every day caffination). The Cranberry Autumn is delightful to start with this morning, though I think it would benefit from tap water (I used filtered this morning from the fridge, and it’s a bit astringent & thin).Harney & Sons produces my favorite flavored teas of all time. I don’t know what it is, but their flavors are true, and the base tea is always very high quality. Florence is my absolute favorite flavored tea – black tea with chocolate and hazelnut. Very tasty, and that’s what the bigger black tin in the picture contains. The smaller black tin is Peaches & Ginger, and the red is Cranberry autumn, of course. They also included a sample teabag of their Darjeeling, but as I’m not a huge fan of Darjeeling or teabags, it will probably wait awhile. I’ll have to check and see if their bags are compostable or not.
From Adagio, I ordered large tins of Lapsang Souchong and Keemun Concerto (daily teas for me), and a smaller tin of Irish Breakfast (I wanted just a refill bag, since I already have both small and large IB tins, but alas, they were out of all but the 4oz quantity). My husband likes Irish Breakfast, so I try to keep some on hand for him (I’m quite fond of it myself). For some reason Irish Breakfast seems illusive right now – part of the reason Adagio got my order this time was simply that they had IB in stock, and other companies I like IB from didn’t.
I also ordered the sampler box of their new teas – and I have to say, that Yunnan Noir smells absolutely delish. Can’t wait to try it, but I will, because I want to brew it up properly in a teapot, rather than my rushed triniTea cups for work. This weekend though…
The other teas included were Emerald Needles, White Symphony, Keemun Rhapsody, Golden Spring (which smells almost fruity and rich – can’t wait to try it), and Fujian Baroque (that smells chocolate-y and sweet).
And as a bonus, I noted that *all* of my tea was packaged in tins, with mostly paper as box filler (though Adagio did include a couple plastic air pillows, to my disappointment). I’ve been trying to avoid unnecessary plastic lately, and it’s really quite wonderful to know that at least these two tea companies care enough to package their tea in environmentally friendly tins (even though Adagio’s lids are plastic, at least they are sturdy and reusable). It’s not that I didn’t know about the tins before, I just suddenly *noticed* it quite radically this particular time, if that makes any sense.
This afternoon I think I’ll break out the Peaches & Ginger…
Monday, January 28, 2008
Lapsang Souchong from Teas, Etc
Scent in package: Mmmm…smoky and warm
Brewed in: Tea-for-one pot, metal infuser
Steeped: 5 min.@ 212 degrees
Cup: Café mug
The first time I tried lapsang tea, I about choked on the smokiness of it. It’s generally strong, and very much like drinking a bonefide campfire, so it’s not really for the faint of palate. It grew on me very quickly though, and now it’s one of my favorite teas for cold, snowy winter days (much like this one). There’s nothing like the scent of smoke in the air to warm me up when I get to work (or to make my boss ask, “What *is* that smell?”).
This is the second “version” of lapsang I’ve tried. The first was from Adagio, and it was pretty much like drinking liquid smoke (I did enjoy it). This one is a bit lighter, though still much stronger than the Bohea I drink from the same company. Of course one of my favorite things about lapsang Souchong is that even if you oversteep it, it tends to remain naturally sweet (and I tend to prefer the sweeter end of teas anyways).
This particular Lapsang is a bit more complex than Adagio’s. I can taste the wood and smoke (they make up the main taste profile, obviously), but the original “tea” taste isn’t completely overpowered. It’s obviously a good quality tea, with larger, twisted black leaves that unfurl into good sized leaf chunks of brown and green when steeped. It brews up lighter than one might expect, a deep golden brown that is as lovely to look at as it is to sip, and it leaves a pleasant “blackened” aftertaste on the tongue – like a good grilled steak. Continuing with the steak theme, the tea is almost “juicy”, if you can imagine, and almost literally makes my mouth water.
There is no astringency at all, and no bitterness, even when steeped for too long. It’s naturally sweet as I mentioned, and warming on the mouth, but without that charred burnt taste characteristic of too much smoke.
If you enjoy Lapsang, or if you’ve never tried it, this is a very good one – like most of the teas I’ve ordered from this company, it’s a very good quality tea for a reasonable price. If you live in a northern climate as I do, trust me – you need some smoky tea on these cold winter days!
Brewed in: Tea-for-one pot, metal infuser
Steeped: 5 min.@ 212 degrees
Cup: Café mug
The first time I tried lapsang tea, I about choked on the smokiness of it. It’s generally strong, and very much like drinking a bonefide campfire, so it’s not really for the faint of palate. It grew on me very quickly though, and now it’s one of my favorite teas for cold, snowy winter days (much like this one). There’s nothing like the scent of smoke in the air to warm me up when I get to work (or to make my boss ask, “What *is* that smell?”).
This is the second “version” of lapsang I’ve tried. The first was from Adagio, and it was pretty much like drinking liquid smoke (I did enjoy it). This one is a bit lighter, though still much stronger than the Bohea I drink from the same company. Of course one of my favorite things about lapsang Souchong is that even if you oversteep it, it tends to remain naturally sweet (and I tend to prefer the sweeter end of teas anyways).
This particular Lapsang is a bit more complex than Adagio’s. I can taste the wood and smoke (they make up the main taste profile, obviously), but the original “tea” taste isn’t completely overpowered. It’s obviously a good quality tea, with larger, twisted black leaves that unfurl into good sized leaf chunks of brown and green when steeped. It brews up lighter than one might expect, a deep golden brown that is as lovely to look at as it is to sip, and it leaves a pleasant “blackened” aftertaste on the tongue – like a good grilled steak. Continuing with the steak theme, the tea is almost “juicy”, if you can imagine, and almost literally makes my mouth water.
There is no astringency at all, and no bitterness, even when steeped for too long. It’s naturally sweet as I mentioned, and warming on the mouth, but without that charred burnt taste characteristic of too much smoke.
If you enjoy Lapsang, or if you’ve never tried it, this is a very good one – like most of the teas I’ve ordered from this company, it’s a very good quality tea for a reasonable price. If you live in a northern climate as I do, trust me – you need some smoky tea on these cold winter days!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Lapsang Souchong (Organic) from Dragonwater
Scent in package: typically smoky smell, campfire
Brewed in: tea-for-one pot w/metal infuser
Steeped: 5 min@212 degrees
Cup: Café mug here at work
I wanted something sweet and smooth this morning, and Dragonwater sent me this sample with my last tea-tasting order, so I thought I’d give it a try. I expected it to be much like Adagio’s Lapsang…because really, it’s all liquid smoke (at least until it cools), right?
Wrong.
Apparently, my palate has advanced enough to tell the difference between even ultra-smoky teas such as this. And what I found with this particular tea is that the taste falls somewhere between Adagio’s Lapsang and the Organic Bohea that I love from Teas, etc. Adagio’s tea really is like liquid smoke for the first few sips, until the sweetness comes out as it cools. This Dragonwater tea is more mellow on the first few sips – the sweetness comes out earlier, while that strong smoke flavor is still evident (unlike the Bohea, which is mellow & sweet all the way through). I realize it may not be fair to compare the Bohea to a modern Lapsang, but there are enough similarities that it doesn’t seem too far off.
Getting back to this Dragonwater cup – it’s sweet from the start, yet retains it’s ultra-smoky flavor throughout. There’s a sharp “bite” from the smoke right on the tip of my tongue, but that’s the only sharpness in the whole cup. It’s round, smooth, and very well balanced – right at that halfway point between the Adagio Lapsang that is a little more bold, and the Bohea which is a much softer, mellower tea.
There’s only one conclusion to draw, really – and that is to have all three in the cupboard, so that I can have the tea that suits my mood for that day. Today, this fits the bill quite nicely, and I’m enjoying my cup while waking up to work. It’s very good, and I’d highly recommend it.
One of these days I’m going to use some of this Lapsang in cooking…chicken or ribs or homemade BBQ sauce. I’m convinced it will be a wonderful addition to whatever needs a bit of that “smoky” flavor.
Brewed in: tea-for-one pot w/metal infuser
Steeped: 5 min@212 degrees
Cup: Café mug here at work
I wanted something sweet and smooth this morning, and Dragonwater sent me this sample with my last tea-tasting order, so I thought I’d give it a try. I expected it to be much like Adagio’s Lapsang…because really, it’s all liquid smoke (at least until it cools), right?
Wrong.
Apparently, my palate has advanced enough to tell the difference between even ultra-smoky teas such as this. And what I found with this particular tea is that the taste falls somewhere between Adagio’s Lapsang and the Organic Bohea that I love from Teas, etc. Adagio’s tea really is like liquid smoke for the first few sips, until the sweetness comes out as it cools. This Dragonwater tea is more mellow on the first few sips – the sweetness comes out earlier, while that strong smoke flavor is still evident (unlike the Bohea, which is mellow & sweet all the way through). I realize it may not be fair to compare the Bohea to a modern Lapsang, but there are enough similarities that it doesn’t seem too far off.
Getting back to this Dragonwater cup – it’s sweet from the start, yet retains it’s ultra-smoky flavor throughout. There’s a sharp “bite” from the smoke right on the tip of my tongue, but that’s the only sharpness in the whole cup. It’s round, smooth, and very well balanced – right at that halfway point between the Adagio Lapsang that is a little more bold, and the Bohea which is a much softer, mellower tea.
There’s only one conclusion to draw, really – and that is to have all three in the cupboard, so that I can have the tea that suits my mood for that day. Today, this fits the bill quite nicely, and I’m enjoying my cup while waking up to work. It’s very good, and I’d highly recommend it.
One of these days I’m going to use some of this Lapsang in cooking…chicken or ribs or homemade BBQ sauce. I’m convinced it will be a wonderful addition to whatever needs a bit of that “smoky” flavor.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Lapsang Souchong from Adagio
Scent in tin: Campfire smoke, plain and simple
Brewed in: unbleached filter bag
Steeped: 5 min@212, 4 min @ 212
Cup: Café mug
Lapsang souchong is an acquired taste for most, or so I’ve read. And the first time I drank this tea, I steeped it for 5 minutes, and it was literally like drinking liquid smoke in a cup. I wasn’t sure whether I liked it or not, really…I loved the Organic Bohea (which is a softer “smoky tea”), but this one was just hard to wrap my taste buds around.
Thankfully, I’m a sipper – if I wasn’t, I would have missed out on the best part of this tea. In my experience, tea really changes taste as the temperature changes, and with both cups of this tea, it’s better lukewarm than piping hot. When it’s fresh and hot, the smoky aspect of this tea is all that comes through, overwhelming the senses and blocking out any other flavors. But as it cools, there is a very clear sweetness that comes forward to compliment the smokiness, making it a well-rounded cup that is most enjoyable to drink, especially on a rainy, gloomy day such as this. What better fantasy to perpetuate on a cold wet day than sitting around a warm crackling campfire on a summer evening?
I'm not sure I'll order this tea again, simply because I prefer the Organic Bohea, and will probably try other lapsang teas before settling on a “favorite” to keep in my tea stock. But this is a tea worth trying just for the experience, and a sample is all of $2.00 – very reasonable for the amount of cups you’ll get out of it. If you do try it, sip it slowly so that you get to taste the full flavor profile…it’s quite enjoyable as it gets cooler.
Brewed in: unbleached filter bag
Steeped: 5 min@212, 4 min @ 212
Cup: Café mug
Lapsang souchong is an acquired taste for most, or so I’ve read. And the first time I drank this tea, I steeped it for 5 minutes, and it was literally like drinking liquid smoke in a cup. I wasn’t sure whether I liked it or not, really…I loved the Organic Bohea (which is a softer “smoky tea”), but this one was just hard to wrap my taste buds around.
Thankfully, I’m a sipper – if I wasn’t, I would have missed out on the best part of this tea. In my experience, tea really changes taste as the temperature changes, and with both cups of this tea, it’s better lukewarm than piping hot. When it’s fresh and hot, the smoky aspect of this tea is all that comes through, overwhelming the senses and blocking out any other flavors. But as it cools, there is a very clear sweetness that comes forward to compliment the smokiness, making it a well-rounded cup that is most enjoyable to drink, especially on a rainy, gloomy day such as this. What better fantasy to perpetuate on a cold wet day than sitting around a warm crackling campfire on a summer evening?
I'm not sure I'll order this tea again, simply because I prefer the Organic Bohea, and will probably try other lapsang teas before settling on a “favorite” to keep in my tea stock. But this is a tea worth trying just for the experience, and a sample is all of $2.00 – very reasonable for the amount of cups you’ll get out of it. If you do try it, sip it slowly so that you get to taste the full flavor profile…it’s quite enjoyable as it gets cooler.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Organic Bohea from Teas, Etc.
Scent in package: Very smoky, earthy – strong and deep and almost “ancient”, reminiscent of pu-erh.
Brewed in: ingenuiTEA pot by Adagio
Steeped: 5 min. exactly @ 212 degrees
Cup: Stoneware mug here at work
I have other teas that I was planning to review today, along with my new tea maker, but this morning, as I brewed up a cup of this sample that came in my order from Teas, Etc. today, I just had to write up a little review of this “original Lapsong tea”, as stated on the Teas, Etc. web site (link to the left). It is so smooth, so smoky and sweet, that it just captures your whole mind as you sip it. I never would have intentionally ordered a lapsong sample, because I’ve generally gotten harsher, acidic brews from them, but this one is truly amazing, a tea that is a true indulgence of the senses.
According to the web site, it doesn’t even resemble the lapsong teas of today. I can believe that – this is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. I find it difficult to focus on anything else while I’m drinking it (so not such a good tea for work after all, but heavenly to de-stress with in the evening or on a weekend).
A 3 oz package is $9.95, or you can get 8 oz. for $23.90. I don’t often buy amounts of a single tea larger than 3-4 oz (simply because I have so much tea to begin with), but I may order an 8 oz. quantity of this tea on payday next week, and use my 20% off code that is good until Dec. 31st. That works out to about .19 cents per cup…and this morning, drinking this elegant cup, I have no problem with that. That’s how much I love this tea. I’m having trouble coming to grips with the fact that I only have enough left for one more cup.
I received two full-sized teas (3 oz. each) that I ordered from the company that I haven’t even tried yet…tea companies should take note! Samples work! I am definitely “sold” on this tea.
Brewed in: ingenuiTEA pot by Adagio
Steeped: 5 min. exactly @ 212 degrees
Cup: Stoneware mug here at work
I have other teas that I was planning to review today, along with my new tea maker, but this morning, as I brewed up a cup of this sample that came in my order from Teas, Etc. today, I just had to write up a little review of this “original Lapsong tea”, as stated on the Teas, Etc. web site (link to the left). It is so smooth, so smoky and sweet, that it just captures your whole mind as you sip it. I never would have intentionally ordered a lapsong sample, because I’ve generally gotten harsher, acidic brews from them, but this one is truly amazing, a tea that is a true indulgence of the senses.
According to the web site, it doesn’t even resemble the lapsong teas of today. I can believe that – this is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. I find it difficult to focus on anything else while I’m drinking it (so not such a good tea for work after all, but heavenly to de-stress with in the evening or on a weekend).
A 3 oz package is $9.95, or you can get 8 oz. for $23.90. I don’t often buy amounts of a single tea larger than 3-4 oz (simply because I have so much tea to begin with), but I may order an 8 oz. quantity of this tea on payday next week, and use my 20% off code that is good until Dec. 31st. That works out to about .19 cents per cup…and this morning, drinking this elegant cup, I have no problem with that. That’s how much I love this tea. I’m having trouble coming to grips with the fact that I only have enough left for one more cup.
I received two full-sized teas (3 oz. each) that I ordered from the company that I haven’t even tried yet…tea companies should take note! Samples work! I am definitely “sold” on this tea.
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