Tea Reviews | It's All About The Leaf

Posts Tagged ‘Health Benefits’

Since all teas come from the Camellia Sinensis plant, it is the way in which the leaves are processed that determine what the tea looks like, tastes and smells like – that is – what type of tea it ultimately becomes in the end.

Oolong fall between green and black tea. They are partially oxidized. First they are withered to remove moisture, then tossed to bruise the edges of the leaves. This causes partial oxidation because only a portion of the enzymes are exposed to air. They are then steamed to neutralize the enzymes and stop oxidation. Drying with hot air further stops the oxidation. Lastly, they are sorted.

The 2 main producers of oolong are China and Taiwan and it is consumed in great amounts in Southeast Asia, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Because of the increasing demand for oolong with its ample health benefits, these days, Sri Lanka, India, and Nepal also produce oolong. So although, it is still a bit of a rarity, Sri Lanka is getting in on the action and taking a piece of the market with teas like the one I am reviewing today.

The Dancong Sri Lankan Oolong from Shanti Tea is named Spider Web. The leaf of the Spider Web is twisted, golden and black with leaves of different lengths. Could this be why it’s named Spider Web? Possibly, but there is probably a better explanation behind it. I searched their website for the origin of the name and found out that the name Spider Web came from an old Japanese children’s story called “Spider’s Thread” where the Buddha was walking around in a garden of paradise and stopped for a moment to look into the clear water of a pond staring right into the depths of hell. He saw Kandata, a criminal who once out of compassion, saved a spider from being crushed. To reward his compassion the Buddha lowered a single spider silk thread to save him. Kandata climbed onto the thread to get out but others climbed on behind him. Kandata screamed for them to get off as he was afraid the thread would break with the extra weight. At this very moment the thread broke and he fell back into hell. The Buddha, saddened at Kandata’s only concern for his own salvation continued on his walk along the garden (source for story: shantitea.ca)

This oolong tastes unlike classic Chinese oolongs. Whereas many Chinese oolongs are buttery or nuanced with a cotton candy and sugar cane aroma, this Ceylon Oolong is malty and muscatel with a faint grape aroma. I used 5grams in 600ml of water and steeped it for 2 minutes. The infusion was clear and light orange. There is no hint of bitterness after 2-3 minutes of steeping. It is quite nice actually, medium bodied, balanced, not too astringent or bitter, and will probably go well with a smoked ham pairing. If you want to try a rarity, or if the Chinese oolongs are too nuanced (Oriental Beauty) or buttery (Pouchong) then give this a try. It leans more towards the taste profile of a balanced Darjeeling.

You can purchase the Spiderweb Oolong directly from the Shanti Tea website.

Bi Lo Chun is also known as Spring Green Snail tea and is as famous as Dragonwell tea. The original Bi Lo Chun is still grown in the Jiangsu area of China, most notably in the west part of Dongting Lake, home of the dragon boat races but now other provinces are also producing this exquisite tea. The highest quality is pre-Qing Ming (plucked before April 5 annually), distinct silvery-green tips. Bi Lo Chun is known for its youthful pekoe (“hairy”) tip that curls over looking like a little snail. It takes 60-80,000 tips to make 1 pound of this tea. Both the smell of the leaf and the liquor is refreshing, aromatic with a pale yellow liquor. Stone fruit trees such as peach and apricot are planted amongst the tea trees, providing the floral tones in this delicate tea. Conventional Bi Lo Chun (picked after April 5th) will not have as perky flavour and the liquor colour will be more dense.

The sample of Bi Lo Chun was very small, only 2.8 grams but my goodness, what a beautiful pluck with small elegant curls and a lazy twist to the leaf. The silver-grey tips were heavy with pekoe and constituted about 70% of the sample with the remainder a darker possibly older olive-green leaf with less pekoe. What appeared to be dust in the sample bag was actually the presence of pekoe. Pekoe carries the briskness in tea and also provides the best health benefits as it is rich in anti-oxidants, caffeine and aromatics. Usually the bud and the first leaf are picked for Bi Lo Chun provided the leaf contains sufficient pekoe.

I used a glass tea pot. The 1st steep was in 5 oz/150 ml water at 170 F/75 C for 1 minute and produced a somewhat cloudy, pale golden yellow liquor. The cloudiness came from the amount of pekoe floating in the water. When poured in a white ceramic cup, the pekoe becomes invisible and the liquor was clear. I smelled the liquor and it was unremarkable. I had my much anticipated first sip and immediately tasted the flavour of green beans. As much as I was expecting fragrant fruit or floral notes, I just couldn’t find it. There was also low astringency. I was a bit perplexed as I was expecting Bi Lo Chun flavours and I wasn’t getting them. Then, I got a head rush from all that pekoe and realized that some teas are going to deliver something special. I was anxious to see what a second steep would produce now that the leaf had opened.

The second steep of about 40 seconds with slightly cooler water at about 160 F, was again cloudy. There was more astringency now. There was a fullness in the mouth and an umani taste. I was still missing something though – a wisp of roastiness, a chestnut flavour, anything! I had to remind myself that this really was a delicate tea, and not to demand tea to taste a certain way, but to understand what it is giving you. Maybe this Bi Lo Chun also has a subtlety that may be lost on my inept palate. There was an unusual sensation though, of all those pekoe hairs that were dancing and tingling on my tongue. I must tell you that this tea gives you an unexpected experience and pleasure. By the way, the 3rd steep of 40 seconds at 160 F was also cloudy with pekoe and with less significant taste than the 2nd steep. I felt very cleansed and alert after my tasting no doubt due to all that pekoe.

Grace Tea doesn`t list this tea on their web site. I think if you wanted this rare and intimate Bi Lo Chun , you`d have to ask for it. If you were diving into a book on poetry or philosophy, this tea would make a good compliment. I wouldn`t take any food with this tea or you might miss the delivery of its message.

You can purchase Grace Tea Company products directly from the Grace Tea Company website.

TeaGschwender describes it as: Mysterious myths entwine this treasure. Handpicked feathery buds shimmer tenderly. The cup is clear as crystal with a smooth touch of green. A truly precious tea experience!

This is one of my all time favorite silver needles- Yin Zhen: Silver needle or “white beatitude”. And it absolutely lives up to the description given by TeaGschwender. This tea is so light and clean and it brews up so clear that it’s hard to believe that it could possibly carry as many health benefits as it does. The flavor is delicate and yet powerful at the same time, complex yet simple. I could drink this tea all day and still truly enjoy it.

I brewed it exactly as was suggested and was glad that I did. It’s such a delicate taste that I suspect you wouldn’t get the full nuances if it wasn’t brewed with filtered water.Drinking it now and smiling at how unique it is and how it makes me feel. It has a soft scent that begs you to hold your cup close so you can inhale it. I can’t think of any words to describe it other than delicate and clean, so I’m going to close my laptop and enjoy this treasure. Hopefully the adjectives will come to me.

You can purchase TeaGschwendner China Yin Zhen Silver Needle directly from their website.

Starting my day with a taste of India, closing my eyes, allowing myself to be taken away to northern India with this charming, malty, CTC Assam from 52teas.

It’s called RadioactiviTEA and rightly so because it provides just enough of a jolt to get me going without the crash that I get from coffee. Steeped for five minutes with a fresh pot of boiling water (from cold) , and a couple of Stevia leaves to sweeten it. It’s a smooth and comforting tea with that zing that makes it just right for breakfast or to pick you up from a late afternoon lull.

The aroma is strong and inviting, the aftertaste is mellow and satisfying. This blend has never gone bitter (even when I’ve forgotten it was brewing, yes, my mind wanders some mornings), and it’s always had my coffee loving friends asking for more. You can add a touch of cream to it if you prefer but, to get the most health benefits from it, just a bit of Stevia will do. This isn’t a tea that I would suggest putting honey in, it’s malty enough on it’s own.

Sit back, clear the sleep from your eyes, and savour this amber brew.

You can purchase 52teas RadioactiviTEA directly from their website.