Golden Chai by Numi

by Lainie P on March 13, 2010

Name: Golden Chai

Brand:
Taste the Purest Tea on the Planet - Shop Numi

Type: Black tea, flavored

Form: Paper bagged tea, individually wrapped

Review: Cardamom lovers rejoice! If you like your chai redolent of the pungent, mouth-numbing stuff, Numi’s Golden Chai is just your cup of tea.

The cardamom content in this chai blend was evident when I opened unwrapped the bag. The nose was entirely dominated by the cardamom, and while the ginger managed to make itself known after the tea infused to a medium-dark amber,  the cardamom still dominated in both the nose and on the palate.

The chai itself is robust though not bitter, and tastes just fine on its own, but can also handle the addition of some milk and honey. While I prefer loose-leaf chais that have a more balanced flavor profile, Golden Chai is convenient, and its appeal to cardamom lovers can’t be denied.

Affiliate Links in this Post?: Yes

Sample Provided by Manufacturer?: No

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Plum Blossom Oolong Reserve by Teas Etc (review)

by Lainie P on March 11, 2010

Name: Plum Blossom Oolong Reserve

Brand: Teas Etc

Podcast: Listen to my podcast interview with Beth Johnston of Teas Etc.

Type: Oolong

Form: Loose leaf

Cost: 1 ounce tin, $16.95, quantity discounts available.

Review: I drink a lot of tea. Most of it is either good or indifferent. Some of it is bad, and there is a very small percentage that I would define as “spectacular”. This tea falls into that last category.

Plum Blossom Oolong Reserve is a Bai Hao (also known as Dong Fang Mei Ren or “Oriental Beauty”) oolong. I am partial to these intensely flavorful oolong leaves, which get much of their unique flavor from having been bit by little insects called “leafhoppers” while still on the tea bush. This version from Teas Etc, however, is now my favorite.

The dry leaf is a dark, mauve-brown with a generous sprinkling of silvery tip. The nose is quite faint, slightly musty, with a bit of wood. The tea infuses to a light yellow-gold with a touch of green, and an intensely rich, fruity nose.

Sipping this tea is a delight, and may actually confuse some tea drinkers, as the liquor is so incredibly “juicy” that it is hard to believe that it hasn’t been flavored. The body of Plum Blossom Oolong Reserve is rich, full, and borders on creamy. The flavor is that of plumbs that have been drizzled with dark honey and baked.

Oh Yum.

Try this one, please. You won’t be disappointed.

Preparation Tips:

  • Keep the water temperature on this tea down. Teas Etc recommends 180F-185F and I would agree. Yes, I know that darker oolongs are supposed to be “tough”, but the fruitiness of this tea really emerges at the cooler temperature.
  • Don’t be afraid to add more leaf than the package instructions suggest if you want more intense fruit flavor.
  • Try it on ice. Most delicious, and is great with food.
  • This tea isn’t cheap, but it is good for several infusions. I have found that Teas Etc’s Glass Brew Mug is a great choice of teaware for this tea, because it makes re-infusion so easy.

Affiliate Links in this Post?: Yes

Sample Provided By Manufacturer?: Yes

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Glass Brew Mug by Teas Etc (review)

March 9, 2010 Teas Etc

Name: Glass Brew Mug (click on link at right to view on Teas Etc’s site)
Brand: Teas Etc
Type: Teaware
Cost: $14.95
Podcast: Listen to my podcast interview with Teas Etc founder and co-owner, Beth Johnston.
Review: I do love well-designed teaware, and anything that makes drinking loose leaf tea more enjoyable gets a big gold star from me. Teas [...]

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Tea News

March 3, 2010 Tea News

Greetings,
Just a few bits of news for my tea-loving readers:

The Philadelphia Inquirer ran a story today entitled “The Tea-He’s: Men Savoring Brew by the Cup”. My good tea-friend, Tony Gebley passed this on to me, and I thought it a great read.
Speaking of Tony, he just opened his own online shop, The Chicago Tea Garden. [...]

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Be Cool by Kusmi Tea (review)

March 1, 2010 Kusmi Tea

Name: Be Cool
Brand: Kusmi Tea
Type: Tisane
Form: Loose leaf (teabags are available)
Cost:$18.40 for a 3.5 ounce tin (quantity discounts are available)
Review: This is the latest in Kusmi Tea’s line of “Wellness Teas” and while “Detox” remains my favorite in this range,  “Be Cool” is nonetheless a tasty tisane.
Be Cool is a caffeine-free blend of rosehipseed, apple, [...]

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ZeroWater Z-Pitcher & TDS Meter (review)

February 25, 2010 Water Filtration

Name: ZeroWater Pitcher
Brand: ZeroWater
Type: Water Filter
Podcast: Listen to my interview with ZeroWater’s VP of Sales, Robert Roney, on Friday, February 26th, at 2pm central time. The show will be archived at this same link (and on iTunes) so you can listen in at any time.
Review: As folks know, I am a stickler for using good [...]

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LeafSpa Organic Passionfruit Green Tea (review)

February 24, 2010 Green Teas

Name: Organic Passionfruit Green Tea
Brand: LeafSpa
Type: Green tea, flavored
Form: Loose leaf
Cost: $9.95 for 4.23 ounces
Review: Flavored green tea lovers rejoice: This is a well-crafted tea that marries a sweet Chinese green tea with passionfruit and other flavors. A sniff of the (very pretty) dry leaf reveals a subtle nose of passionfruit. The tea then brews [...]

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Keemun by Teas Etc (review)

February 20, 2010 Black Teas

Name: Keemun
Brand: Teas Etc
(Check out my interview with Beth Johnston, owner of Teas Etc.)
Type: Black tea
Form: Loose leaf
Cost: $5.95 for a 1 ounce tin, quantity discounts available
Review: I do love me some Keemun. You can keep your English breakfast blends, I want some rich, wine-y, Keemun to  clear my palate of my bacon and eggs [...]

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Sugardaddy by Shui Tea (review)

February 19, 2010 Black Teas

(Note: This review was previously posted at Examiner.com.)

Name: Sugar Daddy
Brand: Shui Tea
Type: Black tea, flavored
Form: Loose leaf
Review: This is a curious item from Chicago-based Shui Tea (check out my podcast interview with Shui Tea’s president and founder,Jim Schreiber). Black Ceylon tea is blended with stevia leaf to create a sugar-free “sweet tea” with anise overtones.
If [...]

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Tea Wear?: A Review of Flirty Aprons

February 17, 2010 Aprons

Name: Flirty Aprons
Cost: $27-$30
Review: One of the best parts of being a tea-lady is all the fun schwag that goes with it. Cool teapots, retro clothes, and yummy tea-sandwiches make teatime special.
What’s even more special is getting dressed up to make tea. I have begun collecting aprons (including this one, stitched just for me by [...]

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