Wow! This is definitely one of the finest green teas I have ever had the pleasure of trying. The dried tea leaves looked very full and healthy. As the tea steeped, the aroma was very similar to other green teas; however, this tea had a very sweet aroma. Upton described the tea as having a subtle pear and white grape flavor. I have to agree with the grape reference. Regardless of what fruit it reminded me of the natural sweetness is sure to delight your palette. The tea itself was very light with just an awesome mix of floral, sweet, and green tea flavors. The quality of the tea is present throughout. The presentation of the dried leaves, the aroma of the brew, the color of the liquor, and the unbelievable flavor makes this a must try for any green tea drinker. This particular Emarld Green Darjeeling is a second flush tea from the Arya Estate, and it is produced organically. This tea does come with a higher price tag, but it delivers with its premium quality.

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I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season.  My beautiful wife was kind enough to buy me a wide assortment of teas for Christmas.  I can’t wait to try all the teas.  I bought my mother an assortment of teas and a pot with a strainer to help start her on the path to a better tea experience.

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Recently, I ordered a wide variety of teas from Upton Tea Imports. Ordering tea from Upton was a painless process from their online store. Their website and online checkout process was easy to navigate. Their packaging is very interesting – in a good way. To save the customer money, you can order your tea in a sealed-foil bag. You can order most of the same quantities in a tin; however, it will cost you a little more. The one-dollar samples are perfect to help you decide if a larger purchase is a wise decision. I felt Upton’s prices were reasonable, and their service was great. Once you’re an established customer with Upton, they’ll send out a quarterly publication to your mailing address if you wish to receive it. The publication is full of tea information, as well as, Upton’s tea inventory.

Now, English Breakfast tea is a very popular blend. Almost every brand of tea has its own English Breakfast tea. Bond Street English Breakfast Tea is Upton’s variety. It is a blend of Assam and Ceylon concocted in London. The leaves are CTC (Crush-Tear-Curl) style. The dried leaves look like they came from a tea bag. Due to the fine tea leaves, a smaller amount of tea is all that is needed to make a cup. If you use too much tea, it will be very bitter. Also, since it is mainly tea pieces, 3 minutes is all the time it takes to steep at 212 degrees. Again, if you go over 3 minutes, you’ll have a bitter brew. Like the name suggests, this tea is great in the morning. However, many people drink this tea all day long. A drop of milk is always good in English Breakfast tea. After learning how to brew this tea and getting used to the CTC style tea, I became a fan. However, until I learned less is more, I was disappointed with the blend. This is why it’s important to practice steeping tea.

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Upton Tea Imports offers a Gunpowder tea referred to as “Temple of Heaven.” This is a special grade of Pinhead Gunpowder tea. Pinhead tea is commonly produced in the Pingshui region of the northern Zheijiang province of China. However, I’m not certain where this version was grown. Gunpowder tea gets its name because it simply looks like gunpowder pellets. Gunpowder tea is a type of green tea. The tea is rolled into these small pellets usually by machinery; however, the higher-grade teas are still rolled by hand. Rolling the tea into pellets helps to preserve the natural freshness of the tea leaves. As the tea is steeping, the leaves unfurl and dance in the pot. Look at the picture of the wet leaves after they were steeped in 180 degree water for 3-4 minutes.
I really enjoyed this variety of Gunpowder. To me it tastes closer to an Oolong than a traditional green tea. It has a delicate sweetness about it with stronger smoky and peppery hints throughout. It does not have a grassy flavor to it. As the tea cooled, the sweetness was more noticeable. However, don’t think for a minute that this is a sweet or fruity tea. The flavors I describe are very delicate and balance each other to create a very pleasing green tea. I highly recommend this tea as a break from standard green and black teas. If you like Oolong teas, you may find this one to be satisfying.

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Fuding White from Upton is in my cup tonight. It’s another delicious selection of white tea from the Fujian province of China. I’ve been drinking a lot of white tea as of late, and they all have been thoroughly enjoyed. Now, Fuding white tea is the first white tea that really stands out as being significantly different. When I drink white tea, simplicity is often what I’m looking for in my cup of the day or night. Fuding is as complex as a physics test under water, upside down, and blind folded. It’s classified as a white and organic tea, but it tastes very green, sweet, and toasty. The good news, I like it.

If you are looking for the “X” factor in a white tea, this might be it. Do you like green tea, but white tea just doesn’t arouse your taste buds? This could be a difference maker for you. Now, if you don’t like green tea, you probably will not like this one. The other white teas mentioned in my blog all taste – “white.” Keep the water temp cool and steep the tea to your liking somewhere within 3-4 minutes. Well, I have to run before this cup gets too cold.

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I love tea, don’t get me wrong. However, I’ve learned that variety is very important when it comes to tea drinking. It’s important to have a few different types of teas on the shelf to suit your tea drinking mood. I called this blog the winter flush because it’s the time of year I get tired of teas I have drank too much of throughout the spring and summer. I end up throwing the tea down the drain. Not a lot, but enough for me to jokingly call it the winter flush.

So, my point is to have a variety of teas at your house. Store the tea properly so it stays fresh and tastes great throughout your supply. However, if you get tired of a tea, you can give it a way or flush it.

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Holiday flavors: Christmas Tea – Mélange Noël

Santa may need a sip of this tea before making his trip around the world on Christmas Eve. Upton’s Christmas tea is packed with flavor and Christmas spirit. This black tea blend is as flavorful as it is decorative by the nature of its ingredients: cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and cardamom, decorated with orange peel, rose petals and almond pieces. The scent is quite strong, but fortunately the flavor is not as strong as the scent.

As with any tea I suggest, you have to like the ingredients in order to like the tea. If any of the ingredients listed above does not agree with your taste preferences, please do not try this. As with any flavored tea blend, moderation is the key to enjoyment. I enjoy this tea in the morning because of its bold flavors. If you enjoy flavored black teas, this tea is an excellent purchase that will help boost your Christmas spirit throughout the holidays.

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Shou Mei is a popular white tea from the Fujian province of China. I found this particular white tea, from Upton, to be another enjoyable option. The flavor was right on par with what I’ve grown to enjoy in a white tea. It has a delicate flavor that makes for a relaxing cup. It’s described as having a mellow flavor. Upton notes that the tea is a new lot; therefore, the leaves are slightly bolder than usual. As you can see in the picture, the dried tea leaves look nearly as delicious as a fresh salad – well almost. Shou Mei steeps best at 175 degrees for 3-4 minutes.

I cannot stress the freshness that’s packed in a cup of white tea. Not to mention all the various health benefits that are found in white tea. The particular Shou Mei I’m drinking today is certified organic. If you’ve tried a green tea, and you were turned-off by the grassy or spinach-like flavor, you should give white tea a try. Do not associate green tea flavor with white tea until you have tried a few varieties of each type. Silver Needle and Pai Mu Tan are two other white tea options that I’ve found to be quite pleasing.

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