I’ve been really impressed with Revolution Tea’s style and tea selections. In an industry that is very competitive, it’s great to see a company delivering in both quality and value. Their packaging and labeling sets them apart from many of their competitors. Today I’m drinking their Tropical Green Tea. First of all, the biodegradable infuser (mesh-like tea bag) allows the tea consumer to see what’s inside the bag. You can actually see the full-leaf tea and various ingredients clearly inside of the bag. Another uniqueness about the products I’m trying is how each bag is individually sealed in a little box. I find this to be very important because I like to try a large variety of teas. I don’t want the various flavors contaminating the other flavors. In other words, I don’t want my English Breakfast tea tasking like pineapple.

The Tropical Green Tea is very enjoyable. It’s Dragonwell green tea with young hyson and pineapple flavors. This is a very smooth and naturally sweet green tea option. I highly recommend this tea for those of you that enjoy flavored green teas. The flavor and scent are very inviting. If you are not a huge green tea fan, but you are looking for a green tea to help ease you into the mix - this is a good one. You will not be offended by a grassy or vegetal flavor coming from the green tea. The tea and fruit flavors balance each other very well. I find myself just wanting to inhale as well as sip this tea. It’s just a great experience to find a tea that excites all of your senses.

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When I received the latest The REPUBLIC of TEA catalog it came with a round black tea bag of one of their best-selling teas - Ginger Peach. I’ve had a lot of their loose leaf tea, so I was very curious to try their round bagged tea. The tea enclosed in the bag was finely cut. It was not a full leaf tea. The scent of the dried tea was very peachy. I placed the bag (these are the round bags minus the traditional string and label tag) in a cup of water that was just below a boil. I let the tea steep for 3 minutes. It brewed to form a very dark liquor. The scent of sweet peach lingered in the steam, but the flavor revealed more of a ginger dominance. The peach didn’t disappear, but it was certainly covered by the ginger flavor. Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing for the ginger lovers. Besides, it’s called Ginger Peach not Peach Ginger. The label doesn’t reveal an origin for the finely cut tea. I felt that a touch of sweetener would be best for this cup. The sweetener helps bring out the peach flavor. This tea is certainly flavorful, and it will not disappoint those of you that enjoy the benefits and flavor of ginger. If you are a peach fanatic, this will not wow you. The REPUBLIC of TEA has such a wide variety of teas. Find one that sounds good to you, and have no fear ordering from The REPUBLIC of TEA. I’ve had nothing but pleasant experiences with this company. Ginger Peach is no exception.

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There’s just nothing better than sitting down with a pot of hot water, your favorite steeping pot, and a good Oolong. What a way to pass the time. Many Oolongs can and should be steeped multiple times. Each steeping reveals a hidden layer of this beautifully crafted tea. Due to its processing, Oolong is not quite a black tea and its not quite a green tea (referring to Oolongs oxidation period - it’s in between green and black). Having said that, there are many Oolongs that closer resemble either a black or green tea. Typically, I’m looking for a fresh and inviting aroma coming from the tea. I often imagine that the aroma coming from the pot is similar to the air in the Wuyi Mountains. This Oolong has long dried leaves that are almost black in color. When the tea is steeped, the leaves do reveal a touch of green. The liquor is very light in color. The flavor is very mild. I didn’t detect the intense freshness or floral hints that I desire from an Oolong. All-in-all, this Oolong lacks the characteristics of my favorite Oolongs. I steeped the tea several ways to make sure that I wasn’t doing something wrong. I just couldn’t get the flavor I desired out of the leaves. If you are looking for a lighter flavored Oolong, this might be perfect for you. Be careful not to steep the tea in water that is too hot. I let the water cool to around 200 degrees before steeping the Oolong. When you get it just right, the tea is enjoyable. It’s just not as good as many other choices.

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Press Release:

Seattle, WA, March 12, 2008 — Choice Organic Teas, North America’s leading purveyor of exclusively organic teas, announces the launch of Whole Leaf Organics, the largest collection of organic, Fair Trade Certified™ tea pyramids on the market today. Packed in eco-friendly, biodegradable tea pyramids, this product line brings an artful new shape to the organic tea experience. Available May 2008, the first taste will come at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA from March 14-16.

Loose leaf teas are often considered by tea connoisseurs to be the finest way to enjoy a cup, as the unfurling of the full tea leaves allows complex flavors to come to the forefront. With extra room inside each tea pyramid, Whole Leaf Organics achieves this same quality but with the added convenience of a tea bag. The line includes eight varieties of traditional blends and new favorites — English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Estate Blend Darjeeling, Jade Green, Jasmine Green, Chamomile Citrus, Sweet Liquorice Mint, and Lychee White. The suggested retail price is $8.49 for a 15-count box of individually wrapped tea pyramids.

“As pioneers in organic tea, we’ve developed close relationships with our tea gardens over the past 20 years,” said Eric Ring, Head of Purchasing and Production. “Whole Leaf Organics takes that connection to the next level and allows us to showcase some of the highest quality organic teas available.”

Whole Leaf Organics continues the traditions of social responsibility and environmental sustainability that have been pillars of Choice Organic Teas since the company’s founding. As the first tea crafter in the United States to offer Fair Trade tea, it is natural that each selection in the Whole Leaf Organics line proudly bears the Fair Trade logo. Fair Trade guarantees livable wages for workers and their families, improving their opportunities for better healthcare, housing, and communication.

The 100% recycled box features a unique cover with a die-cut pyramid window, offering a peek at the tea garden-inspired painting commissioned by Seattle artist Maija Fiebig. With an elegant twist, the retail box also meets foodservice operators’ need for quick access to product. Each box easily folds open into an attractive, self-dispensing display, eliminating the need for a dispensing cut-out, and the available counter rack completes the presentation.

A brand of Granum, Inc. of Seattle, Choice Organic Teas made its debut in 1989. As North America’s #1 selling exclusively certified organic tea line, Choice Organic Teas has promoted the growth and development of organic agriculture in tea estates worldwide and offers more than seventy varieties of teas and herbal infusions available in teabags and loose leaf. In 2000, Choice Organic Teas became the first tea crafter in the United States to offer Fair Trade Certified™ tea. Visit www.choiceorganicteas.com for more information.

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The wonderland of tea…the great Yunnan region of China. I’ll never forget the first time I tried a lush loose leaf Yunnan tea. The flavor was very intense, and you instantly realize you are drinking something special. The dried leaves display a bright golden color. Unlike many black teas, the dried leaves are soft and flexible. I have to describe the tea as oceanic in scent and flavor with a slight peppery accent. When I really try to simplify the complex flavors of this tea, it comes down to salt and pepper. Maybe not literally, but the tea is very unique and flavorful. When I inhale the steam rising from the glass, I’m reminded of an ocean breeze (hence my “salt” description). This tea is an affordable Yunnan tea that will not disappoint you. I prefer Adagio’s Golden Monkey and Yunnan Gold, but this tea is certainly worth a shot at your attention. If you like it, you can save a few dollars. The tea is really easy to steep. I just let the water sit for a minute or two after it comes to a boil. I’ve steeped the tea in a clay Yixing tea pot and in my ingenuiTEA for about 3-5 minutes - either way it’s good.

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Wow, what a busy couple of weeks. I’m back and gulping more tea than ever. I have a ton of tea news to read… One of my stops in the past two weeks was the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, PA - the sweetest place on earth. Anyway, they stock Bigelow tea in the rooms and the cafe was loaded with every Honest beverage I could ever want. Also, they stocked a lot of Revolution Tea in their gift shops and banquet tables. What an enjoyable stay!

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marTEA.com was started out of my interest for both technology and tea. During the creation of marTEA.com, I found a lot of inspiration from sites like digg.com. Digg is a social bookmarking website that has caught major attention around the world. Digg would not exist, at least not in its current popularity, without co-founder Kevin Rose and the faithful digg community. I’ve been listening to Kevin’s popular podcast called Diggnation for years. In fact, Kevin and co-host Alex Albrecht took a week off of their normal beer drinking to recover from a trip to Japan and drank Adagio tea for an episode in 2005. If you know the show, there’s a lot of beer drinking that tends to take its toll on the hosts. Anyway, that episode inspired me to combine the two things that interest me - technology and tea. I actually purchased the Digg themed Adagio tea samples in early 2006. As a tribute to Kevin and digg, I’ve included a “Digg This” link with every story I post. marTEA.com would like to continue its dedication to all things tea by allowing the digg community to promote tea related news and reviews. If you want to try some of the tea blends that Kevin and Alex have been drinking in their recent shows visit adagio.com/diggnation.

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