Just4Tea: Fancy Liu An
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008
June Lau, founder of Just4Tea, offers a focused selection of teas that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. Lu’An is no exception. I admit it, I’m a sucker for roasted tea. Just4Tea deploys their traditional Chaozhou family recipe to this green tea that I can’t get enough of. One morning before I left for work, my wife made this tea for me and put it in a thermos. I had no idea what she had made me. When I arrived at work, I poured a cup, and I knew immediately it was Just4Tea’s due to the distinct roasted scent lingering from the cup. I knew if it smelled and tasted great in a thermos that it would be awesome when prepared in a Yixing clay tea pot and served immediately. I was right…
Fancy Liu An described by Just4tea.com: Fancy Liu An is a Chinese Rice Flower (Mei Sui Lan) scented tea; which has been finest produced in the province of GuangDong of China. Premium green tea is used as the base and roasted using our traditional Chaozhou family recipe. The scenting is a natural process, involving mixing the Mei Sui Lan flowers so that the tea absorbs the scent. Liu An is darker than our normal roast and consequently develop an intense, full-bodied flavor. The aroma is well balanced and complex.
As the tea rolls over my tongue, I detect a wide range of flavors. Tasting the tea is equivalent to experiencing its production in reverse order. First, you get a smokey bite that fades to a chocolate-like flavor brushed lightly with a faint floral and sweet green tea flavor. Since the tea is layered with so many flavors, it makes for a very satisfying cup of tea. I have to say as a (very) part-time coffee drinker, it easily gives the same full-bodied beverage experience without the caffeine overload. I absolutely enjoyed this tea from start to finish. It’s full of character, and it entertains me with every drink.
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Two Japanese classics become one. If you don’t have the patience or “tools” to whisk-up a bowl of matcha, you can still enjoy it in this mix. The matcha works well as a compliment to the distinct flavors of genmaicha. Matcha is a Japanese green tea know as tencha in a powdered form. A growing process often used for Japanese green tea involves shading the tea from sunlight before it is picked. Shading the tea bushes causes photosynthesis to slow. This process increases the chlorophyll in the plant (tea) leaves - making it extra-green. In the case of matcha, after the shaded tea is picked, steamed, rolled, dried, de-stemmed, and de-veined it is then stone ground into a fine light green powder. It is known to contain a high level of antioxidants due to the simple fact that nearly the entire leaf is used to infuse a cup of tea. Matcha reminds me of the tea equivalent to Cacoa’s cocoa powder. Genmaicha is a blend of green tea leaves with roasted brown rice and popcorn. The roasted brown rice typically dominates the flavor of this blend. That’s where the matcha really helps out. The matcha coats the ingredients of the traditional Genmaicha; which, creates a delicious green tea. It’s like three Japanese teas in one. As I take a sip, I detect the traditional Genmaicha, Sencha, and Matcha flavors all in one cup.
I don’t know what it is, but I’ve managed to save the best for last. It must be my RTD intuition. I’ve been trying VidaTea’s Ultra Premium Sparkling Green Teas, and the pomegranate green tea turned out to be my favorite. To me, it came down to overall balance. The delicious berry flavor of the pomegranate seemed to have just the right amount of sweetness and tartness to blend with the sparkling green tea. I found this beverage to be very light and refreshing. It left my mouth feeling cleansed with a very pleasant aftertaste. The pomegranate flavor was natural and inviting. My only problem with this beverage was the fact I only had one can…now I need more.
The champagne of the ready-to-drink teas…I’m still getting used to this combination of fizz, fruit, and tea. The desert pear green tea is very interesting. As I sit here taking drink after drink, I will certainly say the beverage is an experience. The sparkling tea will have your tongue wondering what hit it, and it will have your body saying thank you. With each drink, you get an overwhelming blast of sweetness and tartness swirling in a pool of crisp-sparkling green tea. You’ll either love it or hate it. If you’ve experienced flavored sparkling waters, you’ll have a greater appreciation for this beverage. If you don’t enjoy green tea, you might have problems enjoying VidaTea. The green tea flavor is present in every drink, but it is not the focal point. The pear is one of my favorite fruits. So, I was looking forward to trying the desert pear green tea. The pear flavor and scent of the beverage is very inviting. The beverage is sweetened with organic agave nectar. Agave is an excellent sweetener due to it’s low glycemic nature. If you are watching your sodium intake, this is a great choice because it has ZERO sodium. VidaTea gives the consumer another healthy alternative to the same-old-same-old. Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, VidaTea is a smarter choice for RTD tea consumers
If you haven’t heard, there’s a lot of buzz surrounding VidaTea. VidaTea offers an “ultra premium sparkling tea.” The tea has a light amount of bubbly that makes it unique. VidaTea is emphasizing the fact that it’s products are sweetened with organic agave nectar. I started my VidaTea experience with the wild berry green tea flavor. The flavor is 3 part: first the sparkling tea sort of tingles the tongue, next the wild berry flavor and agave sweetener are exposed, and lastly the green tea makes its presence known with a bitter bite. The wild berry and agave are not overpowering. In the end, the berry blast with a bitter and dry twist left my mouth slightly confused.
Orange Sherbet Green Tea is one of Dr. Tea’s signature craving teas. This tea came from Dr. Tea’s Tea Garden & Herbal Emporium. I was very excited to try this tea for many reasons. Orange sherbet is one of my favorite ice creams. The philosophy behind craving teas is to substitute the high calorie snacks with a healthy and tasty tea selection. Tea can simultaneously help boost your metabolism and help you shed some pounds. Recently, Dr. Tea authored a book titled “The Ultimate Tea Diet.” The book discusses in great detail the many health benefits of tea, and how to empower the world’s number two beverage (second only to water) to help lead a healthier life style by replacing snacks with tea. The book is a great source of tea knowledge for both the tea beginner and expert.
One of the first Japanese green teas I’ve ever tried was Adagio’s Sencha Overture. For those of you that drink Sencha you know that distinct vegetally sweet flavor that is everlasting. The dark green, thin, dried tea leaves are full of flavor and antioxidants. If you are new to green tea or you want to start drinking real tea that doesn’t taste like a flower, fruit or candy - give this a try. Yes, the first time I drank Sencha, it reminded me of a mix of seaweed and vitamins. After the initial shock, I started to appreciate the grassy flavor mixed with sweet and nutty notes. Adagio’s Sencha Overture is an affordable everyday green tea that is havested during the second flush. The tea comes from the Shizuoka region of Japan. It’s important not to over steep Sencha. Adagio recommends a 3 minute steeping time with a water temperature of 180 degrees. You may need to experiment with your steeping equipment to find your desired flavor.
Açaí Green Tea is one of The REPBULIC of TEA’s Superfruit Teas. You can purchase a container of 50 round tea bags containing the tea for under $10. The green tea in the bag is finely cut. The berry scent from the tea bag is very fragrant, but the green tea scent was not to be found. I steeped the tea in water that was just below a boil. The bottom of the cup quickly turned red as the bag absorbed the hot water. I’ve had several teas containing Açaí, and I’m always wishing for something more at the end of the cup. I just can’t get the flavor where I want it without sweetener. I find Açaí flavored teas are best when it’s not the only additional ingredient in the tea. Açaí is just not naturally sweet enough for me to thoroughly enjoy in my tea. It’s not that it tastes bad to me, it just falls slightly below my expectations. Again, if you load it with sweetener, it’s good.