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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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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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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If you’re like me, you need a good kick-start in the morning to start the day. A Scottish Breakfast blend is a great way to help open your eyes in the morning. This particular tea is from Upton Tea Imports. I’ll be honest, I don’t like to put anything in my tea – milk, sugar, honey…I only follow the standards set forth by my taste preferences. That said, this is one of the first teas I enjoy with milk. Unlike English breakfast blends, the Scottish blend has more of a smoky flavor. My first sip of the Scottish breakfast blend threw me for a loop. I wasn’t expecting the smoky flavor that set this tea apart from other breakfast teas. If you are a regular to English Breakfast teas, and you want to try something with a bit more bite, a Scottish breakfast blend will be sure to delight your palette.

The dried tea leaves look more like ground coffee than traditional black tea leaves. That fact alone might encourage a coffee drinker to give this tea a try. I’ve tried other breakfast teas that had more of a traditional black tea leave. This tea is certainly not my favorite, however, it has character and that’s what I like about this tea.

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Light, sweet, delicious, relaxing, and affordable are the things that come to mind when I think of Pai Mu Tan. Pai Mu Tan is a white tea from China. The tea leaves are plucked from a tea bush called Narcissus or Chaicha. Narcissus and Chaicha are cultivated plants named under the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants. The particular Pai Mu Tan I’m drinking today is certified as organic.

The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) defines organic as follows:

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled “organic,” a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

With all the background of this tea out of the way, it’s time to take a sip. As I mentioned at the beginning of the blog this is an excellent white tea due to its value. The tea has a subtle white tea flavor with a light sweetness throughout. For those new to white tea, just imagine the smell of a freshly cut hay field. That aroma and freshness is similar to the scent and flavor of white tea. White tea is very fresh. After it’s picked it is sun-dried with little to no additional processing. I highly recommend this white tea if you are looking for a new tea experience. Pai Mu Tan will give you a good idea of what white tea is all about. If you like it, you can try other white teas or simply stick with what you know. Pai Mu Tan steeped best by using 180 degree water for 3 minutes.

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