I am trying something new.

I really don’t know anything about music, and haven’t made any serious attempts to expand my taste during my 40+ years on the planet. I recently decided that this has to change, so I’ve been listening to some new and unfamiliar music in recent weeks, which is a lot of fun.

Anyway, I got to thinking that it might be fun to pair up my discoveries with tea, and write up my pairings in a single review. I don’t plan on doing this too often: For one thing, matching tea and music is hard, and secondly, I don’t know anything about music, so making a habit of writing about it would be arrogant. But I see nothing wrong with a bit fun now and again.

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Name & Brand of Tea: Zoubrovka by Kusmi

Name of Song & Band: Bhangri La from the Payback Time album by Tummel

Type of Tea: Flavored black tea

Form (Tea): Loose leaf

Review:

The Song

A few months ago, I discovered Tummel via a showing of the video for Bhangri La on Link TV. Tummel is a Scandinavian world music band that fuses klezmer (secular Yiddish traditional music) with jazz and other folk music styles. Their stunning performance caught my fancy, and I immediately bought their album. While their other songs are great, Bhangri La‘s combination of swingy, exotic eastern-folk and a bit of modern-pop makes it my favorite.

On one level, “Bhangri La” is an infectious, fun ditty that practically commands its listeners to dance. On the other hand, there is nothing even remotely vapid about this “fun” song. It is well produced, and performed by skilled musicians. It’s roots in traditional music give it depth and structure and make it worthy of some serious attention.

The Tea

I’ve never made any bones about the fact that I adore Kusmi‘s offerings, and am in awe of their tea-flavoring alchemy. However, I wasn’t in a hurry to try this one. I think it has something to do with the (singularly uninspiring) label copy, describing the tea as a “genuine Polish blend scented with buffalo grass.”. I normally jump head first into Kusmi teas, but let this one sit around for awhile. “Buffalo grass” just wasn’t that high on my list.)

When I finally did open the tin, I regretted not doing so earlier. This stuff smells good. Buffalo Grass, also known as “sweet grass” has a light, sweet, vanilla scent that I find extremely compelling (I’d love to find a buffalo grass perfume.). Buffalo grass essence is blended with somewhat broken, dark brown tea leaves, which infuse to a light-medium amber, dominated by the sweet, spicy vanilla.

On the palate, the flavor is initially sweet (though not as sweet as the nose would suggest), but then develops into something far more substantial. The vanilla flavor possesses a decidedly “green” quality: It is obvious that this flavor comes from a plant rather than a pod or a seed. I detect a faint aniseed backnote as well.The flavor of the buffalo grass is supported and structured by a Chinese black tea that is light bodied, slightly sweet, with a touch of bitterness in the finish.

So why the pairing of Bhangri La and Zoubrovka? I do suppose the Eastern European connection has something to do with it, but there is also a happy synchronicity between the layered quality of both song and tea. Each may initially seem to be an amusing diversion, but if you pay attention, you can appreciate the care and talent that went into their production. You can also hear, and taste, the substance of the tradition that support both Bhangri La and Zoubrovka: Bhangri La’s roots in traditional folk music and Zoubrovka’s quality China black tea base keep their respective charges on point.

Brewing Tip: The Zoubrovka is best served hot. It works ok as an iced tea, but the buffalo grass tends to fade when chilled.

Sample Provided by Manufacturer?: No

Affiliate Links in this Post?: Yes

Heads-Up!

Today only, you can buy Canton Tea Co‘s Gold Award Tea Taster Pack from Steepster Select for $19.95 + FREE SHIPPING. (Canton Tea Co is in the UK, so the free shipping alone is a huge savings.) The Gold Award Tea Taster Pack is a collection of the 8 teas that won gold awards at the Guild of Fine Food’s “Good Taste Awards”. These teas include:

• Bai Lin Gong Fu
• Jasmine Pearls
• Ali Shan
• Mi Lan Dan Cong
• Silver Needle
• Vietnamese Puerh
• Meng Ding Huang Ya
• Pouchong

I’ve written up several reviews of Canton Tea Co’s teas, and heartily recommend that you give them a try. Order, and enjoy!

Dragon Well Pre-Qing Ming by Teas Etc

Name: Dragon Well Pre-Qing Ming

Brand: Teas Etc

Type: Green tea

Form: Loose leaf

Review: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I am no fan of Dragon Well (aka Long Jing). It just doesn’t appeal to me. However, my friends Beth and Newman at Teas Etc were kind enough to send me a sample of their Pre-Qing Ming Dragon Well, and I felt that I ought to at least give it a try.

The dry leaf looks very nice indeed, all long, flat, olive-green buds and leaves with almost no discernible scent, though some distinctly pistachio-like notes emerged after I added the leaf to a hot teapot. The liquor is a very pale yellow green, with a lightly nutty, slightly vegetal nose.

This is an unusually light Long Jing, flavor-wise, though its body is closer to medium. It isn’t strongly grassy as are many Dragon Well teas, and with careful brewing it can be remarkably sweet. The pistachio notes continue onto the palate, though are more subtle than the nose would lead you to expect.

Overall, I found this to be a fresh-tasting, unusual tea that is remarkably pleasant to drink on a hot summer afternoon. If you are a Long Jing fan, give it a try. I do want to point out, however, that this tea costs $12.95 for a one-ounce tin: If you are not a huge green tea or Long Jing fan, you may want to save your shekels for something else.

Preparation Tips: I tried preparing this tea in several different ways, but found that I got the best results from my little 100ml glass gong fu teapot. The flavors in this tea are so light, a concentrated steeping is necessary to really bring the flavors together. Watch your steep times: This tea doesn’t really get astringent, but it does get bitter if infused too long.

Sample provided by retailer?: Yes

Affiliate links in this post?: Yes
Green Tea

Name: ChocoLatte Cherry Vanilla and ChocoLatte Raspberry Truffle

Brand: Kalahari

Type: Rooibos tisane, flavored

Form: Paper tea bags

Review: I seldom review two teas or tisanes in the same post, but since these two tisanes are so straightforward, writing each up as a separate review seemed silly. I mean no disrespect to Kalahari or their tisanes by doing this, it is just that Chocolatte Raspberry Truffle and Cherry Vanilla taste, well, like raspberry truffles and cherry vanilla chocolates.

Kalahari’s ChocoLatte line blends its teas and tisanes with roasted cacao nibs. My preference is for the Chocolatte Raspberry Truffle: The raspberry flavor is intense, but the cacao nibs and added chocolate flavoring give the tisane a firm chocolate foundation. Definitely a crave-attacking tisane, and a wonderful evening drink.  I am not over-fond of cherry flavored anything, but the Cherry Vanilla is still a tasty, warming brew.

Recommendation: These tisanes are good, convenient options for chocolate lovers or those who have sweet cravings.  While they didn’t blow the top of my head off, I nonetheless think that chocolate lovers will enjoy these chocolate tisanes.

Cocoa Nibs


Rooibos Tea

The actual color of the tea is closer to that in the fairness pitcher

Name: Yu Lan Dan Cong Oolong|Magnolia Blossom

Brand: Canton Tea Co

Type: Oolong

Form: Loose leaf

Review: First of all, I want to extend my congratulations to Canton Tea Co for winning 8 Golds at the Great Taste Awards.  This is a great achievement, and I am very pleased to see this wonderful tea company get the recognition that it deserves!

Now for the tea:

Yu Lan Dan Cong Oolong is an impressive tea, even before it touches water. It’s gorgeous leaves are remarkably long and do not have much of a discernible scent. The tea infuses to a light gold/green with a surprisingly heavy body. The infused nose is sweet and floral, though again, not particularly strong.

My first sip of this tea nearly knocked me over. Very strong, sweet floral notes, with a tingly, almost camphor-like “kicker” at the finish. It left my mouth in shock and wanting more. In subsequent brews, the tea actually became sweeter, with some light nutty notes (macadamia?) and while the tingly finish eventually subsided, the flavors continued to evolve, with some decidedly creamy notes emerging after about three infusions.

(Incidentally, this is a tea that does not give up. I’ve gone 8-9 infusions on this tea, and while it’s body gets lighter over time, the flavor continues. If you need a tea that will last you all afternoon, this Yu Lan Dan Cong works very nicely.)

The long, spent leaves of this tea.

This is one of those teas that merits a lot of time and concentration. Its flavors are incredibly complex, yet long-lasting as well. This is not an inexpensive tea, but it is a good value given its staying power.

Preparation Tips: I got my best steeps using my tiniest glass gong fu teapot (100 ml), and water heated to 190F.  Short steeps work best: If allowed to steep too long, this tea can get bitter.

Name: Golden Bi Luo

Brand: Chicago Tea Garden

Type: Black tea

Form: Loose leaf

Review: I’ve made no secret on this blog of my love of Yunnan golds. I’ve even got a Yixing teapot dedicated to them. So I was pleased when tea-friend Tony Gebley, co-owner of The Chicago Tea Garden, offered me some of his Golden Bi Luo. I only recently became aware of this variation consisting of two leaves and a bud rolled into a snail-like shape. (Much like the better-known Bi Luo Chun, a green tea.)

Tony’s Golden Bi Luo is sourced from well-known tea personality, David Lee Hoffman. When still dry, the little swirls of gold and chocolate brown don’t have a very strong scent, though one can pick up a bit of sweet vanilla.The liquor infuses to a beautiful, rich orange/amber, with a stronger vanilla/spice nose.

While the tea can be a challenge to brew (see my preparation tips below), when done correctly, it produces a lovely, fresh, creamy liquor. The vanilla notes are there, with a faint floral note in the finish. The tea also has a slight edge (again, check my preparation tips below) which can veer off into bitter territory. I like this, as it gives the tea some structure.

Chicago Tea Garden recommends this as a good “starter tea” for someone who wants to get into quality, loose leaf tea without adulterants (aka milk and sugar). I agree: Its creaminess and sweet vanilla flavor makes it quite palatable for those trying to kick the additive habit, while its more robust qualities might appeal to a slowly-reforming coffee drinker. My only caution is that the tea can be slightly tricky to prepare, which is why I’m including prep tips in this review.

Preparation Tips:

This tea can be a bit of a fusspot to brew: I’d advise using a fair amount of leaf but keeping the steep times short. Not too short, though, because these little snails need time to unfurl. A minute seems to work well. For some reason, “Bi Luo” teas can get a bit bitter, so pay close attention to timing. Also, the vanilla notes become more obvious as the tea cools down a bit. You don’t have to let the tea get cold, but letting it cool for a few minutes really gets the vanilla to stand out.

Also, be sure to check out The Little Yellow Teapot’s review of this tea for more preparation ideas.

Sample Provided by Retailer?: Yes

Affiliate Links in this Post?: Yes
Black Tea

Title: The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook: A Guide to the World’s Best Teas

Authors: Mary Lou and Robert J. Heiss

Publisher: Ten Speed Press

Type of Book: Tea guidebook

Review: Last year I bought, and read, The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide by Mary Lou and Robert J. Heiss, owners of Tea Trekker. While there was much that I liked about the book, particularly its spectacular photographs, I also found it frustrating to read. The good folks over at Cha Dao recently published an excellent review of The Story of Tea which addresses several of my concerns, as well as many more issues that are far beyond my meager tea-knowledge.

(Part of my frustration with the book is its size:  It’s bulk makes it difficult to carry, which means that I can’t take it with me to a tea shop, or keep it in my purse for reading in transit. While it is chock-full of information, its lack of good editing, as well as some factual errors, limits its usefulness as a reference work.)

Fortunately for all of us, however, the Heisses recently published a new book, one that is the perfect size (8.4 inches long and 4.5 inches wide) for toting around to retailers and reading while on the go. Unlike The Story of Tea, The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook is not a generalist book, but instead focuses on selecting, buying, preparing, and storing good tea.  The Handbook begins with a brief introduction on how tea is grown and harvested, then continues with excellent chapters on tea purchasing and preparation.

(I particularly appreciate the detail into which the authors help novice tea-drinkers understand the importance of preparing tea carefully.)

The Heisses are experienced tea shop owners, and reading their Handbook feels like getting a personal consultation during a tea-shop visit. They walk the reader through the major tea groups (black/red, green, oolong, white, yellow and pu’erh), highlighting interesting examples of tea from each group, and providing information on sub-varieties and production methods. The book ends with a chapter on the proper way to store tea, followed by a glossary of common tea terms.

The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook: A Guide to the World’s Best Teas provides tea newbies with a well-rounded education in tea basics, while also helping tea enthusiasts expand their horizons. By capitalizing on their great expertise in helping customers choose and prepare good tea, the Heisses produced an incredibly useful work which I strongly recommend to my readers.

Get 20% off your Teas Etc order this weekend, July 2nd-July 6th, if you use coupon code July4 at the checkout. Click here for details on this special offer! Plus, as always, free shipping with orders of $60 or more!

Greetings!

Tonight I am honored to have Christopher Bourgea of BourgeaTea as my guest on the LainieSips podcast. We plan to discuss his decision to bring good tea to his college campus by starting his own tea company. Christopher is a delightful young man, and I am thrilled that he is a part of the tea community.

Listen to internet radio with Lainie Sips on Blog Talk Radio

The show starts at 8pm Eastern Time-5pm Pacific. If you have questions for Christopher, feel free to call in at (347) 215-8528. The show will be archived and available through the BlogTalkRadio site or iTunes for future listening.

Exciting news indeed for tea-lovers in the United States: The Chicago Tea Garden, co-owned by tea blogger Tony Gebley, is the first to import and sell Zealong, the only teas grown in New Zealand!

These fresh, flavorful oolongs can be purchased through The Chicago Tea Garden’s website, and wholesale opportunities are available. I wrote more about this at the Examiner, and encourage you to read more about Zealong’s exciting story.  As Tony himself says:

“Just as the wine industry has expanded into many new areas around the world, the same is happening with tea. New regions for tea-growing, such as New Zealand, bring new flavors to tea lovers, and we are proud to be a part of this growing trend.”