Steven Smith Teamaker

I had it in mind to duck outta traffic and make a pit stop at Smith HQ today. It was the first such stop in – oh – a month and a half, and I’d heard rumblings about their new line of iced teas. I figured, “It was a summer day, my mood is horrible, and I’m under-caffeinated…ice me.”

The gal at the counter was kind enough to brew up a new pitcher of the stuff and pour me a pint. She had mentioned that it had a sweeter profile than most, which I found odd given that the blend possessed no Keemun, but…whoah…she was right. This was not an iced tea that needed anymore sweetening. Okay, some Southerners will say ALL iced tea needs sweetening, but whatever.

A sweet tang dominated the forefront followed by a robust interchange between malt and floral characteristics. It was like the blend was dueling with itself on my tongue. An Indian muscatel/spice lean was felt along with mild astringency on aftertaste. By golly, what a good blend. Perked me up somethin’ fierce.

This was the third gin-infused/scented tea I’ve tried from Smith Teamaker’s in-house blender, Tony Tellin. The technique used was a different one; Mao Feng green tea was basted in gin for a period of time then re-dried. Or at least, that’s how I understood it. The result was a green tea with a very damp, deeply juniper berry scent. Taste-wise, it had more in common with a freshly-plucked, early spring Long Jing with a lemony/winy presence. Quite fantastic.

Full Write-Up Here: http://lazyliteratus.teatra.de/2011/05/04/mao-feng-gin/

Today, I ventured out to Smith HQ to try their Bai Hao Oolong. Why? I dunno, it was a craving. The last three (or so) I tried, I liked. And it was the one thing of Smith’s I didn’t remember having. One of the blenders also finally cleared up an confusion about Taiwanese/Chinese Bai Haos for me that I greatly appreciated. Taste-wise, it possessed a smooth front, no mineral/chalk consistency, and a subtle, yam-like sweetness to the body and finish. By golly, I liked this Bai Hao.

I am loving this chai… It is pleasantly spiced without being too spicy (now, I love a good, spicy chai too, but, sometimes it’s nice to have something this well-balanced). The Assam is the strongest player in this blend, and I like that. It is rich, malty and really a very hearty tea. YUM!

I guess this first flush Darjeeling is technically cheating, since it is a blend of both first and second flush leaves. That said, I wanted to try it anyway. I was at Smith HQ with my mother (which seems to be the recurring pattern), and noticed it was one of the black teas I didn’t remember trying. Why that is, I know not; for it possessed a character that was surely memorable. Like other Marybong offerings I tried, it was strong in it’s “jalapeno”-spicy notes and floral lean. I prefer my blacks on the light side, and this certainly was. Time went by so fast, I didn’t realize I was finished ’til I poured drips out of the pot. A habit-forming Darjeeling.

I read Geoffrey’s post this morning and thought this was a perfect tea for today. To be honest, I’d be happy with this tea any day. I love this. So smooth – and just so DARN good!

Malty. No bitterness. Delicious sweetness. So VERY GOOD!

Oh… wow! A few weeks ago I was able to get to Steven Smith’s Tea Shop in Portland, and they only had 2 packages of this (they may have had more stashed away, but only two out on the shelf). I greedily grabbed one because it was the tea I had hoped to find there.

And, yes, I’m only just now trying it. What can I say, I have enough tea to fill the pacific ocean.

This is so good. So very very good. I should expect no less from the rock star of tea (Steven Smith, of course). Anyway… did I mention this is good? Yes, it’s very good.

A full-length review is forthcoming…

This isn’t actually an item that’s for sale. Heck, it isn’t even an item that’s considered ready yet. Rather, I received notification from Smith HQ that one of their lead blenders was playing around with infusing Ti Kwan Yin leaves in actual gin. I love trying knew chimeric creations, especially when alcohol is involved. The taste for this was quite unique. The foretaste was all oolong, but the middle was vastly dominated by the juniper berry tang imparted by the gin. My other favorite aspect was the aftertaste. As in, there really wasn’t one. I’m not a fan of the cotton-mouthy sensation some Kwan Yins leave me with after sipping. This had nothing like that. It was smooth, berry-ish, floral, and light. An excellent first try. Just thought I’d share.

Full musing: http://www.teaviews.com/2011/02/24/tea-musing-ti-kwan-%E2%80%9Cgin%E2%80%9D/

Sunday, my husband was overjoyed and all giddy that the Steelers won their game and were headed to the Superbowl, so it was the perfect time to ask him to take me to Steven Smith’s shop on Monday. I pretty much could have asked him for anything at that point, but, at the time, all I could think of is tea and visiting Smith’s shop.

I am so glad I went! I was able to procure some of the Rogue Whiskey Black tea, some chai and some of this! Yum yum yum! They have three different RTD teas, and Amy, the Tea specialist who assisted me was nice enough to give me a tasting of each one, and this is the one that I decided to take home with me based on that tasting.

Amy described the process of making these teas: First, the filtered water is infused with the fruit, and then, they use that infused fruit water to steep the tea. The sweetening is very light here, the fruit provides most of the sweetening to it. It’s really delicious, and the best – THE BEST – ready to drink tea I’ve ever tasted.

Unfortunately, it’s not available online, I don’t know if it can be purchased at other locations carrying Steven Smith’s tea. For those of you in the Portland area, though, I highly recommend stopping by Steven Smith’s and trying these!

Brought friends with to Smith HQ. While they were having their respective tasting flights, I ordered a full pot of their Yunnan. I didn’t remember trying it the last three times I’d ventured there. While not explicitly stated as being a Dian Hong, it had the earthy, and mid-astringent character of one. There was a bit of a nectarine nuance there, but not as much as a Yunnan Gold. Still, I enjoyed it quite immensely.

PS ~ It only took me ten minutes to down the (almost) 24oz pot. Make of that what you will.

Had a pot of this with my mother this morning at Smith HQ. I remembered sampling it, but didn’t remember exactly what I thought about it. This gave me an opportunity to reacquaint myself with it. It was an interesting blend of Assam and two regional Ceylons. The forefront was notably astringent (likely the Assam), but settled into the Ceylon floral tone soon after. Bergamot scenting seemed a bit understated this time ’round. Not necessarily a deal-breaker, just a surprise given the moniker. Still liked it quite a bit, though.

I sampled this on a visit to their teashop and immediately picked up a bottle. That’s how much I loved it. I finally cracked it open while at work. I’ve had pear-flavored white teas before, but never paired with apples. The flavor lived up to my wildest imagination…and that’s pretty vivid. Pear dominated the foretaste, while apple and mildly-astringent Bai Mu Dan dominated the middle. The aftertaste was toasty, almost Riesling-like. This is an iced tea I’d pour into a wine glass to “fit in” at a party full of sommeliers. Looks the same and almost tastes the same. Simply awesome.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2011/01/22/review-smith-teamaker-no-71-white-petal-rtd/

It being St. Patty’s Day, I decided to make this my morning cup. Gah! SO good. Still! While it’s been pointed out to me that a “true” Irishman would have “actual” whiskey in his tea for the morn, I will settle with a mildly peaty substitute. Love this grand experiment.

I finally got me some more! They got another limited stock in of the lovely alcy-scented Ceylon that captured my heart and tongue. Initial dry smell of this new batch was more “damp”-like than the first. Stronger on the bitey note. I finally cupped it this morning before heading out the door. It was still as floral, feathery and woody on the initial sip like the first time I tried it. The finish, though, was much stronger. Not sure what was done differently, but it had more of the whiskey toastiness the second time ’round. Still awesome.

Full Write-Up Here: http://www.lazyliteratus.com/1118

I made it a point this morning to get up early and make the trek to Smith Teamaker’s brick-n-mortar shop to pick up some of this. I thought it’d be a perfect gift for my dad. Unfortunately, they were sold out of it. Luckily, they had just enough left for me to sample a pot. The black tea base was a Nuwara Eliya Ceylon given a couple months rest in a white oak whiskey barrel. The result was a bright amber liquor with a woody/smokey foretaste, a floral middle, and a winy/whiskey-like aftertaste; toasty but not bitey. This stuff is habit-forming.

Full Write-Up Here: http://www.lazyliteratus.com/1118

Some will question why such a high score of 100 on the rating scale for such a sublime, barely-there taste or aroma? My answer is because there is quality to backup the flavor, or rather the lack thereof.

Aroma: Smelling the sachet with the tea before it hits the water is very nice; and as the name denotes, a lemony grass, literally. Not lemony as a candy or the sprightly rind, but a subdued quiet lemon intermingled with grassy notes. However, once the sachet hits the water and starts to melt into it, there is no aroma whatsoever!…strange?…it smells of warm water.

Taste: Extremely sublime…even more so than a white tea. A white tea has body and character, this lemongrass is extremely delicate and doesn’t show to the party until it is there for a while and made it’s acquaintance with everyone. Then after a while, some and only some, flavor profile starts to poke through. It is as the namesake, a lemony grass. Very delicate, very sublime. An extremely nice tea to have as a bedtime tea or for quiet time to contemplate, it is quiet, subdued and delicate. The taste is lemony, grassy with the slightest hint of a spicy bite reminiscent of ginger but only as a whispering afterthought; also, it is a little sweet…more like powdered sugar rather than granular sugar. The sweetness would fit more like an Asian delicacy of candied grass with powdered sugar than a cloying candy sweetness of granular sugar, like say a candied ginger.

Aftertaste: This mimics the flavor profile…a little bite, a little sweetness, lemony and grassy but these characteristics are fleeting.

A nice tea to try as a small purchase, but would I buy again…not too sure; maybe to sooth and calm the tummy and for quiet contemplation but not as a regular goto tea.

Yet, another favorite of this illustrious brand!

Aroma: It’s exactly as the website describes it…spicy, sweet and leathery, very pleasant.

Taste: A duplicate of the aromas. Spicy, sweet and leathery [if one could taste leather…not off-putting at all!]. This tea is a juxtaposition of tastes, meaning, it is spicy, sweet and leathery simultaneously; complex yet linear and delicate. A fine tea to enjoy throughout the day…better for afternoon and early evening due to not much of a caffeine kick for a morning jolt. Yunnan teas have some body to them and yet they are not mouth filling or possess that “drying” effect or the tannins of other black teas. Very delicious teas, indeed!

Aftertaste: More of a lingering sweetness of raisins and burnt caramel [not charred tasting at all] and not cloying either. A little spicy as well but only intermingled, not prominent.

I like Yunnan teas because of it’s complex characteristics…spicy, sweet, delicate and yet it has some body and complexity to it.

A highly recommended tea to have in one’s collection! A must buy!

I find it cool…

I completely agree with the previous comment that it does not turn bitter. I also leave my sachet in a long time (both when I ice it and when I drink it hot) and it tastes great the entire time. Every other jasmine tea I’ve had turns bitter if I over steep it. With this one, I don’t have to worry.

I must start by saying that I am a new-found fanboy of this new brand; I am not paid or given any promotional kickbacks for touting this brand.

Now with that said, I LOVE this tea! It is another superb offering. Steep time and water temp are to my usual likings, the high-quality sachet stays in the cup the whole duration of enjoying the tea and the water temp is boiling.

Aroma Profile: To start the aroma is of a light butter, slightly toasted cashew nuts and a slight hint of grape leaves. It’s not off-putting.

Taste Profile: This tea starts with, again, a light butter, a hint of creamy sweetness, slightly toasted cashew nuts and the slightest hint of a herbal note [I would describe it as a fennel characteristic]. The longer the sachet stays in, the more intense the flavor profile becomes but it never gets bitter or inedible. However, the fennel herbal note disappears and the other notes intensify somewhat but not to the extent of overpowering your taste buds. There is no thickness feel on the tongue or a full mouth feel either.

Aftertaste: There is a crispness to this tea that lingers. I would compare this tea’s aftertaste to a Chardonnay wine. It possess the buttery, creaminess along with the nuts but with a clean, crisp finish.

I would highly recommend this tea.

As far as I’m concerned, as long as tea is fresh you can never go wrong with Jasmine Pearls. And Steven Smith was no exception. This tea was wonderful.

But the real reason I’m writing this review is because I loved the packaging. It is spot-on for the look and feel of tea as far as I’m concerned. And since they back up the packaging with a beautiful product, I’m a huge fan!

I really like this tea a lot. It does not turn bitter no matter how long I keep the sachet in and the one’s who know my reviews by now, know that I keep the sachet in the whole time I am enjoying my cup of tea.

Taste: It is a very pleasing and satisfying cup of Jasmine green tea; the blending is spot-on, top-notch. You appreciate the essence of Jasmine without overpowering the green tea. The green tea itself is very fresh, not too vegetal, strong or astringent. I would most highly recommend this tea and the brand…this is truly a Premium tea purveyor!

Check out my review for the No.96 Jasmine Silver Tip—the same review applies to this select blend, however, this Jasmine Pearl is a bit more fragrant and there is an exceptional aftertaste that is slightly sweet [somewhat reminiscent of vanilla] yet very pleasing. Once again, I would most highly recommend this tea and this Premium brand.