Golden Orchid

Oh man! This smells so sweet and gorgeous right out of the bag!

This smells a bit darker than I expected – heavier on the caramel and nuts, and lighter on the sweetness. My first sips match the scent, with a bit of plum added in. The more I drink, the more sweetness I get, along with a touch of bitterness, bridged with maltiness.

I like this tea, but I got thrown off a bit by the plum flavor.

I haven’t ordered from Whispering Pines in a while, and all my favorites were out of stock :( so I had to try something new. This tea smells divine in the bag. Strong vanilla and chocolate. But when I brewed it, most of those notes were lost somewhere in the process. I was left with a cup that tasted very much like North Winds. I didn’t pay attention at the time that this tea is, indeed, made with North Winds. But that’s OK, since I LOVE the North Winds black tea. Although I’m not sure if the version I tried last is same as current version. At any rate, this tea is good, but I was disappointed in translation of dry leaf to cup. I think Ill have to change the brewing parameters next time and see if I can’t bring out more flavor. Also, sometimes my taste buds have an off day and don’t notice the obvious. I’ll be returning to this tea soon for re-evaluation.

Backlog from the weekend:

Goodness, this tea smells lovely when you brew it. I totally get the fudgy notes that people say this tea has. However, I’m not sure if vanilla is the most predominant flavour for me. I get instead a sweet sort of leather/smoke note, plus those chocolate notes. I steeped it twice and was pretty content with the results.

I have about 1 good serving of this left, and I’m looking forward to it. I think that the yunnan in this blend is the kind of yunnan I prefer: leather flavour over sweet potato.

Alas, another black tea that I didn’t really enjoy. I think my tastebuds are changing and rejecting all the black teas :P

This tea is awesome! I was lucky enough to snag two ounces from Whispering Pines when it went up for sale. When i opened the package the aroma hits you; true vanilla. But the vanilla isn’t over powering its just there to compliment the other flavors the Dian Hong and the Fujian Xiao Zhong have to offer. I would highly recommend this tea.

So yummy! I cant get enough!

Thank you Blodeuyn again for this :) This will be the last sample.

I was saving the best for last. This tea was promoted to be the classic of the company, and this is what put them on the map. I knew it would be good!

The aroma coming from this package was amazing! These leaves carry the scent of a true vanilla. I define a true vanilla as one that is not a sugary sweet flavor that is often associated with the color white, but a bold dark taste that is a balance of sweet and malt. I brewed this dessert in my glassware western style. I didn’t wish to use gongfu on flavored teas. My glass gave off an enticing cloud. It was a floral vanilla but with an undertone of oiled fine wood. I took a sip of this delectable treat, and I now know why this is so popular. The flavor started as a smooth syrup with a honey mouthfeel. The flavor was dark mahogany with a sugarcane sweetness. This flavor continued into various others, ever changing. I could hint at dried plums, black cherries, and a slight floral. This bouquet of flavors was wrapped up in a complex blend. The finishing taste was that of the true vanilla side by side with a tone of milk chocolate. I also indulged in my shortbread cookies (website recommended) which maximized the flavor. This brew carries some amazing flavors, and it lasts well into multiple steeping.

I am never a person for flavored teas, especially when they are sweetened. I think they taste too artificial, or the flavors masks the actual tea. This blend I believe was done right, exceptionally right. I guess I should never say never :)

ohhh that smell!! vanilla heaven!

Wow.
Just, wow.
I have all my samples from Dexter (THANK YOU!!), but I needed something I could make quick, and the brewing directions were written on the baggie, so I went with this one. My daughter was waiting for me, since she wanted to watch Doctor Who together (she picked out “End of Time Part 1”…she just likes to see me get weepy over that cafe scene with The Doctor and Wilf….every time. it gets me every time!).
I sat down with my mug and took a sniff and was blown away…. this smelled like the most REAL vanilla…high quality vanilla…I have ever smelled in a tea! And the chocolate notes swirling with it… just Soooo unbelievable amazing in scent.
Sipping, I was just as amazed… Right now, this could possibly be my favourite flavoured tea… it has everything I want in a flavoured tea!
So unbelievably good!

I taste this tea mainly with my tongue and the roof of my mouth. It feels somehow like there are rows of complexity between the two (which is perhaps my breath). My tongue tastes sweetness, while the breath and roof carry a light bitterness.

I definitely taste chocolate, but it feels more balanced than other chocolaty teas. A milk chocolate with a small amount of sweetener, or maybe white chocolate. Usually I take time enjoying my tea, but this one was gone before it even got a chance to cool off.