REVIEW – Ceylon Silver Tips by Premier Pearl Tea

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base review XDescription of tea
The dry tea is stunning  – unbroken, downy silver and grey needles, with young fresh-green hue. Aroma is an intriguing mix of sweet, earthy and toasty notes. Shape and texture are beautiful and inviting. Buds taste pure and natural.

Infused Tea/Unique Characteristics
The tea brews a mild pale-yellow liquor that’s delicate, clear and bright. Aroma is rich and has a woodland feel. Taste is endearing with vivid but gentle notes.  The top vegetal, toasty flavors, with faint melony and malty undertones, commingle with brilliant grassy, mild-floral, hay-like sweetness. Infusion feels thick in the mouth but doesn’t settle heavily. It coats the mouth effortlessly and has a dry, tannic mouthfeel and a lingering aftertaste – like a white wine.

Infusion
I steeped 1 1/2 tsp of tea in 250 ml glass of pre-boiled water (85C) for 5 mins. After the first steeping, the needles are unfettered. The first infusion is soft, subtle, foresty with exquisite complexity. I chose to steep my second infusion for a longer time and at 10 mins I was stunned with it’s changed personality. The hidden woodsy-nutty characters were at the forefront. The infusion was fuller, rounder and had more depth. I definitely recommend brewing this tea for a longer time, for its eminent flavors to completely bloom and heighten.

I like adventurous teas and this one is fun. From the color of the liquor, the tea seems exceedingly gentle but it’s flavor experiences surprised me. I initially chose to brew my first sample for 3 mins. It was almost colorless yet flavorful. This one is a keeper. It’s personal, quietening and stress relieving. And I feel it will be instantly liked by anyone who has a special heart for delicate teas.

Website – premierpearltea.com

REVIEW- Kenya White Lelsa Silver Tip by Grey’s Teas

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GreyTeareview

Description of Tea
The dry leaves consist of long needle-like buds, about an inch in length, mostly covered in white fuzz. The leaves have shades of olive, grey and purple. The texture of the leaves is wonderful, with toasty, floral and grassy aroma.

Infused Tea/Unique Characteristics
In the cup, the leaves brew a pale greenish-yellow liquor. The sweet floral tannic aroma, with mild fruity undertone, compliments the strong hay-like flavor on the palate – which together brings about a melodious sweetness in every sip. The infusion is light-bodied with mild briskness and a velvety mouthfeel.

Infusion
2 gms of leaves were infused in 200 ml pre-boiled water, at 80 C for 3 minutes. The first infusion was strong with distinct flavors and a sweet finish. The second infusion brewed for 5 minutes at 95 C, brought in mild malty notes with melon-freshness. The third infusion steeped for 8 minutes was subtle, delicate and refreshing.

It’s an exceptional tea, probably one of the best silver tips I’ve had in a long time and I loved the experience. It’s flavor profile can certainly be matched with some of the finest white teas from China. This rare tea from Kenya is cherished globally and I can see why the love is growing.

Website – www.greysteas.co.uk
Twitter – @greysteas
Rating – 4/5

TEA Trip Two – Assam, The Land Of TEA!

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Assam is the world’s largest tea-growing region and the second most commercial tea producing region in the world after southern China. To understand it’s history, culture and trade, right from it’s roots, we decided to travel to Assam. For me, an ardent tea addict, the journey here was a very willing step into nirvana.

Assam, as per data, comprises of more than 850 tea estates and more than 2500 tea gardens, that immediately arouse an almost fanatical devotion. Today, Assam produces more than half of the tea produced in India, which accounts to around 400 million kgs of tea from it’s gardens alone. Most of the premium grade tea is either auctioned or exported to other countries, through the auction center in Guwahati. Rest, which is left, is sold to the domestic market. This is sadly one of the prime reasons why most of the well-established tea brands in India are selling very low-grade tea.

Tea is produced in the low lying areas in Assam, unlike Darjeeling and Nilgiris, which are grown at higher altitudes. This is the reason why Assam tea is brisk, malty, bright and strong, while Darjeeling tea is light colored and musky, with floral aroma. Most of the tea gardens here are situated in Jorhat, which is called the ‘Tea Capital of The World’.

Assam tea has a very rich and fascinating history. It is manufactured specifically from the plant Camellia Sinensis, Assamica family. Assam teas or blends, are sold as ‘breakfast’ tea globally. For instance, Irish Breakfast Tea, a maltier and stronger variety, consists of small-sized Assam tea leaves. Infact, English tea and Scottish breakfast tea include tea from Assam. Interestingly, Pu-erh, one of China’s most famous tea, is essentially a green tea of the big-leafed assamica. Besides it’s distinctive black tea, Assam also produces smaller quantities of green and white tea.

I spent adventurous days exploring the local markets, visiting various tea vendors, shops and learning about tea, first hand from the local businesses. One such great moments in Guwahati was a brilliant evening of tea tasting and tea-talk, with Absolute Tea. Later, we headed to 11th Avenue, an urban café and bistro, overlooking a lake. A perfect evening spot, for a cup of tea. I met the owner Gaurav Das, and had wonderful chat over few rounds of exotic teas here. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking to spend time reading, writing or simply enjoying the beautiful view by the lake, in this tea divine city.

Thus, my TEAlightful time in Assam came to an end and after many cups of brilliant tea, I was all set to catch my early morning train to Nagaland – to discover something enchanting, from the land of the warriors. I could smell the tea in the air.