Over the last couple of weeks I've been enjoying, savoring, and yes - reviewing some teas from Golden Moon Tea. It has been a lovely experience trying some new-to-me teas and revisiting some of my favorite types. Below I've listed the five teas that I reviewed along with their description from the site. My comments follow each in italics. And no, I am not a wine expert as my oh so lofty remarks might suggest... I just think of teas as one of those affordable luxuries that I can actually enjoy immensely. If any of you have sampled these particular teas or some of the others from Golden Moon, I'd love to hear what you think as well. I'm always on the hunt for a perfect cup of tea (or as my English Gramma called it "a cup of swipes").
Darjeeling - The land of the dancing mists gives birth to this most precious Indian loose leaf tea. The exquisite balance of fruit, nut and floral notes, with a unique muscatel bouquet make this truly one of the world's finest. Makes me think of it as a wine among teas. I like to try to pick out the contributing factors in the taste, just like when sampling wines. Very enjoyable drink with distinct but complimentary tastes involved.
Sinharaja - a special Ceylon tea offering from Golden Moon Tea. The flavor of the Ceylon tea leaf offers a rich, toasty caramel and molasses flavor with subtle notes of ripe berries. This popular black Ceylon tea is great as a breakfast tea or throughout the day for a rich mellow state. This one makes me not miss my coffee so much any more (caramel macchiatos...). I definitely think it suits me for one of my breakfast teas.
Irish Breakfast Special Reserve - Combining ultra-premium estate teas, this blend far exceeds the typical Irish Breakfast. Beautiful golden tips highlighted against deep black leaves. The robust flavor is equally elegant and complex. Rich and malty character, with subtle notes of ripe cherries, dark prunes, and hints of hazelnuts and honey. Full bodied, dark in the cup, and further enhanced with a touch of milk or cream. A connoisseur's breakfast tea. Another tea that makes me forget why I had to have coffee in the first place. I really enjoyed this with a splash of milk and dollop of honey. Very satisfying cup o' swipes.
Pu-erh Chai - An exotic blend of rich, earthy notes enlivened by aromatic cinnamon bark and elegant green cardamom pods, highlighted with a smooth citrus bouquet. Sweet and full bodied. I liked this tea well enough, but I think the cinnamon was just a little overpowering for me. I tried it straight first and then added some milk and honey for the second cup. It was good, but it was my least favorite of the five. I really like chai teas usually and this one is rated highly on the website, but I couldn't warm up to it.
Tippy Earl Grey - For the free spirit living in a proper society. Traditionally taken in the morning or afternoon, but break free and enjoy anytime. Delightful with toast and strawberry preserves. An excellent afternoon tea to serve to guests with cream cheese sandwiches, scones, and fresh or dried fruit. The bergamot isn't too overpowering in this tea like it is in some and the lavender really adds to the total flavor. Definitely right up there as one of my favorite Earl Greys.
If you get a chance, be sure to go by and check out Golden Moon Tea. They have many, many varieties of lovely teas to check out. One of the really nice features is that they have samplers for 99 Cents! It's a great way to sample several different teas before deciding on one or ten new favorites. Their flat rate shipping is a good deal too.
Samples for this review were provided to me by Golden Moon Tea. I was under no obligation to do a review in exchange for the product. The opinions offered here are 100% my own.
Any typographical errors in this post are solely the responsibility of Porkchop as he is attacking my hands and the keys while I try to type this. He enjoys putting his paw on the touchpad. He takes full blame...
