Review: Mystery Pu'erh produced by Yongde Xinwen Tea Factory

One of my new favorite pastimes in African teas to trawl Chinese stores in search of new and exciting teas to try. At the T2000 shop in Kigali (Rwanda), I came across this little number. I was reliably informed by the T2000 lady that its a Pu'erh Shan, as the packet didn't leave me any the wiser about the type tea.

I was a little suspicious given that I'd never seen a loose Pu'erh before and especially since the leaves looked a rather vivid green in the packaging (they are in fact the usual dark brown colour), but decided to give it a go....

Mystery Pu'erh [Black, China] *** $$$

Other Names: ??

Quite a fine little pu'erh tea, earthy and grounding, i'll be interested to see how it does in the taste test against my cake Pu'erh once I get home. It reminds me of the floral pu'erh tea bags I was given from China.

Produced by www.teatf.com

Simliar teas: Ozymandias Pu'erh, Pu'erh, Pu'erh Shan

With my friend Patel in the background, who used to be one of the finest chai makers in east africa before he was converted to being a coffee drinker :(

Review: Black by Satemwa, Malawi

This tea is a heavier hitter than many of those on the market in Malawi which tend to be lighter and more darjeeling-esque. Satemwa gains a dark colour within moments of brewing. A very tannic tea that will delight those who like their tea with a punch, or with a good dollop of milk.

Mystery Black, Satemwa, Malawi [Black, Tannic] **, $               - Satemwa, MW

Other Names: None

I could have sworn a caught a slight floral taste in this tea but I'm not sure, it may have been caused by using the same cup to drink from as my Guan Yin....

The second brew i let steep for a very short time (20 secs maybe) but it brought out a LOT more tannins. Holy crap, this tea is heavy. This time I thought I got a little honey flavour but i might be going mad.

Similar teas: Most heavy Indian or Kenyan teas are in this vein, UK and Irish bag teas will therefore also be a good match  

Review: Chombe Tea

Apparently in the days of the Banda dictatorship in Malawi folks would come from all over the country to drink Chombe tea. All I can say is either the tea has changed radically in those days or Malawians have terrible taste in tea. {or just maybe this stuff tastes very different with tons of sugar and milk powder}

Chombe tea, Malawi [Black] no star -$

Other Names: None

OH MY, what is this awful brew? The office stores ran out of Rabs and I was subjected to this awfulness, I got through about half a cup and gave up. It doesnt even taste like real tea, maybe something that someone got half way through washing up and decided to drink. Yuk!

Simliar teas: Lipton black bags

Review: Rabs Teabags

Rabs tea, Malawi [Black] ** -$

Other Names: None

Light in flavour, Declan, my irish collegue in Malawi doesnt like them because they give too pale a colour when he uses milk (the heathen!!). These common little bags are so far the best I've found in malawi, mild enough to be enjoyed black.

Simliar teas: Darjeeling, Kaschmir, Rwanda teas

Review: Chun Mee by Dogan & Acer

Chun Mee, China [Green, Grassy] * $$ -Dogan and Acer, AT

Other Names: Mai Cha

I picked this up on a trip to Vienna but was never very fond of it, slightly grassy in taste and without much of an aroma, I always feel like its a bit of a “nowhere” tea. I returned to it on three different occasions but it never really clicked. I mean, its a typical green tea but otherwise I cant seem to say much about it.

Similar teas: Xin Yang Mao Jian

Review: Alishan Oolong

A simple green oolong that seems to fall somewhere in the spectrum between Vital Leaf's Thousand Mile green tea and Te Guan Yin, both in terms of the quality and floral taste which is in abundance in Te Guan Yin but almost entirely absent in Thousand Mile (a “straight” green tea).

I've occasionally seen Tekoe selling something called Alishan Oolong but I'm unable to determine if Alishan is a standard tea name or not. Internet search doesn't clarify either and tellingly Alishan doesn't show up in the product lists of the highly specialised tea shops.

Alishan Oolong, Taiwan [Green, Floral] *** $$ - Vital Leaf Tea, USA

Other Names: ??

First Brew:

Second Brew:

Similar teas: Te Guan Yin, green oolongs, Zomba Green

Review: LongJing

For some reason, known as the poets tea. For me this wasnt the most accessible tea at first, its grassy and astringent and I found it bitter. After two years of drinking oolongs and Te Guan Yin I revisited it because I found a Japanese [HL] tea I liked. Also due to a shopping error by Alessandra, but in this case it was getting the right tea by accident.

LongJing, China [Green, Grassy] *** $$

Other Names: Dragonswell

Attention: This tea is very sensitive to temperature, make it with boiling water at your peril!

First Brew: Mild taste with noticable grassy aroma

Second Brew: Flavours develop significantly

Similiar teas: Sencha from Japan, grassy chinese teas, Reserve de Sichuan

Review: DaHongPao

My first exposure was at a workshop in London and I loved it so much I had a friend hunt for it while on her holidays in China. This is a fantastic little tea that holds you in its arms and makes you feel that life is just fine.

I became so addicted to this tea that I recently found myself on holidays in northern Mozambique skulking around chinese stores and accosting anyone vaguely east asian looking to see where I could get some chinese teas....I found my bonheur eventually at the flagship chinese store in Maputo!

DaHongPao, China [Blue-Green] ***** $$$

Other Names: Buddha Hand tea. 

First Brew: Great aroma, floral and slightly spicy, Take care not to brew too long.

Second Brew: The taste deepend and I find 2nd and 3rd brew to be the most comforting

Subsequent brews: This tea will loose flavour before it looses colour, I often try to do one brew over the line and have to throw out cause the leaves are too used

Similiar teas: Buddha Hand (Fo Shou), Wu Yi