Marrakesh Mint

Tea: Marrakesh Mint
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $9.95 / 15 teabags
Vendor Description: Marrakesh Mint green tea is made from China Gunpowder green tea blended with refreshing Moroccan peppermint. Packaged in a silken tea pouch, our gourmet teabag, this blend will whisk you away to cascading waterfalls deep in the mountains of Morocco. Host friends and family with this lively green tea brightened with peppermint cultivated on a mountain in Tiznit.

Teabag: The teabag is made in the typical style for Mighty Leaf, sewed together mesh pouches. There really wasn't anything truly remarkable about this teabag, it has a rather strong peppermint aroma to it, but aside from that appears to be a pretty normal green tea.

1st Infusion Parameters: 1 teabag, 5oz, 185F, 3min

1st Infusion: The tea produces a surprisingly deep brown hue, one of the darker I've seen for a green tea. The tea has a very crisp mintiness to the flavor, it's the most noticeable portion of the flavor, behind that though is a rich tea flavor that plays second seat to the peppermint. The tea provides a good overall tea feeling where the peppermint does well to shine forward as mint normally does. There is a little bit of astringency on the back end.

Rating: 5/10
Conclusion: Nothing truly remarkable here. It is a simple green tea with some peppermint added in for a crisper flavor. If you're looking for a mint flavored green tea teabag this is a good option, but if that's not what you're looking for, there's probably something else you want.

Organic Emerald Pearls

Tea: Organic Emerald Pearls
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $16.95 / 4 oz
Source: Anhui, China
Vendor Description: Organic Emerald Pearls green tea, grown on a farm in the Yellow Mountains of China's Anhui province, has tender, deep green leaves and buds. With a flowery aroma and fresh, sweet green tea flavor, this organic green tea is a unique taste experience.

Leaf: This leaf is a light and fluffy green tea. It's probably one of the fluffiest greens that I have seen. The leaves are all smaller more delicate leaves with a very fresh green aroma to them.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5g, 5oz, 185F, 45s

1st Infusion: This infusion has a light and fresh aroma to it. It reminds me lightly of a dragonwell in terms of aroma. It is rather characteristically a Chinese green tea though. The color of the tea itself is a yellow brown hue. The flavor is surprisingly sweet and creamy. The combination is quite interesting for this tea. There is no bitterness or astringency to this tea.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 45s, 185F

2nd Infusion: This infusion has a lighter green color to it. The infused leaf reminds me of used sencha leaf. It is surprisingly light green in color though. The flavor is much bolder as a green tea though. It is not as sweet as the first infusion, but has a rich flavor to it.

Rating: 7/10

Conclusion: This tea is interesting. It is probably one of the best organics that I have had, but it had a rather surprising change between the first and second infusions. It would have been better if it was a bit more uniform in flavor. The name of this tea is a bit misleading, the pearls portion of the name remind me of Jasmine Pearls which are typically rolled into balls, this tea was quite the opposite.

Organic yellow Flower

Tea: Organic Yellow Flower
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $16.95 / 4 oz
Source: Anhui, China
Vendor Description: Organic Yellow Flower green tea, is a handcrafted tea grown in China's Anhui province. Often called yellow bud or yellow flower, its slender green-yellow leaves yield a sweet, floral character and a yellow colored cup. With a clean and smooth taste this chinese tea will refresh and revitalize.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea is a very light and fluffy green leaf. It looks a little like a silver needle and a little like a yellow tea. The color is on the lighter side, between a yellow tea and a green. The leaf is mostly buds, but not as small as some silver needle teas. They are slightly more developed buds and a few lower leaves as well. Some of the leaves have the characteristic silver hairs of a silver needle on them. There is a very fresh green aroma to the tea.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5g, 5oz, 185F, 45s

1st Infusion: This infusion has a pale yellow hue to it. There is a bright and fresh green aroma to it. Surprisingly it reminds me a bit of a sencha. The flavor is creamy and smooth. The feeling is a lot like a silver needle in texture, but doesn't have the flavor of silver needle. Overall the flavor feels more intense than a silver needle, but shares the same smoothness.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 185F, 1:30

2nd Infusion: This infusion has a bold yellow color to it. It reminds me of the flavor of a yellow tea, but feels less refined than the Meng Ding Huang Ya. There is a medium sense of bitterness to it with a light sense of astringency.

Rating: 9/10

Conclusion: This is likely one of the best teas that I have had from Might Leaf so far. It has a vibrant freshness to it and is well priced. It leans to the side of being a yellow tea, but still retains some of the vibrance of green teas. All in all an enjoyable tea.

Mango Green Decaf

Tea: Mango Green Tea Decaf
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $8.95 / 4 oz
Source: Nilgiri, India
Vendor Description: Mango Green Tea Decaf, is a sweet blend of decaffeinated green tea from the Korakundah estate in Nilgiri, India combined with mango piences and calendula. With an intoxicating aroma, this fruity and flavorful green tea provides the perfect introduction to those new to green tea, or simply looking for a delicious, caffeine-free green tea blend.

Leaf: This leaf has a brown-green hue to it. There are yellow blossoms mixed in amongst the twisted green leaf. There are small dried pieces of fruit in the mix. The leaf appears drier than a green tea from China or Japan. The shape of the leaf somewhat reminds me of a Darjeeling.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5g, 185F, 45s, 5 oz

1st Infusion: This infusion had a brownish caramel hue to it. Considering this was a green tea this was rather surprising. There is a light sweet aroma that quickly fades away. The flavor of the tea is very sharp. There is not much mango in the flavor of this tea at all. Most of the flavor from the tea is up front, but it is very short lived. It quickly dies off leaving not much on the back end. There is no astringency to the back.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 15s, 185F

2nd Infusion: The flavor was very similar to the first infusion. Not much flavor overall, and very short lived.

Rating: 2/10

Conclusion: I don't drink many green teas from outside of Japan and China, let alone decaf. This tea was somewhat of a reminder of why. Normally I don't drink many decaf teas either. The flavor was light in comparison with the tea flavor, and I acknowledge that flavoring a green tea is a difficult proposition, but it still could have been better.

Coco Chai

Tea: Coco Chai
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $8.95 / 4oz
Source: South Africa
Vendor Description: Coco Chai rooibos tea is a handcrafted, caffeine-free chai tea made from South African rooibos blended with shredded coconut, red peppercorns and aromatic spices including ginger, cinnamon and cardomon. This twist on a classic chai tea will surprise with its intoxicatingly aroma and spicey but sweet flavor.

Leaf: This is a rooibos based chai blend. It has a mix of coconut, peppercorns and cardomon. There was also some ginger in the mix that I saw. There is a very sweet and distinctive coconut aroma to this tea. It has a much bolder aroma than most chai.
1st Infusion Parameters: 3g, 12oz, 5 min, 195F

1st Infusion: The tea had a golden brown / light reddish hue to it. Again the distinctive coconut aroma was easy to pick out. The flavor was sweet and flavorful, it felt like just the right amount of rooibos flavor in comparison to the flavor of the spices. There was no bitterness or astringency to it. The flavor was just at a right level for making htis without using a milk/sugar mix for this chai.

Rating: 7/10

Conclusion: This tea is a good value. The suggested mix was to use less tea than I would normally have used for a test, and it turned out to be a good amount. The price by itself is quite good for a 4 oz bag. The flavor was well balanced. That said it lacked having a little bit of distinguishing characteristics from other chai aside from being rooibos based. A more prominent coconut flavor might be interesting.

Organic Lu An Gua Pian

Tea: Organic Lu An Gua Pian
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $16.95 / 4 oz
Source: Anhui Province, China
Vendor Description: Organic Lu An Gua Pian green tea, also known as "Little Melon Seed" is an exquisite, high-grade green tea grown in China's Anhui province. Processed using only the beautiful emerald green leaves, without any buds, the Lu An Gu Pian tea dates back to the Tang Dynasty. This refreshing green tea yields a sweet and floral taste with a smooth filong lasting finish similar to that of a Ti Kuan Yin oolong tea.

Leaf: The leaf has light green edges and is lightly twisted. It's not rolled as finely as a sencha, but not open like a Phoenix oolong. The edges of the leaves are light green, but the center of the leaf is dark green.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5g, 5 oz, 185F, 45s

1st Infusion: The tea has a light yellow green hue to it. The aroma is nicely sweet. The tea is very sweet, especially for a green tea. It is rich and flavorful without much bitterness or astringency. It is pleasant, but a bit average in flavor, there is not much that really stands out in the flavor.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 45s, 185F

2nd Infusion: This infusion was a lightly murky infusion with a yellow-green hue. It is abit more yellow than green. The aroma isn't very prominent anymore, there isn't much of an aroma to it at all. The flavor is a bit sharper. It is sweet at the onset, and then turns a stronger and that's where the sharpness is.

Rating: 7/10

Conclusion: This tea was quite enjoyable, but a bit on the mundane side. The first infusion was nicely sweet and subtle. The second infusion showed a bit more character, but nothing outstanding. Factoring in the price I would probably pick something a bit more interesting, but there was nothing wrong with this tea.

Organic Earl Green

Tea: Organic Earl Green
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $9.95 / 4 oz
Vendor Description: Our Organic Earl Green tea, an organic Darjeeling green tea blended with bergamot, is a unique twist on the classic Earl Grey black tea. One of our employee favorites, Organic Earl Green makes a great breakfast tea or can be enjoyed all day long. This loose tea is ideal for friends who are new to green tea. Also refreshing on ice.

Leaf: Considering this is a green tea, you could have fooled me. The leaf is dark, with shades of browns and black. I would have guessed it to be a mix between a Darjeeling and orthodox black. There is a little bit of silvery leaf mixed in as well. There is a very strong citrus aroma (which I believe is the bergamont aroma, but never having smelled true bergamont it's hard to say for sure) The aroma reminds me somewhat of lemon pledge.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5g, 5 oz, 185F, 45s

1st Infusion: This tea has a medium citrus aroma to it. The tea has a green-brown hue. The flavor is very strong and intense, filled with a strong feeling of citrus. It's hard to find the portion of this tea which is really that green. There is a sharp bitterness to it and a medium sense of astringency on the back.

Rating: 5/10

Conclusion: I've never really understood the fascination with Bergamont flavored teas. Earl Grey is probably one of the most singularly famous teas. Right down to the Star Trek references for the stuff. This tea has a strong flavor to it, so if you enjoy bergamont you will probably enjoy this tea. It feels more like a black tea than a green, but it must be brewed as a green. It is lighter than an earl grey so that part is a bit more enjoyable.

Wuyi Oolong

Tea: Wuyi Oolong
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $12.95 / 4 oz
Vendor Description: Wuyi Oolong tea made in China's Northern Fujian Wuyi mountains is well known for its smooth and rich body and taste. Long, beautiful twisted leaves impart a roasty aroma and produce a sweet, nuanced cup. L:ike other oolongs our Wuyi oolong can be infused multiple times.

Leaf: This tea is rather small and broken for a Wuyi Oolong. There are more small pieces and powder than I have seen in most Wuyi Oolongs. This could have been from shipping, but the leaf did appear more broken than normal. The leaf itself is characteristic dark brown almost black leaf.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5g, 5 oz, 208F, 5s rinse, 45s

1st Infusion: The tea has a dark caramel chocolate color. It is lightly murky which is surprising for a Wuyi, in my experience most are clear, but rich in color. The aroma is thick and sweet. The flavor is very sweet and quite strong. It is both rich and bold with a light tanginess. The tanginess feels like it's due to the strength of the tea itself. The flavor is smooth and leaves with a light sense of astringency.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 1 min, 208F

2nd Infusion: This infusion has the same rich color. The aroma is not quite as sweet as the first, but shows through more like a the traditional aroma I'm used to. The fflavor is again, rich and bold. It feels more like a traditional Wuyi oolong now. There is a medium sense of astringency following this one, and a hint of something that reminds me of the roasting of a hojicha. Not really directly, but it brings the thought to mind.

3rd Infusion Parameters: 1:30, 208F

3rd Infusion: There is not much aroma left at this point. It still has the same brown hue to it. The flavor is smooth and still flavorful, but there are definite signs of the flavor waning in this cup. The thickness and strength that were present in the first two infusions are lightening up and shows signs of wateriness now. There is also a medium sense of astringency following this tea.

Rating: 8/10

Conclusion: For an introduction into Wuyi Oolongs this tea is probably a good way to start. At $12.95 / 4 oz, it is not a terribly expensive Wuyi. In general Wuyi oolongs deliver great value. Normally one of the more attractive points in brewing a Wuyi oolong is seeing the large full leaf shape once you are done, but in this case, due to damage in shipping or at some point along the way, the leaf was much smaller and broken up. It is a bit disappointing, but it may just be how the sample packets were mailed to me. This tea had some amazing color to it, a richer brown than I am used to seeing in most teas.

Jade Oolong

Tea: Jade Oolong
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $28.95 / 4oz.
Vendor Description: Jade Oolong tea, made in China's Anxi province on a small co-op farm, is a competition grade, lightly oxided oolong tea with a complex, orchid-like taste. This oolong tea has a distinctive silk mouth feel and a medium body. The perfect loose tea for multiple infusion as the flavor will become more nuanced with each steeping.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea consists of large balls down to small fleck. This is probably the first oolong that I have seen with this degree of size variance. The leaf is a spectrum of light green to a dark green.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5g, 5 oz, 208F, 45s, 5s rinse

1st Infusion: There was quite a bit of sediment in this cup. The tea is a pale clear green color. The tea has a very light green oolong aroma. The tea flavor matches the aroma in being a typical green oolong. It has the normal green oolong tanginess, and it finishes with a light sense of astringnecy.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 208F, 1:00

2nd Infusion: This infusion has a clear yellow-green color to it. The aroma is richter and more full bodied in flavor. Again it has alight sense of astringency. The flavor is still quite distinctively green oolong. It's hard to describe the flavor more than this. It seems to have the same bitterness and tanginess as before.

3rd Infusion Parameters: 208F, 1:45

3rd Infusion: The color is still a strong yellow green hue. It has a very ful bodied and bold flavor. The flavor is starting to show signs of emptiness. The strength is a bit sharp for an oolong.

4th Infusion Parameters: 208F, 2:30

4th Infusion: The color switched to a darker yellow hue thi time. The aroma was all but gone and the flavor started to lighten up. It felt full bodied, but empty. The flavor was very light and still characteristic green oolong.

Used Leaf: The spent leaf was rather small leaf for an oolong. The leaves themselves were very thin and had a lot of tearing around the edges. This was probably the source for the significant amount of dust / sediment.

Rating: 6/10

Conclusion: This tea is a very generic tasting green oolong. It feels hard to distinguish it from other green oolongs. The price seems a bit steep, but as with most oolongs it turns into a rather nice price per cup. The leaf seems to have been handled a bit roughly, and the sorting seems a bit lax. The tea was flavorful and enjoyable, despite being a bit mundane.

Chocolate Mint Truffle - Teabag

Tea: Chocolate Mint Truffle
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $9.95 / 15 pouches
Source: South Africa
Vendor Description: Chocolate Mint Truffle made with rooibos tea, an herbal plant also known as Red Tea from South Africa, is an intoxicating blend of chocolate cacao nibs, mint and rooibos leaves. Rooibos and chocolate are both known to be good sources of antioxidants. Enjoy this guilt-free indulgence, great for kids and adults alike.

Teabag: This teabag has a very noticeable aroma to it. It hints of cocoa like aroma with a definite mintiness. There is also hints of a spicy peppery aroma to it as well.

Infusion Parameters: 1 teabag, 6 oz, 208F, 5 min

Infusion: The infusion has a rich red color. There is a very strong and prominent mint aroma coming off of the tea. There is a light rooibos flavor to the tea itself. The mint and the rooibos flavors blend well with each other. There are hints of chocolate in the aftertaste. The tea has a light astringency, but it accompanies a smooth warming flavor.

Rating: 7/10

Conclusion: This tea was enjoyable. It was warming and smooth. The color was actually quite a sight to behold, and my picture doesn't do it justice. It was a clear ruby red. The minty aroma cleared the sinuses and lungs. Unfortunately the chocolate and rooibos components were not as prominent of flavors as I felt they should be. The rooibos was very subdued and the chocolate was in mere hints. As a mint rooibos this would have faired a bit better, but this is a Chocolate Mint Truffle tea.

Organic Green Dragon

Tea: Organic Green Dragon
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $9.95 / 15 pouches
Source: China
Vendor Description: Organic Green Dragon, made from organic Dragonwell, the world's most renowned China green tea, envelops the whole palate with a slightly sweet, very refreshing liquor. A classic wok-fired green tea, it has a delicate chestnut like flavor, captivating aroma, and a lovely yellow-green color.

Teabag: This teabag has a very interesting leaf inside. The leaf has a relatively large size to it. Not quite as large as some oolongs and the like, but large for a green tea. The shape is reminiscent of a longjing, but not quite as uniform or flat as some of the longjing that I have seen.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5 oz, 185F, 3 minute infusion

1st Infusion: The leaf turned a much brighter green when infusing. The result was a yellow colored infusion with a light and sharp aroma. The tea was very nutty like a longjing although the flavor was quite light. Given the light nature of the flavor, the tea was surprisingly astringent. The flavor was very sharp and lightly bitter, but in a good sense of balance. The flavor overall was very interesting, but I wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

Rating: 8/10

Conclusion: After looking up that this tea is infact a longjing, this was the longjing that I have liked the best out of all that I have tried. I'm still not a big fan of the type of tea, but this one was rather good. I would enjoy trying this as a stronger tea though.

Organic Detox Infusion

Tea: Organic Detox Infusion
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $9.95 / 15 pouches
Vendor Description: A luscious, detoxifying herbal infusion highlighted by clean notes of mint and basil. A spa retreat in a cup.

Teabag: This is one of the normal satchel type teabags made by mighty leaf. Inside was an interesting mixture of things which I wasn't really sure about. According to the mighty leaf website it contains:

Organic peppermint, organic burdock root, organic dandelion root, organic spearmint, organic licorice root, organic red clover flowers, basil.

I could definitely smell the peppermint. The rest I wasn't really able to discern out.

1st Infusion Parameters: 1 teabag, 5 minute infusion, 185F, 5 oz.

1st Infusion: After the teabag got wet it was apparent that there were more ingredients to the blend than I had originally had thought. There was a brown powder that was settling on the bottom of the cup. There was certain almost savory smell to the tea while it was infusing. There is a very unusual taste to this tea. There is a very strong minty flavor that is very discernable on the back of my throat. There was a little bit of a peppery flavor on the front of the taste and it leaves me with a minty breath feel. There is something on the front end that I couldn't really figure out what the flavor was.

Rating: 2/10

Conclusion: This stuff was very strange. Even as I was drinking it and after I had finished the cup I didn't know what to think of it. It was very apparent that it wasn't tea, but I knew that before trying it. I don't know much about what detox entails or what you can/cannot have during it, but this tea isn't something that I would have in the place of a regular cup of tea. If I wasn't allowed to have tea though (which I have a feeling you aren't allowed to while detoxing) I could understand drinking this instead.

Island Breeze

Tea: Island Breeze
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $12.95/ 10 bags (w/o tin)
Vendor Description: Island Breeze produces a refreshing cup full of lush berry, tropical fruit and hibiscus notes. Mighty Leaf's take on the classic herb and fruited summer iced tea.

1st Infusion: This tea had a very rosy color. The flavor was very odd, it wasn't quite a tea like I was initially expecting. The flavor was medium bodied, and the flavor was not something very easily distinguished. There was no astringency and no bitterness. The flavor was very mellow and general.

Rating: 4/10

Conclusion: I didn't really know what to make of this tea. The flavor was very general and hard to place. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. It felt very average and undistinguished. Looking more into this tea pointed out that this wasn't truly a tea, but consists of assorted tisanes. Personally I would stick to one of the other two iced teas of the three I tried. Aside from being made from tea, their flavor was more focused and pure.

Ginger Peach

Tea: Ginger Peach
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $12.95 / 10 bags (w/o tin)
Vendor Description: Ginger Peach combines the best of spicy and sweet. Smooth black tea yields a full flavored iced tea with hints of ginger, spice and peaches.

About this tea: The Ginger Peach Iced tea is a 2007 World Tea Expo Award Winner. This tea also produces a full gallon per teabag.

1st Infusion: This tea has a veyr murky brown color as well. It is very murky and cloudy. It has an aroma similar to fresh peach fuzz. The flavor of the tea is very light, short lived, and crisp. The initial portion of the flavor is very much like that of a classic black tea flavor, but the back half is rich with peach flavor. This is different than the peach flavor you think of when enjoying some canned peaches, it is more akin to sinking your teeth into a fresh peach. It is very lightly astringent with a very cool feeling. This tea is definitely very refreshing. It has a lingering feeling on the tongue and spreads out over your mouth and lingers. There really isn't much of a flavor of ginger in it though, I couldn't seem to find where the flavor lay in the tea. As an iced tea this is a very cool and refreshing tea.

Rating: 8/10

Conclusion: Normally I consider a flavored version of a tea to be a step down from the traditional orthodox version, but in this tea it is not the case. The flavoring is light, but noticeable. It is flavorful, but not overly flavored. Like the classic black, this iced tea is a very nice and refreshing tea and a very good bargain. My only complaint about this tea is the lack of a ginger flavor even though it is noted in the name.

Classic Black

Tea: Classic Black
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $10.95 / 10 bags (no tin)
Source: India/Ceylon
Vendor Description: Classic Black Iced Tea consists of high-grown Indian and Ceylon black teas that make a flavorful and thirst quenching summer iced tea.

Leaf: This tea is actually in the form of a teabag. The teabag is for a whole gallon of tea. Even given the large size of the teabag it still fills out fully when steeped and brews a dark black tea.

1st Infusion (only): The brewing instructions for this tea called for brewing about half of the batch and then adding it to another half gallon of ice. The infusion before mixing with the ice is very dark and rich looking. After adding it to the ice it takes on a classic dark brown iced tea color. It is surprisingly murky though. The tea has a very sweet black flavor. It is very cool and refreshing, with just a light sense of astringency. The flavor is very smooth and the flavor is strong and bold. It hints at senses of a Darjeeling in flavor, but is dominated by the classic iced tea flavor.

Rating: 8/10

Conclusion: While this is not a particularly exceptional tea, it is very solid and a very good bargain for the price. For about 11 dollars you get 10 gallons of iced tea. The flavor is very solid and classic. This tea would be perfect for any family gatherings or get togethers.

Okayti Darjeeling Autumn Flush Oolong

Tea: Okayti Darjeeling Autumn Flush Oolong
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $19.95 / 4 oz.
Source: Darjeeling, India
Vendor Description: This unique Darjeeling Autumn Flush Oolong grown high in the foothills of the Himalayans produces a satisfying cup with a floral aroma and smooth, clean flavor. Partially oxidized or semi-fermented, this tea exhibits the best flavor characteristics of a high quality Darjeeling and a nuanced Oolong. Handmade at the prestigious Okayti estate known worldwide for its consistently superior Darjeeling teas, this Autumn Flush Oolong is sure to please.

Leaf: This tea was a bit more unusual of a look than the previous Darjeeling from Mighty Leaf. The color was very similar, but it also had some very bright white buds in it. It almost looked like someone had added a small amount of silver needle to the tea. The tea also had a lot more green to the color palette.

1st Infusion: There the same heavy aroma from this tea as the other Okayti Darjeeling, but this one also had some hints of an oolong sweetness to it. The first sip of this tea though tasted identical to the other Okayti Darjeeling. It was a full bodied Darjeeling flavor with a slight sense of bitterness to it. There were hints of the flavor and sweetness of an oolong tea, but they were masked by the strength of the Darjeeling flavor. I could find light degrees of sweetness here and there, but nothing really consistently noticeable.

2nd Infusion: At this point the leaf had fully opened up and the leaf was quite interesting to see. There were a variety of different colors to the leaf, really bringing about an autumnal feel. This infusion didn't have the same power to it as the first infusion did. This allowed for the oolong sweetness to shine through a bit more. The flavor held at a very smooth and low taste for most of the flavor, but at the end hit a nice tang. It left with a light sense of astringency. This infusion was a bit more of an oolong tea than the first.

Rating: 8/10

Conclusion: This tea was a very strong and flavorful Darjeeling like the regular Okayti Darjeeling, but the oolong portion of it just wasn't that strong. I was hoping for a stronger marriage of the two styles of tea than trying to find some sweetness behind the boldness of the Darjeeling.

Okayti Darjeeling Autumn Flush

Tea: Okayti Darjeeling Autumn Flush
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Price: $15.95 / 4 oz.
Source: Darjeeling, India
Vendor Description: Okayti Autumn Flush Darjeeling harvested in the autumn after the rainy season brews up a brisk and full-bodied cup. Sourced from prestigious Okayti tea estate nestled in the hills of Darjeeling, India, this Autumn Flush Darjeeling has a similar, but somewhat less delicate aroma and muscatel taste characteristic of Second Flush Darjeelings. With tippy brown and black tea leaves this tea yields a consistently smooth and flavorful liquor.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea was nothing unexpected. The leaf was a variety of colors, ranging from black to almost a silver needle color. This reminded me of pretty much any other Darjeeling in both size and shape. The hues were a bit different than a first flush though. The colors were slightly browner and reminded me of a set of fall colors.

1st Infusion: This tea had a very thick aroma to it, it reminded me of the smell of a kitchen somehow. I'm not sure how it was, but it was similar to the aroma felt very strong and heavy. The flavor is also thick and soft. There was a light sense of astringency and a medium body. The flavor is not as sharp as some of the other first flush darjeelings. It almost feels like there are two different flavors going on here. I could not really discern what each reminds me of, but there were two different peaks of flavor here. The flavor though was very smooth. The flavor profile for this was very complicated and I found myself trying to search through the flavor down to the last sip.

2nd Infusion: The aroma was a bit lighter in this infusion, but there was still a very strong component to it. It was as if some of the aroma had left, but what gave off the strong feeling still remained. This infusion tasted more like a first flush darjeeling, the flavor was concentrated toward the front of the taste and sharper. There was a medium sense of astringency to it, and the taste was very clean feeling now and the flavor was lighter. Yet the flavor was still rich and full bodied.

Rating: 9/10

Conclusion: This was a very excellent tea. The flavor was complex and characteristic. Unfortunately the flavor felt as though it was a bit too complicated and there was too much going on. The price of the tea is also a very good price for a single estate darjeeling.

Teabag - Chamomile Citrus

Tea: Chamomile Citrus
Vendor: Mighty Leaf Tea
Price: $8.95 /15 teabags
Source: Egypt
Vendor Description: Chamomile Citrus is a refreshing infusion perfected to curl up with and savor by the sip. Made with Soothing Egyptian Chamomile flowers and subtle slices of citrus fruit, this vibrant blend will rejuvenate the spirit. From intoxicating aroma to sweet flavor, this Mighty Leaf signature blend with Chamomile, fruits and herbs reflects our vision of the artisan tea experience.

Chamomile Citrus is available in 100 individually foil wrapped and 15 individually cello wrapped biodegradable Tea Pouches™.

This was the last of the three samples that I had received from Mighty Leaf. Chamomile Citrus is an herbal tisane made from Chamomile. Chamomile tea is one of the most prevalent tisanes out there among rooibos as the most common. This was my first time having Chamomile since I started really noticing what it was that I was drinking.

When I opened the pouch, the first thing that I noticed was a very strong orange scent coming out, which given the name was no big surprise. I was rather surprised though looking at the teabag that there were a lot of different things inside. I'm rather used to seeing rather homogeneous single ingredient teas so this was a bit of a surprise.

The tea had a very short and brisk flavor. This is of course though in comparison to true teas. The short brisk flavor consisted of a strong sweetness which reminded me of a generic citrus flavor. It had hints of orange, but had a much more general feel to it. The aroma was very floral, but not distinctly so. It was relaxing yet generic. There was no sense of bitterness or astringency, not surprising considering that it is not a true tea.

Rating: 8/10

Conclusion: This being my first time really trying chamomile, I'm not really sure what to make of it. The tea was very relaxing and enjoyable, but I don't know how this would compare to other chamomile tisanes. Compared to a true tea though this flavor is very short lived.

Teabag - Green Tea Tropical

Tea: Green Tea Tropical
Vendor: Mighty Leaf Tea
Price: $8.95 / 15 teabags
Source: China
Vendor Description: Green Tea Tropical boasts smooth green tea leaves that harmoniously blend with sweet tropical fruits to create a sensation as uplifting as a breeze off the isle of Papenoo. A healthy and refreshing blend rich in antioxidants, Green Tea Tropical makes ideal an introduction to green tea.

Green Tea Tropical is available in 100 individually foil wrapped and 15 individually cello-wrapped biodegradable Tea Pouches™.

I was excited to try out this tea, as I had seen this in stores before, but hadn't picked it up to try it out yet. I have had a few tropical teas from Lupicia before, and so fare I had enjoyed them all.

When I opened this tea the first thing I noticed was the aroma from the pouch. My initial thought was that it smelled of pineapple soda, which doesn't really smell that much like fresh pineapple, but is it's own flavor. Similar to how watermelon and strawberry candies don't always taste like watermelon and strawberries. They have their own flavor associated with them like the Jolly Rancher flavors. I had also had the thought that the tea was going to be similar to a sencha for no particularly valid reason. (I did not look up the origin until after tasting the tea)

The first infusion of the tea had a very sweet scent to it, but it was an interestingly generic sense of sweetness. It didn't have much of a sense of pineapple or guava as the pouch had indicated, but rather a general sense of sweetness to an aroma. The tea itself was not particularly strong, but had a smooth green tea flavor which suggested that the tea was from China. The front end of the tea had a distinctive sweetness too it, but not overpowering. It was a light fruity flavor, and it also tapered off to allow the green tea flavor to come through almost in a switch.

The second infusion was a little sweeter and fruitier, but lacked any really distinctive qualities to it. The tea itself was a bit weaker, and was on the resteeping borderline.

Rating: 7/10

Conclusion: The tea was good, but lacked a certain boldness of flavor that I was hoping for. Both the tropical portion and the tea portion could stand to be a bit stronger. If you're looking for a light relaxing tea this is not a bad choice.

Teabag - Orange Dulce

Tea: Orange Dulce
Vendor: Mighty Leaf Tea
Price: $8.95 / 15 teabags
Source: China, Sri Lanka
Vendor Description: Orange Dulce is a luscious, rich brew teeming with notes of bergamot, orange, vanilla and jasmine blossoms. Made with Ceylon and China black teas, Orange Dulce brews up a fragrant and full bodied dark tea. Reminiscent of an aged Port, the flavor is sure to please.

Orange Dulce is available in 100 count foil wrapped and 15 individually cello-wrapped biodegradable Tea Pouches™.

When you first open the pouch for this teabag, the first thing that you notice is a very strong sweet smell. It has hints of orange in the aroma, but not exclusively so. It is a bit difficult to pick the smell apart, but together is a very sweet aroma. The teabag itself is a very simple design, it is one rectangular piece of nylon-like material (the biodegradable one) that appears to be hand sewn closed. It is sewn shut in a manner to allow for the material to quite openly form a volume inside of the pouch. Basically it is not folded and sewn flat. The tag string is a continuation of the sewing string so there is no need to have a staple or melt a string to the bag. While it may not provide as much volume as a trapezoidal teabag, it has a very comforting feel to it with the sewn string and handmade appearance.

When brewing the tea there is the same sweet aroma that there is when opening the teabag, with its hints of orange and strong sweetness. The initial taste of the tea though is not nearly as sweet as the aroma, it is a medium bodied smooth black tea. There is no sense of bitterness or astringency to it. In a very delicate way the added flavors fill in the weaker beginning of the flavor of the black tea with subtle sweet flavors, which then taper off to reveal the flavor of the tea itself. This was quite surprising as I was expecting the tea to be overpowered by the flavorings like many other teabags are. The end of the tea leaves with a tiny amount of orange tangy flavor.

The second infusion of the teabag produced a slightly different tea. It was lighter in flavor, and the components of the flavoring were more apparent. It felt light boded, and while there was still no astringency it left me with a clean feeling in my mouth.

Rating: 9/10

Conclusion: While this is an excellent tea, I would have liked to see a bit bolder of a black tea used. The flavors combine well and do not overpower the tea, and the teabag itself provides a certain comfort feeling to the experience. This is quite good, but I don't know if it is something I would want to drink on a daily basis.