Samovar Loose Leaf Oolong Tea 'Four Seasons'

Tea Information:
Tea: Four Seasons
Type: Oolong Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Samovar Company
Purchase: Here
Description: From the oolong-gurus in Taiwan, bless your mouth with notes of gardenias, fresh-baked bread, warm milk and savory dew-drenched clover. Meditate on the clarity and rarity of this smooth, golden-green infusion.
Origin: Nantou, Taiwan

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 750ml at 195°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 2 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: sweet, toasty
Steeped Tea Smell: vegetal
Flavor: toasty, silky
Body: Light
Aftertaste: nutty
Liquor: Translucent yellow brown

Not as nice as when made in the store.

Resteep:
750ml at 195°F for 2 min 30 seconds
floral, vegetal, sweet, tangy aftertaste

Resteep:
750ml at 195°F for 3 min

I believe the leaves could have gone a few more times, but time to leave work

Rating: 3/4 leaves

Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing

I purchased this product. All my reviews are as unbiased as possible, whether I buy or receive free product. I accept no other compensation other than free product.

Samovar Loose Leaf Herbal Tisane 'Berry Rooibos'

Tea Information:
Tea: Berry Rooibos
Type: Herbal Tisane (Tea is technically only from the camellia sinensis plant)
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Samovar
Purchase: Here
Ingredients: A blend of organic rooibos, organic blueberries, organic schizandra berries, organic hibiscus, natural flavors of blueberry and strawberry.

Steep Information:
Amount: 4 tsp
Water: Boiling
Tool: Bee House Ceramic Round Teapot
Steep Time: a little over 5 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: berry, perfume, rooibos (woody), sweet
Steeped Tea Smell: strawberry, blueberry
Flavor: Strawberry, Blueberry
Body: medium
Aftertaste: woody (rooibos)
Liquor: translucent dark red-brown

Post-Steep Additives: 1 tsp honey, brought the berry out more as a sweet berry

Resteep: 10+ minutes, weaker, but still a good cup of tea

Recieved from JacquelineM in the Hoppitea swap on Steepster.com

Rating: 3/4 leaves


Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing







I received this product for free as a gift. All my reviews are as unbiased as possible, whether I buy or receive free product. I accept no other compensation other than free product.

Samovar Loose Leaf Black Tea 'Russian Blend'

Tea Information:
Tea: Russian Blend
Type: Black Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Samovar
Purchase: Here
Description: Samovarian Poetry: Smoky, strong, sweet, fruity, caffeine-loaded & certain to warm and to wake.

Flavor Profile: Smoky, sweet, and lightly fruity. Brew it like as you would any other black tea and it is smooth and full bodied with an apricot sweetness, and a light tarry smokiness.

Prepare in your Samovar and it is a potent and exciting astringent, sweet, and deeply smoky treat.

Tea Story: The best Russian Blend you'll ever taste.

One of our most popular custom blends, this black tea infusion is based on the traditional Russian blend from the icy tundras of Siberia. This brew is best sipped after steeping it in the teapot on top of a Samovar, making a very smoky, astringent, super-strong tea concentrate called "zavarka."

Traditionally, you pour a little bit of the zavarka into your cup from the samovar, and then dilute it with hot water to taste. Add a little organic fruit jam, and some milk, and voila, you've got yourself a real wake-up meal-of-a-tea. Our secret blend is lightly fruity, smoky, full bodied...and delicious with or without milk.

If zavarka is too potent for your taste buds, just follow the the brewing directions on the back of the can for a tamed-down, but no less delightful, cup of Russian Blend.

Smoky, sweet, and smooth, this tea will sooth your soul as you contemplate wise words from Russian sages.... such as Tolstoy, "Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them." Ahhh.....
Ingredients: A blend of Chinese black teas and lychee flavor.

Steep Information:
Prepared in store, and bought some for home.

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: (lapsang souchong) smokey
Steeped Tea Smell: (lapsang souchong) smokey
Flavor: sweet, smoky, black tea
Body: Full
Aftertaste: none
Liquor: translucent dark orange oaker

Lightly smokey, less than a lapsang souchong, with the nice hint of fruit.

MilitiaJim had this for breakfast at the Yerba Buena Gardens location. It was a part of the "Russian Service"

Tarragon-Marinated Beets, Smoked Whitefish & Horseradish, Devilled Egg with Caviar, Herbed Crackers, Fresh Fruit, Chocolate Brownie. They say that Tolstoy fueled his creativity by drinking Russian tea from the samovar. See what it does for you. Start with our zavarka, dilute it with a tad of hot water and add milk and sugar.

MilitiaJim experimented with it plain, milk, sugar, milk and sugar. The tea came from the samovar and then was diluted with hot water in a kettle on the samovar.

The location has comfortable benches, outdoor seating, huge windows for natural light and is very cozy. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful.

The box we purchased was a nice recyclable cardboard, containing a plastic bag containing the tea, held shut by metal clip. There was also a sticker included. Not sure why.

Rating: 3/4 leaves


Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing


At Samovar


At Home




The Box

Samovar Loose Leaf Black Tea 'Breakfast Blend'

Tea Information:
Tea: Breakfast Blend
Type: Black Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Samovar
Purchase: Here
Description:
Samovarian Poertry: Kindle clarity. Banish stupor. Full malty flavor with delicate dryness.

Flavor Profile: Smooth, full bodied, malty, and classically brisk.

Tea Story: This is the Samovar version of English Breakfast- a tea you can count on time and again. Wake up with this tea like so many of our ex-coffee-drinking tea converts do.

Breakfast Blend teas were created as the signature blend of a particular tea company. A "Breakfast Blend" is a blend of tea from a company's tea gardens that is blended to achieve a uniform and reliable flavor season after season- regardless of weather conditions that might effect a tea's flavor. At the beginning of the 19th century, some tea sellers were even creating tea blends that best suited a town or city's local water supply.

Samovar's Breakfast Blend is a blend of Dian Hong style tea from Yunnan, China. This means that it is only top-quality tea with whole leaves and a high content of fine golden leaf buds: "golden tips."
Ingredients: Organic black tea from Yunnan, China.

Steep Information:
Prepared in store. Served in a teapot without leaves and a small cup.

Tasting Notes:
Steeped Tea Smell: Honey and black tea
Flavor: Black tea, sweet
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: none
Liquor: hard to see in the dark lounge

MilitiaJim ordered this tea with the Wasabi Caesar Salad w/ Wild Smoked Salmon (Organic hearts of romaine, wild smoked salmon, shaved parmesan, garlic, croutons, & Caesar dressing w/ a wasabi kick)

Post-Steep Additives: MilitiaJim experimented with both the provided brown sugar and cream.

Ordered at the Zen Valley location for dinner with Squash Dumplings w/ Dipping Sauce (Handmade vegetarian squash dumplings w/ spicy sesame-soy sauce).

We were seated in the upper area in the back at a table for two. The back area was dimly lit. The place was a very relaxed atmosphere with an attentive staff. We purchased a tin of Russian blend and tea oil to take home (sadly the tea oil was confiscated by the TSA because we forgot to mail it home or check a bag). The place was not very busy, there were two other couples there when we first arrived for dinner Saturday night.

I enjoyed the other Samovar lounge location more and would prefer to return to Yerba Buena Gardens rather than this one. We did not get to try the Mission-Castro location.

Rating: 3/4 leaves


Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing

Samovar Loose Leaf Oolong Tea 'Bai Hao'

Tea Information:
Tea: Bai Hao
Type: Oolong Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Samovar
Purchase: Here
Description: Really pure awesomeness. The apex of tea, our Bai Hao Oolong harks from nearly 2,000 feet above sea level, in the rugged countryside of Hsinchu Province, Taiwan. Its tippy leaves produce a tropical, floral, sweet, creamy brew. Our Bai Hao Oolong is delicious hot or cold-brewed, and it offers a long patience (an ability to re-infuse countless times).

We suggest brewing it by filling a guywan nearly halfway with tealeaves and infusing them with simmering water for just 30 to 45 seconds. This is a delicate brew, so it's best if you don’t rinse the first infusion. The first brew emanates a young wild rose character, hints of acacia and geranium, and a slight peach and honeydew melon finish. Honey notes persist throughout.

Second and third infusions brew darker, with more caramel tones and stronger stone-fruit and tropical trade-wind notes. Steep for 60 to 90 seconds during subsequent infusions to yield a strong dried fruit flavor and full-bodied astringency.

You can also age this unique oolong tea in a cool, dark, dry place for two to three years. It will improve with age, as some of the floral notes are gradually replaced with a darker, more caramel-rich flavor.
Ingredients: Taiwanese oolong tea.

Steep Information:
Prepared in store. Served in the Duck Eggshell Porcelain Guywan Set with an iron pot of water. I was pretty impressed with myself, for the first time using a guywan I only made a mess the first pour! I went through about 3+ pots of hot water and the tea was still going strong but our food was done, the parking meter was up, and it was time to go to our next scheduled event.

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: vegeal, nutty
Steeped Tea Smell: Very little to no scent
Flavor: light, silky, vegetal nutty
Body: Light to medium as it went on
Aftertaste: not noticeable, but I was also eating
Liquor: translucent yellow green

I had this for breakfast at the Yerba Buena Gardens location. I ordered it as there was no Golden Phoenix Oolong Tea available. The waitress suggested this as an alternative and i enjoyed it. I had the Ginger Quinoa Waffle (Soft like a pillow, heavenly. Served with fresh fruit & real maple syrup) along with this tea.

The location has comfortable benches, outdoor seating, huge windows for natural light and is very cozy. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful.

Rating: 3/4 leaves


Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing

Samovar Loose Leaf Pu-Erh Tea 'Maiden’s Ecstasy'

Tea Information:
Tea: Maiden’s Ecstasy Tea
Type: Pu-Erh Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Samovar
Purchase: Here
Description:
Samovarian Poetry: Rapture & reverie. Consummately captivating, deep, dark, sweet & smooth

Flavor Profile: Very balanced, smooth, rich and dark, with a slightly sweet, wildflower honey finish. Deep, strong forward notes of earth and moss with a lingering raisin sugar sweetness.

Tea Story: Pure Pu-erh Ecstasy
This tender, young-leaf pu-erh is so good that it was traditionally used as part of the wedding dowry of the young women who picked it. Unlike many of our other pu-erhs from Jingmai Mountain, this is vintage loose leaf.

You just can not go wrong when steeping up a bit of this tea in a yixing clay pot. Done right, it is delicious.Like any good, ripe pu-erh, you won't need to worry about over-steeping this tea: you can steep the leaves for an hour without yielding any sign of bitterness. Very forgiving.

Pamela, one of our regulars, swears that this tea has propelled her erotica writing to a new level. We swear it is just delicious.
Ingredients: Organic pu-erh tea from Yunnan, China.

Steep Information:
Prepared in store. Served in a tiny yixing clay pot, with an iron pot of water and a small iron cup. The leaves kept getting clumped and blocking the spout. I had to swirl it around to get the tea out. I managed to make quite a mess of it.

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: Fall leaves
Steeped Tea Smell: Muddy fall leaves
Flavor: Fall leaves, Gritty
Body: Full
Aftertaste: astringent
Liquor: hard to see in the dark lounge

I do not like pu-erh, but everyone recommended this one for a non-pu-erh lover. I agree that pu-erh is best with food, I found it "meh" as opposed to gross. The muddy bit was less pronounced when i drank it while eating.

Ordered at the Zen Valley location for dinner with Squash Dumplings w/ Dipping Sauce (Handmade vegetarian squash dumplings w/ spicy sesame-soy sauce).

We were seated in the upper area in the back at a table for two. The back area was dimly lit. The place was a very relaxed atmosphere with an attentive staff. We purchased a tin of Russian blend and tea oil to take home (sadly the tea oil was confiscated by the TSA because we forgot to mail it home or check a bag). The place was not very busy, there were two other couples there when we first arrived for dinner Saturday night.

I enjoyed the other Samovar lounge location more and would prefer to return to Yerba Buena Gardens rather than this one. We did not get to try the Mission-Castro location.

Rating: 2/4 leaves


Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing

Samovar Loose Leaf Mate Tea 'Peppermint Yerba Mate'

Tea Information:
Tea: Peppermint Yerba Mate
Type: Mate Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Samovar
Purchase: Here
Description: Flavor Profile: High-flying peppermint and eucalyptus are grounded with bittersweet earthiness.

Tea Story: Yerba Maté is the quintessential South American beverage. It is the national drink of Uruguay, where people sip it from hollowed gourds (known as chimarrao) through filter-tipped metal straws (called bombillas) throughout the day and commonly carry thermoses of hot water under one arm to replenish their brews.

Maté has some macho connotations because gauchos ritualistically consume it around campfires. However, serving maté is a standard welcome gesture and maté is a common beverage choice in variations on afternoon tea. Some el cebadores (maté drinkers) drink it straight, while others blend it with burnt sugar, orange, grapefruit or lemon zest, gin or fresh mint.

Our Peppermint Yerba Maté is an intensely invigorating blend of caffeine-filled maté and uplifting peppermint. The aroma is sweet, herbaceous and earthy with a tinge of bitterness. It has notes of fresh mint, eucalyptus, honey, dry leaves and sandy soil. The flavor is a balance of bittersweet earthiness and bracing mint, followed by aftertastes of bittersweet wood and earth that coat the tongue and mint on the roof of the mouth. It is incredibly refreshing, without the full-on caffeine of straight maté. This blend is organic certified, and the yerba maté was shade-grown for a smoother, less bitter taste.
Ingredients: Organic Argentinian shade-grown yerba maté, organic peppermint.

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 500ml filtered water 175°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 3 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: STRONG peppermint, then a little vegetal
Steeped Tea Smell: mild peppermint, hint of vegetal
Flavor: vegetal, sweet, peppermint
Body: Light
Aftertaste: tingly, vegetal
Liquor: translucent yellow-green

Read Steepster for other reviews here

I do not like grassy teas or yerba mate, but this one I found drinkable thanks to the peppermint. It's kind of soothing actually.

Rating: 2/4 leaves


Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing