Over the weekend I had two firsts… I tried Rishi Tea for the first time and I enjoyed a cuppa flavored Pu-erh. Earlier this year, I purchased by my first pu-erh. It was a great experience that had me instantly hooked. However, I have learned a great deal more about Pu-erh since then. Particularly, I learned by reading other websites like Ancient Tea Horse Road and A Tea Addict’s Journal where I discovered a new world or should I say sub-category of tea lovers… those who are dedicated to the study, tasting, and writing about Pu-erh.
Composition: Organic Fair Trade Certified Yunnan Pu-er tea leaves, Organic ginger, and Organic orange peel.
Dry Visual: Very dark reddish brown twisted tea leaves with large orangy bits of dried orange peel and creamy bits of ginger. Thanks Rishi Teas for the picture.
Dry Aroma: Ginger Pu-erh smells delicious! A bold ginger fragrance combined with a spicy earthiness.
Flavor: Ginger Pu-erh is delicious! The two distinct flavors – ginger and puerh create very complex tasting tea. First you get the taste of the puerh that is both earthy and smokey. This taste is what I love about Pu-erh that you don’t find in other teas. Blended perfectly with the pu-erh is the taste of ginger – ginger with its exotic spiciness adds character to Ginger Puerh. Personally, I cannot taste the orange – perhaps after another cup I will discern the subtle nature of the orange bits. I’ve had four already. Together, the two flavors produce a unique tea blend.
Ginger Pu-erh is not bitter nor dry. However, it is a very robust tea which I love as well as pretty thick in the mouth. Even the second infusion yields the same hearty flavor as the first.
Liquor: A rich, dark, reddish-brown color. Almost like jeweltones.
Brewing Time: It is recommended that Ginger Pu-erh is steeped for 5 -6 minutes. I steeped the recommended 5 minutes.
Manufacturer: Rishi Teas
Caffeine: Yes.
Rishi Teas?
According to their website, Rishi Tea began in 1997 when Joshua Kaiser, founder and tea buyer, recognized that the traditional handcrafted teas he grew so fond of during his travels in Asia were rarely available elsewhere. Joshua felt that North American consumers would embrace artisan tea as they did single origin coffee and fine varietal wine if they were given access to it at reasonable prices. Joshua enlisted longtime friend Benjamin Harrison as a partner. The Rishi team began to import and market premium teas, botanical blends and teaware from origins frequented by Joshua. Today, the Rishi team has grown into a passionate group of tea lovers who serve as guides for our customer into the world of premium tea.
If you have had a chance to enjoy a cup of Ginger Pu-erh, please stop by and share your experience. Until then… Happy Tea Drinking!
