As the year approaches its end we take a moment from our never-ending tea hunting to reflect on the teas that delighted us the most in 2017.
Our Teas of the Year Awards are chosen by YOU and are picked purely based on the volume and ratings from teahead reviews.
These are the winners, so find out if you have tried them all! In the next blog I will give you my review of the year of tea 2017 and choose my personal tea of the year so keep reading!
TEA OF THE YEAR 2017 - OVERALL
WHITE TEA OF THE YEAR
Jade Star II
Incredible classic white tea flavor with hints of vanilla, white beer, white jasmine, Laos highland jungle, Huon pine. Such a complex tea.
This aged white tea was barely in stock for a few months. The frenzy of purchasing when we released this cake was unprecedented, with some people buying up ten cakes in one go. We knew it would be popular but after over a year of sourcing we are already on the search for Jade Star III.
GREEN TEA OF THE YEAR
Jade Sword
The texture is silky and coats your mouth for a while. Overall, my favourite green tea.
Second year in a row for this fabulously fresh, light and fragrant Green tea. It barely snuck ahead of some of our more recently sourced Mei Leaf teas such as our handmade Monkey Picked and our Okumidori Gyokuro.
YELLOW TEA OF THE YEAR
Amber Mountain
Light smooth Grassy with slight sweetness very similar to Long Jing...love it
We know that there is no competition since this was the one Yellow tea we stocked in 2017 but it deserves the honour with its uber smooth texture and nuanced flavour. Next year it will have competition as a Junshan is coming to play so let's find out if it can keep its crown.
OOLONG TEA OF THE YEAR
Amber Gaba
A real warm, nutty and powerful flavour. It also is very creamy and a little bit smoky. Absolutely delicious!
Woah this was a close one. We have had a plethora (yep I used that word) of incredible Oolongs adorning our shelves in 2017 and the Tie Guan Yin's (especially the 25 Year Aged One) were all so close to knocking Amber Gaba off its throne from 2016. This Taiwanese Gaba Oolong wins purely on the sheer volume of praise it has received by clients. Perhaps if Sour Sap has stayed in stock for longer than a couple of months we would have a different winner!
BLACK TEA OF THE YEAR
Gleaming Brow
Unbelievable tea, I know it is expensive but well worth it. I can't believe the flavor. Excellent rose and chocolate with a fresh fruit taste and it stays with you for a long time. This is a must try!!
What began as a pure indulgence has become a teahead favourite. Buying in a true batch (so many fakes!) of one the highest grade and most expensive teas in the world was meant to be a way to offer a few of you an opportunity to taste the ultimate in luxury. Clearly, our teahead clients have immaculate taste because the orders kept coming and the praise was gushing!
RAW PUERH OF THE YEAR
Monocle Boss
Extraordinary taste! Library books, sea air, sweet finish. Very powerful leathery musk. You can absolutely taste the age of this ancient tree. You will quickly enjoy a strong body high.
Given a few more months and the Psychic Stream Seeker may have caught up with 'the Boss' but this Gushu Pasha has been given so much love that it had to win. A gorgeously complicated and forever shifting tea that will always guarantee a special session.
RIPENED TEA OF THE YEAR
Malt Geezer
Subtle earthy flavors roam throughout, but the main flavor is the malt cola float. Never had an experience quite like it.
Another tea which came and went in a blink but left a big impression on everyone with its Vanilla Cola float taste. The After Party Enchanter is a worthy successor and we quietly predict that the Enchanter will be crowned in 2018.
So there you have it - our newly crowned teas, have you tried them all?
We raise a cup of the good stuff to a year of fruitful tea sourcing in 2018 and a big thanks to all of you teaheads for tasting and reviewing our wares!
Don
