Loose tea

Smell 3/5: Cookies*

Flavour 5/5: Bitter, like strong green tea with floral notes, followed by  lovely sourness, biscuit and floral aftertaste mingling with vivid long long-lasting dryness in the mouth.

 Colour: Bright amber, cloudy (White tea)

Tested (ml): 200ml hot water

 Deposit: Yes

 Infused: 5 minutes

 Caffeine-free: No

Tea type: Gren tea/loose

Manufacturer's description: The tea was produced at Sånxu–Tais district, Vietnam. 

Ingredients – Green tea, fairy tea, natural herbal fragrance, pineapple leaves.

Manufacturer's advice: Sterilise your tea cup with 100˚C water. Put 10g of tea in the teapot and add 100ml–150ml of hot water, and leave it to infuse for 5 minutes. Enjoy tea with a dendrobium or plasant** flavour.

Storage: Store in a cool and dry place.

Wight (g): 350

Price (£): Unknown

Package: 3/5

Acknowledgement: I am pleased to thank Lìng Wang, my wife’s work colleague, who donated this tea to my tea collection.

Produced for:

Manufacturer: Unknown

Additional notes: I used 2 grams of loose tea and 200 millilitres of hot water. I followed the traditional tea manufacturer’s standards, which were meant for 1 person.

This tea surprised me with its quality, where I enjoyed the vivid sourness and floral flavours. Unfortunately, I could not find the pineapple presence.

I used the Samsung translator to translate the description of the tea. It suggested that it is written in the Vietnamese language, and the translation was absolutely terrible. In most cases, I had to conclude what the Samsung translator meant to say.

Additionally, I attempted to replicate the exact name of the tea. Please accept my apologies if Microsoft Word was unable to provide me with the correct signs.

Unfortunately, we could not find when the tea received the award of the Gold Medal for Community Health.

*The aroma of cookies was probably because of the open package for a long time.

**Samsung translator translated at 1 point Dendrobium, but later pleasant flavour. As I could not find among the tea ingredients anything of Dendrobium, I assume the correct version is pleasant flavour.

Tested: Bradford/England

Date: 02/09/25

Smell 4/5:  Sweetish, specific. It is hard to compare with something.

 Flavour 3/5: Very light, sweetish, gentle.

 Colour 3/5: It has a traditional black tea colour.

 Deposit: There won’t be deposit if it is infused in a communal teapot.

 Infused: 5 min

 Caffeine free: -

Tea type: Loose

Manufacturer's description: -

Manufacturer's advice: -

Storage: I suppose it has to be stored in a cool and dry place.

 Price: -

Purchased: China

Weight: -

Bag 5/5:  It is a very beautiful little shiny bag in red colour, where the name of it is written in shiny golden colour. It has scenery of a big rock next to a river or a lake with a reflection in water. Also there we can see three floating prams with people on them.

Bag 5/5: It is easy to open as it has a little cut on it on one of its sides.

Manufacturer: -

Additional information: It was not possible to detect all information because it was written in Chinese. Everyone who can complete this form is very welcome to do it.

Tested: Beihai/China

Date: 03.06.23

Smell: 5/5 It is gentle and enjoyable with a roast aroma. 

 Flavour:  3/5 It is lightly roasted with poignant touch, and bitter.

 Colour:  5/5 Golden green

Infused: 15 min.

 Price: Unknown 

Weight: 100ml

 Bag: 5/5 It is a beautiful golden bag with a white vertical stripe where the name of the tea is written.

 Tea version: It is loose tea 

Tea type: Green tea 

Preparation: Add 2 full teaspoons, 200 - 300 ml of water, and soak for 2 min at 60*C. It is suitable for multiple infusions. 

Manufacturer: Unknown

 Sold by: Sunday Natural Products GmbH, Germany

Tested: Riga, Latvia

Date: April 2023

Smell 4/5:  Woody, grassy

Flavour 4/5: Mildly sour, floral, iron undertones and enjoyable, tender sweetness with long-lasting floral aftertaste.

Colour: Bright amber

Tested (ml): 200ml hot water

Deposit: Yes

Infused (min): 5

Caffeine-free: Yes

Tea type: Herbal/loose

Manufacturer's description: Enjoy delicious and aromatic tea daily. This tea can be used for body purification and during your sauna ritual. Mixtures of different herbs and flowers.

Ingredients – Birch leaves, calendula, forest raspberry leaves, lady’s mantle, lemon balm, mint, meadowsweet, oregano, wild strawberry leaves.

It is certified by the EU/Non-EU Organic association.

Anna Bio tea.

Manufacturer's advice: Pour hot water over 2 g of herbs, allow to steep for 5 – 10 minutes

Storage: Store in a dry place.

Wight (g): Unknown

Price (£): Unknown

Price per 1kg (£): Unknown

Design of the tea bag: 4/5: It was a simple, but stylish tea bag, but I would put tea into a paper bag.

Acknowledgement: Thanks to my brother and his wife for donating this tea to my tea collection.

Manufacturer: ZS Ozoliņi

Additional notes: This was a lovely brew indeed. Especially, I loved the long-lasting floral flavour and tender sweetness in the mouth. I would love to describe it as a soothing, gentle and enjoyable tea.

I would like to note that the manufacturer has not explained how many teaspoons are 2 g of herb/flower tea. It would simplify things.

It was unusual not to be able to find the weight of the tea.

Also, the manufacturer has used so many different ingredients that this tea makes no sense, and whether they will really achieve what they are aiming for.

Comments about the tea description: Was it delicious? Yes, it was. I loved it.

Is it good to drink it during your sauna rituals? Oh, yes. I think the aroma and the taste are a prefect match for drinking it during sauna rituals.

Tested: Rīga/Latvia

Date: 18/04/26

Smell: 5/5 Sweet like honey, very strong.

Flavour: 3/5 gentle, sweetish 

Colour: 4/5 Golden. Flowers float on the top.

 Infused: 15 min.

Price: Unknown

Weight: 70ml

Jar:  4/5 The jar is made from clear plastic, even so, it looks appealing and enjoyable to look at. The red flower buds appear amazing. The label is very simple but in nice colours -  in red-golden colour.

 Tea version: It is loose tea.

Tea type: Herbal

 Prepared: Add a half-hand full of flower buds in a cap and covered it with a kid.

 Manufacturer: Unknown (information is given in Chinese).

Bought: China

Tested: Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.

Date: May 1 2023

Smell 5/5: Strong camomile

Flavour 4/5: Gently floral with sweet undertones and light bitter and camomile aftertaste.

Colour: Bright amber, golden

Tested (ml): 200ml hot water

Deposit: Yes

Infused (min): 10

Caffeine-free: Yes

Tea type: Herbal tea

Tea sold as: Loose

Manufacturer's description: This tea is designed for digestion and the respiratory tract.

Camomile flowers can help maintain digestive and upper respiratory tract functions and promote sleep quality.

Not to be consumed by people sensitive to the ingredients of the tea.

A varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important

Ingredients – Camomile (Chamomilla recutita) blossoms – 100%.

Manufacturer's advice: Pour 200ml boiling water (100 oC) over 1 teaspoon (0.75g) and cover it, let it brew for 10 minutes, and strain. For external use when needed, or drink a glass of tea 3 times a day.

Storage: Store in a dry and well-ventilated room.

Wight (g): 25

Price (£): Unknown

Price per 1kg (£): Unknown

Design of the tea box: 3/5

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank my mum for donating this tea to my tea collection.

Manufacturer: SIA Dabas tējas

Additional notes: The tea had an amazing camomile aroma.

It was a wonderful brew with a strong camomile aftertaste. My highlight of the tea would be the enjoyable, tender sweetness in the taste.

I used 1 teaspoon (0.7 g of tea)

The tea was stored in a clear plastic pouch. 

Comments about the tea description: -

Tested: Talsi/Latvia

Date: 20/04/26

Smell 5/5:  Sweet, like flowers, not leaves, so lovely,

Flavour 4/5: I can feel a gentle untraditional flavour that mingles with tender bitterness.

 Colour 3/5: Vivid yellow

 Deposit: Yes

 Infused: 1 minute

 Caffeine-free: No

Tea type: Loose

Manufacturer's description: The tea garden is located between 1.9 and 2.5 km above sea level, where a forest covers over 80% of the land. Annual rainfall is over 1900 mm, annual temperature is about 13˚. There is unique volcanic ash soil which is very fertile, soil organic matter content is high.

The product adopts green heart Oolong (soft branch) tea tree fresh leaf as raw material. Through advanced tea making process and according to organic production management refined.  

Manufacturer's advice: Boil water to 90˚ - 95˚ and use 10g for each pot. I bag is possible to use it between 6 and 8 times.

Storage: use it within 36 months of the production date. Keep it away from direct sunlight, in 50g grade anti-humidity and at a low temperature. Also, keep it in an airtight container.

Weight: 50g

Package 5/5:  It is a lovely small green metal box with Chinese characters on the lid.

Bags 5/5: These are 5 10g bags in beautifully light green colour, where tea has been kept in a vacuum.  Tea bags contain information. On one side of tea bags, specific places that indicate where to open them.

Purchased: China.

Manufacturer: Yunnan Tengchong Extreme Edge Tea Co. Ltd/Yunnan Province/China

Additional notes: Make it in a big teapot, I suppose. I have never smelt green tea like this. That smell even on its own makes you addicted to this tea. It is the most tasty green tea I have tried so far making me conclude that this manufacturer is excellent at making green tea. Interestingly that tea has been kept in a clear bag that has been put in a decorative green bag along with material that keeps the bag dry.

 Also, the manufacturer states that 1 tea bag (10g) can be used between 6 and 8 times. Here I think the manufacturer meant tea cups or persons, which is correct. I used around 1.5L big teapot and it could last at least 6 for times depending how big are tea cups.

 Tested: Beihai/China

Date: 04.01.24

Smell 3/5: Mouldy woody, green tea

Flavour 4/5: Mild green tea with sweet undertones and gentle green tea aftertaste

Colour: Light green

Tested (ml): 200ml hot water

Deposit: Yes

Infused (min): 3

Caffeine-free: No

Tea type: Green tea/Loose

Manufacturer's description: A harmoniously coordinated functional blend with Bancha Kari green tea, birch leaves, horsetail, sweet clover and 7 other proven herbs. Herbal tea blend.

Ingredients – Bancha Kari green tea (14%), birch leaf (12%), burdock root, cherry leaf (fermented), dandelion leaf, horsetail (11%), marigold petal, mullein, nettle leaf, walnut leaf, yellow sweet clover (9%).

100% compostable and biodegradable bag.

Manufacturer's advice: Use 2 teaspoons (3g); add 300ml of water at 100 °C (212 °F), infuse for 3 – 5 minutes.

Storage: Store in a dry place away from heat.

Wight (g): 150

Price (£): Unknown

Price per 1kg (£): Unknown

Design of the tea bag: 5/5: It was a simple, but stylish tea bag.

Acknowledgement: Thanks to my brother and his wife for donating this tea to my tea collection.

Manufacturer: Yoshi en GmbH

Additional notes: This tea was a nice surprise for me as I expected it to be an ordinary green tea, but I found it quite amusing to find a sweet taste in it, and it was like streaming through all the way. Also, it was not as annoying as most of the British green teas, which are making me consider that they are not good enough to make green tea. Of course, it is my POV.

Interestingly, the manufacturer has used fermented cherry leaf. That sounds so original, making me wonder whether it makes any difference in the tea flavour.

Also, I think this tea has too many ingredients, making it appear more disorganised. If I were the manufacturer, I would stick with 3 different ingredients to make more sense.

We used 2 g (1 and 1/5 teaspoons) on 200ml of hot water.

Comments about the tea description: -

Tested: Rīga/Latvia

Date: 16/04/26

Smell 4/5: Woody

Flavour 4/5: Specific, tender floral notes, gentle, soothing, woody, grassy with pleasantly sweet aftertaste and sugary mouthfeel.

Colour: Bright amber

Tested (ml): 200ml hot water

Deposit: Yes

Infused (min): 20

Caffeine-free: Yes

Tea type: Herbal

Tea sold as: Loose/In bags

Manufacturer's description: Ingredients – Wild raspberry leaves (100%).

The origin of the wild raspberry leaves is Latvia.

The tea has been certified by the EU/Non-EU Organic Association.

Manufacturer's advice: Put 2 teaspoons of the tea in a cup, pour 200nl boiling water, soak it for 20 – 30 minutes and consume it in 1 day’s time.

Storage: Store in a dry and cool place.

Wight (g): 25

Price (£): Unknown

Price per 1 kg (£): Unknown

Design of the tea box: 3/5

Acknowledgement: It was hard to detect the taste at the very beginning as I had not experienced that before, but later it was joined by other flavours. I think the highlight was the pleasantly sugary flavour at the very end. I was surprised that the pleasantly sugary flavour as if got suck in my mouth, lasting for several minutes after finishing drinking the tea.

I used 2 teaspoons (1.2 g of tea)

I would like to thank my mum for donating this tea to my tea collection.

Manufacturer: Z/S Dunduri

Additional notes: The tea was stored in a clear plastic bag.

I assume that this tea should be covered during steeping.

Comments about the tea description: -

Tested: Talsi/Latvia

Date: 18/04/26

Smell 4/5: Pleasantly sweet

Flavour 2/5: Floral, watery, with soft bitterness and sweetness, and grassy, unpleasant aftertaste.

Colour: Bright amber

Tested (ml): 200ml hot water

Deposit: Yes

Infused (min): 10

Caffeine-free: Yes

Tea type: Herbal

Tea sold as: Loose/In bags

Manufacturer's description: The plants that have been used to make this tea have a beneficial effect on the health of the respiratory tract and lungs, help soften cough and promote excretion (clear mucus), and strengthen the body’s immune system.

Ingredients – elecampane root, eleuthero (Siberian ginseng) roots, eucalyptus leaves, greater plantain leaves, horsetail herb, rosehips, labrador plant tea shoots, St. John’s wort herb, valerian roots.

Manufacturer's advice: Pour 200ml of boiling water over 1 – 2 teaspoons of the tea, let it steep for 10 minutes, then strain. Honey can be added if desired. It is recommended to drink it warm 2 – 3 times a day before a meal.

Do not use it in case of individual intolerance to the tea compounds, or if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or under 12 years old.

Storage: Store in a dry place.

Wight (g): 100

Price (£): Unknown

Price per 1kg (£):  Unknown

Design of the tea box: 3/5

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank my mum for donating this tea to my tea collection.

Manufacturer: A/S Rīgas farmacētiskā fabrika

Additional notes: This tea was not enjoyable. It had a weird understatement, tasting like dandelion milk. It is the liquid that is found in dandelion stems.

I used 2 teaspoons (3 g of tea)

Tea was stored in a clear plastic bag.

A general warning about using Labrador tea. Using this tea as a concentration can cause vomiting, inflammation of the lining of the stomach and the intestines (gastroenteritis), diarrhoea, delirium, spasms, paralysis, and death (!).

I assume that is why the manufacturer has used it in shoots. Still, I flagged it up in red colour to make the customer aware of this ingredient. If I were the manufacturer of this tea, I would avoid it to avoid possible negative consequences.

Also, Valerian root is considered to be used reasonably as it can trigger side effects if used at high doses, such as headaches, digestive issues, and next-day drowsiness.

This is the very first tea that received a negative mark 2/5.

Comments about the tea description: -

Tested: Talsi/Latvia

Date: 19/04/26

White tea of renbi

Smell 5/5:  Sweet like flowers, maybe like honey

Flavour 4/5: Weak with light sourness, which seems pleasant. I can feel a tender bitterness.

 Colour 5/5: Vividly bright amber

 Deposit: Yes

 Infused: 10 min

 Caffeine-free: No

Tea type: loose

Manufacturer's description: It has a cliff Lin smell. This is white tea which originated from Anji, Zhejiang province, China. Also, this white tea is different from changmou.

Manufacturer's advice: -

Storage: Unknown

 Price: Unknown

Weight: It was not provided on the package.

Package 5/5:  A tea bag has been put into an airtight metal box which is beige with a dark brown lid on it. The surface of the metal box contains information about the tea.

Purchased: China

Manufacturer: It was not clear who is the manufacturer.

Additional notes: The smell is absolutely amazing and so much enjoyable, but the flavour is pretty watery.

The package did not contain much reasonable information to mention about.

The word changmou made me pay more attention and I found online this – Chanoyu (I assume this is the correct definition) means hot water for tea - One of its oldest names in the Japanese language. This is the term preferred by many chajin (tea person/practitioner). This word has more artistic and aesthetic connotations.

Chanoyu is the expression of performance art, it is meditation in motion, it is hospitality, it is aesthetic philosophy, it is a spiritual connection between guest and host, etc. This multifaceted nature is part of Chanoyu’s beauty and a key factor in its longevity and popularity. Of all of the countless cultural phenomena that have sprung around tea since its discovery, from the Song dynasty tea competitions, and the lavish chayorai tea parties of 14th century Japan, none have survived and thrived in the way that Chanoyu has.

Tested: Beihai, China

Date: 09/01/23

Smell 3/5: Vague woody, sweetish aroma

Flavour 3/5: Floral, gently bitter with sweet undertones and bitter aftertaste leaving a long-lasting floral aftertaste.

Colour: Bright amber

Tested (ml): 200ml hot water

Deposit: Yes

Infused (min): 20

Caffeine-free: Yes

Tea type: Herbal

Tea sold as: Loose/In bags

Manufacturer's description: Ingredients – Yarrow plant (100%).

The origin of the wild raspberry leaves is Latvia.

The tea has been certified by the EU/Non-EU Organic Association.

Manufacturer's advice: Put 1 teaspoon of the tea in a cup, pour 200 ml of boiling water over it, soak it for 20 – 30 minutes, and consume it within 1 day.

It is recommended to consume 0.5 g of tea per day.

Storage: Store in a dry and cool place.

Wight (g): 30

Price (£): Unknown

Price per 1 kg (£): Unknown

Design of the tea box: 3/5

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank my mum for donating this tea to my tea collection.

Manufacturer: Z/S Dunduri

Additional notes: The tea aroma was so weak that it was hard to detect what it was like.

I would like to relate the flavour of the tea to green tea, because it reminded me of a very light version of it. I think it could be a great alternative for those who do not like caffeine-free/herbal green tea.

Besides, it had a long-lasting green tea taste like aftertaste. 

1 teaspoon (1.3 g of tea). It was interesting because the manufacturer recommended not using more than 0.5 g of tea a day.

The tea was stored in a clear plastic bag.

I assume that this tea should be covered during steeping.

Also, Yarrow might reduce blood pressure. People with low blood pressure, or who take blood pressure medication, should not drink it excessively.

Interestingly, the manufacturer says that 0.5 g of tea should be used a day, but they do not explain how many grams are in 1 teaspoon.

Comments about the tea description: -

Tested: Talsi/Latvia

Date: 18/04/26

Smell 5/5:  Roasted, soothing, appealing

Flavour 5/5: Gently bitter, light, herbal with roasted rice aftertaste.

Colour: Bright green

Tested (ml): 200ml hot water

Deposit: Yes

Infused (min): 2

Caffeine-free: No

Tea type: Green tea/loose

Manufacturer's description: A great value Japanese-style Genmaicha green tea from Zhejiang: a region renowned for high-grade green teas, blended with roasted rice. Light and refreshing with sweet, grassy notes, it can be enjoyed throughout the day.

Ingredients – Green tea, roasted rice.

Tea harvest – 2nd Spring harvest, May, 2022

Manufacturer's advice: 2 teaspoons (5g), 300g 75 oC (167 oF) water, infuse for 2 min.

Storage: -

Wight (g): 200

Price (£): Unknown

Price per 1kg (£): Unknown

Design of the tea bag: 5/5: It was a simple, but stylish tea bag.

Acknowledgement: Thanks to my brother and his wife for donating this tea to my tea collection.

Manufacturer: Yoshi en GmbH

Additional notes: I loved the aroma of this tea. The roasted rice smelled so calming. Also, the outlook of the tea. The bright green colour was lovely. And flavour by itself was remarkable, gently bitter with floral notes and roasted aftertaste.  It was unusual to see roasted rice floating on the top of the tea among green tea leaves, making this tea look remarkable. Well done.

We used 1 teaspoon with 200ml and 3.3g of tea.

I did a brief visual exploration of Zhejiang City using online search engines. It looks a pretty stylish and modern city, combined with the old town.

Comments about the tea description: Was it light taste-wise? Yes. It was a very light tea.

Was it refreshing? Yes, it was a great companion for hard days to uplift the mood.

Did it have sweet and grassy notes? I did not notice grass, but it was maybe sweetish. I am not sure.

Tested: Rīga/Latvia

Date: 21/04/26