Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Tula Teas' Zealong Pure Oolong

I did a bit of background research on this tea, revealing that it was indeed grown in New Zealand and that this is one of three different varieties being produced there at the moment (the others are Zealong Dark and Zealong Aromatic). Unlike the other two, this Zealong Pure features “sweet, fresh-tasting leaves” that are “unroasted, bringing out the pure, natural flavor of the tea” (zealong.com). Their website suggests 1 tsp of leaves per cup of water, infused for a minute (at least at first).

Opening the package, I take in the aroma of the dry leaves. Sweet, very clean-smelling. They are rolled into balls, reminiscent of a ti kwan yin oolong. I prepare the water, freshly boiled, but not still boiling. The first minute of infusion goes by. The steeped liquor smells fresh and slightly floral. The leaves have a very vegetal aroma and still smell quite sweet. Sipping this first cup is a joy. From the smell of the liquor, I expected a much weaker brew than what now dances around on my tongue. While not strong, this oolong does have a full body - floral, fresh, and with just a touch of that natural sweetness.

Eagerly, I go ahead and steep the leaves again, for the suggested one minute. The leaves now have taken on a fuller aroma, more "juicy," but in a floral sense. The smell of the brewed tea is still subdued, but after the first cup, I know this subdued aroma could hold great flavor. I can tell that the flavor has gone, somewhat, from the leaves, in comparison to the first steeping. It is, however, still there with the sweetness becoming a bit more prominent and equal with the other flavors.

The third steep is for two minutes (as per the suggestions from zealong.com). The longer steep-time has brought the flavors and aromas back in line with the first steeping. Full bodied, perhaps even a bit stronger flavor-wise than the first infusion. Ah, it is still delicious, regardless. I go ahead and put this tea through several more steepings. The zealong.com website makes the claim that it will last six to eight infusions. I am satisfied, and gladly would rate this tea a 92/100 on my personal enjoyment scale.


This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Tula Teas' website may be found, here. This tea may be found and purchased on Zealong.com, here.

Salutations and Preparations

Happy holidays, wonderful readers!

As we approach the start of a new year, the time for contemplation of the past year, planning of the coming year, and giving thanks for our current situation is upon us. I am very grateful for those of you, who continue to read this blog. Thank you! 

It might sound redundant, but I have some very cool stuff lined up for 2014. Book reviews, pen reviews, ink and tea (of course), and perhaps more teaware with a smattering of Lego! That being said, I would love to hear from all of you, if there is an area in which you would like to see more content. Leave a comment below. 

Additionally, I am open to any guest bloggers, who feel that their content fits with our theme(s) (or lack thereof), here at Built from Ink and Tea. Send me a message, via the contact page! Sponsors, who would like to see their products reviewed and featured here, are also urged to contact me. Want to give away one of your latest teas/inks/teaware/pens/etc. along with the review? Let us get that arranged! 

Readers, I want 2014 to be the year of fulfilling your requests. Tell me what you think!

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of De Atramentis Sandalwood Ink

Sandalwood is one of my favorite scent, and this ink definitely had a good aroma. Pleasant on the nose and the eyes.

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Tao Tea Leaf’s Imperial Golden Pu'erh

After  preheating my teaware, I opened the package of loose tea, breathing in what seemed to be a fragrant and bold pu’erh. Beginning by rinsing the leaves in the gaiwan, I took in the aroma of the wet leaves and had much the same impression as when they were dry. Then came the first thirty-second infusion. I was just a bit disappointed.

The flavors were bold, yet at the same time were flat. Initially, the tea had great mouthfeel and the taste concentrated at the front of the mouth, but that was about as far as things went. Continuing, I steeped the leaves again for another thirty seconds. This time, the brew came out darker looking, earthier in smell, and stronger in flavor. The third infusion was much like the second, but the flavor was a bit fuller. Finally, for the fourth steeping, I left the leaves sit in the water for several minutes. This time, the tea came out stronger, but no more flavorful. Overall, I would say that I was disappointed at the lack of any sort of full flavor. However, the flavors that did exist were bold. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would give this tea a 68/100.


This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
This tea is no longer available from Tao Tea Leaf, but their website may be found, here. 

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Diamine Peach Haze Ink

As we enter winter in the United States, I thought I should post one final tribute to autumn in the form of this ink review.

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea "Visit Mount Gray" Black Tea

Andrews & Dunham have a knack for coming up with some of the most creative names in the tea industry...and turning tea time into an adventure! In particular, their Earl Grey blend, dubbed "Visit Mount Gray" is described as containing "Black tea flavored with Bergamot Oil, Mountain Air, Golden Sunsets, and a Lifetime of Adventure." That description causes me to want to undertake an adventure. Time for tea!

The bergamot scent of the dry leaves was nearly overwhelming. When I opened the package, the heavy aroma wafted to my nose and shocked me with its strength. Whoah. In the past, I have consumed Earl Grey blends, where there was so much bergamot oil that it was sickening. Thankfully, that was not the case with "Visit Mount Gray." While being heavy, the bergamot aromas were not too thick and unpleasant.

A teaspoon of dry leaves joined eight ounces (or a bit more) in a cup for four minutes (or a bit more to balance the extra water). The result was not a cup of tea that reeked of bergamot. Rather, the bergamot scent had settled into the overall blend, for which I was thankful. Eagerly, I awaited the cup being just slightly cooler, so that I might taste the adventure!

I took a small sip and the flavor underwhelmed me. Hmmm, perhaps the small amount of extra water was not totally balanced by the small amount of extra time. Back into the mug goes the strainer with the leaves. Another two minutes pass.

The smell was still the same smooth blend, but the taste...the taste had blossomed! Blessedly, it was not overwhelming with bergamot, either. In fact, wow, the bergamot was actually complementing the black tea, as it should in Earl Grey! Clearly, my concerns about the amount of bergamot were unfounded. The smooth flavors of bergamot and black tea slid over my taste buds, leaving trace aftertastes of bergamot, pleasantly resting on the palate.

If Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea "Visit Mount Gray" is not the best Earl Grey blend that I have ever tasted, then I am not certain what is better. Well done, Andrews & Dunham. That was an amazing cup. Not too strong, not too perfume-y, but with enough strength and kick to cause you to wake up and take notice, all the while enjoying every smooth sip. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this tea an 89/100.

This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
"Visit Mount Gray" can be purchased from the Andrews & Dunham website, here.
Photo credit to Andrews & Dunham.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Lamy Turqoise Ink

Turquoise inks have always been an intriguing and fun division of blue inks for which I have had an appreciation.

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Tea Forte's Flora Herbal Tisane

Ah, the pleasure of a good smelling tea. Often the dry leaves, as-of-yet un-infused, reveal a lot about the tea that is to come. The spicy and sweet notes of the dry leaves of this herbal tisane blend in an attractive melody that promises a deep and possibly heavy drink.

Utilizing a Tea Forte Café Cup, I steeped this pyramid infuser for four minutes using just-boiled water. Smelling the infusion, it is clear that cinnamon is definitely what lends much of the spiciness to this tea’s aroma. However, with the first sip, it becomes immediately evident that cinnamon is not all that is in Tea Forte’s Flora. The sweetness of licorice root melds with the explosion of flavor from the hibiscus in this blend. The hibiscus adds a lot of body to this tisane and sweeps through one’s mouth, filling it with flavor.

A re-steep of this herbal blend offers a much weaker version of the first cup, but with the same balance of flavors. This is one blend that is worth trying and might make a tasty chilled drink as well. I would give Flora an 83/100 on my personal enjoyment scale.


This post was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Tango Green Tea is no longer available from Tea Forte.
Photo credit to Tea Forte.

A Review of the Zebra V-301 Fountain Pen

First Impressions (7)
The turned aluminum looks good. It gives a rugged appearance without being too rugged. Set next to the plastic, it is a bit unfortunate, as the plastic does not look nearly as sturdy. That said, it was not the plastic, which first caught my eye.

Appearance (5)
As I mentioned, the body is mostly made of aluminum, and the metal has a brushed look to it. However, the section ring, behind the grip, as well as the clip itself are both polished metal surfaces, providing an interesting contrast. Then there is the plastic, which makes this pen look as cheap as it really is. The plastic end on the barrel or the one on the cap are not terrible...but the grip looks cheap, injection-molded tackiness of questionable quality. The look of the nib is also worth mentioning, short as it is, as though it is half-hidden in the barrel. Back to the plastic...as I write with it, I see how rough and unfinished the edges of the plastic grip are.

Design/Size/Weight (7)
For as short as this pen is, it has a decent amount of weight, which is distributed evenly across the cap, section/nib, and body. I have relatively large hands, and I think that this pen would be too short (un-posted)...if it were a quarter of an inch shorter in length. The cap does snap onto the end to post, but it wobbles, though secured. The clip’s sturdiness will withstand a good deal of abuse. Screwing the section into the body, one might be concerned, as the threads seem to be quite loose, but, when the two pieces are fully screwed together, it holds secure.

Nib (6)
For a cheap, mass-market fountain pen like the V-301, the nib is a surprising find. The feedback seems to be a bit much, as even on Rhodia paper scratching may be heard, but the writing experience is not terrible. By comparison, its nib writes equal (or better in some cases) with a Platinum Preppy. While a relatively wet writer, the pen also controls the ink well.

Filling System (5)
Insofar as I know, cartridges are the only option for this pen, as I have never seen or heard of a converter for it. The cartridges are also proprietary, further limiting users. When I purchased this pen in a drugstore, it came with two cartridges, but I did not see any packs of cartridges available - a limitation that might drive users to simply dispose of the pen, when they have no more ink. But, for the adventurous, I have found that the ink cartridges are sturdy enough to withstand refilling and reusing.

Cost and Value (4)
I will cut to the chase: considering that there are other, more inexpensive fountain pens with the same quality and more readily available refills, this pen is not that great of a value. The sub-$5.00 (US) price point certainly does not make it prohibitive to buy to test, as I have done. But in the long run...look elsewhere.

Conclusion (6)
(5.67 actual)
In conclusion, unless you are a big fan of Zebra or the looks of this pen, please take a look at something along the lines of a Platinum Preppy, first. This is not a bad pen, but you can find many better options.


This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of De Atramentis Emerald Green Ink

Here we have a beautiful green ink...with a distinct lack of shading!

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Tea Forte’s Tango Green Tea

Steeped in a Tea Forte Café Cup, with the spent tea pyramid resting on a Tea Forte tea tray, all the pieces were set to provide an enjoyable tasting experience of this mango flavoured green tea. Impeccable as always, the packaging of this individual tea pyramid infuser bag was clean and sharply presented. After heating the water to the proper temperature, I proceeded to steep the tea for only two minutes before moving on to tasting it. The aroma is light, and the mango smell is lighter yet. My guess would be that the green tea base is a sencha or something akin to it.

The tea itself has light forward notes with a strong finish. The mango is present but not very prominent. Overall the tea is not very impressive in its taste. Not wanting to judge it by first try, I steeped a second cup. This time, I left the tea pyramid in the water for three minutes. The mango flavour is now a lot bolder and broader. It complements the green tea far more than during the first infusion.

Overall, I think this is not one of Tea Forte’s better blends. However, for lovers of fruit flavoured green teas, it may be worth giving this one a try. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate it a 76/100.


This post was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Tango Green Tea is no longer available from Tea Forte.
Photo credit to Tea Forte.