This is my first sample from Fong Mong Tea as well as my first Sun Moon Lake.
Is it possible that a black tea can taste vegetal?
I think so – to me anyway.
Smells like a warm inviting soup broth.
Mmmmmm
Mushroom soup! Thats it!
This tea is one to savor – like being invited into a top chef’s kitchen and offered to sip from his big pot of slowly simmering soup. A “soup” that needs to be allowed to breathe and collect subtle nuisances of flavor over time. An aged soup perhaps? If there is such a thing.
This tea speaks to you as if it is knowing of secrets held within old trees, running streams that have spread gossip from one watering hole to the next and the memories of vegetation along the way.
I think of immense spans of wooded lands, with the ripe smell of oak moss and dew on green leaves. Intoxicating!
Yes vegetal, spicy with flecks of sparks dancing on the top and tip of the tongue. Leather, woods, mushrooms, and chocolate notes bow like a gentleman before my palate.
A champagne tea that sparkles all the way down.
Happiness.
Thank you Fong Mong Tea for this gift of a sample of your precious collection!
Preparation
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I had two Ruby blacks from Taiwan and they were awesome, just as you describe this one. Supposedly they are frm the same varietal. It resteeped beautifully and you couldn’t make it bitter if you tried! I am really excited to try this one…can’t wait until it gets here.
Unfortunately I have found my re-steep to be very weak :( will try again and steep even longer but I went 6 minutes on the second steep. SIGH
Every review I have seen on this one sounds incredible. I hope it is in my samples – then again that’s a lot of pressure following these amazing reviews. Impressed.
Ah don’t be intimidated – my review was by far not as good as others. The thing is if a tea strikes you I think it just makes the words flow. I surely didn’t think I would be writing the words I did until I had the tea :)
Taiwan Reds really seem to benefit from an up dose and short steeps. I typically start ‘round 4-6g/100mL with 95C water at 45-90sec. I rarely get more’n 5 infusions from one, but do manage to get a nice range of light, sweet – and yes, mossy – characteristics with overarching stone fruit aromatics.
So western brewing is a no no it seems. With what I have left I will pull out my gaiwan :) Thanks for the tips!
LOVE the review, so much fun to read!
Thank you Jason! :)
Wouldn’t say a no-no… Hard to screw these up. I just get more fulfillment out of the many light infusions presenting flavor sets one after another as opposed to a singular one which tries to carry them all.
I can see appreciating it both ways – I have enough left to try it with the gaiwan so I think I shall :)
Yes, awesome review! : )
As I’m sitting here reading this I am beginning to question my decision to pass on the offer of free samples from them on Facebook (I’ve got a new package of samples on the way from Teavivre, and I don’t want too many samples complicating my life, now do I! Or, do I? :p ). I have two different samples of Sun-Moon-Lake from Life in Teacup I have yet to try; I’m looking forward to trying them as I have heard great things about Taiwan black tea.
I had two Ruby blacks from Taiwan and they were awesome, just as you describe this one. Supposedly they are frm the same varietal. It resteeped beautifully and you couldn’t make it bitter if you tried! I am really excited to try this one…can’t wait until it gets here.
Unfortunately I have found my re-steep to be very weak :( will try again and steep even longer but I went 6 minutes on the second steep. SIGH
Every review I have seen on this one sounds incredible. I hope it is in my samples – then again that’s a lot of pressure following these amazing reviews. Impressed.
Ah don’t be intimidated – my review was by far not as good as others. The thing is if a tea strikes you I think it just makes the words flow. I surely didn’t think I would be writing the words I did until I had the tea :)
Taiwan Reds really seem to benefit from an up dose and short steeps. I typically start ‘round 4-6g/100mL with 95C water at 45-90sec. I rarely get more’n 5 infusions from one, but do manage to get a nice range of light, sweet – and yes, mossy – characteristics with overarching stone fruit aromatics.
So western brewing is a no no it seems. With what I have left I will pull out my gaiwan :) Thanks for the tips!
LOVE the review, so much fun to read!
Thank you Jason! :)
Wouldn’t say a no-no… Hard to screw these up. I just get more fulfillment out of the many light infusions presenting flavor sets one after another as opposed to a singular one which tries to carry them all.
I can see appreciating it both ways – I have enough left to try it with the gaiwan so I think I shall :)
Yes, awesome review! : )
As I’m sitting here reading this I am beginning to question my decision to pass on the offer of free samples from them on Facebook (I’ve got a new package of samples on the way from Teavivre, and I don’t want too many samples complicating my life, now do I! Or, do I? :p ). I have two different samples of Sun-Moon-Lake from Life in Teacup I have yet to try; I’m looking forward to trying them as I have heard great things about Taiwan black tea.