Laoshan Black

And I’m back from vacation and back on Steepster! I actually got back home yesterday, but kind of took the holiday to decompress and relax without diving right back into the land of the internet. I’ve been saving my last little packet of LB, but I decided to bust it open yesterday to celebrate coming home to my teas and also Christmas. This tea is every bit as good as I remembered it from last winter. It’s so intensely malty with chocolate notes at the end and so many other flavors all cooperating so perfectly in this one cup. I even got three or four resteeps out of it, so I’m definitely savoring the last that I have of this tea.

This was one of the five free samples I just received from Verdant and I feel like I owe them a great thank you for allowing me to try such an impressive tea. I went against their suggestion and made a pot of this Western style, simply because I have been drinking tea long enough to know that what I enjoy most is a strong, full-bodied, tea right of the bat. I have tried so many other brewing methods with nice teas only to wish that I had went ahead and steeped it longer at the beginning, bringing out all of the complexity at once. It paid off with this one.

Despite the long steep time the tea remained a clear golden-orange. I have read since trying this that cocoa is supposed to be a predominant flavor in this tea, but mostly what I got was a strong floral/sweet flavor that reminded me of a combination of pineapple and rose; or perhaps toasted apricots, if there were such a thing. This earthy sweetness was so pronounced for me that I almost find myself having a hard time seeing myself drink this on a regular basis. It had almost no astringency to it, and to be honest I like a little kick in my cup.

All this, however, doesn’t take away from this great selection. Just looking at the tightly would leaves themselves show this. It has been awhile since I have had anything this complex and the very fact that I went and read all the information on it I could find after trying it is a testament to the effect it had on me.

I think I brewed this tea incorrectly the first couple times, but on the third steeping it tasted fine. Not great…maybe black teas (without heavy cream and sugar) need to grow on me. I had to add a little sugar to really enjoy it. I did catch the chocolate scent in the dry leaves, but I didn’t taste any chocolate at all in the brewed tea. Maybe I have newbie taste buds, or maybe the fact that I’m a high-end chocolate connoisseur/addict hinders me from tasting such a subtle cocoa flavor. In any case, I’m not real excited that I bought 2 oz of this.

Looks like I finally got around to trying the famous Laoshan Black…

The dry leaves immediately surprised me with their cocoa-ey scent — I really didn’t expect it to be so pronounced in a plain black tea. I also just love the way the dry leaves look — both the black and the laoshan green — the little curlicues are just so cute!

What surprised me even more was the reaction my family members had. My little sister was absolutely disgusted by it, and refused to drink more than a sip. My mother agreed with her that it smells “weird” … she admitted that there was something interesting there, but it definitely wasn’t what she liked from a tea. My dad said that if it had been brewed about three times stronger (what?? the directions already recommend a tablespoon per cup of water…) then it might be interesting to try. To which my mother responded that if it had been three times stronger, she probably wouldn’t even have tried it.

All of which… leaves me more than a little confused.*

Personally, I got a very strong cocoa note, and also what I guess was the malty, barley note mentioned, which I initially found somewhat unpleasant… but I’m pretty sure it’s growing on me. To me, it tastes chocolatey and a little earthy, and with a little cream and sugar I found myself enjoying it immensely, and wanting more once I’d finished the cup…

I’m now very curious to try all the blends it features in. I bet it makes a fantastic chai, the bergamot-rose sounds divine, and the imperial breakfast blend is probably good too… So, guess who’s going to be making another Verdant order… =P

*(Upon further reflection, considering they didn’t think much of the davidstea yunnan, I’m guessing that we’re just more used to floral tastes in our black teas than earthy/malty/chocolatey? Although my mother enjoyed the strawberry chocolate puer… Hmmm…)

WITCHCRAFT! WITCHCRAFT AND MAGIC!

Opening the packet, I was greeted by the familiar smells of malt and cocoa powder. Brewing it up, I got a gorgeous copper liquid with a malty smell. Taking my first sip, it’s rich dark chocolate and malted barley. Like drinking a warm, chocolatey beer. But not at all as disgusting as that might sound. (And nothing like Guinness.)

Second steep tones down the malt while the cocoa note takes on a thicker, slightly less dark feel. A smooth cocoa at the front and the back with a little punch of chocolate syrup in the middle. Faint hint of walnut and spice.

It’s the most unique black I’ve ever tasted. Surprising, easy-drinking, creamy, and perfectly smooth, with none of the punch or astringency you’d expect from an Assam or Ceylon black.

Backlog from yesterday. I’ve got to admit that I had some expectations before trying this tea based on reading the steepster boards. I was expecting a small miracle in a cup. Too be honest, this tea pretty much lives up to it’s repututation. It is super smooth and really does have a luscious choclately aroma and flavor that is full and substantial. It also has a touch of comforting maltiness. Mmmmm….

I would like to make it clear early that this is a review of the Autumn 2012 harvest of this tea. This is a very important distinction. After seeing some disappointed reviews, I felt the need to weigh in.

I had the unique fortune of trying Laoshan Black for the first time without knowing of the hype it held. I received it as a sample in an order early summer 2012, and it immediately took the highest place among my favorite teas. I won’t go into too much detail, because it’s all been said, but all the notes and nuances I would later read in reviews were accounted for. The most amazing chocolate sweet potato notes, lingering on the breath well after drinking. My only criticism would have been the texture, but this was trivial, and not enough for any other tea to overtake it for me. I ordered a good amount soon after, and it remained my favorite…

Fast forward to late January, 2013. I ran out, and placed an order for more. I recalled this harvest being called “the most chocolatey yet”, so I was extremely excited. I opened the bag. A hint of the cocoa was there, but it was not the smell I had grown so attached to. Preparing gongfu style, the wonderful chocolate aroma that would reach me from the gaiwan was no longer present. Finally tasting, there was almost nothing of the Laoshan Black I had loved before. Like a ghost of its former self, there was only a faint hint of chocolate riding below what I can only describe as a very bland and generic “black tea flavor”. Confused, I tried to rationalize. Perhaps I had brushed my teeth too recently? I stayed my criticism until my next steeping. Perhaps I ate too recently? Continuing to make excuses for it, trying all different temperatures, times, and methods, I finally was ready to admit that Autumn 2012 Laoshan Black is nothing of the tea that earned the highest regard on this site, and in our homes. It’s not “bad”, but there is nothing to the Autumn 2012 harvest that would warrant my recommending a purchase to anyone. I will give that its texture is certainly more desirable this time around, but this does little to redeem it. It is no wonder to me that Verdant is pushing their chai iteration of this tea(which is pretty good) so hard.

After trying this harvest, I felt the need to review it because I was sure some would be trying LSB for the first time, and wonder if this is really one of the most acclaimed teas available. Do not let this harvest put you off to the Laoshan Black name, or black/tea in general. I’m sure that future harvests will return what we all loved about this tea, but until then I believe it’s score should reflect it’s currently offered harvest.

The flavor of this one is complex, and it was a little tough for me pick out everything I was experiencing the first time I drank it. Now that I’ve gone through a bag of it, the taste and smell both kind of remind me of biting into freshly baked, still warm bread. I get a mild corn cereal taste out of it, which sugar seemed to bring out even more. Other notes (some from later tastings) remind me of unsalted popcorn, toasted bread, caramel, brown rice, maybe even faint cinnamon? It reminds me more of an oolong than a black. Very smooth with no harshness to speak of. This is something I could see being a staple in my cupboard. As far as sugar is concerned, this is just as good with or without. I think I might like lighter, shorter steeps more, but I am still experimenting…

I bought a sample of this tea because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. This tea is awesome! The closest comparison I can make is eating a warm, buttery, chocolate croissant. It has a truly unique flavor for a black tea. I put it through 8 gongfu infusions and it still produces a flavorful cup. I’m definitely buying more of this.

This is by far one of my favorite black teas. I had to go through 4 different tastings on 4 different days with multiple people each time to make sure I wasn’t crazy. Something about the complexity and the aroma pull me in every time. Mind you this is even before I drink my first cup.
I can’t fully explain the complex flavor, but I can say that through the 3 steepings, this tea is just flat out amazing each time. I promise you will not be disappointed. Even if you dislike black tea you have to try this. It is that good.