Togo Send Message

For this session I decided to crush about 10% of the leaves to see what it does. Also, I used a low temperature rinse at 50°C.

The dry leaf aroma is not super strong, it is definitely reminiscent of Tie Guan Yin. After the first rinse, I get a mix of nutty and vegetal smells. The closest comparison I can make is asparagus. After the second rinse though, floral and fruity aromas appear. I notice some peach in particular. Both rinses are in fact very nice to drink, slightly savoury and already quite thick and creamy in the mouthfeel.

After rinsing the leaves I add the crushed leaves and brew very short infusions at 80°C to 90°C. The smell continues evolving towards a very nice mix of vegetal and fruity notes with sweet floral undertones. I can smell some tropical fruits there that I cannot quite identify. The liquor has a dark yellow/green colour and is very viscous. The mouthfeel is silky with a hint of allround astringency. As for the taste, it is very complex and strong, but remains balanced nevertheless. It starts with the floral and savoury notes, with slight bitterness quickly kicking in, only to give way to the fruity and sweeter notes in the finish. The aftertaste thus starts fairly sweet, but over time turns a little bit more vegetal. During the whole time I can tell there is some subtle sourness underneath, but it only becomes more prominent later on in the after taste, which is almost endless. Taking long breaks during the session is definitely recommended. There is too much going on for me to pick up more specific notes, maybe I can try to do that next time round. I have to say that it’s a VERY pleasant and refreshing drink even when not being too focused on its refined characteristics, but given its price, I will save it for when I have time to appreciate it fully.

To conclude, I love the complex and nuanced, yet balanced taste, I love the floral/fruity smell, I love the texture, I love the protracted and evolving aftertaste.

I love this tea!

edit: The late steeps have an incredibly thick and creamy mouthfeel, that coats the mouth very well. Also, both the taste and smell is a bit more grassy than I noticed beforehand. The cha qi is nice too, not rushy at all, rather mellow and calming.