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A coffee-less morning here, as I felt more drawn to my teas and a gentle start. Pulled this one down, weighed it, and promptly dumped it into my fairness cup instead of the pot. Off to a great start.

This is a sweet black that I might assume was a Taiwan red oolong if I didn’t know better — it manages to stay light and juicy, without much in the way of tannin or malt/bread/etc. I see the cultivar is the same as the What-Cha four seasons red oolong I drank a couple days ago; the processing here seems to have fully exposed what is darting and peeking in that one.

I didn’t take notes; getting the leaves in the right vessel was good enough for me, and there are great notes already here. It’s incredibly smooth, with persistent honey sweetness, gentle cinnamon, fruity florals (think honeysuckle and nectar, reminiscent of bug-bitten character), green grape and apricot. Steeps for days, and long steeps only find a hint of tannic ping. Some spring water minerality in later steeps, which may be contributing to how smoothed and nuanced the flavors appear… an invitation to explore, rather than being clunked over the head.

I’ve been loving the rain, but today felt like spring and I got so much done in the sunshine! ’Twas glorious, and inspired me to put some spring into my pot with these fragrant green joy-nugs.

Big big lilac everywhere. The first steep whispered smoke, actually(!) — then more expected flavors of grass and cornsilk, with creaminess after a few steeps.

Not the most refined leaves — the bottom was a little thin, and flavors were more distinct than melded — but a little sunshine-bringer nonetheless.

I threw this in water and into the fridge about two weeks ago. Shame on me for leaving it for so long, but it was delicious — like an icy chocolate milk without any heaviness. Surprisingly refreshing, too.

A sad-face sipdown in a day full of great blacks! This takes a full pot of leaves, but gives and gives in return. I think this one goes back on the wishlist.

Sipdown. This is delicious. I don’t know that I have much to add beyond what derk and leafhopper have noted. I’m not super-drawn to red oolongs, but woo… this is lush with plenty of mystery.

Edited to add: I realize I called this is sipdown, when my intention was to do a western brew after my gong fu. I just brewed the last serving western now, a couple days later — it is fantastic here, as well, and quite a bit different, actually! The overriding note was now caramel, with that fluffy, white-flour sweetness that pancakes have without any syrup (that often makes me question putting syrup on them at all). Fruit presented more in the second second (~6min) steep. I’m not quite ready to put this in the 90s (my definite reorders), but I think this is a lovely red oolong that I’d like to spend some more time with in the future.

Sitting here with my second steep and reveling in all the things at once. I came home sleep-deprived but grateful for the morning, had a little sipdown of What-Cha’s Jin Jun Mei, and headed outside to do some work in the yard. Came in a few hours later and went right for the… pu-erh? Okay, body, whatever you say. Opened up a sour bag that I have yet to wrangle, gave it a whiff (ope, yep, still sour as shit)… decided that was going a little too far… settled on this one I hadn’t tried yet.

I went to YS’ website to grab some database info and fell a little in love with the label (though all the photos of this cake are stunning, my gracious). Tracked the artist down (https://www.deviantart.com/lookihaveapotato), and feel perfectly muscle-spent and content while I sip and gawk.

Just what I was craving… terribly cozy, without being too warming or cooling… full and smooth and rich without throwing any one big flavor… the first shou I love without feeling desperate to understand.

Dark like coffee and cabernet, smells and tastes of barnyard and mushroom and some new soil with some new metallic tang in some part of the world I haven’t yet walked on. Bliss.

I forgot I’d been hunting roses in this tea. Maybe a re-order for my inner Elmer Fudd. It’s delicious, but I absolutely don’t have my arms all the way around it yet.