Daylon R Thomas already adequately described this tea but I love this tea, too, so I wanna talk about it.

So here I am drinking it the night before my GRE exam. I’ll probably have it tomorrow morning, too.

Tonight, I’ve gone western. 1tsp/8oz/205F. First steep was 3 minutes, second was whoops I forgot. Third will be a deliberate whoopsy because you can’t overbrew this tea.

This tea is straightforward and ridiculously easy to chug once it cools off. No astringency or bitterness with a light mouthfeel. Aroma and taste is sweet vanilla and rock sugar with roasted pears and sweet apples. Because of its flavor profile, I enjoy it most during mornings on campus when the fog is rolling through or at night at home…when the fog is rolling through. I enjoy this tea any time of day, really.

My preferred method of brewing this, though, is in my clay gaiwan, with 5 grams of leaf to 100mL. It nullifies the barely there funk that’s present in western and it amplifies the sweetness. My glob. Smell the bottom of the cup, people. And it steeps forever but I don’t have time for that tonight.

I recently gifted a coffee-drinking friend with an encyclopedia of loose teas. He was most stoked about this one, What-Cha’s sticky rice oolong and Whispering Pines’ Ancient Spirit but he’s really excited about tea in general (I’m sending him another encyclopedia of loose tea next week). I think I have a convert. Good for newbies and experienced alike. Also regarding converts, my manfriend/lifepartner/whatever swore off coffee for this week. He texted me today saying ‘I need better tea at work.’ Finally he’s tired of the Trader Joe’s Irish Breakfast. So I packed some of this for him to try out grandpa-style.

Woot. I’m happy and calm. This is derk signing out. Nanu nanu.

Mastress Alita

Always so excited to find a convert… my coworkers are incredibly atalwart and always say “I don’t like tea!” which perplexes me since… every tea tastes different. They never want to take up my offers for a prepared cuppa when they traverse through the cataloging dungeon here at the library on their way to the coffee pot in the breakroom. Quite sad.

derk

He said the amber gaba oolong saved his ass today. I kinda want to send him on a ride with some crazy sheng.

You could leave some teas and simple instruction close to the coffee pot. Somebody will eventually get curious and hide in the bathroom to drink it.

Daylon R Thomas

Victory! The Ancient Spirit was one of my Whispering Pines favorites was well.

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Mastress Alita

Always so excited to find a convert… my coworkers are incredibly atalwart and always say “I don’t like tea!” which perplexes me since… every tea tastes different. They never want to take up my offers for a prepared cuppa when they traverse through the cataloging dungeon here at the library on their way to the coffee pot in the breakroom. Quite sad.

derk

He said the amber gaba oolong saved his ass today. I kinda want to send him on a ride with some crazy sheng.

You could leave some teas and simple instruction close to the coffee pot. Somebody will eventually get curious and hide in the bathroom to drink it.

Daylon R Thomas

Victory! The Ancient Spirit was one of my Whispering Pines favorites was well.

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This place, like the rest of the internet, is dead and overrun with bots. Yet I persist.

Eventual tea farmer. If you are a tea grower, want to grow your own plants or are simply curious, please follow me so we can chat.

I most enjoy loose-leaf, unflavored teas and tisanes. Teabags have their place. Some of my favorite teas have a profound effect on mind and body rather than having a specific flavor profile.

Favorite teas generally come from China (all provinces), Taiwan, India (Nilgiri and Manipur). Frequently enjoyed though less sipped are teas from Georgia, Japan, and Nepal. While I’m not actively on the hunt, a goal of mine is to try tea from every country that makes it available to the North American market. This is to gain a vague understanding of how Camellia sinensis performs in different climates. I realize that borders are arbitrary and some countries are huge with many climates and tea-growing regions.

I’m convinced European countries make the best herbal teas.

Personal Rating Scale:

100-90: A tea I can lose myself into. Something about it makes me slow down and appreciate not only the tea but all of life or a moment in time. If it’s a bagged or herbal tea, it’s of standout quality in comparison to similar items.

89-80: Fits my profile well enough to buy again.

79-70: Not a preferred tea. I might buy more or try a different harvest. Would gladly have a cup if offered.

69-60: Not necessarily a bad tea but one that I won’t buy again. Would have a cup if offered.

59-1: Lacking several elements, strangely clunky, possesses off flavor/aroma/texture or something about it makes me not want to finish.

Unrated: Haven’t made up my mind or some other reason. If it’s puerh, I likely think it needs more age.

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Sonoma County, California, USA

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