These Ketlee teas are really lighting me up! 2021 harvest
I have 2 full pages in my notebook dedicated to one session (brewed in glass gaiwan). There were so many complexities to this tea, I feel like it’s a disservice (to myself) to not wax poetic (really, derk?) like I have in my other Ketlee notes from this week. But then does doing so potentially taint somebody else’s experience? Only if they have expectations based upon what I write. Of course they do. Writing for everybody’s palate is impossible, though, so the superfluous tasting notes might be lost to the wind. Either way, I’ll keep it short and sweet:
From the forests of Manipur, India; perhaps the same wild leaf as the Orthodox Smoked White (though a different year and picking season). This is the most engaging white tea I’ve ever had, not only in its morphing and flowing aromas and tastes, but also in textures and body feeling.
I think this tea can be for anybody but will probably appeal more to seasoned sippers looking to mix things up than to somebody newish to brewing. However, the forcefulness of flavor might appeal to the somewhat innocent. It’s worth getting lost in some raw power.
Flavors: Astringent, Banana, Campfire, Cantaloupe, Coriander Seed, Cucumber, Cumin, Earthy, Fennel, Floral, Flowers, Fruity, Gooseberry, Green Apple, Honey, Juicy, Lemongrass, Mineral, Musk, Papaya, Paper, Petrichor, Plant Stems, Pungent, Quince, Rainforest, Rose, Rosemary, Savory, Silky, Spicy, Spring Water, Sugar, Sweet, Tangy, Tannin, Tropical Fruit, Wet Rocks, Wintergreen
I enjoy when you wax poetic about particular teas, even when I don’t taste all the nuances myself. From your flavour list, this one seems like a winner.
Ditto! You carry us away from the mundane!