A few years ago someone gave my Aunt a gift of a Chinese loose-leaf tea. We had no idea what to do with it, and it stayed in our cupboard for a year or two. Then a few months ago a friend of mine trying to convert me to loose-leaf teas gifted me with a variety of them, an infuser and instructions—and I was up and running. I tried the “mystery” tea and quite liked it, but had no idea what it could be since the writing in the wrappings was Chinese.
Then when I decided to order some teas for myself, I decided to try a couple of Oolongs and the mystery was solved. My mystery tea was Iron Goddess of Mercy. I liked that tea, and I liked the one from TeaSource, yet I doubt I’ll order it again. It’s simply that when there are teas I find I love, absolutely love, that I can steep two or three pots worth in one day and drink it with relish, this just doesn’t quite make it to the top. It’s an enjoyable tea, a bit astringent, metallic in flavor and mellow compared to blacks and thankfully not grassy like most Greens I’ve tried. But not destined to be the favorite Big Red Robe turned out to be.
