I can’t believe I haven’t written a note about this tea yet.
Really, it’s shameful.
This has been a staple in my cupboard since day one. When I started drinking tea I preferred greens and oolongs because I could differentiate between the flavors more easily. I had more experience with hot green tea that I did with black tea. Black tea always tasted the same to me. (How wrong I was!) This was a tea that completely changed my perspective. It changed my expectations of how pure black tea could taste, and how dynamic the range of flavors I could experience actually was.
So, to begin. I always overleaf by half. I use pre-boiling water and start steeping at 45 seconds, increasing by increments of 15 sec. (I also rinse the leaves before starting.) The tea liquor starts at a light amber; the color deepens to a beautiful reddish gold before settling into a yellow gold with later steeps. The smell is so, so lovely. Fruity and light with the suggestion of a darker complexity. Reminds me of olive oil, similar to the way that Master Han’s Wild Picked Yunnan reminds me of it. (Though not quite so intense.)
Early steeps are lighter and “brighter” with a fruit-like flavor. The end of each sip verges on spicy and chocolatey. Darker flavors counterbalance the light. As I continue steeping, the tea coats my mouth with a delicate sweetness. Later steeps bring out malt chocolate and caramel notes. It becomes smoother, more mellow and less “bright”. Less astringency with every steep—not that there was any to begin with. There is a slight cedary wood taste…it’s very delicate. Spice undertones prevail throughout. There are hints of sweet cream that grow stronger in each infusion. I usually steep about 4-6 times, or until the leaves are exhausted and I feel like I’m drinking hot water.
So good. So, so good. I save this tea for when I want something special. (: I squirrel it away for months because it’s never available for very long. It consistently gives me a beautiful, heavenly brew.
I’ve tried several high-quality straight black teas from other retailers and this is my FAVORITE to date. Hands down.
Bam.
Flavors: Caramel, Cinnamon, Cream, Malt, Wood
