i sit here with davids tea’s tie kwan yin. looking at it dry i see that it is med sized, tightly rolled, and appears to be highly oxidized. the tea looks dark, with slight greenery coming through in spots. stems are visible.

dry, it has a kind of cutting aroma, with hints of nut.. what kind i dont know, maybe raw almond. besides this i get an almost toxic smell like fresh paint.. its not enough to be off putting, but its there.

im using 5g with a 125ml vessel with the suggested temp of 85C or 185F. i am not pouring a rinse, instead ill start with a 5s infusion, then 10, then increase as needed.

1st- 5s, wet leaves have hardly opened at all as can be expected. leaves smell- to me atleast like a da hong pao, very heavy, musty, warming but slightly odd.. makes me feel like im in an antique store or grandparents basement or closet. lol.
the liquor is pretty much clear except for a slight tint of yellow. floral notes come from the aroma of the cup.
taste is weak of coarse, green and floral mix.

2nd- 10s, wet leaves are opening and kind of clumping up you could say. smell of leaves is bolder and rounder.. muskier. liquor is a nice light yellowish tan colour.
the heavy aroma of the leaves has transferred into the aroma of the cup, and is not the nice and friendly light brew anymore.
so far most of the experience is in the smelling of the tea.. the taste is not there yet, although i am getting a richer mouthfeel from this second brew. its hard to describe, the taste evokes the image of the tea.

3rd- 20s, wet leaves are slowly creeping up the vessel, smelling strong.
the liquor is a darker golden yellow- not so dark though. the heavy aroma is giving way to a more vegetal smelling cup… still creamy and buttery with less “antique” smell.
i had not detected any astringency until now.. its very minute though. vegetal, still rich mouthfeel.
… this is literally very warming (obviously.. hot water but) ive shed a layer of clothing plus socks, haha. the cutting sort of astringency thinly coats the mouth and tongue with an active feeling, similar to mint, cooling at times.

4th- 25s, leaves have opened up even more, coming up the vessel, going strong, still smelling roasted and “old people-like.”
in the cup the liquor is yellowish.
tastes a bit watery. mouthfeel stays with you for maybe a minute after drinking. this brew has been less bold and flavorful despite the smell of the leaves being strong.

im cutting the review off here.

over all, not one of my favorite teas,didnt blow me away, id rather just drink da hong pao… although that may be an awful comparison.. i don’t know, havnt drank dhp for a few months and dont completely remember the subtleties.

probably wont buy this tea again from davids tea, anyone else know of other good sources for this tea, or optimal temps?

have a good day.

-nycoma

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