The first time I brewed this tea, I was incredibly careful with temperatures, preheating, etc, and it was unlike any tea I’ve ever had. The next time, I didn’t bother as much, and it still came out good, but lacking a lot of the complexity. So this review is for the first time. You’ll want to set aside a good chunk of time to enjoy this tea properly. I think ‘scrumptious’ gets at the whole experience the best.
1st infusion (75 sec): Tasty, creamy, vanilla and malt notes, but not overpoweringly malty like many black teas can be. It reminds me a bit of sweet potato baked with marshmellows, but more savory. Incredibly smooth mouthfeel, even though it’s paradoxically a bit astringent.
2nd infusion (2 min): Slightly sweeter than the 1st, otherwise the same.
3rd infusion (3 min): Oops, may have oversteeped. This infusion is too astringent. It’s starting to get weak.
4th infusion (lost track; 3-5 min): Distinctly reminds me of gyokuro for some reason, but with mellow and savory substituted for grassy.
