139 Tasting Notes
I got this tea in a swap with Angrboda , and, to be honest, wasn’t in any hurry to taste it. I have not had good experiences with green tea. I know that many people love them, but most of the ones I’ve had before, both flavored and unflavored, never impressed me. So I figured I was simply not the green tea kind. So this tea sat in my sample basket waiting for that day when I was feeling adventurous enough to try this in spite of my (so I thought) certainty that I would not like it.
I took it to work with me today, to make in my new heavy cast-iron teapot. I steeped with less than boiling water (it’s a water dispenser, so Ive no idea how hot it is, just that it is not boiling), with a short steep time – about 2 minutes.
This is really good! and I mean REALLY good. I assume it smells like rhubarb, although I will admit that I have never smelled rhubarb in my life, but It’s a pleasant sweet aroma. The green base is smooth and mellow with a slight (rhubarb?) sweetness to it. Not overwhelmingly fruity (a good thing), but the flavor is there.
This has actually made me think that maybe I need to give green tea a second chance.
I made this as my morning tea today. One sip and my eyes opened wide in delighted surprise. My first thought? Wow! I was surprised by how utterly awesome it was. I was expecting a breakfast blend flavor, and was greeted by a rich, malty, complex flavor – way, way beyond the usual breakfast blend taste. It makes you sit up and take notice.
On second thought, this shouldn’t have surprised me – I have yet to taste a tea from Verdant that was not in a class of it’s own; the teas included in this blend are each excellent.
Problem is I gulped it down so fast, I am now at a loss now to describe it’s flavor. I will have to make another cup when I get home to savor more slowly.
Wow, this is such a unique tea, like no other black I’ve had before.
The dry leaf smells heavily of chocolate and raisins; so delightful that it took me many minutes to get my nose out of the pouch and proceed with the brewing. The brewed tea has an aroma that I can’t put a name on, but if I close my eyes, I see corn fields and sun. It is very calming.
The flavor is malty, getting sweeter with each subsequent infusion – I’m on my 6th now, and it is still amazing.
I must say that there is a complexity in this tea that has effected me in a way that few teas have done. It’s not a simple tea and one that I feel deserves, even requires, a more in-depth observation. I usually don’t drink the same tea each day, however I have been drinking this one for three days now, and no end yet planned. I am greatly enjoying my sessions with this tea.
I have also noticed that most people have done very long infusions (a few minutes), whereas I have been having this gongfu in my pretty little gaiwan, lots of leaf and very short infusions. I’m wondering if I’m missing out on something by not doing a very long infusion, however I am so enjoying this tea my way that I don’t wish to waste the little leaf I have.
Well done Laoshan ! (and Verdant Teas too, for bringing us this tea).
Preparation
I always brew it gongfu. The best way to appreciate this tea in my opinion. I tried it long-steep in a brew basket one time, and it was certainly good, but not as interesting for me as enjoying it over the course of 10+ steepings in a gaiwan. With this one I like to increase the time of each steeping by 5-10 seconds, so by the tenth steeping I’m usually infusing for about a minute or more. At that point, in late steepings, I like to coax as much as I possibly can out of the leaves by letting it infuse for 3-5+ minutes. Just when you think it’s done, it will yield up to a few more really nice infusions this way. My favorite black tea! Glad to see others appreciating it. Cheers!
Yes, I know what you mean. Having tea in a gaiwan is an experience, almost feels like a dialog, between me and the tea. It’s a slower process, it requires my attention. Not to mention the nuances in flavor that I get this way. I use the brew basket for other blacks, yes, but not this one. This one I will not waste, but have in the manner that gives me the most joy.
I’ve not had a black that was so complex, usually find that complexity in pu erh.
I had about 7or 8 infusions yesterday but after reading your comment, was inspired to try to get a few more. Wow. I left it for about 2 minutes and it is still giving up that wonderful flavor. This is quickly becoming my favorite black tea too.
This tea reminds me of the caramel covered nuts my mother used to make.
The smell is divine; nutty with that characteristic honeybush sweetness.
The taste is the same, sweet and nutty. I usually prefer rooibos over honeybush, as I’m not a big fan of that sweetness, however here it works very well and turns out a really good cup. I’m liking this a lot!
So raspberry, so oolong! So amazing together.
I steeped using the same method I normally do for oolongs – more leaf and shorter infusions.
The first two were perfect. The third was a little short on the raspberry, and the fourth had no raspberry at all. However the oolong is so delicious in itself that they were wonderful cups too.
I’m now going to visit their web site to see how much their international shipping is. I have a feeling I’m going to be needing more of this. The second option, of course, is moving to Denmark.
Thank you Angrboda for sharing this divine tea.
Isn’t it just fab? :D It’s one of my favourites to share, because it always goes down so well :) I think they use the regular danish postal service fees for shipping, so unfortunately, if you think it turns out a bit steep, I don’t even think I could give you any advantage by purchasing for you and forwarding. :(
Wow, shipping from Denmark is astronomical! Why is that?
wow sounds amazing, sometimes oolong teas concentrate so much on the ‘extra’ that they forget about the quality of the oolong and once the extra is lost in the reinfuse the oolong doesn’t hold up. This sounds like a great tea – I’ve always wanted to try a berry oolong now you’re making so jealous! :)
Pity about the shipping… :/
Because the danish post service charge the price of a small jet just to post stuff within the country. They raised the price of postage of a standard priority A letter last year from 5,50 kr to 8 kr in one go… Where I work all departments have been told to make sure to send all mail as priority B mail, unless it really IS urgent. I believe the problem lies in more and more things taking place over the internet instead of via post and also, while they do not have an actual official monopoly on mail delivery, they also don’t have any competition to force them to keep prices down.
I’m sorry it remains out of your reach. I’d happily be middle-man for you, but I don’t think it would be any cheaper for you.
Winter Salo, I would offer to share a sample with you as it’s one of my Standards. Unfortunately I’m currently out of it and can’t get more for a little while as I’ve placed myself under a bit of a buying embargo. I need to empty 8 more tins and finish 18 more samples before I’m allowed to purchase…
But if you see me posting about it in the future and remind me, we can totally work something out. :)
Raspberry oolong sounds really good!
wow thanks Angrboda that’s really nice of you. :) I totally understand a self imposed buying embargo I’ve tried to do it to myself this month… but I’m not sure I can make it I there’s a couple of teas I’m just itching to try. I guess November isn’t too far.
I tend to say I have to finish so and so many tins and so and so many samples before I’m allowed to buy. I find it motivates me to actually use up stuff before it gets too old and it’s easier for me than simply waiting for a specific date. I keep a little note of it on my tea shelves, making a mark every time I’ve emptied something. :)
Yay, I’m glad you enjoyed it! To be honest I was a bit uncertain about sending it as well, but eventually I decided that even if you probably didn’t care for it, it would still be an interesting one to have tried. :)
To me it’s an extremely girly tea. My synesthesia explodes with princess pink when I taste it. :)
I’m glad you did send it, as it has redeemed the green tea for me. Now I just need to fly to Denmark and stock up on all these A C Perch teas I’m starting to love :)