Congou Black

A good tea for everyday drinking. Has a sweet taste if you don’t brew it too long.

Thanks to Nicole for this one… from a while ago! Not much I have to say about this one other than ‘I drank this’. It looks more like a Golden Monkey to me. Equal parts black and golden leaves. The flavor is a very light version of what I expect a Fujian tea to be (like Laoshan black… just even lighter and with a tangier quality to it.) Since my complaint of Verdant’s Laoshan is usually that it’s too light, this one is even less to my tastes. But that is just my tastes! It’s like a light tangy caramel molasses.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons // 10 min after boiling // 2-3 min steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 min
I’ve also been drinking many sipdowns lately. Sipping one now that I think is also from Nicole from AGES ago… DeRen’s Jasmine oolong that still has a ton of flavor!

Here’s Hoping Traveling Tea Box

Malty, bready goodness. I steeped this cup all day (about 5 steeps.) Another lovely black that I am happy to have tried. :)

Thank you nicole this is another tasty black. Just reaffirms how much I find black teas enjoyable. They always seem to do right by me, even if they’re not perfect. I’m going to enjoy this one again soon, maybe once the dog is gone.

Very nice. Mild, smooth, apple-y in initial steep. Second steep was a little sour but not in a bad way. The smell is very much a Fujian black though there isn’t any of the mild smoke I have gotten lately with teas from that region. Glad to have this on hand. It isn’t one I have to keep around but it will be enjoyed as an every day tea while it lasts!

This is a beautiful tea!!! The dry leaves are dark brown with orange-brown colored threads mixed all in and they smell like bourbon balls at holiday time.
Brewed, the wet leaves look like brown crochet thread, staying all thin and wispy.
The liquor smells fabulous, sweet and “caramely”
The flavor is smooth and sweet. So good and has that caramelized sugar flavor that I love love love. Then there is a malty finish. Yum YUM YUM!! A good black tea for me to keep on hand!!!
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7/2/14
Tea for the day,,,my little doggie helped pick it out. I had lots of black tea bags out and he kept nudging at this one with his nose so Congou Black it is!!!!!!!!!! My doggie has good taste.
Origin: Fujian Province, China
Dry Leaf: Thin threads, mostly black with some gold ones mixed in. Scents of malt and tobacco.
Method: Took this one down to 190F today with 1 tsp tea per 8 oz water. Brewed Western style, 2 cups at a time for 3 minute steep.
Wet Leaf: When these leaves hit the water, it was sweet malt heaven scent. Very young buds and leaves that have turned milk chocolate brown with scents of honey, chocolate, and molasses.
Liquor: Red/Brown color with malt and molasses scent.
Flavor: Smoke flavor up front but a sweetness hits the back of your throat. There is malt on the nose. Detect a bit of apple peel too. Good complexity.