I’m so pleased that Auggy liked this one as much as she did! I knew I was right about it having a strong smoky note, even if by my usual seat-of-the-pants western brewing of standard amount of leaves + standard amount of water for until-either-forgotten-or-impatient brewing style, it was a bit difficult to reproduce.
Auggy went by the recommendations on TeaSpring’s website so I felt inspired to do the same. And discovered that this meant twice my usual amount of leaves in half my usual amount of water. Oh dear me. The tin only have enough left for half a pot by my usual sloppy brewing style now. Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Whatever shall I do??? (Order more. Right. Adding Tan Yang Jing Zhi to shopping list and hope desperately that that leaf grade is as good as this one. If not, I think I’ll cry)
Anyway, I’m definitely finding that when I brew it this way I get all those different layers I found at the same time instead of one overpowering the others. Interesting. I’m not as good at identifying each note as accurately as some you other people are, but if I drink this and compare it to Auggy’s post, then I’m finding I pretty much agree completely with everything there. Except the extreme amounts of cocoa notes in the aroma. I’d caught that one by myself.
It does win by being brewed properly like this, but the amount of leaves used this way is a bit of a hold-back for me. I’m too damn stingy for brewing like that, especially with this one! I mean money ain’t growing on trees, Steepsterites! Unless, apparently, you are growing this tea. $10.50 for 50 g. And the leaf grade that they have left now is $17.60 for 50 g. Just saying.
