Today is my birthday, and my present to myself was to brew an entire carafe of this for breakfast.
This wonderful tea has filled the place in my heart and my cupboard that was previously occupied by Upton’s currently unavailable Panyang Bohea Supreme. That insanely cocoa-y tea had become a minor obsession, as I compulsively checked the New Arrivals section of Upton’s site almost daily, knowing full well that, barring a miracle, it would not be restocked until late fall. If ever.
Zhi’s Gong Fu Black is, so help me, the identical twin of Panyang Bohea Supreme: rich, naturally cocoa-y to the max, little to no astringency. To me this is the pinnacle of what Chinese black teas, particularly Fujians, can be. And because it is readily available, I am able to stop my frantic stock-checking, relax and enjoy a pot of it whenever I like.
As I take stock of the many blessings in my life, I must include this remarkable tea among them. Thank you for restoring my mental health, Gong Fu Black! And a million thank-yous, Zhi Tea, for offering it!
