BONNIE, I CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THIS GENEOUS SAMPLE!
Hello Steepster poeple,
So I’ve been a deserter for a while… To sum it up, 2012 hasn’t been very kind to me so far. Worst, it hasn’t been kind to close ones… family.
As many people, I have 2 families: the blood related and the close friends. I have only a handful in the close friend category, and those are much more than a Facebook page in my life.
My close friends are family to me as I am to them… it makes it that much more difficult when such a friend gets kicked out of life forever… FRANCOIS, words cannot express how much you will be missed, how much I already miss you… I know we say and hear these nice generic phrases all the time but for real,
POEPLE, JUST LIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST, EVERY DAY… IF YOU ARE READING THIS, ASK YOURSELF RIGHT THIS MOMENT: WHAT HAVE I DONE OR WHAT WILL I DO TODAY FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS TO MAKE THIS DAY SPECIAL AND WORTHY OF SOMETHING?
Doesn’t have to be spectacular or extraordinary, the smallest things are the most meaningful… That’s the legacy my friend has left me, so today FRANCOIS, I’m living my life to the fullest by reconnecting with my fellow Steepster and drinking tea I would have shared with you…as simple as it is, it gives my day a meaning.
I had no idea when I first joined Steepster how much it would mean to me. Despite the fact that I have a zillion other interests in life, I never felt the need to join a forum or blog. I’m not one to open up to strangers and here I am, few months later rambling about one of the most intimate tragedy of my life… That’s what I love about this community, when I read everyone’s reviews, I see so much more than that… people are genuine and care for each other, and the common ground happens to be TEA. Why is it different than other stuff? My take is, tea is somewhat spiritual, it is linked to lots of different cultures, and therefore, brings people together in a gentle and sharing manner… I think tea is a lifestyle as oppose to a liking. Some teas will give me spiritual moments just like music and art…and just like music and art, some will give me plain and simple pleasure or pure fun! Of course, this Verdant tea falls in the spiritual category and it elevates me today…
Bonnie, I don’t know you that well, but at this moment, I love you! Thanks for sharing this wonderful tea with me, you make me feel special today. You may not be a «family friend», but you are definitely in a new category I’ve created for myself, a real Steepster friend!
Now the review:
As I’m climbing the «Tea ladder» in the most humble way, I have purchased a Gongfu tea set in order to fully appreciate higher quality teas such as this one. Nice elegant white porcelain, no frufrus, don’t want to be a tea snob! Proper equipment will just help make things right…
So this is my first Gongfu brew ever. As I’ve seen in Tea Master David Ducker’s videos, I’m using 1gr. of tea per ounce of water and I rinsed for 1 sec. Then:
1rst steep 3 sec.:
Ok I get it now, this brewing method does make a difference…hello flavor!!! Beautiful amber cognac color, sweet chocolate honey roasted almond taste, I do get them flavors! Each sip renders a gift, creating a swirl of happy in my mouth, makes me want to «MOVE LIKE JAGGER»! (let the fun happen with the spirit!)
2nd steep:
Blame my inexperience, I increased by 3 sec, should have waited at 4th steep to do that. I noticed from the color intensity that pretty much doubled. It probably affected the taste, but not in a bad way, I get the same flavors just in a more bold and malty way. Still very sweet and chocolaty.
3rd steep:
The intensity is still big and I now understand how this brewing method can render 15 steeps! I also get a tad of spice. I think the spiciness will escalate in the next infusion.
4th steep:
Because my palate is not as developed yet as it should be for this kind of tea, I find it hard sometimes to clearly identify the different notes. It’s like having a word on the tip of your tongue, your mind knows it, but you just can’t say it! Knowing what essence I should be looking for helps me in my tastings. I know I’m supposed to get some cinnamon at one point, and I get it. I notice the sweetness slowly being replaced by a more mineral taste. Wow, it’s like I’m having a totally different tea now, loving this!
I will continue my drinking this afternoon, this is an uplifting experience so far…I’m very pleased.
Verdant posted that the new supply of this tea will be available early July, so I will wait patiently :-)
