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Keemun Mao Feng from Harney & Sons
92

I am trying this today – my experience with Keemuns has been a bit “meh” but I’ve read so many good things about this one.

I swear the dry leaves smelled like a Merlot wine and are very slender and beautiful looking. I tried to not overdo it with the leaf here. I eyeballed it but measured out about 1 tsp for my 10 oz mug.

Success! I liked this one. The results are quite delightful!

The tea liquor is a medium reddish brown and has a lovely cocoa fragrance. I’m picking up some hints of malt and the aftertaste is surprisingly floral, almost like a second flush darjeeling (but sweeter). I am not getting much smokiness, perhaps just a touch . But it may be my tastebuds are burnt out from that Russian caravan I had a little while ago.

I might even be braver and go for a slightly longer steep next time, but it ended up being very nice the way I prepared it. No need for sugar or soymilk at all, this is a great one to sip on plain. Smooth and without much astringency. I’m glad I but the bullet and went for it! So good!

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Comments

ScottTeaMan
ScottTeaMan 2012-05-31 12:13:07 -0400

I’ve had a couple Keemuns with wine-like characteristics, also with a berry sweetness- although I’m not refering to this one, as I haven’t tried it yet. FYI, Upton’s calls for a longer steep:

http://www.uptontea.com/shopcart/item.asp?itemID=ZK98&similarto=ZK55&UTid=545-20-7502023&afterCart=/shopcart/item.asp&from=catalog.asp&review=expand&begin=0&parent=Teas%3EBlack%3EChina&category=Other+Congou&sortMethod=0&categoryID=13

Amy oh
Amy oh 2012-05-31 12:42:43 -0400

@ Scott, I don’t think I’ve tried that one either, it does look similar if not the same.

ScottTeaMan
ScottTeaMan 2012-05-31 13:09:04 -0400

Amy, the tea I’m referring to is a Congou, which is not classified as a keemun (oops), It is now sold out:

https://secure.uptontea.com/shopcart/item.asp?itemID=ZP20

Barb
Barb 2012-05-31 13:16:40 -0400

The only Keemun I’ve every tried is H&S’s English Breakfast, which is adequate but hasn’t impressed me. I bought it on the recommendation of the tea buyer at my local shop — she may not have had any of the Keemun Mao Feng in stock. I will definitely try to get a sample of this.

Doug F
Doug F 2012-05-31 13:33:59 -0400

Upton’s ZK98, as Scott mentioned, is a great tea, at a great price.

Scott B
Scott B 2012-05-31 15:23:00 -0400

Amy-Did you happen to get any Premium Keemun Hao Ya in your Teavivre sample pack? It’s wonderful.

Amy oh
Amy oh 2012-05-31 15:27:54 -0400

@ScottB- I did get that one and never found a way to really love it. I think I reviewed it a while back.

Scott B
Scott B 2012-05-31 15:33:58 -0400

Oh, well, that’s the way it goes sometimes.

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Profile

Bio

My profile pic is of a pink dahlia at Golden Gate Park.

Hobbies include: tea, making art, animals, vegan things, buddhism, nature, creativity, books, writing, cooking, meditation, yoga.

I am a fan of many different teas but my favorites are blacks and oolongs, also like darjeeling and pu-erh. I’n always learning and expanding my horizons!

Dislikes include: bergamot, jasmine, highly tannic or bitter teas, overly judgmental and bitter people. :)

Live in San Francisco, I’m a SINK (single income, no kids) and love the urban life, but traveling out to the middle of nowhere is always fun too.

I tend to not drink things I know I will hate so a lot of my tea ratings are on the higher side. Here’s my rating system, sorta

95-100 I love this tea and would like to keep it around

94-90 An excellent tea which I may or may not repurchase

89-80 Pretty good, above average

79-70 Acceptable

69-60 Mundane – Will probably drink it if I have it

59-50 Ick

49 and below Nasty

Location

San Frandisco

Website

http://sanfrantea.teatra.de

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