Autumn Hearth

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Autumn Hearth drank Earl of Anxi by Verdant Tea

I finally got this tea on Saturday but was very tired that evening and yesterday was spent at the movie theater, literally all day: Lord of the Ring Trilogy Marathon(extended edition). The first thing I noticed about this tea was the oolong not the spices. What an amazing harvest of tieguanyin, I can’t wait to brew it on its own! So smooth and rich a creamy and so well supported by the other notes, that are starting to take on more and more of an exotic quality as I sip and inhale. Soon I notice a feeling building up in my chest, cool at first, then heavy, it feels a bit hard to breath. Hmm drinking frankincense might not be the best thing for me. Still I resteep a couple more times until I am too tired. It is truly sumptuous and I am very grateful for the unique experience. However I can’t tell if the physical effect is normal or perhaps an allergic reaction, I do have so many sensitivities. For that reason it will not be keeping it on hand but I do recommend trying a sample, its worth experiencing.

2012-12-10 12:40:32 -0500

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Druid, artist, poet, mum, lover of tea, ritual and myth. I grew up on Celestial Seasons herbals but fell in love with straight loose leaf tea working at my local Teavana for a year. I am grateful for the introduction and the experience, but have moved on.

I see tea as an experience for the senses, I like to imagine tasting the land and the weather as well as the effect of sun, air, fire and the human hand. I have a soft spot for shu pu’er, yabao, scented oolongs, wuyi oolongs, taiwanese tea as well as smooth naturally sweet blacks, creamy greens and surprisingly complex whites.

I began ordering lots of samples from Upton to educate myself on different varieties of tea we didn’t have at work and have fallen head over heels for the unique offerings from Verdant Tea. I am learning things I like: buttery mouthfeel, surprising sweet or spice notes, woodiness, mineral notes, depth and complexity and things I don’t: astringency, dry and sour notes.

I collect tea tins and am in danger of collecting pots, though I am trying to restrain the urge due to current lack of space. I brew mostly in a glass infuser mug or a tea maker, only using cast-iron for company now (still need to get a gaiwan) and tend not to sweeten my teas unless they are British or fruity and iced, which is not often.

As far as ratings, I lack a definite system and haven’t been assigning numbers lately, wanting to spend multiple sessions with a tea first. I usually only log a tea once, unless it is a new harvest or I have significantly different observations, but will go back and edit or comment if I find something interesting or new.