New experiences all around here; first Verdant Tea sample, first Laoshan tea, first Chinese black tea. As a lover of all things strong, assam, and black, this was a daring experiment. My unease deepened when I saw the greenish undertones of the liquor.
Then, to complete the ominous runup to the experience, I forgot it was steeping and left it sitting there for a half an hour until half-cold. Reluctant to waste tea, I took a sip, expecting something along the lines of bitter hay. It wasn’t wonderful, but it was drinkable.
The second steeping went better; I only forgot about it for ten minutes or so. Sweetened with 3 raw sugar cubes and 5 drops of stevia, the cup had delicious malt and caramel notes. It’s un-killably smooth. The “stomach feel” is something between green and black tea, and like green tea I find myself drinking large amounts of it fast.
Back to the water boiler for a third attempt at actually making it right. 4 raw sugar cubes, no stevia. Still, that amazingly smooth, light-yet full-bodied caramel flavor. This tea must be further explored when I’m not so distracted with packing my jewelry orders.
