I’m tempted just to copy my blog review over here but I will resist. What-Cha is a new UK company. They have free international shipping on orders over $35, and a flat $6 for lesser orders. That seems to include my friends in Canada!
This tea leaf smells awesome. It is sweet and sour like other Chinese greens with the addition of kind of a bread like aroma and a wonderful breath of smoke (not heavy LS or even Keemun).
The taste is so different I had to contact What-Cha and ask if this is indeed a green or if it is a sheng. Alistair wrote back as quickly as time zones would allow and confirmed it is prepared as a green tea. The interesting thing is the large purple leaves of this particular varietal have been cultivated (my word – maybe not the correct one) for producing pu’erh. So I am sort of on the right track.
What I am tasting is sheng like without any of that bright metallic taste. It is mild and vegetal, earthy, along with a stone fruit note (I am thinking apricot). The smoke briefly appears at the back of the sip and just fits. In later cups I notice it developing spicy and floral notes.
More sheng comparisons to this green tea – My lungs feel cool and fresh like I can breath to my toes. I noticed a peaceful sense of well being while sipping. I also found it produced a quiet stomach rumble leading me to believe this tea is soothing to my system. Your mileage may vary.
I found this tea to be captivatingly different. I am 30 ounces into steeping the same leaf and it appears it is going to go more.
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nice!
Thanks for the great review Kevin, it certainly was great fun sourcing the tea and equally pleasing to read it met your with your approval.
Not surprised this is tasty. Yunnan Sourcing also makes a Wild Purple loose leaf from the same tea used to press cakes. Theirs, however, is quite roasted. Still it is one of the best teas I’ve had outside of traditional puerh cakes.
nice!
Thanks for the great review Kevin, it certainly was great fun sourcing the tea and equally pleasing to read it met your with your approval.
Not surprised this is tasty. Yunnan Sourcing also makes a Wild Purple loose leaf from the same tea used to press cakes. Theirs, however, is quite roasted. Still it is one of the best teas I’ve had outside of traditional puerh cakes.