I have been taking a break from hot tea lately because it’s been so nice out, and therefore I have been drinking mass amounts of genmaicha ice cold. Delicious. Today it’s been cloudy and cool so I am back to hot tea! Yay! Have I ever missed you =)
Dry: It smells malty and complex. Cocoa with a hint of umami. Why do I always get umami in the chocolately teas? Random. The leaves are beautiful though.
35 s: Beautiful amber/cocoa color. I taste hints of red fruit, cocoa mmmm something at the end of my sniffer cup is so good. Oh my. Maybe ….I had glimpses of chocolate meringue.. which now have faded back into nestea powdered drink. This is the second time it’s happened to me.. such a funny smell association.
45s: The leaves are just starting to loosen up a little now. It smells like floral honey.. but thick rich intense honey.Whoa.. beautiful mineral/buttery notes coming out and hugging my tongue. While hot – this steep is more sensations than tastes. So delicious it reminds me of a milk oolong almost. I get mushroomy tastes as it cools.. like a rich mushroom risotto. Very delicious! The more it cools, the more savoury it becomes.
1 min: Mmm malty. Savoury malty goodness. Hints of honey again too. Rich, thick, and dark honey.
I’m loving this black. It’s so delicious and reminds me of Bailin Gongfu black, except more savoury with lovely mineral/buttery qualities to it. I am very happy I took the time to do short steeps with this tea and see what it had to offer. I have enough to do one western style steep.. but.. I think maybe I will just do another gonfu-ish style session again. Perhaps a true gongfu style next time? hmm.
So tea-drunk I forgot to say Thank you so so much to Fong Mong Tea for this delicious sample! I am so grateful and am definitely loving this tea. Perhaps I should take a break and eat some breakfast now.
