A sample from Teavivre. The day after Thanksgiving here in the USA, much thank to them!
A tea I have no experience with, I’m looking forward to giving it a try. I was in the mood for something different, rather than my usual Longjing fix, when I remembered the handful of samples I’d received from Teavivre.
Brewed in my Finum I find this is just the perfect single serving Gaiwan-like experience with out all the hassle of dealing with hot lids, multiple cups and fairness pitchers. Plus I get the added benefits of double wall clear glass. I dump the whole sample pack into my 5 oz. cup
With my 1st steep at 30 seconds I get smoke. Not overt, but there. Vegetal, with light mildly astringent brightness and a creeping sweetness that played around the periphery. “Yellow-green” in color, as Teavivre describes it, would be accurate. I’m liking it. I’m not bowled over, but I’m liking it.
2nd steep I take a little less time at 20 seconds. I tend to find that brewing this way. The first steep takes a moment to wet the leaves, but by the 2nd, the wet leave are primed and ready to go. Third and onward I’m coaxing out flavor, extending the time bit by bit. Color is still true. Smokiness clear, but still not overwhelming. The notes from the first steep, if anything more defined.
3rd Steep and it’s all smoothing out for me. Everything’s still present, just leveled out, coasting across my palate. Color’s maintains its vibrancy, sweet tones are somewhat more pronounced. Mouthfeel is expansive.
4th steeping is the most agreeable for me. Water temp in my kettle has dropped considerably, and I can’t be bothered to get up and get any hotter. Smokiness has been reduced considerably and it’s become more about the things I like about this tea. That being the subtle sweetness and the afterglow that it leaves.
5th steep now with fairly hot water, probably verging on 190˚F. Oops, that had to be over a minute there as I searched for the degree symbol on my keyboard. Oh well. It’s pretty hot, so I’ll let it sit for a bit. Smoke is back as I slurp to cool. Colors still pretty vibrant. Overall I’m pleased with the experience, but not dying to repeat it. That’s funny… candy cane. Just the smell, not the the taste. Hmmm.
I’ll probably be able to get a 6th and maybe 7th steep out of this. But I’m losing interest. If it’s anything particularly notable, I’ll add more details later. In the meantime, I’ll let this rest.
Caffeine? Nothing terribly noticeable. I’d say fairly low. I’m pretty sure I could drink this and go right to bed.
