Keemun Rhapsody

Yesterday’s arrival of the sorapot shattered my Keemun Day [not that I’m complaining], so today was it. I am pleased to say that I like it a lot better today. I let it sit for a full five minutes, and I think it really benefitted from that. This is going to end up being a comparison review, so I’m going to state that up front.

It’s not as dark as Jackee Muntz, and it’s also sweeter. The lack of that whiff of smoke makes me read this as perhaps having a little less flavor, but it’s smoother and I like that hint of sweetness that I’m getting.

Really, they’re reading as two completely different teas to me, each with their pluses and minuses. Jackee Muntz can be too sharp, Keemun Rhapsody can be a little too weak. One has depth but can be dissonant, the other is smoother but a little flatter. To me, I think they about even out, so I’m going to give them the same rating as they appeal to me equally.

Having this again this morning after the Mariage Freres Earl Grey Imperial (which is not a favorite, and isn’t really growing on me either). I felt like I wanted to give this Keemun a proper tasting note because it was so delicious yesterday.

In the sample tin the leaves have a lovely fragrance; I get a tiny bit of smoke, but mostly I get something with the character of chocolate without especially smelling of cocoa. It’s a rich, fudge-like quality that has more to do with perceived consistency than anything else.

In the tea’s aroma, this quailty smooths out into a pastry-like quality, again having more to do with perceived consistency than actual fragrance. The taste is smooth, slightly sweet, slightly smoky, but mostly just really solid and deep. I’ve had Keemuns where the pastry-quality seems more harsh, like it was too heavy on the baking powder. This one isn’t like that at all.

Yep, it’s definitely going on the list for when I come out of lockdown.

This time around, the tea came out sweeter than previous steepings, and I was surprised by how well-balanced the flavor was. There’s a general sweetness to it, with just a hint of smoky flavor, and it’s rounded out by a nutty, chocolately taste that adds an extra layer of complexity. Still not what I’d call “great”, but it’s definitely growing on me.

Grrrrr… argh…

I am so very sleepy this morning. I even hit snooze too many times and was subsequently late for work. D’oh!

So simplicity is what this morning calls for. Brewed this up in my generic tea bottle, with water out of the dispenser, which technically isn’t hot enough, but, again, simplicity. I was already heating my oatmeal.

This time, I am tasting the cocoa notes of this, which don’t usually come through for me as much. It’s a comforting, dependable tea though, and that’s what counts.

Last night, I downloaded the Zombies, Run! app to my cell phone, and went for a quick walk/occasional sprint with it. It was a lot of fun as I went around my own neighborhood, imagining it as a post-apocolyptic wasteland where I gathered supplies and ran away from hordes of shuffling undead.

I was thinking this morning that I would definitely have to add tea to my must-pick-up supplies in a Zombie invasion. This tea would be on my hoped for list. And Jasmine tea, as well. At some point, you might be reduced to Lipton teabags though. shudder

If you knew a Zombie invasion was coming, what tea would you stockpile? :D

It was far too hot yesterday afternoon to do anything in the kitchen, so we threw in the towel and went out to eat, where someone else’s industrial air conditioner was not laboring as much as our home’s unit. So my dishes still sit unwashed on the counter – including all of my tea bottles.

So today, I went with Rhapsody in the Bodum in-mug infuser basket that a co-worker gave me two Christmases ago for a Secret Santa gift (along with a joke box of shudderingly horrible-smelling mystery “health” tea from an Asian market). I keep it my desk drawer at work, so I always have it. The mug and infuser that is. The mystery tea got tossed long ago – it was nasty!

I emptied the last of the sampler sized tin into the basket (I’ll have to take it home and refill it), and got hot water from the dispenser.

There’s not much to add on this tea that I haven’t said before. It’s my dependable default for a black tea at work.

It’s Saturday morning, and I decided to drink a mug of this old standby. Hubs and I were at the Container Store last night, and I picked up two things to organize my tea cabinet – a clear teabag box with 6 compartments, and a nice deepish clear bin to keep zip bags of samples. When we got home, I pulled everything out of that cabinet, sorted and filled and refilled canisters; getting it all in order. I can actually see what I have now! Woo hoo! Now I can get to all of my teas, and see which ones I have been neglecting.

This tea is getting low, and is good, but I don’t think I will reorder it. I enjoy Keemun Concerto more, and Black Dragon Pearls even more.

Oh look, it’s Monday morning. That must mean it’s time for Keemun Rhapsody.

I am not feeling particularly ready to be up and at ’em this morning. Hopefully some tea and oatmeal will assist.

I could use a little more weekend.

I think the water dispenser is not heating as much as usual. It took the tea a long time to steep this morning, and it’s fairly mild. The smokey taste isn’t really as prevalent as usual. It’s still good though.

Drinking it straighted – no sweetener or cream.

Woah. I left this to brew a bit long this morning while I caught up on my email. Still pleasing, but unexpectedly jump-up-and-slap-yo’-mama strong. Not bitter though! A good pairing with my breakfast of steel-cut oatmeal and a hard boiled egg.

I think this is my first cup from my new order of this. It could be that the previous tin was just getting old. I guess I will see with the re-brewing, if it still seems strong. I think I mentioned before, but I tend to rebrew this over the day, let it cool and ice it when at work. It is a very nice no-fuss tea.

Edited to add: Oh! For the first time, I’m getting the chocolate note that the description mentions! Interesting!

Having a lazy Saturday, puttering around with yarn. Hubbylove wanted some hot water for instant coffee, so I put on the kettle, figuring to make some tea. I made this, and put only honey in it.

The first cup I only steeped for 3 minutes or so, and it was lovely. Slightly chocolatey.

The second cup steeped all the while we ate dinner, and while good, just doesn’t have the chocolate taste of the first cup.

Went with the basics this morning. My Lock & Lock bottle and Keemun Rhapsody. Straight, no sweetener or cream. I polished off the sampler tin that I fill up for work. This is my last day of work until returning from an over 2-weeks-long vacation, so I’ll probably forget to bring some back for a week or two once I return!

I am still musing how to bring along some loose tea on my travels for the next 2 and a half weeks. I would hate to lose tea or have it get loose all in my bags! I will definitely bring the Lock & Lock, and I can put some loose tea in its lower compartment. Oooo… maybe I’ll put some in some small zip bags (of which I have a ton – but I’m not sure if they are technically food safe, they are those jewelry ones), dump out the Orange Dulce I didn’t like and stuff the bags in the canister I got for it. It’s a nice canister and would probably travel well. Hmmm… this merits thought.

This is leftover from Saturday, I think. Steeps 3 and 4 iced. I usually try to drink stuff the day after I brew it when iced, so this one is a bit older. Oh well. If I die in the next hour, we’ll know why.

This tea has no sugar but it tastes like sweet tea. Not like southern sweet tea – it isn’t that sweet – but what non-southerns make their sweet tea taste like. Then there is there slightest smoky taste on the tail. It’s really good. Makes me even sadder that this tea is gone.

ETA – As it warms up, the smoky tastes becomes stronger though the tea still tastes sweet and smooth.

I have run out of almost everything … Then I found a little bit of Keemun Rhapsody in the back of my tea shelf. I have always enjoyed Keemun – it’s moderately smokey, rich and dark and smooth. Perfect for the afternoon.
Made some tea related design work. I’m not done with it yet. I hope to finalize it next week. It will be available for people to download to be printed on a t-shirt, tote bag or a hoodie.
Here’s the preview:
http://www.antemeridiemdesign.com/fun/teaS.jpg

A little bit smokey but not too much.