Formosa Assam

I’ve enjoyed this tea now and then over the years, and this particular pouch is of the 2016 harvest, so it’s long in the tooth, so to speak. But its flavor and aroma have been stable over the years, and I do like it. the leaves are large, twisted threads that expand in the cup gradually with each successive re-steep. Western style with a stainless infusion basket, I used about 3 g leaf in 8 oz boiling spring water for 30 sec on 1st, 90 sec on 2nd, and 3 min on 3rd infusion. Plenty of Assamica character (very smooth and non-astringent, with a woody stonefruit scent and taste and notes of minerality. Just slightly malty, no hints of cinnamon or camphor, but a great mouth-coating feel and nice lingering aftertaste. Pretty straightforward, Got two solid, tasty infusions, with notes of cardboard appearing in the third steeping, as the leaf petered out. I found it interesting to compare this Taiwan-grown tea to similar Assamicas and Ruby 18’s from Taiwan, and to teas actually grown in Assam, India. This product falls somewhere in between. I’ll rate it 86, and am sipping down my supply in earnest.

While this isn’t BTT Co’s best offering overall or in the black tea arena, it still manages to be a great example of the Assam varietal. The tea has a thick, full-bodied flavor and a mouthfeel you wouldn’t ever find in a teabag. It is especially good when temprered with a touch of milk or cream. Unfortunately I think I cannot pull all of the flavor out of this tea due to being at high elevation where water boils at 195 F.