When I wrote the tasting note for 52Teas Lemon Cardamom Chun Mee, I was absolutely convinced that I’d never tried Chun Mee before. It turns out, though, that maybe I have. The base of this tea is referred to as Chun Mee on the reverse of my new packet, although I’m sure it wasn’t previously. Anyway – it’ll be interesting to try this tea again knowing what I now know.
I brewed this tea for three minutes, which is about as long as I can stand to brew green tea before I start to find it undrinkable. Looking at the leaves, it looks like this is a pretty even mix of green tea and peppermint. The scent would also seem to confirm this, as neither really dominates. The skill with which Teapigs blend their teas is, I think, one of the reasons I like them so much. It doesn’t matter which one I choose, I always finish it in the belief that someone took care over the quantities and proportions of the ingredients. This one is no exception.
To taste, this actually turns out a pretty complex tea. There’s a slightly dank note contributed by the green tea. Something in me wants to call it swampy, but that’s a rather unflattering way of describing it. It’s not bitter, though, or astringent. In fact, this is one of the smoothest green teas I’ve tried, if I’m not counting those from 52Teas, which are always perfect in this respect. Vegetal is probably a better descriptor, although overused. Either way, the green tea is the first thing I taste. After this comes the peppermint. Initially cutting through the taste of the green tea as a distinctive coolness, and eventually transforming into a mellow sweetness that lingers on the tongue.
I’m pretty impressed with this. As it cools, the sweetness from the mint becomes more prominent, which is very pleasant. I can see this being another one I’d like iced in the summer (can you tell how much I want the cold to stop??), but I doubt my current packet will last that long. Another Teapigs triumph!
