the_skua

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This tea is fantastic. The first steeping runs a little harsh and minerally, but then it opens up into a fresh flower blossom, warm dew, pale stonefruit, and juicy cup.

This is surprisingly smoky to me, with a strong waft of tar and pitch on the back end of the tea. I almost want to say this was stored in a old Lapsang container, it has that same dry quality. However, I would be surprised if Tao did that. Otherwise, it does have some vegetal spinach-like character and heavy charcoal. Maybe not my favorite.

A very nice, almost-white light tea, with good honey and melon. A little mineral/chemical character comes a little forward for me.

This comes across as a little stale and not heavy on the good kelp flavors that should dominate a tea like this.

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This is a deep yunnan, with rich leather, sandalwood, and caramel. A beautiful sap-filled morning cup. Delicious.

This tea breathes honey and canteloupe. I could take a little more sweetness and depth, but the astringency is airy and not overpowering.

Especially soft and perfumed, this oolong isn’t as juicy or sticky as I would hope, but its a delicate example of a greener twisted-leaf style.

Loose-leaf shou pu-erh from a somewhat indeterminate source. The only English branding is that of “Tongzhou.” Shou isn’t my favorite, but this particular one is a little softer, sweeter and more delicate than others I’ve had.

A favorite cup. The second infusion was far and away the best. Juicy, soft, grassy and bright.

This has good stonefruit, but was a little more subtle than I expected. Good for the price.

Starting to show its’ age a little. Otherwise, a nice grassy, bright fresh-bean cup, perfect for afternoons of contemplation.

I think this tea has the best of Japanese strains and growing conditions, while benefiting the subtleties that a Chinese process gives. There’s some fantastic straw, chestnut, and dried berry characters in there, while finishing with a strong hint of that kelpy green the Japanese so adore.

A solid well-rounded version, with good black depth and a nice bristling bergamot. Rarely over-astringent, very smooth, and a bit buttery. My go-to quick strong morning tea.