Zeks

The smoothest jasmine tea I ever tried. It is amazing that I even like it because I absolutely hate jasmine usually! So sad tehre is so little of this :(

Much better than the usual Yabao from Verdant. This one I actually like.

A very smooth black and resteeps quite well. I didn’t particularly like the results from gaiwan, but brewing it with more water in a cup produced much different result. I think I like it.

Interesting. Dry leaves smell almost identically to the tea I remember being sold in the Soviet Union as just “Indian tea”. Admittedly, the quality was so-so, but the smell was incredible (to make me remember it after 20 years). Master Han’s smells almost similar to that. Even the taste starts similarly, but next moment you are just blown away by the amount of different notes and nuances of the liquid… the tea from 20 yrs ago could not even compare…

The only problem with this tea, I think, is the lack of pronounced aftertaste which is sad, otherwise it’d be perfect.

The only tea I received from MF that I’d be willing to give a second chance. While I ususally don’t like bergamot at all, I was not as much offed here.

It doesn’t smell like tea. It smells like a candy shop >_< TOO sweet. This is even worse that Vanille des lles – it’s disturbingly sweet and lacks any tea flavor at all… I doubt I will ever touch this again…

There really is a world of difference between naturally sweet honey-nectarish Huang Zhi Xiang dancong and this… abomination

Interesting but not more that that. I like vanilla, but not when it’s the entire point of the tea. And I mean it – I couldn’t even really taste much of the base tea itself. Satisfied my curiosity, now in need to pass this to some friend…

I can’t call this remarkable, but this is certainly a very good black. Just that my favourites are better.

Verrrry interesting :) Basically – it’s a black tea made out of Dancong which is very obvious when you open the package – the fragrant smell of dancong tea is really strong. It is, however, veiled by roast notes which leaves you wondering “Is it a dancong tea, is it a black tea?”

First steep is more like a typical sweet dancong. Black’s notes are just that – notes. The more you steep however, the more flavour shifts towards black tea so I udnerstand why it’s listed as such.

One notable thing about this one – strong mouthfeel stays after you gulp it down. The one reminding of when you place the leaves in slightly wet gaiwain and the first smell is released. It’s probably the first tea that I can say has a fragrant mouthfeel. :)

Also, resteeps quite well. maybe 7-8 times before starting to become watery

Definitely better when made in gaiwan.

Now this one I like. Never really tried real milky oolongs before, but now I can see why it’s called that. The background is kinda similar.

On a side note, you can try to imagine what’s “local” milky oolong like given how sellers try to buy cheap and be literal with flavoring … XD

Afraid to drink this. Either it’s totally different from normal Shu or very spoiled. Smell/taste hint at the second strongly.

A part of Reserve Club subscription. Didn’t find it that interesting. Sure, it’s dancong with a taste of good stewed fruit drink, not overly sweet, very fruity but… why do I need it when I can just drink stewed fruit instead ?:)

Resteeps a whoole lot though :)

I suppose I just don’t like keemuns… it’s physically painful to throw out the leaves before they are spent, but I want something nice and I don’t want to waste a morning on a tea I don’t like all that much…

Ok, what smells like alcohol, tastes like alcohol but has no alcohol? Right – this tea :) I have no idea how is it even possible but its smell contains cognak’ish notes and the same can be said about the taste :) I like it though.

Not much to say here, averagely good puer. Went to maybe 6th steeping (considerably weakened by 4th) can’t say I dislike it.

No notes yet.

I found that timing instructions from the seller produce tea that is really too strong to be drinkable. Other than that, pretty average.

There is this time in spring when jasmine bushes and bird cherry blooms and the scent is so thick you can drink it. The first thought when sipping this tea was that now I truly can. Completely different from Verdant’s TGY with its buttery/floral backgound this one is like a cup of flower essence.

Only one thing to say here: If you can afford it – buy a higher grade from the same seller. Imperial/Nonpareil are THAT much better than this one.

Wow. This tea is like drinking a liquid nectar where tea’s astringency is an undertone, not sweetness. Definitely deserves its grade.

Ugh… this is horrible >_< Teavivre’s teas are mostly a miss for me, but this one is so disgusting I cannot even smell it much less drink.

Some completely alien flavor is strongly present in the smell of this tea and, after tasting it, it immediately becomes apparent that it smells like that for a reason.

Probably a bit too subtle for me…

Looks like a cross between Da Wu Ye and sweeter Dancongs but neither sweetness not floral bitterness are very bright. The liquid is also a very slight yellow color.

Certainly not something I’d want to have on my shelf in any meaningful quantities. Dancongs are a big hit or a big miss for me it seems. Either I love then, or I couldn’t care.

Even more fragrant than Imperial Grade of Mi Lan. Its fragrance is more flowery than sweet though.

The tea itself is of color of liquid honey and is a rather pleasantly sweet. I imagine it can be steeped for longer time than Imperial as it has no bitterness at all.

Strangely enough – I like lower grade better :) This is of course a great tea, but Imperial grade’s taste is rather unique and quite a lot more interesting.