April 24th, 2017
I found the Real Tea. All other teas are a lie.
On a serious note, this is the best chocolatey, raisin bread Chinese black tea I’ve had in a long time, although that’s not as impressive a feat as it sounds. I’ve also never come across a Yunnan black I’ve not enjoyed, so I’m pretty biased.
There are additional notes of yam/sweet potato, and a starchy, honey-like sweetness that I associate with beer malt processing- specifically saccharification, and the delicious “sweet wort” produce.
The aroma of the brew is smooth chocolate/cocao, malt, and something “bright”. It’s contrastive to the dry leaf smell which is full throttle (brisk) cocoa/malt aroma.
Steep Count: 3
Second steep really brought out the piquancy. It’s a textural, back-of-the-throat kind of sensation. And here I thought this Yunnan wasn’t going to throw me a pepper! Due to the overall sweetness of the tea, my brain translates the spice to a convincing cinnamon.
(2017 spring harvest)
Flavors: Bread, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Malt, Raisins, Sweet Potatoes
