I wrote a review of this tea two years ago, and I must have learned something between now and then because my current impressions are more nuanced. Could I actually be improving at this tasting thing? If so, it’s thanks to all of your detailed tasting notes! I steeped 6 g of leaf in a 120 ml teapot at 194F for 7, 9, 12, 16, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, 120, and 240 seconds.
The dry aroma of these fuzzy leaves is of chocolate, malt, roasted peanuts, and tomatoes. The first steep has notes of sweet potato, chocolate, roasted nuts, malt, baked bread, and tomatoes. The aftertaste emphasizes the chocolate and the tea is a little drying, maybe because I steeped it a couple seconds too long. The next few steeps emphasize the sweet potato, tomato, roasted almond/peanut, tannins, and bready notes; sadly, the chocolate fades into the aftertaste. Eastkyteaguy pointed out green beans and bananas, and while I’d never have come up with them on my own, they’re accurate. Later infusions have notes of malt, baked bread, wood, earth, and tannins.
While this isn’t my favourite Yunnan black tea, I’ll have no trouble finishing it. I’m upping the rating from my last review.
Flavors: Almond, Bread, Chocolate, Earth, Green Beans, Malt, Peanut, Roast Nuts, Sweet Potatoes, Tannin, Wood
