As I’m on a roll with Whispering Pines teas at the moment, I decided to maintain the momentum. I received this as a sample with my last order, and, as I love Chinese black teas, I was pleased to have the opportunity to give it a try. The dry leaf is a beautiful thing; slightly downy bright golden swirls with brownish black edges, which really do bring to mind snail shells.
I followed the recommended parameters, and gave 1 tsp of leaf 3 minutes in boiling water. The resulting liquor is a medium red-brown, and the scent while brewing is sweetly malty with an edge of grain.
To taste, this one is a wonderfully smooth delight. The initial flavour is chocolate (I’d say milk, as it’s quite sweet and mild), followed by a lightly bready note. Freshly cooked, warm, yeasty bread. The sweetness is maintained into the mid sip, where there’s a wonderful maltiness, and the almost starchy flavour of sweet potato. The flavour deepens in the aftertaste, and I can detect a slightly darker, bittersweet note that works as the perfect counterpoint to the initial sweetness. Now it’s more like dark chocolate dusted with dry cocoa, but there’s absolutely no astringency.
I’ve come to really appreciate teas like this, which tick all the boxes for me in terms of flavours I enjoy in black tea. There are others I enjoy equally, but this is a strong contender and one I’d be happy to keep around long term.
