I brought this tea out this weekend expecting to do a fairly disappointed review. I had been drinking it at work and was never impressed. But, I wanted to give it a fair shot over the weekend with a few gong fu sessions.
Turns out I was wrong. It’s a very nice tea, especially for the price. I would say that it does require attention (something it didn’t get at work with me!) It tends to be a bit woody and grainy in the arrival, but there is a slow development to creaminess and fruitiness through the finish into the aftertaste. This development is lost if you don’t take your time and pay attention.
Also, one of the most engaging aspects of this tea is the nose. It is incredibly complex and very fruity. In fact, I had several cups get to room temperature because I spent so much time sniffing them!
Dry leaf – sweet/savory: cream of wheat, forest wood, notes of dark fruit – stewed prunes; spiciness like sassafras or horehound. In preheated vessel, fruit and cereal notes intensify
Smell – fruity, grain: cream of wheat, cherry wood, stewed prunes, raisin, currant, cherry cordial
Taste – Arrival of cream of wheat, cherry wood, dry wood. Development of forest wood, coffee grounds. Finish of slight creaminess. Aftertaste of coffee grounds, wood, notes of stewed prunes. Some spiciness that gets into your sinuses, sort of camphorish without overt taste of camphor.
