First session with this tea. I bought it a few years ago and it has sat in a sealed jar since then.

Rich and tangy dry leaf scent with impressions of oak, smoke, berries, spices, currants, dark chocolate, pine. It reminds me of both a mulled wine and a smoky scotch. The reroast is the dominant vibe once brewed, integrating well with a berry and spice tone. Taste of ash, especially in the back of the mouth. Alkaline, some umami. I noted an early aroma of caramel and hazelnut with fleeting wet wood ash.

There’s a milky feel in the mouth after the swallow that slowly morphs into a throaty astringency and a drying, unripe peach skin aftertaste that lasts the entire session. I also notice tobacco and wood cask tones. Feel good, calm, with a light camphor effect deep in my chest. The tea quickly grows into a dry woodiness. I was able to pull only 6 infusions from the leaf (really only 4 that were worth it).

Other reviewers find this to be a favorable tea. I’m not sure how I feel about it yet. There’s a dominant ash taste and an alkalinity to it that are a bit grating. Maybe the reroast is too much for me despite it not being a sharp, fresh flavor. Otherwise, the tea has a balanced, mellowed profile. It is tonal rather than possessing specific tastes.

Preparation
Boiling 6 g 3 OZ / 100 ML
Kawaii433

I like this one but I like the Wild Da Hong Pao from Wu Yi Shan Rock Oolong Tea Spring 2018 a LOT more. I’ve been drinking them both off and on but jury is still out whether I’ll change the rating. Usually reluctant to change my original rating, sometimes it depends on my mood hehe.

derk

Ha, I recently found myself changing ratings often but not review content. I’ve given up on ratings, makes things easier for me. I like the Wild DHP so much more!

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Kawaii433

I like this one but I like the Wild Da Hong Pao from Wu Yi Shan Rock Oolong Tea Spring 2018 a LOT more. I’ve been drinking them both off and on but jury is still out whether I’ll change the rating. Usually reluctant to change my original rating, sometimes it depends on my mood hehe.

derk

Ha, I recently found myself changing ratings often but not review content. I’ve given up on ratings, makes things easier for me. I like the Wild DHP so much more!

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This place, like the rest of the internet, is dead and overrun with bots. And thus I step away.

Eventual tea farmer. If you are a tea grower, want to grow your own plants or are simply curious, please follow me so we can chat.

I most enjoy loose-leaf, unflavored teas and tisanes. Teabags have their place. Some of my favorite teas have a profound effect on mind and body rather than having a specific flavor profile. Terpene fiend.

Favorite teas generally come from China (all provinces), Taiwan, India (Nilgiri and Manipur). Frequently enjoyed though less sipped are teas from Georgia, Japan, Nepal and Darjeeling. While I’m not actively on the hunt, a goal of mine is to try tea from every country that makes it available to the North American market. This is to gain a vague understanding of how Camellia sinensis performs in different climates. I realize that borders are arbitrary and some countries are huge with many climates and tea-growing regions.

I’m convinced European countries make the best herbal teas.

Personal Rating Scale:

100-90: A tea I can lose myself into. Something about it makes me slow down and appreciate not only the tea but all of life or a moment in time. If it’s a bagged or herbal tea, it’s of standout quality in comparison to similar items.

89-80: Fits my profile well enough to buy again.

79-70: Not a preferred tea. I might buy more or try a different harvest. Would gladly have a cup if offered.

69-60: Not necessarily a bad tea but one that I won’t buy again. Would have a cup if offered.

59-1: Lacking several elements, strangely clunky, possess off flavors/aroma/texture or something about it makes me not want to finish.

Unrated: Haven’t made up my mind or some other reason. If it’s pu’er, I likely think it needs more age.

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California, USA

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