A sample of this was included with my black Friday order. I am just getting around to opening it. I had this a long time ago and recall liking it but not being as wowed by it as others at the time. One thing I notice today is the recommended steep time for western brewing is 5 – 10 minutes. That sounds excessive but maybe it needs it?
I first catch a spicy note like cinnamon that melts into malt. Just past the malt it becomes nutty/woodsy then gets a brisk little bite. The aftertaste has just enough astringent briskness to catch my interest. I can’t think of another Chinese black that has this element. Better than I remember.
Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C
6 min, 0 sec
I looked back at one of my previous notes and it appears Teavivre revised the western steeping recommendation. So it is much longer now.
Yeah, I don’t recall that long of a steeping time before, but perhaps it is so the leaves can open up more.