Almost gave up on this tea because of the persistent astringency and weakish taste. Eventually I learned that the trick is to brew it like a green tea. Anything hotter than 190 F scalds the tea, destroying its subtleties and punishing you with bitterness. Turns out 182-185 F is the sweet spot for optimum flavor.
The tea has a tropical-floral flavor that evolves with each steep. Upon opening the pouch, I was hit with an intense hyacinth aroma. Pastoral flowers emerged when placed in a heated pot. Wet leaf brought out more floral aromas of lillies, vanilla, and baby’s breath. The first steep was flowery with osmanthus and hyacinth intermingled with herbaceous notes. The next steep brought out a sweet apricot flavor. As it continued steeping, tropical fruit began to emerge. I picked up notes of pineapple and papaya. Later it shifted to a familiar high mountain taste before fading around the 7th steep.
This is a finicky tea to brew but rewarding when you get it right. It’s refined, smooth, and has a calm, energizing cha qi. This is a tea you need to sit down and pay attention to in order to appreciate its subtleties.
Flavors: Apricot, Flowers, Fruity, Orchid, Osmanthus, Pineapple, Tropical
