Enjoyed this one earlier in the week.
I was originally gonna wait to order this one until I’d heard a bit more about it from other people, but it didn’t seem like anyone I could easily compare notes with was going to jump on it any time soon so I got a little impatient and ordered it for myself anyway.
Initial impressed after opening the bag and smelling the dry leaf was kind of just ‘woah’ – I got a lot of intense notes from the dry leaf including malt, under ripe/just slightly sour berries, and rye bread. I figured I was in for a very interesting mug of tea, just based on that impression. Also, the dry leaf is just fucking stunning! Large, twisty motherfucking leaves and pretty umbers and golden tips. Just very pretty to look at.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdiki_NlRkz/?taken-by=ros_strange
Taste wise, I didn’t think this was nearly as interesting as the dry leaf aroma had been but it was still really tasty! The primary note for me was malt, very very smooth and full bodied malt that coated the whole mouth and lingered so pleasingly. Then there was also notes of freshly baked bread and baker’s chocolate, with floral undertones throughout. I was kind of disappointed I didn’t get those under ripe berry notes the same way I got in aroma; in fact I didn’t really observe much fruityness at all with the steeped tea and I think for a tea called ‘Berry Malt’ I’d at least want a little bit. Maybe Gong Fu would highlight that aspect a little more so.
I’ve tried a few W2T blacks now and there haven’t been any I’d disliked but I think thus far this would be my personal ranking just going off this first impression:
1. Bang Dong Hong
2. Berry Malt Black
3. Little Red
4. Natural Redhead
Also, song pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeALftDMAdc&list=WL&index=11
I just kind of fucking love trip hop/psychedelic pop. It’s weird, and the electronic elements of the song don’t mesh super well with the tea but there’s still a melodic and kind of ‘spacey’/smooth quality to it, especially when you just focus on the vocals that I think works with the idea of a really malty, smooth black tea with kind of sharp/sour fruity aromas to it.
Great picture! I have some of this coming my way