Monkey Picked Golden

Day 16 of the (2024) Inoki advent. Day 15 was the silver moonlight wild white, but I seem to have drunk it all and not made a tasting note, and I don’t remember anything about it because it was a while ago.

I couldn’t get the steeping parameters of this right. 1 tsp wasn’t enough leaf. So I added the rest of the packet to the resteep. But I probably brewed too long on the resteep, because it came out a bit too tannic and drying. I still got some malty and dark stone fruit notes, but ultimately I don’t think I got the brewing right and don’t know whether it would be more complex and/or enjoyable with a better brew.

Adventageddon Day 16

Gongfu!

I was a little rushed this morning and only had time for one gongfu session and I was told between this and the Tea Thoughts tea, but I went with this one and I’m glad I did. The dry leaf was so interesting smelling for a Golden Monkey too! Chocolatey as expected, but also surprisingly quite citrusy with a distinct lemon note.

The steeped up tea was very full-bodied and intense with brisk, tannic backbone with thick sweeping layers of malt, bittersweet chocolate, and different dark woods on top of it. I did actually get just a bit of that citrus note I was picking up in the dry aroma – mostly in the undertones. But it was largely covered up by just a really decadent and dense, saturated chocolate flavour though. Unsweet, though! I really appreciate when a black tea packs that kind of chocolate punch without too much sweetness.

So far I think all the black teas from Inoki have been quite strong. I hope we get a few more before the advent is done!!

Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DDp8zy5SWRb/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGSPec19IVg&ab_channel=MICHELLE