Saigon Breakfast

Spring Tea Swap with Vallhallow. There is so much to choose from but I decided my first should match the book I am currently reading: Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes. There has only been one mention of tea thus far and apparently, it was awkward. Pg209. And just a quick bit of history for you. Ho Chi Minh was originally called Saigon until it fell in the 1970s. https://www.britannica.com/event/Vietnam-War/The-fall-of-South-Vietnam

Now on to the tea. This was quite a bit different than I was expecting. Maybe that’s just because I’ve been drinking very astringent tea for the last week. Dry Aroma: Sweet and woody. Wet Leaf Aroma: Musty. Mild spicy. It is difficult to explain the spicy because it has a bit of tangy on the nose but it is not like jalapeno it reminds me more of a black and white pepper mix. Without the sneezes. Liquor Aroma: Reminds me of Sticky rice, cream of wheat, or tapioca. Flavor: Also reminds me of sticky rice. Creamy notes. Fresh whole milk. Woodsy notes are somewhat musty. Damp woods. Soft mouthfeel. No astringency. Though as you steep it longer the finish becomes slightly more gritty with just a bare touch of astringency. Leaves you feeling like you ate cream of wheat.

Thank you for the sample!

This one is supremely malty. Like boba milk sickeningly thick malty. It’s a breakfast style tea for sure with smaller tea leaves, but fortunately it’s not astringent. It’s got some light bitterness and definitely has some energy. It’s got some chocolate notes, but more of what you’d get in a Ceylon or Assam, maybe some more robust Keemums. They were not as heavy as the malt.

I only did it western and still see this more as a cream and sugar kind of tea, or even a boba tea, but I’m still open to see what it does gong fu before I rate it. I’m pretty happy with it, though it’s not my preferred style of black tea. It’s more for a classic palette anyway with some flexible bonuses.