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Dylan Oxford drank Keemun Black Tea – Grade 2 by Teavivre

185 tasting notes

Missy and I are doing a Keemun taste off from Teavivre this afternoon, since we ordered a sample of each of them (actually, we put our order in before they offered the Organic Superfine… but then Angel sent us a sample of that one!)

This tea is truly remarkable. It has a dark, malty base flavor to it that really commands attention. There is a strength to the flavor that is rough, but not harsh, with a smokey flavor to the cup that imparts just a little bit of magic. It makes it mysterious.

So how does Grade 2 compare to Grade 1? I might catch some flak for this… but I like Grade 2 better. Grade 1 is great, don’t get me wrong. But it has a little bit of a fruity taste in the back of the cup… it’s a little more complex, less astringent but less strong as well. Thing 1 is a more sophisticated cup of tea. Thing 2 kind of walks through the door, bellows out ‘Hey Everybody, KEEMUN IS HERE!’, and goes and sits at the bar. Depending on your taste for tea, you could go either way.

I really liked the Yunnan tea that we tried from Teavivre, but after tasting these Keemuns… I know where my heart lies.

Preparation

205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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My fiancé and I are beginning to enjoy tea infusion, and it’s slowly becoming an interesting hobby that the two of us can share. Maybe not slowly… it’s somewhat amazing how much tea you can buy when everything looks shiny and new.

Tea Rating system:

90 – 100: This is a tea I will always have on hand at work, and at home. I will leave it on altars as offerings of perfection.

80 – 89: This, or one of it’s close cousins, will likely be in my cabinet at home. When this tea runs out, I will buy more. I’ll always wonder if there is something better, but be too afraid to look to stray from home to find it.

70 – 79: Definitely good, but not a clear winner. I enjoy it, I’ll finish it, but I probably won’t buy it again until I’ve exhausted all other versions of this product from any reputable retailer. Though, it may enjoy a resurrection for custom blending.

60 – 69: This tea is okay, but definitely not something I’m going to brew again. I’m going to give what I have left away.

30 – 59: I didn’t finish drinking this tea. I actually poured it out, and went for something else. I’ll still give this tea away, but I’ll do it with a warning and a plead for forgiveness.

0 – 29: This tea is riding securely towards an iceberg at the helm of the failboat. I’ve taken this out of my tea tin, and laid it on a napkin as potpurri. I do not consider it fit for human consumption.

Location

Tacoma, Washington, United States

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