Today I brewed closer to the seller’s guidance, again Western style: 2.5g in 8oz boiling water for 2 min. Two steepings. And I’m liking the tea much more than previously, raising my rating to 80. The fragrant dry leaf was dark and wiry in appearance and yielded a liquor of deep clear amber color with typical Assamic nose of malt and brown sugar. Once expanded, the leaves were small but intact. The taste was sweet and malty with raisins and a bit of astringency, and some floral notes I’ve not noticed in other Assams. The flavor improved and intensified as the liquor cooled, and the long-lingering finish was superior to the forward taste! This is better than any CTC Assamic I’ve had. The re-steep accompanied my lunch of kimchee, roast pork, and vegetarian konjac pad thai. The tea was still nicely fragrant and bore flavor notes of fruit compote.
Flavors: Brown Sugar, Floral, Fruity, Malt, Raisins
