What a nice day yesterday! Hopefully not the last until spring… I was sitting out in the yard reading the amazing ‘The Lies of Locke Lamora’ by Scott Lynch. I’m grateful to Terri Harplady for getting to try this lovely tea! Verdant suggests two teaspoons at boiling for a minute and a half, increasing each steep by a minute. I’m surprised by the short steep time for a black tea. The leaves are very long and thin… The dry leaves smell have a very sweet scent!
Steep #1 // a few minutes after boiling // 1.5 min
Oh this one is nice. For some reason the top of the cup has a tobacco like fragrance, that then disappears. Otherwise, this has very much so the profile of Laoshan Black but with a slight deeper flavor, both chocolatier, sweeter and creamier. So of course I like it more than Laoshan Black! I can see how others like this sort of black tea better than the tougher, bolder black teas, but I still like those a bit better. the more I have teas like Laoshan Black though, I think I’m liking them better. I guess there is a time for both sorts though!
Steep #2 // just boiled // 2.5 min
This cup is even better, probably because the water was hotter. The flavor is a bit deeper and stronger than the first cup. This tea is odd, because it’s almost like I’m eating solid food, even though this is not nearly a strong tea. But it seems like I’ve eaten a meal.
Steep #3 // just boiled // 3.5 min
You know what? This one was pure maple syrup! Both in sweetness and texture! It’s like the chocolate flavor disappeared and it left just the sweet. Very odd. And like no other tea before! I’d definitely go for a third steep next time, note to self.
Steep #4 // just boiled // 3.5 – 4 min
I filled the cup up about half way this time, sadly this cup lost the magic, maybe the third steep was perfect though. A bit too cedary.
Cup 1 = creamier Cup 2 = chocolatier Cup 3 = sweeter
I love how this one evolves! I definitely like this one more than Laoshan Black! I’m glad I have enough for two more steep sessions…
We in the West need to re-learn that the fruits of the earth are not a manufactured good which can be turned out indefinitely. This year’s lemons are not last year’s lemons. Tomatoes in June are good, tomatoes in December are scary.
I’ve actually begun to grow skeptical of tea that is sold under the same name for years on end and manages to taste basically the same for years on end.
While it is sad to say goodbye to the great tea we’ve known, let’s learn to live in hope of the great tea we’ve yet to meet!
Beautifully put Jim. Tea has certainly taught me this mentality. The best thing for me is how each harvest tends to really taste like the time it was picked. A summer tea seems to really capture the feeling of summer.
As for produce, it can be tough to go seasonal here in Minnesota, but it makes the corn all the sweeter as it is harvested (right now!) when you can’t have it in the winter.
I nearly ended up in Minneapolis, myself, but Liz chose Rice over the big U so I ended up in Houston. But even here when we have genuine “in season” items 12 months of the year people still eat tomatoes in December and dark, leafy greens in June. I don’t get it.
Meanwhile, I am looking forward to trying the new dian hong! I’m whittling down the cabinet right now, so I should have “room” for new teas just in time.
I was about to put in an order last night that included some of this! But then the hubby caught me before I could click complete order. Sniff. He says I can order next week but by then you will probably be out. Sniff sniff
Aww, don’t worry Rellybob. The new Zhu Rong is a show stopper. I love it. Tasting notes of mine include: Spicy cayenne, roasted yams, velvet, cinnamon, caco, sunlight, molasses ginger snaps and fresh cream. PLenty to be excited about for sure.
Of course, you can always show him the open letter in defense of the tea budget that I wrote to answer just such opposition. My family thinks I am crazy with all the tea that I drink, but I just make the arguments put forth in the article: http://verdanttea.com/an-open-letter-in-defense-of-the-tea-budget/