Bit of a backlog.
Think of George Takei saying, “Oh myyyyyy!” and you’ll have a good idea of how I feel about this tea. It is VERY good. I’ve never had it before, yet it tastes very familiar (perhaps because it’s reminding me of Yu Lu Yan Cha?)
The dry leaves are beautiful. They are so long and twisted, black with gold woven into them. Just looking at them looks delicious.
I didn’t take enough notes to post a super-detailed review, but the tea has a warm, dark, sweet potato/yam/etc. essence with hints of something desserty, possibly cacao. But there’s just a little bit of spunk. I don’t know what it is. It’s not spice, it’s not astringency, it’s just… spunk. It’s exactly the right amount of accessible, exactly the right amount of complex, exactly the right amount of comforting, exactly the right amount of interesting.
After I lambasted Verdant’s Laoshan Green in a tasting note a long while back (to which Lily Duckler responded in the most gracious and professional manner possible), I’ve been looking for things to appreciate about their teas, and I’m truly impressed with how many times they just knock it out of the park. This is one of those times.
That’s a keeper fo sho! Love your review :-)