When I found out that Harney & Sons had a 7-year old, compressed green tea, I had to buy it.
I know this tea is not a Pu-erh, so I am not expecting the characteristic earthiness of one.
Leaf Quality
The leaves were tightly compressed, and arrived in a tin, pre broken into medium-sized chunks. These leaves had lots of color to them. There were pale green ones with white hairs, dark green leaves, and light green leaves together. The unwashed leaves smelled very sweet, and very floral. The washed leaves smelled more brisk. Slightly earthy, but still sweet. Their color still showed through that first wash. The leaves after steeping expanded quite a bit, and were more uniform in color. They smelled nutty, grassy, and not sweet nor floral anymore. It had also lost its earthiness.
Brewed Tea
The brewed tea was a beautiful golden-yellow with a hint of green. There was also a honey-sweet, nutty aroma, similar to that of cornbread.
First Steeping
I thought that the earthiness had left, but it showed up in this steeping. It was welcomed, as it went well with the floral notes. This tea was slightly brisk, with a sweet finish. If a green tea and a Pu-er were blended together, I’m sure it would taste something like this.
Second Steeping
This cuppa was more sweet. Very sweet actually. Both the smell and flavor were light- no briskness at all. The aftertaste was very floral, and pleasant.
Third Steeping
This steeping was the most floral of them all. It retained all the sweetness from the second brewing, and still smelled a bit nutty. All earthiness was gone at this point.
This tea is wonderful. My favorite from Harney & Sons so far. It evolved greatly with each brew, and became very sweet. I’m going to save some pieces of this cake to age. I hope those pieces turn out good as well!
