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flails My package did end up showing up today! I asked for no jasmine for my sample and ended up getting Yu Lu Yan Cha black; which I’m really excited about because I wanted to try it, but couldn’t fit it into this small sample order. I also got a very nice, personal thank you note. :)
I have wanted to try this type of tea ever since I first started to study pu’erh online. It was really interesting to me and it is just cute. At first I had a difficult time placing just what the smell reminded me of and then it hit me! Peppery sawdust. (not in a bad way either)
I am steeping this in my very small (6oz) little teapot. I am using just about half of the given sample and brewing in short steeps.
1st steep (5 sec+2 quick rinses): Now, I’ve called rooibos woodsy before. No, that was not really accurate after smelling and tasting this. It reminds me instantly of cedar. The liquor is almost completely clear. After this I’ll be using a different drinking vessel! I forgot that these don’t expand as much as other teas and so the level of liquid in my wide-mouth drinking bowl is near to spilling over. This cuppa is distinctly cedar and not too much else but what I could describe as warmth. At first I thought of pepper, but that isn’t quite it. More cayenne pepper, actually! Very intriguing.
2nd and 3rd steeps (5sec & 6sec): I combined these two to equal one mug. The liquor looks a bit more yellow this time than the 1st steep. I actually just ate a kashi apple cobbler bar and it tastes really great with this tea! I don’t know how to cook with tea, but some kind of warmed apple something would be fabulous with this; maybe fall themed? Still tasting mainly cayenne and cedar.
final notes I actually steeped this 4 more times. The cayenne kind of tapered out near the end and was replaced by linen flavors. It was a very up-front tea and left an interesting tingle on the back of my tongue. I am so glad I had a chance to try this, as it is one of the most unique things that I’ve tried, but ultimately, I don’t think it is for me.