As an experiment, I’m trying this with two-minute infusions, like the Buddha’s Hand: a heaped teaspoon, boiling water.
It’s a quite intense red-brown in the mug. It doesn’t look at all weak; but I can see to the bottom of the mug.
In the nose I’m getting good tea and a smell of green, lush undergrowth.
Tasting it, I’m thinking the two minutes might be a mistake. It’s noticeably blander than previous brews. It’s quite grassy to taste and I suppose the steeping time was enough for that element to come out, but not enough to properly allow the others, so that it’s unbalanced. There’s good basic tea there, though.
It’s right on the border between ‘okay’ and ‘not very nice’
Second infusion: I made it the same way.
The appearance and aroma are the same.
The flavour is pretty much the same as for the first infusion, but the grassy element is a fraction more bitter.
I made a third infusion, same way. This is rather blander, an infusion too many.
