Tea Runners

Gongfu!

Even from the first steep, I found this oolong to be surprisingly sweet with notes of lychee and sugared plums that were almost just as strong as the roasted nuts and woody mineral notes that were more expected! The lychee, in particular, leaned floral with a delicate finishing flavour. Overall, this tea was rich, with a beautifully coating medium body and a gentle astringency that drew emphasis to the nuttier elements. Very nice way to kick off the day!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3TbqaiOcVK/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce-Q8CI8m_8

I liked this more than I thought I was going to! Very smooth and silky taste and mouthfeel with a flavour that made me think of really good milk chocolate with just a hint of cinnamon on the finish. Gentle, and appropriate feeling for its namesake.

Strange VariaTEA TTB #5

Oh, YUM! In my first 24 hours of sipping through this box, this tea is my standout by far. This is my very favorite flavor profile for a Chinese black tea: a rich, hearty mouthfeel with lots of malt and sweet potato flavor and a nice smooth finish. I’m slightly devastated that there was one pot’s worth of tea in this sample, but you better believe I’ll be re-steeping these leaves and placing an order with Tea Runners sometime soon!

Sampled from the Strange VariaTea Traveling Tea Box

Sweet potato, a bit of malt, and a hint of charcoal as it cools, but nothing that really punches you in the face. Which is maybe a good thing! Sometimes you want muted flavors without a ton of oomph behind them. I am sipping this alongside some avocado toast (#millennial) and it’s a very pleasant pairing.

Tannic and crisp. Unremarkable but not off-putting.