April 27, 2021 harvest.
Difficult to describe… Complex and rich fruit and spice flavors that dance off the palate, aroma lingers in the throat. Deep but not thick turbinado sugar type of sweetness that is lightened and balanced playfuly by the tannins, mild astringency and bitterness of a malty black tea. Strong citrus and floral presences are difficult to isolate because they’re so well integrated, peaking in and out of the mid- to high ranges. It’s not like perfume at all to me.
First steep takes boiling water and long steep beautifully; second steep takes some attention to time to mitigate the tingling bark-like medicinal bitters which can make a third infusion worthwhile if you’re into that kind of feeling-taste.
This tea, when prepared with TDJ’s parameters, is a medium-bodied tea with rich aromatics and flavor. It presents characteristics of Wuyi zhengshan xiaozhong, Taiwanese and Nepali black teas.
Flavors: Allspice, Almond, Apple, Apricot, Astringent, Bark, Bitter, Blackberry, Brown Sugar, Butter, Chamomile, Chili, Chrysanthemum, Cinnamon, Citrus Fruits, Citrusy, Cream, Floral, Fruity, Lychee, Malt, Peach, Peony, Rose, Rosewood, Spicy, Sweet, Tannin, Woody
Preparation
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I just tried this today using TDJ’s parameters (3 g, 150 ml, 200F, 5 minutes), and wow, it’s gorgeous and intense! There’s more tannins and astringency than I prefer, but the citrus, stonefruit, spicy, floral, and malty flavours make up for it. It’s the first time I’ve recognized rosewood in a tea. I agree with you that it resembles a Lapsang Souchong or Taiwanese black tea. Too bad they don’t give instructions for the second steep. I’ll post a tasting note after a few more sessions. Did you give Daylon some of this tea?
Pretty sure I did. I thought I wrote on it-I’d have to double check.
Daylon, I don’t see your review here, though maybe it’s somewhere else. I find the names of these Japanese teas to be a bit confusing.
I probably drank some, and then forgot to write about it.
LOL, that happens to me. Other times I want to have multiple sessions before writing a tasting note.
Dunno if I sent this to you, Daylon.
I just tried this today using TDJ’s parameters (3 g, 150 ml, 200F, 5 minutes), and wow, it’s gorgeous and intense! There’s more tannins and astringency than I prefer, but the citrus, stonefruit, spicy, floral, and malty flavours make up for it. It’s the first time I’ve recognized rosewood in a tea. I agree with you that it resembles a Lapsang Souchong or Taiwanese black tea. Too bad they don’t give instructions for the second steep. I’ll post a tasting note after a few more sessions. Did you give Daylon some of this tea?
Pretty sure I did. I thought I wrote on it-I’d have to double check.
Daylon, I don’t see your review here, though maybe it’s somewhere else. I find the names of these Japanese teas to be a bit confusing.
I probably drank some, and then forgot to write about it.
LOL, that happens to me. Other times I want to have multiple sessions before writing a tasting note.
Dunno if I sent this to you, Daylon.