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2nd steeping. I noticed a stronger coffee aroma today. Still full of earthy, smoky flavor. Even better the second steeping!

Wow, some serious bold flavor here! Strong smoky feel from the charcoal roasting, with hints of caramel sweetness.

Roasted the traditional way, using charcoal made from longan fruit wood, the thickness of the ash layer over the charcoal controls temperature, and the aroma and appearance of the tea determines roasting time, all controlled by a master tea roaster named Mr. Chen.

Well, very nice work Mr. Chen. This is an amazing brew!

3rd steeping. Still kickin. Still tasty, full and bold. Still earthy and nutty with a slight ocean aroma. Still awesome.

2nd steeping. Still great taste. Not as bold and bright as the first, but still has that same earthy, full flavor. Got a bit of an August sprinkle outside this morning, this tea fits right in with that peaceful, serene mod.

Mmmm big greens! The first smell reminded me of the ocean at first, although that wasn’t quite accurate. It was the feel of driving up the coast from Santa Cruz in cold weather. That feeling you can’t quite put words to. That was the first thought. It does have an earthy smell, with a slight hint of smoke. Taste is big and bold, with hints of nuts and smoke, similar but not as bold as gunpowder.

I have a feeling this will be a great late Autumn evening green tea. It’s got that calm and tranquil feeling, as well as a sort of distant peace to it. Like things are starting to settle down, the air has that crisp, tart mood, and it will soon be time to prepare for the coming weather.

My favorite time of year!

4th steeping. It’s finally loosing some of it’s big, bold flavor. The strong, almost overwhelming smoke flavor the first 2 steepings is now a bit more subtle. It’s still there, still big and bold, but not as in your face. Still love it!

3rd steeping. The smoky flavor is really embedded now, the tea in general is getting even more balanced. The intensity has backed off a bit, but the flavor is still going strong!

2nd steeping. Still amazing. Full of flavor, super smoky. Better balance the 2nd time, the smoky aroma, taste and feel aren’t quite as overwhelming.

Holy crap this is a smoky tea. Great big, bold smoky flavor. 1st steeping, great stuff!

4th steeping. Still good. Bitterness is further down and flavor is finally not as bold as the first three. Still very good, could probably get one more out of these leaves.