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Happy Valentines Day all ❤️

Thank you Derk :D for this sample. This has been on my wishlist for a very long time. Like many of my wishlist items, it was a tea that is long gone (at least for now) and the likelihood of being able to try it is also long gone. I was so delighted to get this that I just wanted to keep the sample of it for as long as I can… Maybe just frame it. lol

There are a few really great and thorough reviews on this tea. It is such a complex tea. I enjoyed reading them all. First thought after taking my first sip or two… This is Yunnan black tea? Did I grab the wrong one? Started out woodsy, citrusy, fruity, stonefruits, slightly floral, orchid. For an infusion or two, early on, it reminded me of a sheng I like. It was unique in its taste because it just didn’t taste like any of the Yunnan black teas I’ve tried (note: I don’t have a lot of experience with black tea. Thankfully someone else far more experienced said that too.) But this “Sheng” taste went away, it’s so complex that when I thought I somewhat understood the taste profile, it morphed into something else. Just as tasty, but different. There were berries, fruits, honey, clove, spices, and later some minerals, sweetness versus perfect tart notes here and there. In the long infusions, in the end, I got the malt, the sweet potatoes, the brown toast, the caramel along with the citrus and berries notes that were still there. Ah! I didn’t grab the wrong sample after all :).

So yeah, this was quite a journey. It lasted throughout the whole day. I look forward to trying it again if it ever becomes available. So, for now, my first impression is that it is a wonderfully complex and tasty wildcrafted black tea. I’d like to try it all the different ways as well.

3g, 110ml, 205F, rinse, 10 steeps, 25s, 35s, 45s, 55s, 65s, 75s, 85s, 2m, 3m, 5m.

Flavors: Berries, Caramel, Cloves, Floral, Fruity, Honey, Malt, Petrichor, Spices, Stonefruit, Sweet Potatoes, Toast, Wood

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 15 sec 3 g 4 OZ / 110 ML
Whispering Pines Tea Company

I think you’ll be happy to hear that I was able to secure a bit more of this one just yesterday and it’s on the way from China as we speak :-) happy you love it!

derk

RIght as I’m about to place an order, no kidding. Thanks for the update.

derk

And it looks like you added a few more new teas :)

Kawaii433

Thanks, I hopped on it too. :D

Whispering Pines Tea Company

Sure did, Derk! :-) no worries, thanks for the orders!

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Comments

Whispering Pines Tea Company

I think you’ll be happy to hear that I was able to secure a bit more of this one just yesterday and it’s on the way from China as we speak :-) happy you love it!

derk

RIght as I’m about to place an order, no kidding. Thanks for the update.

derk

And it looks like you added a few more new teas :)

Kawaii433

Thanks, I hopped on it too. :D

Whispering Pines Tea Company

Sure did, Derk! :-) no worries, thanks for the orders!

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Profile

Bio

Longtime casual tea drinker. In the past, mainly Matcha, Gyokuro, Sencha, Genmaicha… Etc. I like all teas: Green, oolong, black & pu’erh (prefer ripe over raw).

Chanoyu (for matcha prep) and Gongfu cha (for other types of tea) are the main ways I prepare my tea (Gaiwan, Yixing teapot, Kyusu). I drink all tea… Usually unflavored. This past year, I’ve tried many flavored now because of all of you lol. As long as there aren’t artificial sweeteners, it’s all good.

Favorite stores: TeaVivre, What-Cha, Mandala Tea, 52Teas, Whispering Pines, Bird & Blend, Yunnan sourcing, White2Tea, Lupicia.

The flavors I dislike: Artificial sweetener, lavender, violet, any strong floral-perfumey tea; cantaloupe, papaya, honeydew, rose, licorice, anise, jasmine, any mints, leather.

Favorite flavors: Citrus fruits (especially grapefruit & tangerines), granny smith apple, bananas, guava, mango, tamarind, watermelon, stonefruits, chocolate, caramel, vanilla, milk, cinnamon, creme, bread/pastry, nuts, toasted, roasted.

I generally don’t add anything to my teas unless they are flavored, then I may add a splash of milk.

As I explore, my ratings may shift. 90+ generally means I’ll keep it on my shelf.

Location

USA

Website

https://www.facebook.com/kawa...

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