drank Keemun Orchid by Tea Horse
139 tasting notes

“What’s in your cup?” This morning’s tea was truly a new experience – Keemun Orchid by Tea Horse courtesy of KittyLovesTea. Premium Keemun Hao Ya is my usual morning tea. By comparison, this Keemun is quite unique! I brewed 1 tsp. (3g) / 8 oz. & 6 oz. / 212*F / 4 min. without sweeteners, milk, or cream.

- Fragrance: A lush but gentle smokiness that reminds me of fine pipe tobacco & a light floral scent.
- Liquor: Golden amber
- Aroma: Lush, winey, & smoky
- Flavor:
8 oz.: A smooth, winey, med-bodied Keemun, with a pleasing velvet-like orchid aftertaste that persists long on one’s palate – truly special. At 8 oz., the lush winey Keemun character is more potent than the cocoa notes.

8-min Re-steep: Nearly as enjoyable as the first cup. With a little less potent winey character, the orchid notes are easier to appreciate.

2nd Cup – 6 oz.: With this higher leaf-to-water concentration, the orchid flavor is much more obvious and the cocoa notes are easier to appreciate.

8-min Re-steep: Nearly identical to the first 6 oz. cup.

An exceptionally unique Keemun.

Thanks to KittyLovesTea for providing this delightful generous sample. Unfortunately, per KittyLovesTea, “they have recently closed down. :( “ Thus, I feel very fortunate to have tasted this Keemun Orchid, which was also my first orchid tea experience.

Method:
- RO water re-mineralized with an Aptera filter http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39532-puregen-aptera-alkamag-water-filter
- http://steepster.com/teaware/teavana/39311-perfect-tea-spoon
- http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/37731-my-weigh-durascale-d2-660-digital-scale
- Brewed western-style conveniently in a tea mug with a Finum brew basket http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/29177-finum-brewing-basket.
- http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39312-teavana-perfect-preset-tea-timer

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 3 g
looseTman

Additional thoughts have been included.

TheTeaFairy

We rarely see flavoured or scented Keemun, this sounds very unique and interesting…

looseTman

It was an interesting & enjoyable tasting experience. It’s a shame Tea Horse has recently closed. I wonder if this Keemun was unique to Tea Horse or if it’s available from another supplier?

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looseTman

Additional thoughts have been included.

TheTeaFairy

We rarely see flavoured or scented Keemun, this sounds very unique and interesting…

looseTman

It was an interesting & enjoyable tasting experience. It’s a shame Tea Horse has recently closed. I wonder if this Keemun was unique to Tea Horse or if it’s available from another supplier?

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My wife and I enjoy shou that:
- is Full-bodied, thick, rich, creamy smooth
- produces a full-mouth feeling with a long pleasing finish
- w/o obvious acidity, astringency, or bitterness
- Retains this profile & is complex enough to enjoy for multiple steeps

Notes of interest:
- natural rich chocolate (as opposed to too bittersweet cocoa)
- honey, caramel, stone fruits, sweet potato, barley, fresh baked bread

Notes not of interest: Floral, vegetal, woody.

Cost-effective organic teas or teas that meet the EU Food Safety Commission Pesticide Maximum Residue Limit EUROFINS are greatly appreciated. Many people drink tea for the anti-oxidant health benefits. So why would health conscious tea lovers drink tea that contains pesticide residues?

Complete steeping instructions on the bag are greatly appreciated:
tsp. (g) / oz. / temp. / rinse? / min. for both Western & Gongfu brewing.

Our recent orders have been from: Yunnan Sourcing, King Tea Mall, Whispering Pines, & Arbor Teas. Kudos to them as they have all been extremely helpful.

Our cupboard doesn’t include the many greatly appreciated samples generously provided by Steepsters’s favorite tea suppliers and by several very kind Steepster members.

Current Gogng Fu Brewing Method:
20g / 6 oz / 205° / 60s preheat / 60s warm leaves / 5s rinse / 5 min rest / 5s / 5 / 7 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 /30 / 45 / 60. Every two steeps combined in a sharing pitcher.

High quality water is essential for excellent tasting tea.
Our 450’ well provides hard water. For details see: http://steepster.com/looseTman/posts/176233#comments.

Solutions:
#1. Rainsoft water softener with
Q2 computerized control valve

#2. Abundant Flow Water
Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System with an Impact Alkaline re-mineralization filter
Model: Zeta RO: https://www.afwfilters.com/drinking-ro-systems/6-stage-alkaline-zoi-zeta-reverse-osmosis-system-16.html
Includes:
- Dow Filmtec TFC R.O. membrane
- Omnipure Inline Post filter
- Impact Alkaline Filter
All filters made in USA & NSF-Certified.
-———————————
Options:
- Aquatec ERP-500 & ASV 2000
- 3/8" Output
- HM Digital DM-2 TDS meter

My profile picture is a Red-Breasted Nuthatch, a winter visitor to our woodpecker feeder.

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Mid-Atlantic, USA

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