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“Day 18 of the Kiani advent calendar. I brewed this up in one of my little ceramic gong fu teapots. I find it interesting that the flavor changed quite a bit between the first and second steeps. The...” Read full tasting note
“Adventaggedon Day 19: Tea 1/8 So this is a Gunpowder green tea. Maybe a controversial opinion but I sort of believe that a ‘good’ gunpowder tea just doesn’t exist. Within the industry, it’s a style...” Read full tasting note
“Kiani Tea Advent Calendar 2021 – Day 19 Ooh, a gunpowder green today from Kiani Tea. And no glitter in sight, hooray! \o/ There was probably about 1.5 teaspoons in the packet, and I waffled...” Read full tasting note
2020 Spring Harvest – Zhejiang province, China
A robust and satisfying green tea with smoked almond notes enjoyed for centuries since the Tang Dynasty. Crafted just like old times with superior quality green tea leaves tightly rolled into tiny pearls and dried over wood fires, taking on a subtle smokiness in the process.
Pearl Tea is renowned for its full-bodied flavour and is stronger than many green teas. ‘Gunpowder’ became a popular tea processing method as rolling the pellets locks in the flavour and aromas, releasing them again once they’re steeped in hot water. The tea also proved robust when being shipped, in comparison to other whole leaf teas. This made distribution across the continents easier, with traders safe in the knowledge that their tea would arrive with its quality intact.
To create this superior infusion, our Tea Masters source the youngest, largest leaves from the Zhejiang province of China. It’s only these high-quality leaves that can withstand the ‘gunpowder’ process of withering, steaming, rolling and then fire-drying.
Not only does it boast a rich green tea flavour, but our Green Pearl Tea is also packed with antioxidants and is known to aid healthy digestion, making it a wonderfully restorative, soothing infusion.
In the West, Pearl Tea is known as “gunpowder” tea, getting its name from the shot-like appearance of the rolled tea leaves.
Tea Notes:
• Appearance: Clear, honey-coloured liquor
• Aroma: Smoky, almond
• Flavour: Robust, smoked almond, savoury umami notes, summer grass
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, soothing, smoky lingering aftertaste
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Day 18 of the Kiani advent calendar. I brewed this up in one of my little ceramic gong fu teapots. I find it interesting that the flavor changed quite a bit between the first and second steeps. The first steep was naturally sweet, with vegetal and sweet pea notes. The second steep still had some of that sweetness, but a strong smokiness came out. Not lapsang souchong strong, but strong for a green tea. That smokiness continues for another couple of steeps before the leaf starts to lose flavor. I really liked this one!
ETA after seeing last year’s tasting notes: duh, of course this is a gunpowder green, I don’t know why I didn’t place it while drinking it except that I don’t have them very often!
Adventaggedon Day 19: Tea 1/8
So this is a Gunpowder green tea.
Maybe a controversial opinion but I sort of believe that a ‘good’ gunpowder tea just doesn’t exist. Within the industry, it’s a style of tea that just ISN’T taken seriously. Like, I know it’s a style of tea that definitely has appeal to some people and there’s a sort of commercial recognition to the name and story of Gunpowder Green tea – and the visual of the leaves is definitely pretty. But, well…
With all of that said, I find that even the ‘nicest’ gunpowder teas just taste very flat. That was kind of my experience with this one. It’s not that it has off notes but the taste is incredibly boring and there’s just not a lot of interest going on. Perhaps the most interesting/unique thing about this tea type aside from the visual of the leaves is the supposed like smoky vegetal note that’s meant to come out and even that was just sort of boring here…
Taste is of course highly subjective and I know there are people who will enjoy this tea; but it just doesn’t do it for me. Not even close.
Kiani Tea Advent Calendar 2021 – Day 19
Ooh, a gunpowder green today from Kiani Tea. And no glitter in sight, hooray! \o/
There was probably about 1.5 teaspoons in the packet, and I waffled between using 12 or 16 ounces of water, but ended up with 12. Seems the correct choice, as it’s not overly strong or anything like that.
I will say it’s a bit more dimensional that I generally find gunpowder tea. It does have that mineral, slightly earthy, slightly smoky thing going on that warrants the name. But there’s also a lovely creamy nuttiness underneath, and bit of lightly grassy sweetness. The description mentions almond, and I think that’s pretty spot-on for the nutty note.
I wouldn’t rush out and buy it or anything, but I’m finding it quite good and very satisfying on a cold day here in Austin.
P.S. – In case anyone is wondering why all of these Kiani teas have two names, for some reason the name listed in the advent is almost always different from the name on their website, even though it’s the same tea…
Flavors: Almond, Creamy, Dry Grass, Earth, Grass, Mineral, Nuts, Smoke, Smooth, Soybean, Sweet
