2022 Yunnan Sourcing "Suan Zao Shu" Old Arbor Black Tea Cake

Prepared in my Jian Shui gaiwan, and served in my porcelain tea cup via my glass cha hai. Filtered Santa Monica municipal water just off the boil throughout.

Dry leaf is brightly aromatic with notes of stone fruit, melon, wildflowers, and alfalfa. The brewed tea evinces the same elements but with more subtlety. Hints of chocolate and malt as well.

Tawny to Titian Red liquor depending on steep times.

Flavor is gently vegetal/savory with malt and grass intermingling. Blind, I’m not sure I could identify this as a black tea as there are flavors that bring to mind white or even green tea as well. Delicate and complex with a grainy/grassy finish. Hints of fresh water chestnuts and wood ear. If pushed, more dark chocolate flavors emerge, but at the cost of bitterness and a touch of astringency/sourness.

Quite energizing – caffeine made me break up the session over a couple mornings.

Unique but at this price I won’t pick up a cake.

Black teas like this are great if you like them a bit more savoury and value depth of flavour and full body.

When dry, it smells leathery and woody with sweet undertones. During the session, there is a mixture of more standard black tea aromas and floral notes. I can smell malt, chocolate, but also forest floor, chrysanthemum, and lily-of-the-valley.

The liquor has a thick texture and pungent taste. There are flavours of butter, acorn, milk, and moss. At some times, it possesses a sour/bitter mixture like coffee, at others, the sweet honey finish is pronounced. In the aftertaste, additional notes of fresh wood, celery, vanilla, and caramel appear.