Picked up at the local Asian Market.
Gongfu style, one wash.
1st Infusion – 40 seconds:
Huh, it’s green tea. Strong. There are slight smoky vibes but that’s mostly in the nose. There’s some long finish but I cannot tell if it’s the tea or the curry I had for dinner.
2nd Infusion – 40 Seconds:
I kept the infusion time the same to avoid oversteeping. The quality is pretty much the same as the first, I’m noticing more of the smokiness and honestly it has some cigarette notes to it that I do not find pleasant.
3rd Infusion – 30 Seconds:
I’m experimenting with the time on this one to see if I’m leaving the tea for too long before pouring. I noticed the end of my last cup has quit a lot of residue, maybe I should second wash before steeping. This one ended up lots better, with a little of vegetal flavor and smoother body. I’ll have to start this one off with two washes and a 15-sec infusion time and work up from there. Medium astringency on the tounge.
4th Infusion – 60 Seconds:
Water is a bit clearer now, same mouthfeel. This seems to be a pretty run of the mill green tea, a little coarse, and probably quite versatile.
Reading other reviews, I may have used too much leaf on this one by following my standard process and the included instructions.
Hey for $1.60 per 100g this is easily 10 x cheaper than a nice green tea I have purchased in the past. I would more-happily drink the good stuff but on a budget, not bad. Better than Lipton green! Good to have a standard to separate low from high quality tea.
I may have to change my review after sampling more of this tea, there is certainly enough of it in the box I bought.
Flavors: Bitter, Grass, Smoke, Sweet
