Thanks so much to Green Terrace Teas for the free sample! I’ve been excited to try this one since I saw Marzipan’s lovely note about it. :) I now wish I had requested the Li Shan black tea as well! Oh well. This is a Taiwanese black tea, and the only other one I’ve tried is flavored (very well flavored, thanks to Butiki!). This type of tea receives a lot of love around here, so I was keen to see what all the fuss was about. The leaves are black and spidery, perhaps a bit shorter than the other, and there are a few stems. They smell more like maple syrup than honey to me, which is not a complaint! There’s also a strange metallic scent that I think might be from the foil packaging? I did about 3 minutes at 200 degrees.
The aroma is definitely all honey now! There’s maybe a hint of malt and some fruit. Tasting this, I’m unsure how to describe the main flavor besides to say that it tastes like a very smooth and mellow black tea. It’s not malty or bready, maybe a touch of raisin? But in a very light way. There is a definite honey taste, and a tart fruitiness. It’s listed as “peach and plum” on the website and I must say I agree with that description. Tartness from the plum but also a nice juiciness from the peach. I added a touch of sugar to the second half of my cup and it seemed to bring out a floral note? Perhaps I’m crazy! The lovely honeyed fruit taste lingers pleasantly after I’m done sipping.
Overall, very delicious and a wonderful experience for my first (plain) Taiwanese black! Thanks so much to Green Terrace Teas for allowing us to sample their wares for the very low cost of a review! :) I would definitely purchase this tea.
On a side note, I would like to suggest that steeping suggestions be added to the packaging just to make it easier for the customer. Even with a sample, it’s a nice touch and I feel like it wouldn’t be difficult to include. Thanks! :D
Flavors: Floral, Honey, Peach, Plum, Raisins, Smooth
