Tea provided by Teavivre for review
For me, the timing of sampling new teas for Teavivre was perfect. I haven’t been writing on Steepster much due to problems with the website and also to drink through a lot of older teas I haven’t finished yet. And because winter has been especially intense for me this year (or it seems like it). I was thrilled to warm up with black tea and ripe puerh.
Starting with the samples I chose to short steep Superfine Keemun Mao Feng.
The initial steep was a surprise to my senses. Usually I expect a really strong rose/floral flavour from Keemun type teas. Instead I was greeted by a refined rose flavour, with notes of honey and a good black tea base to back it up. It’s difficult to put into words, but the difference between lower grades and their Superfine version is vast. “Everyday” Keemun has always been a bit too rough on my tastebuds, especially its strong rose flavour.
Sipping through the second through fifth resteeps, it maintained a consistent flavour. I was really impressed the overall balance of the tea while still retaining a deep black tea body (not flat or dull). The honey and floral notes, combined with the delicate nature reminded me of drinking white tea.
Overall, out of all the Keemun tea I have tried from Teavivre this is my favourite. I typically dislike tea with strong intrusive flavours, especially floral (rose). So this sampling was very satisfying for me to try. I always assumed that Keemun wasn’t really my type of tea until trying this version. If you prefer really bold floral flavours, the lower grades would be a better fit.
Short steeped as suggested by Teavivre’s website. 10s, 5s, 10s, 15s, 15s
