Thomas Scotland Send Message

I prefer to brew this one Western Style in my tea basket, when I want a mug of something good and invigorating to sip on. Usually 3 to 4 grams of leaf per 400ml, 4 minutes each steep.

This Black Tea is complex, yet not finicky. On the first infusion at 200f, I was pleasantly surprised. It is silky smooth, with very little astringency. Dark Chocolate married with a Woodiness, nuttiness, and a slight malt. It goes down very easy, because it’s absolutely delicious. Absolutely devoid of any bitterness, despite the heavy handed nature of Western style brewing.

On the Second infusion, I dialed up the temperature to 205f, and used about 300ml water, and let it steep for close to 5 minutes. While the liquor was a touch lighter, it was a delicacy on my taste buds. Milk chocolate now, still married with the Woodiness, but the Nuttiness really shone through and is persistent in the aftertaste, even 10 minutes afterward.

This is a great tea to wake up to and to brew western style when I’m feeling too lazy for Gong Fu, as it is incredibly forgiving and hard to overbrew. It also gives me an great caffeinated zip to put some pep in my step.

I highly recommend this if you want a Black Tea without much bite, that is very savory and sweet both in aromatics, and taste.

A very Complex Green Tea worth muliple infusions. Gong Fu style is enjoyable, but I tend to brew this one western style with A LOT of leaf. Aromatics of steamed spinach, steamed cabbage, with a bit of a nuttiness to it. The taste itself transforms through multiple infusions. The first infusion I did at 175f with about 5g of leaf gave me those vegetable notes mentioned in the aromatics. The second steeping at the same temperature gave me the same, giving way to a bit more nuttiness and a fuller body. The last infusion at 195f steeped for 4 minutes completely transformed it in a thicker textured tea with sweeter notes meeting a brothy kind of tea. The perfect amount of astringency throughout, and very hard to over-steep. This is by far the most enjoyable Chinese Green i’ve ever had. The Theanine hit was immediate in the first infusion, relaxing me completely.

The body/heady sensation is a very calm alertness. I very much enjoy this tea, and for the price point, it’s a must have.

I’d tried it Gong Fu style in my gaiwan as well. It draws out the experience, starting vegetale, moving into a nuttiness, and then a sweetness through the infusions. It’s a fascinating tea.

This is the most unique Black Tea I’ve ever had the pleasure of trying. I find it’s best brewed western style, and it’s generally a one steeper. I get notes of Malt, transforming into marinara sauce, a caramel sweetness, with hints of dark chocolate. It’s a very savory black Tea, and a wonderful way to start your day. It’s not nuanced enough for multiple infusions. I’ve tried it in my Gaiwan, and didn’t enjoy it enough to warrent that kind of effort. No, this is definately mean to be put in a steeper basket for about 3 to 5 minutes at 195f. It releases its infusion very quickly. So if you want a quick cup, at this price point, I’d say its worth it given the complexity of the aromatics and tasting notes of what this tea has to offer.