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Jade drank Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong of Wu Yi Fujian Black tea * Spring 2018 by Yunnan Sourcing

60 tasting notes

I’m still developing more complex taste buds, so bear with me.
Brew style: Gong fu

First infusion: Aroma is very sweet of molasses and malt. The first notes that hit you are very sweet — sugar cane and malt with a slight viscosity on the tongue but clean finish. It’s almost too sweet for me — reminiscent of a first sip of American Southern Sweet Ice Tea!
By the 3rd/4th infusion, the sweetness has subsided with more of a very light malty / very mild smoky undertone. However, I don’t really taste any additional complexity to this tea.

I plan to re-attempt a gong-fu style tasting to see if I change my mind, but if it proves the same, will brew Western Style as “run-out-the-door” drinking tea.

Flavors: Malt, Molasses, Sweet

Preparation

205 °F / 96 °C 1 tsp 100 OZ / 2957 ML

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General: A crafty geek girl who has a love for tea, cats, writing, books, as well as learning a multitude of post-apocalyptic skills…just in case.

Tea: I’ve been drinking tea all my life. My grandfather was half-Chinese, but I was always too lazy to brew anything other than Western style. In the past 5 years I’ve been changing that; trying to develop my tea-tasting chops and still a lot to learn! I prefer oolongs, blacks, and greens (in that order), and I’m trying to expand my knowledge of tea from all over the world (and not just China & Japan). I do tend to stay away from herbal tisanes or overly flavored teas as I find them much too sweet and overpowering.

My ratings explained.
90-100: Exceptional tea. The tea I want with me on that desert island. It is the tea I’ll take time to relish and enjoy.

80-89: Very Good Tea. It fits my flavor profile and I enjoy drinking it.

70-79: Good. I like it, but might not be one I reach for on a regular basis..

60-69: Solid. Better than average, and something I’ll grab when I need to “run-out-the-door” and can’t take time to really appreciate the tea I’m drinking.

50-59: Decent/Average. Not my preferred flavor profile or something I won’t purposefully go out to buy. It might lack that “Something” in its aroma/flavor/mouthfeel/finish.

40-49: Below average. I don’t really care for this tea and likely won’t have it again.

39 and lower: Gross. Didn’t finish it or refused to drink anymore.