Derk bought a set of three mystery teas in the order we split from What-Cha on Black Friday, and this was one of them. I’ve never had a tea from Laos before, although the offerings from One River Tea have been tempting me. Thanks, Derk, for letting me take a sample before sending it along. I steeped around 4 g of leaf in a 355 ml mug at 203F for 3, 5, and 7 minutes.
Dry, the tea smells like citrus, hay, chocolate, and malt. Oof! The first steep is strong. I get tannins, tannins, and more tannins, plus malt, wood, faint orange blossom, honey, baked bread, and hay. It’s drying in the mouth and I feel like I’ve swallowed pencil lead. The fancy citrus and chocolate notes are absent in subsequent steeps, but neither does the tea deliver such a kick in the face. I also get a mineral note and maybe a hint of prune.
To me, this is an average breakfast-type tea with nothing special to indicate its terroir. Maybe Derk, who has a more sophisticated palate, will find more to love about this tea.
Flavors: Bread, Chocolate, Citrus, Drying, Hay, Honey, Malt, Mineral, Orange Blossom, Tannin, Wood
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You’re welcome. I’ll give it a fair sip this weekend. Sounds like it needs to be paired with a hearty breakfast to mitigate those tannins.
I think you’re right. I also shouldn’t have used so much tea. I can usually get away with 4 g to my 355 ml mug, but maybe not with this one.
You’re welcome. I’ll give it a fair sip this weekend. Sounds like it needs to be paired with a hearty breakfast to mitigate those tannins.
I think you’re right. I also shouldn’t have used so much tea. I can usually get away with 4 g to my 355 ml mug, but maybe not with this one.