69 Tasting Notes
Gung hay fa choi! This was a hit at Chinese New Year. Intense jasmine aroma. Naturally sweet jasmine, melon taste. One big pot stood up to three steepings, though the third was pushing it. Leaving the leaves in the pot it got a little bitter, but not bad. Stood up well to haphazard temperature and steep times.
Preparation
The tea brews up a dark amber color. The smell of the tea is strong bergamot and honey (and maybe black pepper?). The taste is much more subdued than the aroma. A gentle citrusy sweetness with a touch of bitterness and very little astringency.
Preparation
This tea reminds me of clean, high desert air. The moderate astringency is drying but not bitter. The expected maltiness is there but subtle with a back of the mouth caramel sweet finish. Liquor is a beautiful amber red. The smell is mildly floral and mineral.
Preparation
A smooth, minty, caffeinated beverage. I was hoping for more tea flavor with pu-erh in the mix, but the mint really dominates. The vanilla is just a hint. Dark, dark liquor is very appealing. It looks like it would pack a punch, but the flavor doesn’t match the appearance.