PlutoCow Send Message

Mmmm. I got this as a free sample in my last order, and while I never would have chosen it myself, I’m very glad that the folks at Verdant slipped it into my box. The tea brews up to a lovely deep amber, quite a bit darker on first steeping than the most recent batch of Laoshan black.
The first steep is very chocolatey, especially when piping hot. As it cools, malty, earthy undertones start coming through. It’s not bitter at all, but as I finish my cup, I notice a slight dryness in the back of my throat. It’s like the faintest memory of astringency, but an astringency that I didn’t notice while I was drinking. This reminds me a lot of the Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong (“I can’t believe it’s not scotch”) from Yezi Tea, actually.
Second steeping, much more earthy. I can pick up the mushroom notes that others have mentioned. When I sniff the cup quickly, I pick up a slight citrus scent that I don’t really taste. It’s very malty, but there’s another taste that I can’t quite identify. It’s a pretty familiar taste for me, but I just can’t place it. The third steeping, and the last one I drank last night, was very light and sweet and slightly floral. It reminds me a lot of the current run of Laoshan black, actually.