Almost finished with the bag with just one serving more left. I’ve got mixed feelings about this, mainly because I was so excited about this after reading all the great reviews. But after trying it, it was just so so for me. Maybe I set my hopes too high. Who knows. XD This was made regular ‘western’ style, but with my last serving I might give making this in a gaiwan a shot. Anyone have any pointers on how best to do that? I’m a total gaiwan noob. But onto the review.
I was surprised at how honey-like the brew smelled this time around. Maybe I was underleafing the last few times I’ve made it? Or else I just don’t recall the smell the other times. It’s not really a sugar-sweet sort of honey smell but something a bit darker (though not like burnt type dark), with a nice woodsy sort of undercurrent. As usual my words aren’t working very well. XD
The taste is woodsy, malty, slightly sweet. I can kinda understand the bready description that other people were mentioning, though it doesn’t really stand out like that to me. And I don’t get much of any sort of apricot/plum/fruit notes, or else their buried beneath the woodsy maltyness. XD
Even after a pretty unique cup of tea, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t reorder this since it’s just not a tea I’d crave to drink all that often. I have other teas that I’d reach for first for regular drinking, and ones that already take up my ‘special occasions brewing’ preferences. But I’ll definitely enjoy the last cup of this before it goes.
Pointers on the gaiwan. I usually start this tea off with filling the leaves half way in the gaiwan and a 20-30 second brew. This tea really does shine in the gaiwan.