So I brewed up about 7 grams in a 100ml gaiwan at about 210f/off boil. This tea is 2012 material and looks really great. Nice big leaves and actually some of the better ripe leaves that I have personally ever seen. I gave two rinses and began the trip. First infusion was a bit more bitter than I had hoped so I backed my steep time off just a bit…maybe a bit less leaf next time would help. I can really tell that this is a younger ripe. But with that said it is the smoothes ripe that I have had personally. Very smooth. I didnt get really any sweetness that it boasts as it was more earthy and coffee like bitter. I also think giving it a rest for a bit would help because I pulled it out of the box today! Some slight sweetness did come through on the later steeps (5 or 6). This tea does have some staying power. Gave multiple steeps. My overall opinion is that this tea is going to be amazing with a bit more age. It has a nice buttery sweet smell on the wet leaf now that will come out in the flavor later on. I would recommend buying some of this before it goes away because in a couple of years this tea will be awesome. That said, its is already a good tea. I will revisit this tea in a few more weeks to see if the taste of the trip has worn off and gives me something else to say as I feel that it needs a bit of airing out for a proper review. Still yummy tho.
Boiling
0 min, 15 sec
7 g
3 OZ / 100 ML