This is a very mild Qimen (“Keemun”) black tea from China. The leaves are large—about an inch long, dry—and wirey, with a nice lightly cocoa odor. I brewed a teaspoonful (actually a large pinch of about 1.5 g) in 8 oz boiling water for 4 min. In a fabric drawstring teabag. This produced a clear brown liquor with flavors of stewed vegetal fruits over top of a light keemun flavor. Not as strong in character as I would like. I’ve had better Qimen teas at lower price from this and other vendors. Just my subjective opinion, YMMV.
Flavors: Stewed Fruits, Vegetal
Preparation
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Following up on my first note, I subsequently brewed another 2.5 g in a glazed tea pot for 4 min. Two steeping’s in that manner, virtually identical. I have attached a photo of representative spent leaves in a saucer, showing virtually intact small leaves and a few stems and a few buds. I stand by my original comments: smooth, muted, not as intensely flavored as I would like. Notes of dirty cardboard. I see no reason for this to be higher priced than the Keemun Mao Feng Premium, which tastes far better, unless a person really likes large leaves.
Following up on my first note, I subsequently brewed another 2.5 g in a glazed tea pot for 4 min. Two steeping’s in that manner, virtually identical. I have attached a photo of representative spent leaves in a saucer, showing virtually intact small leaves and a few stems and a few buds. I stand by my original comments: smooth, muted, not as intensely flavored as I would like. Notes of dirty cardboard. I see no reason for this to be higher priced than the Keemun Mao Feng Premium, which tastes far better, unless a person really likes large leaves.