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Thomas Smith drank Bi Luo Chun by TeaSpring

93 tasting notes

Brewed 5g in 165ml water at 75 degrees C in a glazed ceramic gaiwan. Got two nearly identical infusions using the same parameters one after another.

Tons of down. Shredded green wood dry fragrance with a note of macadamia. Typical chlorophyll sweetness but more toastiness than I’m used to. Wet aroma brings in more hay and nuts and adds a light carnation note. Liquor is a hazy pale yellow with plenty of suspended hairs despite running through a very vine mesh strainer. Liquor blends the dry fragrance and wet aroma smells neatly. The floral-nut-toasty-hay mix produces an odd muted Jolly Rancher quality as an underlying aroma tint.

Flavor is a bit more “frank” a version of Bi Luo Chun than some of the finer, daintier ones out there. Most body I’ve had on this type of tea and it lasts multiple infusions quite well, but more of a tendency towards astringency. Base aroma is similar to uncut late-season grassy field with a mildly sweet, savory, and roasty oat flour and rye note. Sort of soapy. Not a ton of dimension (especially in comparison when tasted alongside other Bi Luo Chuns) but heftier than usual and probably a better “drinking” tea because of it.

This is probably the closest I’ve tasted to an “everyday green” quality from a Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun. Still more refined than mimicry BLC from other regions, though.

Preparation

165 °F / 73 °C 1 min, 0 sec

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Tea Geek.

My focus is on Chinese Wulongs and Pu’er but I’m all over the place. I tend to follow a seasonal progression of teas, following the freshness curve of greens through summer and rounding the cooler months out with toastier teas and Masala Chai.
With the exception of Masala Chai milk tea I’m a purist at heart. While I was originally snagged by Earl Grey with bergamot and make blends for gifts, I very rarely go for scented teas or herbals and can’t remember the last time I bought a tea that was blended. Pure tea is just more interesting to me than the product of mixing flavors. I do understand and appreciate their existence, though.

I upload some blends I make or special prep teas I nab under the company name “Green Raven Tea and Coffee” and the vast majority of these posts will be blends crafted to create flavors/characteristics not inherent in any one particular tea.
I’ve worked as a tea buyer for a smallish cafe and try to keep apprized of shifts in offerings even when not selecting for a business so I wind up sampling a ton of wholesale samples from a couple companies in particular but try to branch out to as many companies as I can find. Until Steepster integrates some form of comparative tasting feature, none of my cupping notes will make it onto my reviews unless wrapped up into something I feel compelled to drink multiple times on its own.

Since all the cool kids are doing it, here’s my big fat ratings scheme:

0-12…..Ugh, don’t wish on anyone
13-25….Bad, won’t touch again
26-37….Huh, not worth the effort
38-50….Meh, unremarkable
51-62….Okay, good tea
63-75….Tasty, really good tea
76-87….Yum, wonderful
88-100…Wow, really spectacular

There shouldn’t be many postings at all from me ranked 26-50 since unremarkable teas are unlikely to make me remark on ’em but to “earn” a score 37 or below I have to be disappointed to the point where others may ask for a refund or turn down offers even when free or offered as a gift (beyond stale).

I’ve got a ton of respect for anything rated 63 or higher.

For a tea to get 71 or more, it has to be pretty special and kinda blow my socks off.

The 90s are reserved for wonders that make me reevaluate my views of the world of tea as a whole.