drank Spring Laoshan Black by Verdant Tea
2972 tasting notes

Thank you to Mackie for this sample! I already put in a Verdant order a few days back, but I might need to make another one soon after I try all these samples.

Spring 2016 harvest of Laoshan black (He family collection) from Jimo City, Qingdao Shandong, China.

The looseleaf smells of burnt food, cherry wood, and tobacco.

~6g looseleaf, 150 mL of 92*C water, 10 second steep
Steep 1: Flavour is roasty, minerals, savoury, toasty, charcoal, nice tea flavour, no bitterness at all

Steep 2: 150 mL of 90*C water, 7 second steep
Very roasty/charcoal, tobacco smoke, burnt food, leather.

Steep 3: 150 mL of 90*C water, 7 second steep
Lots of tea/tannins, burnt sugar, tanned leather, oxidized tea, lots of tea flavour, honey

Steep 4: 150 mL of 90*C water, 10 second steep
Malty, burnt sugar, cocoa, dark wood, toasted grain, miso, honey

I’m sure this is a fine tea from great origins, but to me, it just tasted like burnt food and chewing on a tanned leather belt. The whole charcoal roasted/smoked thing doesn’t appeal to me. Because I dislike this type of tea, I’m not going to rate it because I feel it would be unfairly low.

Flavors: Burnt, Burnt Food, Burnt Sugar, Char, Honey, Leather, Mineral, Soy Sauce, Tea, Toasted Rice, Tobacco

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 0 min, 15 sec 6 g 5 OZ / 150 ML
Fjellrev

Yikes, that’s quite the saga of a flavour journey. Boo-urns getting burnt and leather belt notes from this.

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Fjellrev

Yikes, that’s quite the saga of a flavour journey. Boo-urns getting burnt and leather belt notes from this.

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I am a biochem major hoping for a career in research genetics and evolutionary biology. I love science fiction and spend too much of my time reading comic books. I’m a passionate keeper of spiders, cacti, and exotic plants. I eat a vegan, plant-based diet for moral and environmental reasons (I mention this only because it is relevant to which flavoured teas I drink).

I drink mostly flavoured and low caffeine teas/tisanes, but I will try anything twice. As far as pure teas go, I gravitate towards whites, yellows, and jade oolongs. I’m always open for trades and sample sales/exchanges. Message me any time :)

My cupboard is mostly up to date. For a more comprehensive list, see my stash spreadsheet here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-HjWKR3um-xEnj6HC9vMvKXOAyj_bpW5u_2ixEC20-k/edit?usp=sharing
Most of these are only tiny samples/I can’t always spare any, but feel free to ask.

Favourite flavours/ingredients:
Rum/alcohol, clove, cardamom, rosemary, pine, sage, anise, moss/Earthy, lychee, floral, creamy, malt, hay, rice/grain, toasty, desserty, cocoa/chocolate, decaf or no caffeine, very unusual flavours

Favourite tea types
Decaf teas (any variety)/no caf tisanes like honeybush and rooibos, fruit blends without hibiscus, yellow, jade oolong, white, Darjeeling blacks, Longjing

Least favourite flavours/ingredients:
Acidic/sour/tart, melon, grapefruit, bitter, astringent, smokey, green apple, sickly sweet (too much chicory, cinnamon, or licorice root), yerba mate, turmeric, mushroom/fungus, vegetal and savoury

No
Animal products: [confectioners glaze, gelatine, milk-based natural flavours, white choc chips, caramel bits, etc]
St. John’s wort (herb)
Stevia

Location

BC, Canada

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