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Autumn Hearth drank Star of Bulang Sheng by Verdant Tea

300 tasting notes

I need to resteep this a few more times before I come to any conclusions, but I’m all pu-erhed out for the night. Rinsed twice. First steep was nice and woodsy, bit nutty but with a nice mouthfeel. Next two were thick and a bit artichokey or as a co-work described it “asparagus cooked in bacon”, but I get the lime notes. Fourth had some bite but cooled down nice and left a minty freshness in my mouth.

Edit: continued infusion Sunday morning and really should have taken the leaves to work because I’m drinking again Monday morning. I did a quick rinse to wake the leaves up both mornings and I think that paid off well. Yesterday I got a delicious sweetness that at first I thought was cocoa (it definitely has developed some black tea notes when Saturday it felt kids oolong) and then it happened, the bubble gum. And it’s still in this seventh… Maybe eighth infusion this morning along with some pepper. It is most enjoyable, though I would pass up drinking steeps two and three in the future. I need to share this with more people so I can do smaller, quicker, and ultimately more steeps in a sitting. But now to enjoy this cup before work. Dread.

Preparation

205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 30 sec

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Druid, artist, poet, mum, lover of tea, ritual and myth. I grew up on Celestial Seasons herbals but fell in love with straight loose leaf tea working at my local Teavana for a year. I am grateful for the introduction and the experience, but have moved on.

I see tea as an experience for the senses, I like to imagine tasting the land and the weather as well as the effect of sun, air, fire and the human hand. I have a soft spot for shu pu’er, yabao, scented oolongs, wuyi oolongs, taiwanese tea as well as smooth naturally sweet blacks, creamy greens and surprisingly complex whites.

I began ordering lots of samples from Upton to educate myself on different varieties of tea we didn’t have at work and have fallen head over heels for the unique offerings from Verdant Tea. I am learning things I like: buttery mouthfeel, surprising sweet or spice notes, woodiness, mineral notes, depth and complexity and things I don’t: astringency, dry and sour notes.

I collect tea tins and am in danger of collecting pots, though I am trying to restrain the urge due to current lack of space. I brew mostly in a glass infuser mug or a tea maker, only using cast-iron for company now (still need to get a gaiwan) and tend not to sweeten my teas unless they are British or fruity and iced, which is not often.

As far as ratings, I lack a definite system and haven’t been assigning numbers lately, wanting to spend multiple sessions with a tea first. I usually only log a tea once, unless it is a new harvest or I have significantly different observations, but will go back and edit or comment if I find something interesting or new.

Location

Baker Street, Berea, Ohio

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