Gong fu, though I look forward to giving this a western brew. I have always loved a darjeeling (even cheap ones), and this was no exception. The nose offered up more whimsy than the broth during this session, with some floral and toast flitting by. My tasting notes were rather more straightforward, with tangy citrus and leaves dominating each steep, and some drying astringency lingering behind.
ETA:
I’ve now western-style brewed this, and it was lovely. I might actually prefer it this way, which is surprising to me. The limited flavor fluctuations between gong fu steeps, versus the fuller and more nuanced pot brews are tipping me. I steeped the first bowl for 2 minutes, and the second for 3. The second was far more watery, but I think I may actually have done a physical double take when I smelled some butter coming off the second! That was pretty exciting and kept me coming back for more sips, regardless of the toned-down primary flavors.
Flavors: Astringent, Butter, Citrus, Cocoa, Dry Leaves, Tangy, Toast
