Turun Tee ja Mauste

Not so sure about the tea’s actual name, since the frantic studies on the subject gave me a suspicion that it should be called Mao Jian instead of just Mao, especially if the Hunan in the name refers to the region. Putting that tiny mishap of Finnish naming logic aside, this specimen is quickly pushing its way for permanent residence in my cupboard.

Finding the correct temperature and steeping time for this one was entertaining and also very rewarding. The very first steep with it was a bit too long and gave it a rather yellow color as well quite a bitter bite to it, since I had absolutely no clue how this type behaves in the pot, but after a couple of more tests with very short brewing times the result has become a very light green liquid with a sliver of golden yellow in it, and it’s actually a rather pale color combination as well.

As for the taste, the initial sip (after getting past the bitter phase) is very pleasant and subtle with its sweetness. A bit thin, perhaps, but that’s why it demands to be made in a pot, not just in one cup. Springy, I could almost say, very light. Won’t hazard a guess on what kind of fruit comes to my mind with the sweetness, or if its actually a bit more of a floral kind, but I do have a nagging feeling that somewhere in the past I have encountered something very similar. It actually reminds me of Sencha Kura, of all things. Not as uptight as its Japanese cousin, but demands attention in the same way. Will not steep this while working on my things, which, on the other hand, means that I’m forced to have short breaks between…and that’s something I can’t complain about.

So no tea for me yesterday, as I was home and all my awesome teas are at work. Something i am changing today. I packed up about 20 teas to bring home. Anyway, The oolong streak is over and it looks like I have gone black. This tea is really nice to look at in the bag and in my infuser. The smell doesn’t give much away.

I brewed for 3 minutes in my ingenuiTEA after a 30 second rinse. It is a dark tea. It smells really nice, I am thinking it is a Ceylon base. There is a spicy sweetness coming off the steam. There is initial bitterness on the first sip, and the spices are there. There are subtle hints of vanilla, but finding the ginger and cardamom is tricky. I wonder if the rinse had something to do with it. There is definitely a spice profile but separating them out is proving difficult. An enjoyable cup I know I will be revisiting.

It is apparently Oolong week for me. Today serves up this earthy, woody leaf. I took a note from some r/tea submissions to “rinse” the leaves to remove debris/dust and the initial harshness from the leaf. Also it apparently wakes the leaf up and adds more depth to flavor. So today, I used about 2 1/2 tsp in about 12/13 oz of water in my ingenuiTEA after two 10 second rinses.

The smell in the bag doesn’t give much away, but the minute it began to steep, you could smell the aroma of a very strong brew. 3 minutes and I got it into my mug. Smelling it, it is really earthy and kind of woody. The leaves are broken up, but not destroyed. It brewed this beautiful dark amber, almost chocolate colored tea. First sip has a slight bitterness, but it is barely there. Really, I feel like I am drinking a forest. It lends itself to some fantasy day dreaming of a woodland realm. Looking forward to my next steeps… Stay tuned.

Steep Two: Wow, just an amazing experience. No bitterness and the color is now dark amber. A beautiful earthy flavor. I steeped again for 3 minutes in the ingenuiTEA. Paying attention to steeping times sure makes a difference and I think the rinses were beneficial as well. The woodiness is definitely a finish experience in the back of my mouth as I swallow.

Steep Three: I stuck with the same three minutes, and in hindsight, and extra 30-60 seconds may have increased the flavor. But all in all, the tea is hitting really clean although not nearly as earthy as my other two infusions. Which in no way is a bad thing. It’s a lighter amber with a smoother finish. I have to say, Good Work Finland!