Spring 2018 harvest.

Jinggu teas, we’ve been all miss and no hit until now. The liquor color is beautiful like other silver needle whites. It’s like women’s ‘champagne’ hair dye in a box. This one isn’t too flat in flavor for me but it is very subtle beyond the more pronounced aromas and flavors of linens, lychee?, nectar, minerals, marshmallow and vanilla. Perhaps hints of green apple candy and sugarcane; there’s something green about this tea but I can’t place it exactly. There’s also a nice lemony tartness to the the thin and soft body to keep things interesting. Later steeps move more along the lines of dandelion and hay. It’s really quite refreshing but not a whole lot to keep me engaged.

Oh, and by the way, have you ever smelled a Cabbage Patch Kid? Back in the 80s they had a distinct smell. That’s the taste of this tea to a tee. The color of hair dye and the taste of the smell of dolls. I may not be doing any favors by describing it thusly but if you know the smell, you’ll know what I mean :)

Thanks, Togo.

Addendum 1: The body of the tea really comes out with western steeping. It’s thick and coating followed by an awesome mineral-induced salivation and tongue tingling after the swallow. This tea has a wonderful cleanliness to it. Recommending it on the basis that it offers something different from other silver needles.

Addendum 2: When allowed to cool completely, the flavor reminds me of violet pastilles: that sweet sugar taste with purple florals and very slight bitterness. I also find it to be a body cooling tea versus the warming quality of other silver needles.

Bumping up the rating to 83+ Interesting tea :)

Flavors: Candy, Dandelion, Green Apple, Hay, Lavender, Lemon, Lychee, Marshmallow, Mineral, Nectar, Powdered Sugar, Sugarcane, Tart, Vanilla, Violet

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 7 g 5 OZ / 150 ML

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This place, like the rest of the internet, is dead and overrun with bots. Yet I persist.

Eventual tea farmer. If you are a tea grower, want to grow your own plants or are simply curious, please follow me so we can chat.

I most enjoy loose-leaf, unflavored teas and tisanes. Teabags have their place. Some of my favorite teas have a profound effect on mind and body rather than having a specific flavor profile.

Favorite teas generally come from China (all provinces), Taiwan, India (Nilgiri and Manipur). Frequently enjoyed though less sipped are teas from Georgia, Japan, and Nepal. While I’m not actively on the hunt, a goal of mine is to try tea from every country that makes it available to the North American market. This is to gain a vague understanding of how Camellia sinensis performs in different climates. I realize that borders are arbitrary and some countries are huge with many climates and tea-growing regions.

I’m convinced European countries make the best herbal teas.

Personal Rating Scale:

100-90: A tea I can lose myself into. Something about it makes me slow down and appreciate not only the tea but all of life or a moment in time. If it’s a bagged or herbal tea, it’s of standout quality in comparison to similar items.

89-80: Fits my profile well enough to buy again.

79-70: Not a preferred tea. I might buy more or try a different harvest. Would gladly have a cup if offered.

69-60: Not necessarily a bad tea but one that I won’t buy again. Would have a cup if offered.

59-1: Lacking several elements, strangely clunky, possesses off flavor/aroma/texture or something about it makes me not want to finish.

Unrated: Haven’t made up my mind or some other reason. If it’s puerh, I likely think it needs more age.

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Sonoma County, California, USA

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