The land we call home burns once again. I’m holed up in the house, safe in my town. A few of my coworkers have had to evacuate. The smoke is thick in the valley today. Since I’m staying in, I might as well put a dent in this massive gift box of tea, recover from the madness of work this week as 5 counties of people scrambled to our store for emergency supplies. I think a lot of people still have PTSD from the massive, devastating fires of the past three years. Not to mention the stress of this year has been relentless! Life is resilient, though.
This was one of many unopened green teas from White Antlers. July 2015 harvest.
Dry leaf is very dark brown and hard, wiry and twisted spindles that smell of smoke and leather-tobacco, rounded out by mango skin and with a thick bottom sweetness of brown sugar and papaya.
First steep produced a clear, pinkish yellow cup with a light mango skin aroma and a touch of smoke. Light body and tastes with a hay mid/base note, a hint of smoke and a mango skin-apricot mid/high tone. Mineral on sip with a very drying finish. Very light fruity aftertaste. Following a second steep, the leaves were still not unfurled so I went for a third which was tasteless. The spent leaves revealed a pick of nearly all 2 leaves and a bud.
Based on the dry leaf aroma and TeaNecromancer’s experience (who picked up on remarkably similar notes as myself) with this tea 5 years ago, it seems like this green tea would have been a delight when fresh. It’s still drinkable, likely due to how it was processed and being stored in the original sealed pouch.
Flavors: Apricot, Brown Sugar, Drying, Hay, Leather, Mango, Mineral, Smoke, Tobacco, Tropical
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Todd has been evacuated since last Thursday. He bought a house with his son and daughter-in-law in the Santa Cruz mountains around this time last year, in Boulder Creek, and they were evacuated. As far as I last heard the fire hasn’t reached their home yet… still a possibility it could depending on how things go. Kitties, doggos, and even their coup of chickens were safely evacuated.
ah, stay safe and stay sane at work, derk!
Boulder Creek was on tonight’s news along with the wind and possible rain and lightning hitting the Santa Cruz mountains, and us further north, again. Ugh.
Be safe Derk. Those fires are awful bad out there. I am praying Todd is ok too.
Oh no, again? Again wildfires there? I hope it will get better soon there!
Todd has been evacuated since last Thursday. He bought a house with his son and daughter-in-law in the Santa Cruz mountains around this time last year, in Boulder Creek, and they were evacuated. As far as I last heard the fire hasn’t reached their home yet… still a possibility it could depending on how things go. Kitties, doggos, and even their coup of chickens were safely evacuated.
ah, stay safe and stay sane at work, derk!
Boulder Creek was on tonight’s news along with the wind and possible rain and lightning hitting the Santa Cruz mountains, and us further north, again. Ugh.
Be safe Derk. Those fires are awful bad out there. I am praying Todd is ok too.
Oh no, again? Again wildfires there? I hope it will get better soon there!