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derk drank Castle Black by Whispering Pines Tea Company

1548 tasting notes

I think this is a Spring 2019 harvest.

Rich with chocolate-malt-wood body. Smoothed by sunflower seed nuttiness. Rounded out by deep and warm stonefruit flavors. High floral notes. Fermenting windfelled fruit resting upon soil warmed by the autumn sun. An orchard at the edge of a forest. Good balance of flavor, aroma, astringency, bitterness and aftertaste. Feels more grounded than other unsmoked Lapsang Souchong but with plenty of complexity. The little leaves harness a wealth of power and they are not fussy in preparation method.

Flavors: Alcohol, Bark, Brown Sugar, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Cream, Dried Fruit, Forest Floor, Fruity, Lychee, Malt, Nutty, Orange, Orchid, Osmanthus, Pastries, Peanut, Pine, Raisins, Raspberry, Red Apple, Rose, Round, Stonefruit, Tannin, Wood

Preparation

205 °F / 96 °C

I Like This

12 likes

3 comments

White Antlers
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The tea’s name sounds like the title of a Stephen King novel but the description is more like how I’d imagine a tiny kingdom in a fairy tale.

derk
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I, too, was expecting something darker…Dark Tower, dungeon petrichor… It’s more a warm embrace from a rich and vibrant world and its bustling inhabitants, graced by an aging sun. Tiny kingdom, how apt.

derk
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The rest of the Dark Tower series is going on my read list for this winter.

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Comments

White Antlers
Delete

The tea’s name sounds like the title of a Stephen King novel but the description is more like how I’d imagine a tiny kingdom in a fairy tale.

derk
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The rest of the Dark Tower series is going on my read list for this winter.

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Bio

This place, like the rest of the internet, is dead and overrun with bots. And thus I step away.

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. Terpene fiend.

Favorite teas generally come from China (all provinces), Taiwan, India (Nilgiri and Manipur). Frequently enjoyed though less sipped are teas from Georgia, Japan, Nepal and Darjeeling. 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, possess off flavors/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 pu’er, I likely think it needs more age.

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