April 2020 harvest
Decent, fairly smooth structure and a zippy floral-lemon-raspberry-woody taste. First two infusions prepared gongfu coat the mouth in tea oil and aromatics. The leaf can be somewhat temperamental with high temperature, producing a drying, tannic bite in the throat. 200F or less for me, which is what I usually do with these red teas from Wuyi.
It’s missing some depth and intensity — especially in the retronasal action — compared to my memory bank of the 2017 harvest: https://steepster.com/derk/posts/392085 Regardless, I was able to move through the 50g bag with ease as a work tea. Eucalyptus is a surprisingly strong note when left to steep absentmindedly.
2017 harvest 96; 2020 harvest 84; average 90
Finally below 200 teas in my cupboard. That doesn’t include all the ones that don’t have an entry here :P I dream of the day I have less than 100 teas.
Oh yeah, I joined the US League of Tea Growers. How did I find it? I don’t know. But somebody from the European Tea Growers Association has opened an invitation to USLTG members, in which a group will be doing an 8-day educational tour of Sri Lanka tea estates this January. Considering it. If only I had a business to write off the trip as an expense.
Flavors: Citrusy, Cream, Eucalyptus, Floral, Geranium, Lemon, Lemon Zest, Malt, Mineral, Oak, Orange, Orchid, Raspberry, Rosewood, Soy Sauce, Tangy, Tannin, Wood, Woody
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That is so exciting! The joining, the maybe trip, all of it!
I tried a sample of this tea from Daylon that I think came from the spring 2021 harvest, and I also think I have 25 g from our big Black Friday What-Cha haul. (My cupboard has way more than a hundred teas…) I enjoyed the orange/lemon notes and the fact that I could get lots of steeps. What’s your favourite unsmoked lapsang?
Also, that trip sounds really interesting! :)
I remember visiting the US League of Tea Growers booth at Tea Fest PDX in 2019 in Portland, OR. Nice!
I have finally worked my cupboard down to around 137 teas! It seemed an impossible task from being at nearly 600 only a few years ago, so it is definitely possible. Good luck!
My eyes see the organizational title as you typed it. My brain is translating it as “League of Extraordinary Tea Growers.” That suits you better ;)
That trip sounds so amazing! I would love to join you, though I don’t have single tea plant. Also, at least joining the club makes something!
As of amount of teas, my cupboard says 214 which is way more than I want to have, though it may contain some teas I don’t have anymore, but on the other hand there are teas that I have and they aren’t there.
That is so exciting! The joining, the maybe trip, all of it!
I tried a sample of this tea from Daylon that I think came from the spring 2021 harvest, and I also think I have 25 g from our big Black Friday What-Cha haul. (My cupboard has way more than a hundred teas…) I enjoyed the orange/lemon notes and the fact that I could get lots of steeps. What’s your favourite unsmoked lapsang?
Also, that trip sounds really interesting! :)
I remember visiting the US League of Tea Growers booth at Tea Fest PDX in 2019 in Portland, OR. Nice!
I have finally worked my cupboard down to around 137 teas! It seemed an impossible task from being at nearly 600 only a few years ago, so it is definitely possible. Good luck!
My eyes see the organizational title as you typed it. My brain is translating it as “League of Extraordinary Tea Growers.” That suits you better ;)
That trip sounds so amazing! I would love to join you, though I don’t have single tea plant. Also, at least joining the club makes something!
As of amount of teas, my cupboard says 214 which is way more than I want to have, though it may contain some teas I don’t have anymore, but on the other hand there are teas that I have and they aren’t there.