I ordered a sample of this tea with my last Harney order because I am always curious about Fujian black teas, especially uncommon ones, and the description sounded tasty.
The dry leaf smells a bit chocolatey and molasses-y, a good sign. It’s really dark in color, with lots of medium-length twisty leaves.
The steeped tea for some reason reminds me powerfully of China. I mean, I know, it’s a Chinese tea, but the scent of it… it’s so familiar, even though I know I didn’t have this kind of tea when I was there. It’s like I smelled it steeping in the tea shops and it buried itself in my mind. It’s fruity and almost floral in the way oolongs are floral.
The flavor is good, although I think my steep parameters yielded a too-strong cup for my tastes. I will probably drop it to 195°F, since that is typically the temp I brew other Fujian black teas at. Nevertheless, this tea has an interesting and tasty flavor profile. Raisins and nuts, for sure, with a certain floral note. I wish I could pinpoint my association with this tea and China, because it’s there in the flavor too. Maybe I did taste a tea like this in Beijing? Perhaps one of the Tan Yangs I tried had a similar profile. It is just so familiar, and it’s driving me a little nuts!
