93

This was another of my sipdowns from either March or April. As a matter of fact, I am pretty certain that I finished and reviewed this tea immediately after the China Fujian Non-Smoky Lapsang Souchong, but I could be wrong about that. Anyway, I found this to be an excellent Taiwanese black tea. To be honest, I am rarely if ever truly disappointed with this type of tea, but this one still struck me as being a great offering.

I prepared this tea gongfu style. After a brief rinse, I steeped 6 grams of loose tea leaves in 4 ounces of 194 F water for 5 seconds. This infusion was chased by 19 additional infusions. Steep times for these infusions were as follows: 7 seconds, 9 seconds, 12 seconds, 16 seconds, 20 seconds, 25 seconds, 30 seconds, 40 seconds, 50 seconds, 1 minute, 1 minute 15 seconds, 1 minute 30 seconds, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 7 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and 20 minutes.

Prior to the rinse, the dry tea leaves presented aromas of honey, baked bread, sweet potato, cinnamon, blueberry, blackberry, and strawberry. After the rinse, I detected new aromas of roasted peanut, roasted almond, cream, and butter. The first infusion introduced aromas of candied orange, raspberry, geranium, and black grape. In the mouth, the tea liquor presented notes of candied orange, butter, cream, baked bread, and roasted peanut that were balanced by hints of roasted almond, blackberry, raspberry, sweet potato, Asian pear, blueberry, green wood, and plum. The bulk of the subsequent infusions coaxed out aromas of Asian pear, caramel, green wood, menthol, and plum. Notes of honey and black grape appeared in the mouth alongside stronger and more immediately evident notes of roasted almond, blackberry, sweet potato, Asian pear, green wood, and plum. I also detected notes of minerals, caramel, malt, lemon zest, and menthol as well as hints of earth, cocoa, cinnamon, geranium, strawberry, and nutmeg. As the tea faded, the liquor emphasized lingering notes of minerals, candied orange, plum, black grape, green wood, butter, and lemon zest that were chased by hints of caramel, malt, baked bread, roasted almond, Asian pear, cocoa, blackberry and earth, as well as a slight touch of menthol after the swallow.

This was a very complex yet approachable Taiwanese black tea. The tea liquor produced great body and texture in the mouth. Throughout my lengthy gongfu session, it also remained more or less perfectly balanced. While I do wish that some of the fruitier aromas and flavors had been a little clearer and more assertive in places, that is a fairly minor complaint as this was a fantastic offering overall.

Flavors: Almond, Blackberry, Blueberry, Bread, Butter, Candy, Caramel, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Cream, Earth, Geranium, Grapes, Green Wood, Honey, Lemon Zest, Malt, Menthol, Mineral, Nutmeg, Orange, Peanut, Pear, Raspberry, Strawberry, Sweet Potatoes

Preparation
6 g 4 OZ / 118 ML
Nattie

I love Taiwanese blacks. This one sounds fantastic!

Kawaii433

Omgosh, this one sounds lovely.

eastkyteaguy

This one is a truly great tea and seems to be consistent in quality from year to year. In terms of look, aroma, flavor and mouthfeel, I find that it sits comfortably between a Yu Chi Assam and a Yu Chi Red Jade. It’s not as heavy and minty as a typical Red Jade black tea, but it also is not quite as bready and malty as a Taiwanese Assam.

Nattie

Okay, I’ve added it to my wishlist. Quit selling it to me already :P

eastkyteaguy

Well, now I have to figure out a way to keep selling it.

eastkyteaguy

Oh, the tea liquor is very attractive too. It’s a very rich, clear amber. It looks almost like wildflower honey.

Nattie

Lol, I am too weak to hear this.

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Comments

Nattie

I love Taiwanese blacks. This one sounds fantastic!

Kawaii433

Omgosh, this one sounds lovely.

eastkyteaguy

This one is a truly great tea and seems to be consistent in quality from year to year. In terms of look, aroma, flavor and mouthfeel, I find that it sits comfortably between a Yu Chi Assam and a Yu Chi Red Jade. It’s not as heavy and minty as a typical Red Jade black tea, but it also is not quite as bready and malty as a Taiwanese Assam.

Nattie

Okay, I’ve added it to my wishlist. Quit selling it to me already :P

eastkyteaguy

Well, now I have to figure out a way to keep selling it.

eastkyteaguy

Oh, the tea liquor is very attractive too. It’s a very rich, clear amber. It looks almost like wildflower honey.

Nattie

Lol, I am too weak to hear this.

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Bio

My grading criteria for tea is as follows:

90-100: Exceptional. I love this stuff. If I can get it, I will drink it pretty much every day.

80-89: Very good. I really like this stuff and wouldn’t mind keeping it around for regular consumption.

70-79: Good. I like this stuff, but may or may not reach for it regularly.

60-69: Solid. I rather like this stuff and think it’s a little bit better-than-average. I’ll drink it with no complaints, but am more likely to reach for something I find more enjoyable than revisit it with regularity.

50-59: Average. I find this stuff to be more or less okay, but it is highly doubtful that I will revisit it in the near future if at all.

40-49: A little below average. I don’t really care for this tea and likely won’t have it again.

39 and lower: Varying degrees of yucky.

Don’t be surprised if my average scores are a bit on the high side because I tend to know what I like and what I dislike and will steer clear of teas I am likely to find unappealing.

Location

KY

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