Damn, getting back on here is difficult. It’s been awhile, huh? I have no clue how to start this thing. Anyway, in case anyone who used to pay attention to the reviews I posted here on Steepster hadn’t noticed, I have been away and generally unreachable for a few months now. Some things happened. Let’s just leave it at that. Prior to today, I had no intention of ever making any further contributions to this platform as a reviewer, but before I call it a day for good, I want to take one more crack at this and just see what happens. I’m starting this new test run off with a tea I drank last year and never reviewed here.
I prepared this tea in what I imagine to be fairly typical Western fashion. I rinsed and then steeped 3 grams of loose leaf material in approximately 8 ounces of 194 F water. I did not attempt any further infusions.
Prior to rinsing, the dry tea leaves presented aromas of hay, straw, grass, almond, and chili leaf. After rinsing, I noted new aromas of dandelion, violet, and lemon zest accompanied by subtler scents of fresh spinach and wintergreen. The 5 minute infusion brought out aromas of cream, muscatel, peanut, and baked bread. In the mouth, the tea liquor expressed smooth, satisfying notes of cream, almond, malt, violet, dandelion, grass, hay, straw, dandelion greens, lemon zest, chili leaf, green wood, orange zest, baked bread, peanut, and muscatel that were underscored by subtle touches of fresh spinach, wintergreen, butter, grapefruit, and green apple. The finish was nutty and smooth, displaying a pleasant balance of almond, peanut, cream, malt, lemon zest, and orange zest notes and mild-to-moderate astringency.
This was basically a typical higher end first flush Nepalese black tea, but it was a very likable and drinkable one. The tea liquor was very aromatic and displayed excellent depth and complexity in the mouth. There was nothing out of place or unpleasant about it. The way Jun Chiyabari just cranks out great tea after great tea never ceases to amaze me. This was yet another winner in their portfolio.
Flavors: Almond, Astringent, Bread, Butter, Cream, Dandelion, Grapefruit, Grass, Green Apple, Green Wood, Hay, Herbaceous, Lemon Zest, Malt, Muscatel, Orange Zest, Peanut, Spinach, Straw, Vegetal, Violet
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It’s been a minute. Always happy to see your tasting notes.
Seconding Derk’s comment! I hope everything’s alright with whatever it is that happened.
Welcome back!!!
Glad to see ya back. We are still doing the NC thing in October. Going to meet someone in Wilkesboro too.
It’s nice to see you back on Steepster!
Glad to see you back! Your tasting notes are fun to read all the times. I have slowed down posting as well and don’t feel rushed that you have to post! But I am glad that you posted again :)
Glad you are back on!
Glad to see you back!
Happy to see you back here. Always look forward to your tasting notes.
Please stay on, I also enjoy your tasting notes although I haven’t posted in awhile myself (need to catch up from June).
I have also meandered away for a bit, unintentionally. And now I have wandered back and I am delighted to see you here. I would be sad to see you gone forever. Your tasting notes and not only useful to me as an aspiring tea person but also give me a strong sense of who you are inside yourself. Whether or not my sense of who you are is accurate or not, I would miss you here on steepster.
Ness, thank you for the kind words. I don’t plan on leaving Steepster entirely at this point. Right now, my issue is that I just don’t have the time or the motivation that I used to have. I’ve been meaning to post numerous reviews this month, but every time I sit down to do it, something always gets in the way.
Life does that. My motivation comes and goes. health reasons mostly. Good to see you here.
It’s been a minute. Always happy to see your tasting notes.
Seconding Derk’s comment! I hope everything’s alright with whatever it is that happened.
Welcome back!!!
Glad to see ya back. We are still doing the NC thing in October. Going to meet someone in Wilkesboro too.
It’s nice to see you back on Steepster!
Glad to see you back! Your tasting notes are fun to read all the times. I have slowed down posting as well and don’t feel rushed that you have to post! But I am glad that you posted again :)
Glad you are back on!
Glad to see you back!
Happy to see you back here. Always look forward to your tasting notes.
Please stay on, I also enjoy your tasting notes although I haven’t posted in awhile myself (need to catch up from June).
I have also meandered away for a bit, unintentionally. And now I have wandered back and I am delighted to see you here. I would be sad to see you gone forever. Your tasting notes and not only useful to me as an aspiring tea person but also give me a strong sense of who you are inside yourself. Whether or not my sense of who you are is accurate or not, I would miss you here on steepster.
Ness, thank you for the kind words. I don’t plan on leaving Steepster entirely at this point. Right now, my issue is that I just don’t have the time or the motivation that I used to have. I’ve been meaning to post numerous reviews this month, but every time I sit down to do it, something always gets in the way.
Life does that. My motivation comes and goes. health reasons mostly. Good to see you here.