Leaf Major Send Message

Three steeps in and my mouth is persistently dark cherry/cinnamon/plum flavored and my room now smells like a really sexy old bookstore. I also have it on good authority that this tea makes one extraordinarily kissable…

Understated, grapefruity, and a gentle bitterness when brewed quite light. Steeped three times. Smells better than it tastes, but the flavor is pleasant and refreshing when paired with spicy food. I don’t think I’d drink it on its own but I would reach for it again next time I make prawn masala.

Mellow, smooth. leaves are nicely roasted, not big but uniform. Imparts that calming sensation and lasting sweetness. Steeped six times then dumped leaves out of the gaiwan and into a pot to simmer for fifteen minutes. The liquor turned dark and sweetened further with an added depth of flavor. I might boil a bit longer next time to see how far I can push it.

I didn’t bother measuring; just covered the bottom of 60ml gaiwan and went from there. Ripe plums and strawberries on the nose meld with bittersweet dark chocolate on the tongue. Fills the mouth and finishes long. No astringency; instead produces a slight salivatory effect. Well processed and medium roasted, flavors harmonize on the palate. Massive, pleasingly plump leaves after steeps six or seven.

Very complex fragrance. Cardamom and rosewood, sweet cream and something else my nose still can’t quite figure out yet. No bitterness or astringency on the tongue. Flash steeps followed by longer soaks because this one is surprisingly leggy for a relatively lighter roast yancha. Boiling water throughout. A few steeps in and a soft and creamy sweetness lingers along with that mineral hit I so enjoy. Tastes very much like a formosa and a yancha had a child.

This is my mood booster of choice. The moment I open the bag, my mouth waters in anticipation. At this point, it really is Pavlovian. The first steep is my favorite, which isn’t always the case with other gyokuro. The green of the liquor is soft and elegant. Tastes of pine and fresh greens (you know, the artisanal stuff Keller prolly has grown at The French Laundry) with a floral finish that lingers. The theanine-caffeine combo is almost instantaneous in effect. I am invariably blissed out after. The spent leaves make an excellent tea leaf salad.

One of the most confident and aggressive white teas I’ve tasted thus far. This one hits like a hurricane. Do not recommend drinking on an empty stomach. Deep golden liquor with good clarity. Color, scent and flavor hold strong for six or seven steeps. Halfway between tea and medicine already. Excellent aging potential.