Thanks so much for the samples, Nannuoshan! The leaves here are a dusty black medium length. Some Tan Yangs are golden, this one is completely black. They have a lovely biscuit fragrance. I steeped 1 1/2 teaspoons in my 12 ounce mug 3/4 full of water. The flavor is DIVINE. It hits all the right notes on this exhausting winter morning. This burgundy brew is a sweet chewy chocolate biscuit, if it’s served with some red wine. I’m not sure if that is a good pairing (I’m a tea person not a wine person), but it works so well here. There might be a tiny hint of cherry as well. I think the way I steeped it is perfect, no hint of astringency in the slightest. The mahogany steeped leaves are begging to be resteeped. This one is leaving me in tea heaven right now, and certainly making the few feet of snow out there and below zero temps just a little bit better. The second steep has a great aroma of fruit and maple syrup, which translates a little to the flavor, but this cup is completely different than the first, much lighter.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 tsps. in 12 oz mug 2/3 full // 10 minutes after boiling (should be at 194 degrees) // 3 min steep
Steep #2 // 7 min after boiling // 4 min steep
Nannuoshan.org
Flavors: Bread, Cherry, Chocolate, Red Wine
This sounds marvelous! (…and tea is all that is getting me through this deep freeze/snow piled winter, too. lol)
Yes, I don’t know where I’d be without tea in the winter! It’s a little highlight to the day. :D