Spring Keemun

(From the UTTB.)

I don’t have any experience with Keemuns so I don’t have a point of reference for this one. It’s assertive on the front end, on the lighter side of malty, and it has a slight earthy quality about it. Light/medium bodied and smooth. There are some fruity floral undertones that are subtle, affecting the way the tea reads as a color to me. Bright reddish orange maybe? Much like the color of the tea liquid. It’s drying in a pleasant way that makes my mouth water. A touch of smoke and wood. There’s a thick, caramel sweet potato aftertaste that balances the other flavors nicely. The flavor is thick but the texture is not. It still maintains a bright cheerfulness. It’s quite nice.

New goal: find the perfect Keemun for me!
Gosh I need more breakfast teas. My cupboard is severely lacking. ;)

Awwww crap.

Ok, here’s the deal. I’m exhausted, falling asleep in my chair – which likely has something to do with the HIIT I did this afternoon.

I had a piece of 75% dark chocolate and made this tea, 100 degrees for 5 min.

Took a drink, and was lovingly cradling the cup, inhaling deeply, and enjoying every sip.
To the point where I went to calculate on the website how much it would cost me to get a can.

I can’t even tell you what I was tasting. Both because I’m tired, and also because eating the chocolate first may have messed with my tastebuds. And also I only pretend to sound like I know what I’m talking about, with most things, most of the time.

If this is what Keemun tastes like, I’m IN.

Thank you so much, Cavocorax!!

What a comforting cup. Excited to try more tomorrow.
And it’s $10. To ship a can of this to me. In case you wondered.

This morning, courtesy of Terri HarpLady, I’m very pleased to review Spring Keemun by Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea, Western style: 6 oz. / 1 tsp (2.1g) / 212*F / 5 min. without sweeteners, milk, or cream.

Leaf: Thin twisted chocolate-brown curly leaves
Fragrance: Mild Keemun
Liquor: Clear, dark amber
Aroma: Sweet Potatoes, Cocoa
Flavor: Sweet Potatoes, Cocoa

5-min: A very smooth, rich, tea with a honey-like sweetness and strong notes of sweet potatoes and cocoa. This flavor combination reminded me of sweet potato pie or pumpkin pie. There was no smoky aroma or flavor. There was zero bitterness or astringency.

6-min: A very smooth, rich, tea with a honey-like sweetness and deeper more pronounced notes of cocoa over the sweet potatoes. There was zero bitterness or astringency. I prefer the 5-min. infusion.

Re-Steep:
7-min: Moderately full body
8-min: Smooth, rich, fairly sweet and nearly as full-bodied as the initial steep.

Impression: A very smooth, rich, sweet and unique cup of Keemun. It reminded me more of a Yunnan such as Dian Hong. A very good choice for afternoon tea.

Thanks to Terri HarpLady for sending us this gracious sample.

Method:
RO water re-mineralized with an Aptera filter http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39532-puregen-aptera-alkamag-water-filter
http://steepster.com/teaware/teavana/39311-perfect-tea-spoon
http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/37731-my-weigh-durascale-d2-660-digital-scale
Brewed western-style conveniently in a tea mug with a brew basket http://steepster.com/teaware/royal-albert/45581-old-country-roses-afternoontea-mugs
http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/29177-finum-brewing-basket.
http://steepster.com/teaware/teavana/39312-perfect-preset-tea-timer

This is a lighter Keemun that “the usual suspects” that hold the depth of “Middle Earth” in their mouthful. Named appropriately, Spring Keemun by Andrews & Dunham is light but full of flavor, for those who are patient with steeping. This is a Keemun Xiang Luo (Fragrant Spirals) and when I opened the tin, it looked like tiny little elves had been working away on a piece of black wood on a lathe all night long and put the little twirly shavings in this tin….it looks magical! There is a mild smell of the leaves in the tin, but I didn’t linger there, because I wanted TEA!! Into the cup the wee millings go!

Everything about this tea says Spring. The gentleness of the notes and color and how it feels on my tongue. The smell is earthy, but not middle-earthy. More like your neighbor is digging up their little veg garden on a breezy day. There’s a light baking bread note, a wee bit of sweet potato skin that wafts by, as well as a weensie floral note to top it all off.
That’s all I can write, cuz suddenly I looked in my cup and all my tea is gone. I’m glad it’s just the beginning of spring, because I have the tea to match the season. RAH!

Oh, this is a limited edition (aren’t most teas?) and they have a ticker of how many tins are left on their website….as of this morning there were 57 left of 150. I tweeted this company and asked if there were any coupons and they sent me a code to use for free shipping. So if you’re thinking of ordering for the first time from them, tweet them at @damnfinetea… it’s worth it and they are super responsive. Gotta love a company like that! It’s exactly what creates loyalty from me!

Not sure if I’m grumpy or what, but I don’t feel like talking about tea today. Too bad because this one is great. SO great. I’ll just sip it in silence.

(unrelated: I’m at home today and after cleaning the house all morning, I’m now relaxing in a sundress because I want to enjoy spring, and sweat pants, because i’m cold!)

this was my morning tea today, though it’s not exactly this tea. A few of us are experimenting with vanilla bean and this was a trial to see how the blending is coming along. so far so good, it’s not nearly as vanilla-y as i want it to be but it it IS really tastey. the vanilla adding a little creaminess to this base. I’ll have to let is sit a little longer and maybe add a bit of vanilla powder as well, see if that helps make it a richer taste. so far though, not too shabby!

This tea sample is courtesy of boychik who is so lovely and generous with me :)

I guess I’m continuing with my theme of the day which is TOO MUCH CAFFEINE. I had some matcha for breakfast and didn’t log it, a green tea mid morning, and then some Turkish coffee at lunchtime. Add some keemun to all this and I’m WAY over caffeinated for the day! heh

This is my first “Damn Fine” tea (I think?) and it is damn fine, indeed! Very complex, rich, full bodied and malty yet also has some floral notes on top. I’m not really getting any smoke from it, but I’m fine with that! YUM

Finally brewed up some of this after having it my cupboard for over a week. I have been having some heartburn so I’ve been cutting out the caffeine for a bit. Finally feeling up to brewing up a pot.

This is a lovely, gentle keemun. Not as smokey as the keemuns I get from Adagio, but it’s a charming drink for a lazy morning.

I prepared it as a latte with almond milk and stevia.

It’s a relaxing cup, and took my mind off some big changes that are coming my way and inducing stress. :) Good changes (hopefully) but that doesn’t make them any less stressful.

1.5 tsp for 300mL water @100C, steeped 6 minutes 30 seconds.

At a longer steep, this Keemun develops more of the classic Keemun oak and toast and distant smoke, even a faint scent like bergamot, while remaining delicate and sweet. Some cream and honey. Copper liquor. I think I prefer it as 5 minutes, but it’s good to know this one forgives a longer steep. A lovely tea. I’ve got a second tin on the way, and I shall be sorry when it’s gone.

Ha! I accidentally steeped this for 12 minutes, and it still tasted amazing. Any other tea on my shelf would taste bitter and horrible after such an over-steeping. WINNER.