Black Rabbit 2023 Yiwu Black Tea

Gongfu!

Breaking in this beautiful baby blue shibo from Arbeeceramics this afternoon with a tea session of 2023 Black Rabbit paired with some fresh, local strawberries!! This Yiwu black tea is so bright and tangy with a nice full body and really syrupy, saturated red fruits that go hand in hand with the ripe berries I was nibbling on throughout the session. I mostly taste cherries, raspberry, and b9th red and black currants with undertones of honey, oak wood, and leather. On the nose I get vanilla, though I didn’t notice it so much in the taste. Definitely exactly the explosion of fresh fruit notes I was hoping for when I pulled out this sample today!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFbTxEjyWLt/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DswTFD9A3jY&ab_channel=AllyEvenson

Prepared in my Jian Shui gaiwan, and served in my porcelain teacup via my glass cha hai. Filtered Santa Monica municipal water boiled then allowed to cool for a little while.

No scale or thermometer, so guessing at quantities/temp.

Dry leaves are long and wiry with plentiful golden sections. Smells like Autumn: hay, grain, and hints of leaf litter, pumpkin, and books.

Orange peel/butterscotch liquor.

Delicate faintly grainy aroma.

Flavor follows the nose and is joined by low cocoa notes, pumpkin bread, and dried fig. Finishes almost savory (wood/leaves) with a bready returning sweetness reminiscent of oat cakes. Lovely gentle roast quality throughout. Good longevity.

Creamy (but not slick or oily) mouthfeel. No astringency.

The infusion is subtle compared to the promise of the dry leaf, yet still satisfying. High quality leaves, processed with care.

A nice black tea with complex aromas, sweet and spicy taste, and a very soft mouthfeel. Speicifically, I can smell bourbon vanilla, wood, and dried fruits like cherries. The taste is also woody with flavours of honey and black currants.