Surprise freebie kindly included in my order :)
Dry leaf smells very spicy-woody-floral, lots of pine wood and rosewood, undertones of cinnamon and peppermint. The steeped aroma has notes of white grapes, rosewood, milk chocolate (or is it white?), cooked mango, rose. The taste is like a flowing spring. Fruity notes of guava and cooked peaches; a distinct, soft and warm nuttiness; floral; green chillies, spearmint. Oily, almost creamy mouthfeel that supports a brisk astringency and minerality. There’s an acidity to the tea that reminds me of gooseberries but it doesn’t taste sour or tart to me. Nutty-herbal-peach pit aftertaste. I feel a sense of place drinking this.
Really lovely tea. Complex but not challenging, though temp must be kept low. Once it cools, the astringency really mellows and the tea becomes quite easy to drink.
Flavors: Astringent, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Creamy, Floral, Gooseberry, Green Pepper, Guava, Herbs, Mango, Mineral, Nuts, Nutty, Peach, Peppermint, Pine, Rose, Spearmint, Spicy, Spring Water, White Chocolate, White Grapes, Wood
I see in a lot of ketlee descriptions that they do recommend gongfu. I’ve tried steeping some Indian teas in a gaiwan and always get the top bitterness you’re describing here like 2-3 infusions in. This tea made western style gave me no bitterness at all.