High Fired Chawang, High Roast Tieguanyin, Fukien Tea

When I first tried this tea, the smell reminded me of roasting marshmallows over an open fire. The char is like cedar wood with a slightly menthol tingle to it. Because of the smell and the 60 hours of roasting, you might think you’d be overwhelmed by the roast. I fully expected those bitter, acidic, and harsh flavors you get from charcoalified tea leaves, but it is everything but that. The taste is so smooth, you don’t beleive it. It is soft, mellow, and relaxing. You can pick out the nuttiness of the roast and separate it from the vanilla and toffee sweetness of the tea. Every time I drink this, I want more of that flavor, but that’s not how this tea works. No matter how much you drink, it will not give you that punch of flavor. Instead, you need to put down the cup and let your tongue dry out. The smoothness lingers for a moment and then wanes to an intense tingling. Its almost like a slight electric current running through your tongue. The roasted nuttiness and tangy flavor is there when you inhale and the echos of the tea’s sweet vanilla come out when you exhale. All those flavors stick to your tongue and are a constant reminder of the tea long after you’ve finished your cup.