Black Dragon Pearls

Well, there is a raft of 9-12 yr old reviews on this tea under the old name of this vendor (Tealux), but Steepster “teepland” posted a newer note a few yr ago, and I’ll tag onto it. I’ve updated the Tealyra description and photo, though. Still, it seems these pearls have gotten larger since teepland’s review (and the photos) because they report using 8+ per teaspoon, per cup, while Tealyra suggests 3 pearls per teaspoon per cup, and that matches my measure. Those 3 pearls totaled 2.5g dry wt, which is about right and matches some of those old reviews. So maybe the size varies from lot to lot? I brewed grandpa style. Pleasant, sweet, fragrant tea, with notes of honey, cocoa, petrichor, and my impressions match Tealyra’s description and others’ notes. Nuff said. I’d recommend and rate this as 70.

This is the second time I’ve made this tea. The first time I made it, I followed the supplier’s instructions and used approximately 1 tsp of tea (8 balls) for 8 oz — this was a bit too weak for my liking. This time, I used approximately 3 tsp (24 balls) for 16 oz — a slight increase, but enough to make it much better. I’d recommend using this amount if you prefer tea which is slightly stronger.

When fully brewed, the tea has a rich, dark brown color. The tea leaves unfurl from the ball shape as they steep, becoming elongated and thin. The tea itself has a cocoa or malty chocolate flavor, with a slight earthy flavor in the background. It is good but tastes a bit tired. I am sure I will enjoy the rest of the batch I purchased and might eventually buy some again — it was slightly cheaper than other black dragon pearl teas I have purchased but the quality isn’t too diminished with that cheaper price. Overall, a decent, mellow tea, but still seems to be missing something to make it one that I’d drink regularly.