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“These leaves are gorgeous! And they brew up the most beautiful, pale green colored liquid. So very pale … like a color blending of alabaster and the softest, palest green. So beautiful! The...” Read full tasting note
“Used the last of the sample. I wasn’t sure there was enough for a mug. I forgot how tightly this is hand rolled. It expanded nicely and formed a carpet on the bottom of my press and a hanging...” Read full tasting note
“There’s something whimsical about this tea. The dry leaves look so pretty and unusual, I’ve never seen this rolling method, very different from oolong. Before they go for a swim, I take some in...” Read full tasting note
“I had received a sample of this many years and I am pleased to get it once again with a recent order. This was my lunch tea to go with some ramen noodles that I had doctored up. I like to ditch...” Read full tasting note
A most amazing tea – even just to look at. The name refers to the unusual and striking shape and color of the leaves, which are rolled into complex, tightly-curled dragon-like shapes with a silvery color. Curled Dragon Silver Tips is an extremely well-made tea, and a good example of the high level of hand-work. Even before infusion, the aroma of this tea is heavenly! Infused, it produces a complex, sweet and somewhat floral liquor. There are no edges and no astringency. Entirely handmade, it is a must have for green tea lovers.
Price: $22 / 100g
http://zentealife.com
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This was a sample given to me for review. As posted on Zen Tea’s review section:
I brewed this one Gong Fu style, keeping the temperature at about 80C for all infusions.
The first infusion was very light and seemed to have notes of coconut accompanying the green tea flavors. The expanded leaves are really beautiful (as are the dry ones but you can see those here)! Most of the leaves are whole with a bright green color.
The second infusion had more of a bitter background flavor that I personally really like in green tea. I think it happened because I steeped it for longer, creating a stronger brew. At this point there is an aftertaste that lingers and the coconut notes are gone.
The third infusion has had the bitterness recede and give way to sweetness.
The fourth and fifth steep were really weak and only had the lightest of flavor so I probably wouldn’t do a repeat of those but 3 infusions is pretty good for a green tea.
Thanks Zen Tea!
For today’s tetsubin of Zen Tea Curled Dragon Silver Tips, I used 5 grams for a 17 ounce vessel. Last time I used 5 grams for 26 ounces and found the taste a bit weak.
This is definitely the right dose. Now the more vegetal flavor is more obvious. The liquor is pale peachy green and reminds me of a cross between Bi Luo Chun and Mao Feng. The dried form looks like snipped yarn which has been tied with knots before being cut.
A good midday green.
Flavors: Vegetal
Oh the Chinese green teas! They are so sneaky and so shy at the same time. The dry leaf for this tea is spectacular, silver, pretty and curled – the name doesn’t lie! The liquor I got is straw colored and smells like the promise of a buttery peas and asparagus casserole :D Yum!
The flavor is bolder than I expected. There are some mildly roasty grass notes in the foretaste that evaporate into sweet, buttery aftertaste. This tea is kicking! There is a certain boldness to its flavor that is in no way straightforward but rather complex. The mouthfeel is more on the astringent side, but only very slightly so. This one is definitely more a sneak than a shy chick, LOL. I don’t even know what I meant by that.
In other, but still related, news, I ordered a bunch of teas from ZenTea because of their huge sale they have going on, but I was also tempted to get one of their gaiwans and 2 cups. My first gaiwan!!! I am really excited. I have a little glass pot that is going to make a perfect pitcher, and the trays are way too expensive for now, so I figured that a gaiwan and 2 cups (for my hub and me) would be all I need to finally go gongfu style!
I wasn’t expecting to like this one, but I’m a sucker for butter and florals. I’m not well acquainted enough with grass, veggies, and green teas to say where this one falls but it’s good and that’s good enough for me.. One of the roommates likes this as well, so two recommendations!
Flavors: Butter
