This is a Reserve TOMC tea for March.
After reading the tasting notes that came with the tea, I was almost ready to buy another oz, just because it sounded so amazing!
I saved it to be the last tea I sampled from the box, because of the awesomeness of the description. Also, I’ve been pretty busy, & I really wanted to have time to fully experience this tea.
So yesterday was the day. My grandkids were visiting, & since they are old enough to not be high maintainance, I had time to just sit around & relax. I opened the package & the dry tea smelled of chocolate & roasted dried fruit.
I preheated my Gaiwan, then dumped in the recommended 7oz, putting the lid back on to warm the tea. When I opened the lid, the aroma was amazing! Chocolate, roastiness, berries, and an ’after’aroma that lingered in my sinuses that was undescribable: floral, fruity, & I don’t know what else, but it was ‘thick’, & I continued to smell it, high in my sinus on the exhale. I was blown away. I sat there huffing the aromas from my Gaiwan for awhile.
Then I did the rinse, which I drank…duh! It was interesting…
I kept the steeps to 4 secs: they were strong at first, but I like my tea strong. Lots of roastiness, made me think of Big Red Robe.
I am at Tony’s, & my tea notes are at my house, so I don’t really have a lot of detail to share. I made it through maybe 7 steepings, & then my afternoon suddenly became complicated, causing my steeping sessions to end abruptly. Then I had to shower & go play a gig, so I put the leaves in a jar in the fridge. They will be there until Monday. This is the first time I’ve left damp leaves for this long, although I sometimes leave them overnight…maybe I should have dried them out? I’m open to advice here…
I’d like an opportunity to steep these out a little longer, & there is also enough in the sample for me to try again. I have to admit, although this was a nice roasty oolong, I didn’t experience all the flavors that the aromas hinted at. I got some of the chocolate, & some floral, but the raspberry never really came forward for me.
I think next week I’d like to compare this tea, the big red robe sample I have, and verdant’s Shui Jin Gui Wuyi.
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I usually just let my leaves dry on the counter, and they seem to re-steep just fine (except for some whites, and most greens, which seem to develop off-flavours). How did putting them in the fridge work out?
I don’t recommend it…
Overnight would probably be fine, but they were in there from Fri evening until monday morning. I brewed a cup, & it didn’t work for me. What I should have done was put the leaves in there in a jar of water & make a cold brew…speaking of which, I have 2 cold brew projects in the frig from yesterday!
The science lab is open! :)
Good to know! Well, I can attest to the fact that if it’s a black/oolong, as long as the leaves manage to have good air circulation around them and dry out, they can be re-brewed successfully up to a few days later. However, Bonnie’s cold brew method is probably a better option to either!
I usually just let my leaves dry on the counter, and they seem to re-steep just fine (except for some whites, and most greens, which seem to develop off-flavours). How did putting them in the fridge work out?
I don’t recommend it…
Overnight would probably be fine, but they were in there from Fri evening until monday morning. I brewed a cup, & it didn’t work for me. What I should have done was put the leaves in there in a jar of water & make a cold brew…speaking of which, I have 2 cold brew projects in the frig from yesterday!
The science lab is open! :)
Good to know! Well, I can attest to the fact that if it’s a black/oolong, as long as the leaves manage to have good air circulation around them and dry out, they can be re-brewed successfully up to a few days later. However, Bonnie’s cold brew method is probably a better option to either!