This is a really nice everyday tea with great cherry plum fruit notes and a nice body given to it by the bop nature of it’s leaves. I’m curious as to what estate or region this tea came from as I suspect I would like the one more as I suspect it would be slightly less tannic. However as it is it would pair nicely with milk if you like a sweet fruity tea with milk.
Dry the tea is very fine bop approaching larger fannings, that smell very fruity. My first steep was about 2 minutes at about 96 degrees Celsius. The result was a clear copper red brew that smelled very fruity with notes of plum, very ripe sweet cherry, cocoa and light malt.
The scent translated into a tea with a first note of cocoa and thicker tannic malt supported by strong fruit notes underneath it with more than enough body to support milk. The fruit notes were oddly strongest when hot. Perhaps the fruit would come out more with sugar or a slightly cooler brewing temperature. The tea was only slightly astringent and was pretty smooth for a bop ceylon.
Second steep was for 2.3 minute at around 92 degrees Celsius. The fruit, cocoa and tannic malt notes were still present, but were better balanced. This steep was more astringent.
This was quite a nice tea that I would happily drink again! Thanks again Sophie and Laurent for the sample.
