177 Tasting Notes
I swear I dreamt about this oolong. Today, fear of heavy metal poisoning gone, I barely rinsed it and let each steeping cool to enhance the floral tones. It really tastes vegetal in a yellow, autumn way. It’s going to be tough to save a cup of this to compare to the Golden Key, spposedly the best of the batch!
Brief 10 rinse.
The first steep is almost light feeling, some mineral and staying with the barley and birch flavors. The floral layer comes out when it cools somewhat.
Second steep is even lighter, more wheat and woodsy.
The third is lightly grain and floral, very nice.
I wouldn’t call this one sweet but gives the impression of sweetness, which I love, usually in white teas. The cloud of heavy metal I asscociate with Wuyi is absent and the roasted flavor is welcome in this tea, a blanced brew indeed. The large leaves and subtler flavors make this the best contemplation tea of all the samples. I think I like this one best and I burned the first cup!
I never really enjoyed Wuyi, partially since they were one of the first oolongs I trked to explore and hadn’t quite mastered time and temp variations. I’m determined to find one I love.
A quick 20 second rinse.
The first steep is has a moderate iron taste and oak notes. It’s not heavy though, a quality I dislike about strong roasted teas.
The second and third are much more woodsy and barely mineral at all. It might work for someone looking for a weaker classic Wuyi to space out stronger, more nuanced ones. This is a very promising start to the sampler but not quite cravable for me.
Nice, I did not think to rinse it at all. I just brew it longer than to full boiled. I am so absorb in the smokiness as it brewing. Really I stand over it and inhale, it is as if there is smoke all around me.
I am a bit craze with this Da Hong Pao. The others might not compare. I am used to tea bags is another food for thought.
I agree other Wuyi’s I have tasted does not measure either; I could not denote the robustness in the cup.
I like wording Iron taste, I was thinking pan fried, roasted leaves. Perhaps meaning something altogether different.
If you love smoky brewing aroma, try some lapsang souchung. I get intoxicated by scent as well. Some times I ruin tea by smellin it so long!
I meant more like the pan than pan frid but I like the description of pan fried! I wouldn’t use it here but it describes a taste in many other teas I couldn’t say before!
I never thought I’d find a black tea as smooth as a silver needle but here it is! The first sip of this was taked standing up, library book absent mindly being skimmed. The second was taken sitting down there with focused awe. The liquor is so dark but tastes like the lightest honey and apricots. Lots of floral notes and honey.
This is the first black tea I will greedily guard in as massive a quantity as possible.
Second steep: This bizarrely tastes like keemun and rooibos. Come to think of it, that may be a nice combination to try.
Preparation
I was really disappointed here as we just got a pint of Luna & Larry’s Cherry Amaretto coconut ice cream just to pair with this. I can summarize it as cough syrup poured over an other wise decent, if overly tart, ingredients list. May re-make this one with just real cherries in it?
Thanks to Tea Forte for their sampler! I must mention the great packaging, which isas relaxing as the tea. Very nice.
I can see why this one gets top billing; of all of them it’s my favorite. It really tastes like dried apricot, and feels well rounded by the rooibos, much to my surprise. Not too sweet and fruity floral like chamoile. I can only imagine how great this would be iced. Without caffeine or a need for eye popping sugar, I would call this the perfect summer sunset tea.
