Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – September 2023 Tea #6- A tea with natural cocoa notes
I wanted to try these, as they remind me a little of one of my favorite teas – Phoenix Pearls! Looking at these though, these are almost grayish in color, covered in tiny trichomes, while the Phoenix Pearls I know are very shiny and have no trichomes at all. Really, all they have in common is being rolled black tea. The scent of the dry leaf is exactly like toasted rice or or genmaicha or buckwheat or oats - all of these scent notes very unlike most black tea, so very intriguing! A five gram sample has a little over a teaspoon and a half, so I went with a full sample pouch for a mug. The brew does not get dark like I suspect… it’s very light. The flavor is mostly like a cup of unsweetened cocoa with a hint of smoke. The second steep is much the same and especially when cold, the mug is full cocoa. I can’t help but love Phoenix Pearls more, but this seems to have a slightly different flavor profile than Teavivre’s other Dian Hongs. Though I wish some of the scents from the dry leaf resulted in the flavor… I think I used the proper amount of leaf for a mug. I wouldn’t use less but I wouldn’t be opposed to trying at least two teaspoons. This tea is weighty though! I think I love it best as the leftover tea, cold the next day. I love that Cameron B notices french fries here (-my dinner last night. haha) I didn’t expect this tea to fit a prompt when I steeped it up, but since this cup is full cocoa, it can and it shall. :D
Steep #1 // 1 3/4 teaspoons for a full mug // 24 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 4 minute steep
Harvest: 2023
Flavors: Chocolate, Cocoa, Smoke
