So, I decided to have this while waiting for Hillary’s concession speech to start, and apparently I didn’t realize that I already had a sample of this that I got from LP, so I have already tasted this. I guess this will just be a revisiting!
The dry leaves smell faintly sweet. When wet, they smell smoky and earthy, and the first steep produces a light golden liquor with the slightest hint of a red tint.
The first infusion is very smooth in texture with a smoky, earthy taste. The second remains light in color and introduces that characteristic thickness, with a stronger smokiness. It has a floral taste that is mostly apparent in the nose, and I am starting to feel some qi.
Over my headphones, I hear applause, so it sounds like the Clintons are finally in the building. The third infusion is lighter in color, and some bitterness starts to come forth, while the flavor itself remains fairly consistent. Tim Kaine comes on stage, so it looks like this thing is about to get started!
Lunch time approaches near the end of Hillary’s speech, and I have another tea planned to have with the SO, so I set aside these leaves to finish up with later. When I get back to it, I end up emptying my kettle into the gaiwan before I realize I didn’t have enough water left in it, so I made sure to keep this steep short. The liquor came out very strong, of course, piney, thick and floral, with some sweetness starting to come through. A very nice, sweet aroma clings to the cup.
The fifth steep continues to deliver, and on the sixth steep, things start to mellow out. The mouthfeel gets thicker. The flavor gets a bit more gentle, but it continues to linger. This has carried me through the day, so I’ll keep steeping it out until it’s time for me to go.
