423 Tasting Notes
A new tea lover has joined my team at work, and we shared a cuppa this today. This tea has a slightly smokey scent, and a depth of flavour that makes for a perfect afternoon kick in the rear. Looking to become an office favourite, which is kind of a pity, since I’m almost out.
This tea wins the “prettiest package” awards without even trying. I was instantly attracted to it in the F&M store, and even though it was expensive and I was over-budget, I bought it. Was it worth it? It’s a very good afternoon tea, well behaved (as a gentleman should be), and yet unique enough to make me want to spend more time with it before I rate it. It will be somewhere in the 80-90s, I just haven’t nailed it yet. But if you are looking for a Christmas gift for your favourite tea-drinker, then look no further. This is bound to impress and delight.
I bought 50g of this tea when I was in Boston in August. First time at a David’s Tea house (and so far my only time). It was a nice experience, although a little generic (replace tea with anything else and you wouldn’t feel the difference). This is a very good Yunnan, albeit a bit on the shy size. Err on the side of over-steeping, or add more leaves than you normally would. Chocolate, honey, maple combined together to make a sweet and oily tea with a lingering sweet aftertaste. Like all Yunnans, this is not a strong black tea. I have tasted better Yunnans (F&M, for example), but this is a cheaper, more accessible (for US buyers) option, and is slightly better than “good enough”.
Had this for breakfast. A fantastically smooth Assam that plays very well with tea. Lots of golden buds. A must for Assam lovers
I have had this tea for breakfast two days in a row now. It is not a breakfast tea. I repeat – it is NOT a breakfast tea. It’s a light bodied, gentle tea, and it could never stand up to milk. It’s not assertive enough. When you brew it (and take your time – I don’t believe that you can overbrew this tea) it looks like you took a large dollop of honey and melted it in hot water. The tea has that hue and cloudiness that comes from making hot honey water. And when you taste it tastes like you took a large dollop of honey and melted it in hot water. Sweet, honey flavor with only a dash of malt, no astringency, and very comforting. This is a perfect “get well soon” tea, a great intro to tea for sweet toothed people, but not a tea that would make an English/Irish Breakfast tea drinker happy.
Sipdown! This is the last of this 125g at work tin, but I still have an at home tin, and I also think that I have another spare. This is one of my top ten teas, and I like to drink it best after lunch or in the evening. I highly recommend it, even though the company could be more welcoming and warm, and the tea is rather expensive.
My favourite Keemun, and one of my favourite blacks! It tastes like roasted chestnuts by a crackling fire, and at this time of year, when the weather is turning, I could drink it exclusively. I am actually down to one last sipdown on this tin (my at work tin), but I have a new one lined up and ready to go. Excellent alone, can take milk (although it takes some of the delightful and gentle smokey edge off), and with very little astringency. This is not a kick you out of bed tea, but a fine afternoon companion. Highly recommended!
