First note after quite some time. Gongfu session, with a gaiwan. Tap water, very hard. Steeps; rinse, flash, 10, 10, 15, 15, 15, 10, 10, 15, 10, 1min, 1, 1.30, 2, 2,
First steeps: aromas of chocolate, cocoa, caramel, wood (oak, perhaps?), very sweet taste, spicy almost. Raspy in the throat, warming aftertaste.
Steeps 6 -9 : The brick is breaking apart and tea is starting to get some more body. It is not only mellow and numbingly sweet – some clear maltyness is braking through, accompanied by some bitterness. Warming. Feeling of very relaxed, alert, plus a slight caffeine headache. I should probably take a break at this point and eat something.
Steep 10: pushing it to a minute: I was overdoing short steeps. This one is thick, complex, warming, pleasantly raspy black tea. Slightly drying aftertaste. More of this please!
Flavors: Caramel, Chocolate, Cocoa, Hay, Malt, Oak