Recommended
Just received a new, fresh batch of this tea (Best before 08-2026) and this is a great “vintage” batch! Intoxicatingly rich aroma on the dry leaf, potent, honey-sweet flavors of malt, raisin, stonefruit and that unique “assamic” character, but smooth and non-astringent.
I quickly optimized my western-style brewing to use 4 grams of the lovely huge leaves in 8 oz boiling alpine spring water in a stainless microscreen infusion basket for 30 sec, 45 sec, and 3 min. in immediate succession. The first steep had rich honey and floral aroma, the second with a note of cinnamon and the third with a woodier sensation, but all having variations on the base assamic maltiness that I love. Note that TTES Cultivar #8 is an “assamica varietal from Jaipur (India, Assam)” that has been grown and processed in the Sun Moon Lake region of Taiwan, regardless of Tealyra’s comments about it being a hybrid. It is an unflavored, unsweetened straight black tea.All three infusions merit my highest rating of 100. I have already placed a followup order for more before this lot sells out. I enjoy this even more than the “different eighteen” from Song Tea & Ceramics which I recently reviewed, even with no weight given to the pricing.
Flavors: Cinnamon, Floral, Honey, Malt, Raisins
Preparation
Boiling
0 min, 45 sec
4 g
8 OZ / 236 ML
Wow! Saying it’s better than the Different Eighteen is high praise indeed. Does it gongfu well? Have you tried Tealyra’s greener oolongs?