Drunken Meadow

Dammit – I overleafed the hell out of this one. Plus I gongfu’d it (meh, we try things, sometimes they work, sometimes, not so much). So, not really a fair tea review. Just a note saying: DO NOT OVERLEAF. Unless, of course, serious bitter, tannic results are what’s desired. Now that I know, I may try Western style brewing next time, or another gongfu (I’m supposed to be getting three steeps out of this one) session with MUCH less leaf. I’ll review again, once my throat’s recovered from the tannic assault. Should be promising – I’m expecting notes of dark chocolate, cherry, and plum. Sounds delicious and something I hope to actually experience next time.

The past few weeks I have been working my way through a nice assortment of Taiwanese Oolongs from several companies, including this nice light roast from Drunken Meadow. There is something so refreshing and pleasant about it, that I can’t seem to put my finger on, and makes me want to try just one more steep…

I love watching the leaves of this traditionally rolled oolong gently unfurl in the water, releasing light flavors and aromas of peach, plum and spice tones. More than 4 short steeps and the leaves keep giving … A perfect tea for spring.

Sipdown!

Followed their light roast with this dark roast in my yixing immediately. I liked how this one tasted exactly like a digestive, with some light floral scents lingering throughout. If you’ve never had one, it’s a crumbly tea biscuit that is similar to a graham cracker, but sweeter and more onto the buttery side. Strangely enough, I liked this one more than the light roast. Which is very unlike me.

Sipdown!
I used this whole sample from my last Steepster select box in my 200ml yixing. It may have been a bit much because infusions 3-5 have been pretty strong. All in all it’s a decent 4seasons with it’s usual grassy floral-ness that you come to expect. It’s stronger in flavor and astringency than a tea from a higher mountain. Which works to my advantage because my yixing is fairly new and it still drinks up a lot of the flavors.

Drinking through my last Select box because it’s like 30 degrees in my office right now and other warming drinks are no longer the norm during working hours in the corporate world. I have to say, I’m not the biggest fan of this one. The light roast is fine, but the dark is kind of eh. I ended up throwing in some loose leaf peach I have the last time I steeped it and it made it taste a little better. I really need to find different flavored tea insetad of putting peach in everything.

another busy morning aided with the rest of the sample, little clay teapot at my side. yummy! this is soothing and delicious.

Steepster, lovely steepster sent this to me, i’m quite enjoying it Kung Fu style, here in my living room while working away at worky work. ugh. work. i don’t have time to write more other than this stuff is tasty – and i keep accidentally brewing it too long by about 1-3 minutes per steep, since i keep getting interrupted, and that doesn’t seem to affect the tea negatively AT ALL. none of that nasty weird overbrewed oolong flavor, y’know?

k, back to work.