91
drank Keemun Concerto by Adagio Teas
1677 tasting notes

From a teaswap with Mastress Alita. Thanks!

Way up in northern California on a late May morning. Fumble around for the zipper in your tent, still dusted in frost at daybreak. Emerge from your cave and get a good stretch in. Wander over to the smoldering campfire. A good stoke gets it going enough to boil a pot of water. Wash up away from the group, naked and vulnerable to the curious black bear whose nighttime haunt includes the campsite. Dry off in the continually warming rays of the sun, whisps of steam snaking off your body. Chew on a few pine needles to freshen the breath. Throw on a thick warm sweater, an old pair of Carhartts and work boots. Brew several cups of this tea with the water now simmering and fill up the thermos. Grab a tart orange, an old Hershey’s bar and a hunk of crumbly wheat bread on your way out. Come back hours later in the late afternoon, exhausted, with a paper grocery bag full of king boletes. Brush the dirt off the mushrooms and cut them in half, inspecting for bugs. Slice up those fat mushroom beauties and pan fry them on the fire in a cast iron skillet until they’re slightly crispy and leathery, finishing them with a touch of salt and a good cracking of black pepper. Relax on the ground, sitting against a log and chat about the day’s bounty with fellow hunters. You can all agree it has been a successful day.

Flavors: Black Pepper, Bread, Campfire, Citrus, Cocoa, Leather, Mineral, Mushrooms, Pine, Smooth, Wood

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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This place, like the rest of the internet, is dead and overrun with bots. Yet I persist.

Eventual tea farmer. If you are a tea grower, want to grow your own plants or are simply curious, please follow me so we can chat.

I most enjoy loose-leaf, unflavored teas and tisanes. Teabags have their place. Some of my favorite teas have a profound effect on mind and body rather than having a specific flavor profile.

Favorite teas generally come from China (all provinces), Taiwan, India (Nilgiri and Manipur). Frequently enjoyed though less sipped are teas from Georgia, Japan, and Nepal. While I’m not actively on the hunt, a goal of mine is to try tea from every country that makes it available to the North American market. This is to gain a vague understanding of how Camellia sinensis performs in different climates. I realize that borders are arbitrary and some countries are huge with many climates and tea-growing regions.

I’m convinced European countries make the best herbal teas.

Personal Rating Scale:

100-90: A tea I can lose myself into. Something about it makes me slow down and appreciate not only the tea but all of life or a moment in time. If it’s a bagged or herbal tea, it’s of standout quality in comparison to similar items.

89-80: Fits my profile well enough to buy again.

79-70: Not a preferred tea. I might buy more or try a different harvest. Would gladly have a cup if offered.

69-60: Not necessarily a bad tea but one that I won’t buy again. Would have a cup if offered.

59-1: Lacking several elements, strangely clunky, possesses off flavor/aroma/texture or something about it makes me not want to finish.

Unrated: Haven’t made up my mind or some other reason. If it’s puerh, I likely think it needs more age.

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Sonoma County, California, USA

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