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derk drank Australia Arakai Summer Black Tea by What-Cha

1639 tasting notes

January 2021 harvest

Aromatic and warm floral-woody-sweet-fruity-bready fragrance with a mouthfeel that is juicy and viscous. The taste is clean, bright and warm, buoyant plummy-sweet with all the nuances of the aroma. Lingering aftertaste that eventually gives way to some gentle tang and mouth-watering. Calming, warming and nourishing.

This tea is seamless in its expression and opens up easily with a range of brewing times and temperatures, at least when prepared western-style. Beginner-friendly, especially for those who aren’t bothered with steeping the leaf more than once. I do think it tastes best brewed in a glass vessel which lets the sparkling sweetness shine.

I can’t help but smile every time I drink it :)

Flavors: Bark, Bread, Bread Dough, Cherry, Cinnamon, Dried Fruit, Floral, Fruity, Juicy, Lemon, Molasses, Nectar, Plum, Raisins, Rose, Rosewood, Sweet, Sweet Potatoes, Tangy, Viscous, Woody, Yeast

Preparation

205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 g 10 OZ / 300 ML

I Like This

17 likes

3 comments

gmathis
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I can’t help but smile at that review. Sounds lovely.

Leafhopper
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I’d probably like this tea! :)

derk
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You’re probably right :)

People who liked this

Comments

gmathis
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I can’t help but smile at that review. Sounds lovely.

Leafhopper
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I’d probably like this tea! :)

derk
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You’re probably right :)

Profile

Bio

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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