The dry leaf smells SO cocoa-y. One steeped, the cocoa’s somewhat subdued. It’s still empathically present, though. There’s also some malt to this one, and a bit of sweetness. This is the same general profile I’ve gotten from all of the Chinese black teas I’ve tried so far – there haven’t been too many, as I’ve only begun experimenting with these recently – although I’d say this one’s a bit lighter than others.
I’m feeling more and more that while I can certainly appreciate Chinese black teas, they’ll probably never number among my favorite varieties. I know that puts me in the minority here, but that’s okay. I do think I’d enjoy a cup of this or something like it once a while, and, as I said in another note for a tea with a (to me, anyway) similar profile, I wonder if I might get into these intense chocolate-y teas a bit more in the winter.
Thanks to Rie for this sample!
