A thoroughly enjoyable black tea from What-Cha.
Brewed gong-fu style. Started at 90C as recommended, but cranked the temperature up to 95C from second infusion on. Got seven solid infusions out of this tea (brewed for 2 min. on infusion #7).
Smelling the dry leaves, I picked up sweet, rich aromas of berries and honey.
The dry leaves are fairly consistent in their large size and are predominantly brownish-grey, though definitely having a noticeable purple tinge.
After a quick rinse, the berry scents are greatly accentuated, and blueberry stands out, alongside notes of polished/lacquered wood, cherries, and cocoa, as well as a faint roasted aroma.
After the first infusion (30s), the leaves became far more brown than purple. The berry aroma from the leaves came even further out into the forefront.
The liquor from the first brew was amber to golden brown. The liquor grew more golden as infusions progressed.
The tea is medium-bodied and very low in astringency, and is characterized by a very enjoyable sourness on the sides of the tongue that develops nicely from infusion to infusion.
The taste, like the aromas from the leaves, is dominated by berries and cherries with a muted honey sweetness. Grapes dominate more and more from the fourth infusion on.
The finish is relatively light but pleasant and quite long, sweet and reminiscent of berries and grape jelly or candy.
All in all, this tea certainly meets one’s expectations of a wild purple tea – it conjures up images of a leisurely forest foraging trip.
Flavors: Berries, Black Currant, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Cocoa, Dark Wood, Fruity, Grape Skin, Grapes, Honey, Jam, Raspberry, Wood
