Well, I struck out on this one. Surprising, since I’ve been very pleased with all the other Verdant teas I’ve tried. This was a 5 for 5 sample and it was burdened with a huge proportion of fannings. I suspect this was the problem, as no matter how I steeped it (in my gaiwan), it was just bitter, bitter and more bitter. I will not rate this one, since I think all those fannings were a fluke.
Flavors: Bitter
My 38 year commitment with tea began as a morning relationship with simple malty blacks with notes of honey, cacao & spice. I’m still faithful to this ritual, however my tastes have evolved from a bag of leaves into loose leaf varietals with depth and power. After an hour or more, as my morning wake-up ritual with one of my black teas draws to a close, I become rather fickle.
I adore oolong or sheng pu-erh in the afternoon, although I regularly have short flings with white tea or matcha. Green leaf is my least favorite, although I do enjoy it from time to time. I have also recently begun to enjoy shou, after an abysmal first experience.
Auburn, Alabama
