Mei Zhan Jin Wuyi Black Tea

This tea was in my package from Nicole. I was pretty excited to see it because there are quite a few of Verdant’s black teas that have been stellar over the years. This is from Spring 2020.

The aroma of the dry leaf in the package is filled with high notes – a little bready top with some rose over the classic tea scent. Sharp fruit, light. I was thinking this might not be a good breakfast choice and might be a littke too sharp for my liking. (Spoiler – I was wrong.)

Then the steeping instructions – 5 grams leaf to 200 ml water for 10 sec. in boiling water. Seriously?

So I prepared it this way yesterday making two steeps to combine and giving the second steep a little extra time. The liquor seemed a little light for pairing with breakfast…

Surprise! The mouthfeel is creamy, in texture much like a good shu puerh that has been given a short steep, although not that flavor at all. The flavor is nicely nuanced and layered. I get a whiff of sweet potato like in Golden Monkey, a hint of fruitiness, and a hint of floral…oolong? And yes, turns out this varietal is more commonly used for oolong tea.

I had it again this morning and nearly botched everything. I guess I just wasn’t thinking. I started cooking the onion and red bell pepper in the skillet before realizing that I had nit even brought in a duck egg. I had to run outside to the spare fridge and get the egg. Then I realized I didn’t have my frozen waffle things prepared, nor had I chosen a tea. I grabbed this one because it was nearest.

In all the frantic catching up and trying to make it so that all the food would be ready and hot together, I lost track of the steeping. That’s right, the mere ten seconds. But not by much. Second steep was another matter – forgotten a bit longer. I decided I might as well go for a third steep. Noticed that the kettle was set to 190F instead of 212F. At this point, who cares? Combined all three steeps in a pot.

This could be an example of forgiving for us all. The tea was as good as or better than yesterday. Creamy mouthfeel, no bitterness. Lots of oolong vibes. And it is four years old!

I enjoyed this the most when my plate was cleared and I was just sipping and watching the mockingbirds feed their young. This is a refined tea and not a builder’s breakfast tea. I would never add milk or sugar to this. I think it would ruin it, but everyone is different.

I think I will use the rest of this for light snacks or tea time where there is more focus on the tea, because it deserves the attention.

A delightful black tea for folks who may not traditionally love black tea. The tannins here are tame and make way for lovely fruity notes with honey and cream. I really enjoyed this one.

2021 Harvest.

The dry leaves are akin to leaning down to tease your nostrils with that particular, rather picturesque rose you happened to notice out on your walk today. The unnecessary exposition felt justified; these leaves are just that fragrant. I’ve been delaying on my brewing to keep huffing them, admittedly.

Four steeps at 195 F. 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, and 20 seconds.

Rinsing the leaves brushed the scent of roses aside for something herbaceous and fruity with a zing of zest. Normally, I would have been disappointed and yearning for the roses, but this new scent is quite pleasant and hoppy. The soup’s smell is similar, albeit muted and with more of a focus on the fruitiness.

Steep number one does not disappoint. Notes of rose and lychee. Light on flavor but very cleansing on the palate, similar to a ginger leaf. Overall mouthfeel was juicy, faintly coating on the tongue, ending with a touch of mineral water. Not bad at all!

Steeps two, three, and four were almost indistinguishable from each other, and I don’t consider that to be a negative trait. This tea does not lose its steam across multiple steeps. Only the florals faded for me over subsequent brews, but the fruit-forwardness of this soup’s flavor was already quite desperate to be the star of the show. Heavy notes of lychee and zest with a hint of cream.

This is a great tea that I’d recommend to any tea lover, especially one that hasn’t dipped their tongue into fruity teas. I’m not usually a big fan of fruit-forward teas, but this one is fruity without tasting too … organic? It’s hard to assign words here, unfortunately. If you’re not a fan of fruity teas but really want to give one another shot, this is certainly a leaf to consider.

Such interesting flavors going on with this tea! Definitely getting a steamed milk aroma that translates into an almost Samoa cookie experience. Not getting any of that in the flavor, though. Flavor-wise, I’m getting a bit of honey, some cinnamon, and an intense minerality. There is a fair amount of astringency that I could do without.

Sipdown 2020! 6/365

Picked this up recently, the Spring 2018 version, and it’s everything I could have hoped for. Kind of a spiced honey sweetness (this might be the first time i’ve ever noticed natural spice notes in a tea!) with a fairly delicate black base. It almost reminds me a bit of some spiced pear teas, although entirely non-artificial tasting. I only got a sample size, but this will probably make it onto a future list to at least pick up a sample of to enjoy from time to time.

This is a Lovely tea. It is delicate and enticing from the moment you open the bag. The leaves are just Gorgeous: fine, silky, lustrous curls in a perfectly harmonious array of color. The scent of the dry leaf is wonderful too, I pick up floral and fruity notes. Tangerine, peach, sweet citrus. The liquor is well balanced with no bitterness or astringency. Its very soft and pleasantly delicious cup. I’m still getting great fruity notes with some flowers and honey on the background.
Wow the second cup is even stronger, fruitier and more vivid in its bouquet. Its lechee, its rose, its sugar and honey… with citrus notes. And again 0 bitterness or acidity. Delicious.
Third and fourth infusion are less floral and fruity with stronger woody, savory notes.
This is a lovely tea, I will definitely be ordering more.

From their Tea of the Month Club (I’m allowed to splurg! :P)

I’m breaking in my gaiwan with this today! :D

The dry leaves smell like a musky flower; like a flower you’ve picked at the height of its pollen production, and it’s been sitting in a vase for a week. lol Smells a lot like Golden Needle, but not as floral.

The first steep is light and mostly vegetal with just a hint of that flower I picked earlier. A longer first steep starts to show it’s creamy side, and is sweeter. My favorite part! (Both the creamy and sweet.) Had to grab a third cup because, like I said, just meeting my new gaiwan—the longer of the first steeps went bitter. Oh, sad.

Second steep continues to be creamy and sweet. I’m going to try cooler water since that bitterness is trying to hang on. A bit astringent, too. Not terribly so, though. :) Hmm, the trick to pouring from a gaiwan without making a mess: Pour with confidence! Haha!

Third steep: I think this is the only way I like honey taste—saying hello from a plain tea leaf. With the honey comes a thicker brew, coats my mouth in the best way possible. It gets sweeter as it cools. Oh, could you IMAGINE ice tea with this! Brain explosion!

Steep 4: Did this one a bit long… such a PRETTY amber color. Squee! The leaves are really starting to unfold now. I’m exploring the idea of what “minerality” means in a tea taste. It’s not quite astringency, is it… but like when you taste hard water? Growing up, we had a deep well that tapped into an underground spring that ran through bedrock, and that water is what this tea reminds me of. :)

Steep 5: This tastes a lot like the Golden Needle I mentioned earlier, but it’s not quite so thick. And it’s floral, but not ridiculously so. It seems altogether balanced and an interesting combination of all the above tastes. Teehee! :) The later steeps go along the same lines as this one. Happiness!

Oh, my, I am messy. _ Thank goodness for tea towels. I decided not to get a full-blown tea table (yet?), but have a tea towel and bamboo bowl. :3