Thailand Bai Yai Assamica Green Tea

Shows how much expectations of something can warp your view – it was a curve ball thrown by LP in a Jin Xuan blind test, & in relation to that it tasted odd & i dismissed it (partly due to the test looking for a good fruity Jin Xuan oolong), but on its own its very interesting.

Serious Aroma of roasted sugar coated nuts, or popcorn… its like being at the fair or something..

This persists for the first few steeps as it gets slightly more vegetal in nature. Slight bitterness starts to creep in as well, coating the mouth, astringent. The huigan being very sheng-like in nature, almost camphor, very leafy.

Interesting tea

I enjoyed this more the second time around – out of the blind test environment where my aim was to find fruity jin xuan – and proved once again that what-cha is the king of weird teas you never knew could exist

I’ve always had trouble liking green teas, however I’ve always bought low quality, dust-filled teabags. This is the first green tea I’ve really liked.

The packet recommended 1-2 minutes brewing time. I brewed it for 1 and a half but found it was quite weak (for my tastes, I like strong tea!). I then added an extra 30 seconds. I usually add a small teaspoon of sugar however this was TOO MUCH! I should have added half a teaspoon as it was very sweet. I have one of those kettles that fills your cup up, so I added a small amount of cold water to avoid cooking the leaf.

The tea tastes smokey and there’s a hint of apples. It also has a slight taste of nutmeg, perfect for cold autumns and dark winters. Those who do not have a sweet tooth or who are trying to cut down the sugar will be able to drink this without sugar, or with very little.

After leaving around 100ml at the bottom of the cup for a while unintentionally, I come back to it cold. It was actually really nice! This tea would also be lovely served over ice for a refreshing wintery beverage.