This tea is quite a bit different than the last three Fujian reds I reviewed. It appears to have received less baking and is not in the least bit smoky. The oxidation is more uniform and less aggressive too. The leaf is less broken and with whole plump buds, giving one the impression that it was produced with more care and perhaps in smaller batches.
The dry leaf consists of small wiry, well-twisted leaf, with a moderate amount of golden strands. The wet leaf is a vital-looking middle brown, with a noticeable amount of buds. The liquor is a medium amber-brown that is quite cloudy with tiny tea hairs. The nice aroma is cleaner and more floral than many Fujian reds, with notes of sweet apple, cinnamon, malt, and cocoa powder. The tea has a good mouth feel, seeming a bit more viscous than most, in part, no doubt, the result of the floating tea hairs. The flavors follow the aroma, being a bit more floral than most and having a healthy dose of cocoa and malt. Like most Fujian reds, it is sweeter than average, but with more of a cocoa/caramel flavor than the deep berry flavor of more baked and oxidized teas. The tea is smooth going into the moderately persistent aftertaste, with cocoa and nutty/malty elements, and a bit of tannic grip and tang to anchor the flavors.
Overall, this tea delivers an awful lot of quality for the price ($6.95 for 4 oz.). Though not widely available, there are higher-grade versions of this tea (earlier plucking, more golden buds), but those teas are also much more expensive, and I'm quite sure, not so terribly much better.
If you purchase this tea, use the Strand brewing instructions. It really does well at 180 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 minutes.
No comments:
Post a Comment