Scent in package: sweet, malty, “Yunnan-ish”
Brewed in: unbleached filter bags
Steeped: 4-5 min.@ boiling
Cup: Café mug
This week is Keemun week here at Tea on Tap – I have three Keemun teas to try & compare (well, I will have once my Rishi order gets here). This first is from Dragonwater, and I can’t quite put my finger on the exact description of the scent coming from the dried leaves. Cherry, perhaps? A slight hint of tobacco? It’s definitely sweet, and has that malt smell that I lust after, but I just can’t pin down the other scents. It smells wonderfully bold and mysterious, whatever the exact smells are.
The dried leaves are small, but don’t seem terribly broken or traumatized. They do expand quite a bit when steeped, but they don’t really unfurl much – it’s more like “strips” of tea leaves. The brew is very dark red, and smells wonderfully bold and hearty.
The tea is strong, slightly astringent, but in a good way. It has a wonderful malt flavor, and is almost chocolate-y in nature. It’s smooth, aromatic, bold, and really delightful – with just a hint of smoky pepper in the aftertaste that reminds me of a strong Yunnan gold.
There are a lot of different flavors in this tea, and it seems more complex even than some blends I’ve tried. Admittedly, I like something stronger first thing in the morning – this tea isn’t as bold as a Yunnan Gold, but it’s a good choice for late afternoon when I’m starting to zone out from the monotony of work.
Definitely worth a try – I’ll reserve final judgment though until I’ve tried the other three Keemun’s I’ve ordered. It promises to be a very flavorful and enjoyable week though…
Your tasting notes are reminiscent of a wine or beer tasting: tobacco, cherry, smoky pepper.... It is unfortunate that the tea's level of complexity does not equal strength, i.e. it's not a morning tea.
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