Laoshan Black
95
Percentile
4 ratings |
|
Commercial Description
The fresh Spring harvest of our most popular tea is creamy and thick with distinct notes of chocolate, malt, and raw honey...
Ratings & Reviews
Page 1 of 1 page with 4 reviews
87 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5b22johansen (44 reviews) on Apr. 25th, 2016
I love when I find a tea that is unique and different, and this one certainly fits that description. My first impression is that of burnt sugar/caramel. The liquor is a beautiful light golden brown color. The aroma is like a huge wave of burnt caramel and chocolate hitting all of your senses. The taste is a more balanced version of the aroma. There is robust flavors of burnt caramel, dark chocolate, honey, and some generic fruit flavors. As I moved on to my second and third infusions, the burnt flavors became more pronounced while the fruit and sweetness of the first steep lessened. Nevertheless, as the flavors shifted, the complex profile of the tea was maintained. Certain flavors were just highlighted more than others.
93 Aroma: 10/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5Tuirgin (9 reviews) on Jan. 14th, 2015
Throughout numerous steepings, this tea’s flavors shifted in a harmony of dark, earthy sweetness, and baked notes, cereal, and sweet potato. On the first steeping (10s), it had a robust richness: dark chocolate, cooked ripe fruits, malt syrup. The liquor had the kind of silky mouth-feel I have only experienced with certain green and oolong teas. The infusion smelled of unsweetened cocoa, cereal, and had a tart note that was not represented in the liquor.
On the second infusion (15s) the sweetness was more subdued, and the baked, cereal notes became stronger. This trend continued through additional steepings. The sweetness never left the liquor, but the richer, dark notes of sweetness became brighter. The tartness I had noted in the infusion never really asserted itself in the liquor, though aeration did bring it out—a sort of sharp caramel, citric quality vaguely similar to the aroma of demerara sugar.
The liquor from the first two or three infusions was complex, with too many nuances for me to describe. Later steepings were simpler, less dark and rich, though always playing on a balance of grain and earthy sweetness. I was able to enjoy 6 steepings before the liquor became insipid and unpleasant, which is significantly fewer than recommended by Verdant Tea, but I also started with longer steeping times. On my next attempt, I will follow their recommendations more closely.
This is a wonderful tea. The first infusion was incredibly rich and easily stands out from other Chinese black teas, such as the Golden Monkey and Bailin Gongfu, that I have been enjoying lately. I definitely look forward to trying this again.
4.2g tea (half the sample) • 90ml Gaiwan • 212°F • 6 steepings (10s, +5)
90 Aroma: 10/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5Lindsay (20 reviews) on Dec. 20th, 2014
I am obviously falling in love with malty, chocolatey black teas. I can definitely see why this one is so popular! The dried leaves are small and curly, and smell like chocolate and bread. The chocolate aroma intensifies once the water hits it. Usually I set a timer and walk away to do something else while my tea is brewing, but this time I just stood over the cup, inhaling the chocolately steam and willing the timer to go faster. :)
The flavour is heavy with the same dark cocoa, plus cooked grain or bread. It’s smooth, and so easy to drink. Wow, this is delicious! I’m already looking forward to the resteep.
87 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 3/5E. Alex Gerster (66 reviews) on Aug. 11th, 2013
An unusual artisan tea, smooth, creamy and flavorful. The aroma is out of this world, and you will be amazed that all the flavor comes only from the tea itself, and the careful way it was manipulated during the oxidizing and drying process. Best brewed Chinese Gong Fu style, and yet still amazing when just brewed in a cup or teapot. For me, this is a special occasion tea, good for when you can just sit and enjoy without any distractions.
Page 1 of 1 page with 4 reviews
More Black Tea from China from Verdant Tea
Mr. He's 1st Picking Laoshan Black
| Style: | Black Tea |
| Region: | Shandong, China |
| Caffeine: | Caffeinated |
| Leaf: | Loose |
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| Style: | Black Tea |
| Region: | Yunnan, China |
| Caffeine: | Caffeinated |
| Leaf: | Loose |
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