This is my first black tea that I've ever tried from Wuyuan county; prior to this I have only had green teas, which I've tended to like.

The dry leaf has a fine texture and looks slightly greyish with reddish highlights. It has a pleasing aroma that strongly resembles the lighter examples of Keemun, but is rather different from the darker Keemuns I've tried. The aroma of the dried leaf is a bit more subtle than Keemun and seems perhaps more complex or nuanced, with more vegetal or herbaceous notes.

The brewed cup is exactly what I'd expect from the smell of the dry leaf. It is a rather rich, dark cup but the flavor is very smooth, naturally slightly sweet. The aroma of the cup also slightly resembles Keemun, but I find it is a bit lighter in character, more vegetal and floral. There is a hint of subtle smoke in the aroma too, but it's faint.

This tea is exceedingly pleasant to drink, but very mellow. It does not seem very caffeinated. It is not a good choice if you want a bold pick-me-up tea. Good if you want something warming and relaxing. I also find that it is best drunk on its own as its subtle aroma is easily bowled over by other flavors. I also find this tea is more enjoyable in winter. I bought it in summer, tried it, and pretty much left it alone until the weather got cold and then I started breaking it out often, especially on lazy weekend afternoons.

This tea is also easy to brew. It resteeps well, and tastes fine when brewed stronger or weaker. Its smoothness and lower caffeine and tannin content allows you to brew it quite strongly if you want to appreciate the nuances of its aroma more deeply, but it is strong enough to taste good when brewed weakly too.

The price is quite reasonable, especially if you buy it by the pound, but even the small tin price I thought was decent. It's not cheap, but I think it's quite special. This tea is not only unique and interesting, but it is smooth and easy-to-drink. I recommend it particularly if you enjoy the smoother / lighter Keemuns and tend to like mellow, warming black teas in general. Highly recommended! This is my first tea from this company and I am impressed.

Add your own review

Login or Sign Up to comment on this review.