Yi Fu Chun is described on Yezi’s website as a smoky black tea…I have an aversion to smokiness in tea, as I’ve been chased out of my home twice by wildfire. I don’t exactly associate smokiness with relaxing around a campfire, more like frantically trying to find pets and belongings to evacuate. SO, I was hesitant to approach this sample.
In the packet, the dry leaf smelled sweet and slightly cocoa-y…hmmm….no smoke! Okay then, steep time!
I am wonderfully surprised by this tea. Yi Fu Chun has similar notes to Fujian blacks that I have had before, but the notes are much more restrained. The bottom note is certainly a deep cocoa flavor that sits on the tongue a bit longer than the sip lasts in your mouth. Then comes mid notes of slight malt/grain/cannabis. The top note is a touch of floral, though I can’t quite place it through my allergies today. It is a similar profile to LB by Verdant and Bailin Gongfu by TeaVivre, but dialed in for a warm summer day. I am appreciating the delicateness of these sometimes cloying notes in the humid (yes, today it is humid. Global weather patterns are weirder and weirder these days) summer day in the Southern California arid heat.
Flavors: Cannabis, Cocoa, Grain, Malt
Preparation
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I got a really large “bowl-like” infuser basket for Western brewing to let my tea really brew evenly for Western style. I tried this one this morning with the new infuser and it brought out lots more smoky notes than I had in the past. Still had its good ole cocoa and subtle sweet too,,,love this tea!!
I got a really large “bowl-like” infuser basket for Western brewing to let my tea really brew evenly for Western style. I tried this one this morning with the new infuser and it brought out lots more smoky notes than I had in the past. Still had its good ole cocoa and subtle sweet too,,,love this tea!!