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Scent strongly reminds me of Da Hong Pao. Taste is lighter, I think… with a little less of that feeling you get in your chest when you sip a nice da hong pao. I may not have brewed it long enough, or perhaps not hot enough, as it almost looked greenish at first. Will revise this note accordingly if I find that makes a noticeable difference. A little chocolatey, slightly sweet, but with an almost watery aftertaste.

Yesterday I wrote about a strange smell in Shou Mee tea from the same company. Now I know where it came from. Apparently it’s from a blossom called “Lychee.” Lychee scent gets into everything. It tastes just like it smells. THIS is the tea I detest. It’s gross, tastes like some chemical but sweeter. Slight lilac finish, but… /I/ can’t finish. Sorry, Laichee. :\

Someone gave me this as part of a sampler set. The smell… VERY reminiscent of something, can’t place my finger on what. Kind of soapy, but that’s not it. Didn’t think I’d like it at all! The leaves are a hodge podge of things, mostly greenish in colour. I immediately went for a cooler water temperature, thinking this a green. When it brewed (30 seconds or so), it came out a medium amber colour. The scent was very different, more of a green, but heartier. Surprise! It looks and tastes more like an Oolong once brewed. It’s sweet, light, kinda complex… hints of mint, almost… A little like a Da Hong Pao meets mint and Ginseng Puerh, but far lighter. Hard to describe! I finally looked it up and… it is not an oolong, either. You go find out yourself what it is! :)

EDIT: The horrible smell of the canister is from Lychee, which is a black tea in the same sampler set. It tastes like it smells. Run away, run away… haha

The description is apt. Vegetal in a spinach sort of way, with a crisp, lingering finish, almost reminiscent of mint but not quite there (for me, even when it’s still hot). There is a hint of flowers but it fades quickly… more of a nasal aroma when first drinking. I like. The leaves, when unfurled, are larger than the smaller-leafed anji bai cha I had elsewhere. Pretty in a gaiwan. Does not seem to get bitter easily. I like that… So far infused maybe 5-6 times before it begins to lose flavour.

I’d had ginseng green from Adagio once, and hated it, so this was one of those iffy things. This is nothing like that. It’s smooth, with a little spike of flavour. I inadvertently ate one of the tiny round balls of flower and figured out that that’s where the flavour was concentrated. Reminded me of those little mints where the minty liquid is in the ball. It’s ALMOST bitter (maybe I brewed too hot or too long) but comfortably so. Brews pretty dark.

Had this once or twice and loved it. It was the first puerh I actually did like. I remember it being mellower and having little floaty things on top of the water while I was infusing it. I thought they were petals and later confirmed it was this chrysanthemum variety of tuo cha. Recommend for newbies to puerh or people who think they don’t like the earthy, fishy sawdust flavour… this didn’t have that.

OMG This is one of two puerh’s I’ve tried and /liked/ let alone tolerate… It’s very smooth, mellow, velvety almost, with a dry finish. No fishy-fungusy-sawdust taste like other puerhs I’ve had. This one is certainly earthy, but very good. I had it with a dish of eggs on salad with shredded cheese and it “made” my breakfast. Kind of a metallic, watery aftertaste, if that makes sense, when the food is gone.

This has that usual “light” taste to it, with the soft, slightly flowery hints and a little bit of a dry finish. Quite nice, a little sweet. I like. :)

Not a good one to leave long, or to have very hot water for! Nonetheless, when made with proper water temperature and steep time, it’s a good little tea. Definitely vegetal. I prefer Sleeping Dragon over this one, but, that’s just me.