Backlog.
By now I feel like I’ve exhausted the entire Laoshan tea category because I’ve tried all of the varietals from every season and every picking from both Verdant and Yunnan Sourcing. This tea is the latest installment in my Laoshan green tea odyssey.
I would describe this one as more savory than the regular version. The first cup was light-bodied and almost colorless with soy and cilantro. The second cup was brothy and accented with a hint of fennel. By the third cup, almost all of the flavor was washed out. A little disappointing considering I usually get 3-4 good steeps from Laoshan greens.
This one really didn’t do anything for me. Not as zesty or sweet as the spring picked variety. Weirdly enough, at times it tasted chocolately as if it was blended with Laoshan black tea. I remember tasting cocoa tones in the spring harvest as well so that seems to be something peculiar to this tea.
Anyhoo, I’ve come to the realization that the OG Laoshan green tea is my favorite in this tea category. It has the most well rounded flavor and is more robust than the expensive first flushes. I appreciate Verdant’s experimental offerings and will likely continue to sample them, but will stick to my tried and true for regular drinking.
Flavors: Cocoa, Coriander, Fennel, Soybean, Vegetable Broth