What Black Are You Drinking

[ferg]

@Baisao Thanks for your concern.

Family in ICU, Day 3. We’re taking it day by day right now.

Just got home 1AM. It’s been long days.

[GaoShan]

@ferg, I'm sorry to hear about your family member. I feel bad that you were dealing with sending my package during all this chaos. I hope all goes well.

[debunix]

Hope your days are getting shorter, and not just in the astronomical sense of solstice coming soon.

Today I opened a sample of Goomtee Estate Darjeeling form Yatra, from a sample set purchased close to the start of the pandemic, and much too long neglected. Even in late 2023, this 2019 harvest is a very nice tea, delicately floral and fruity, and just starting to show some bitterness in the 2nd infusion--should have made it shorter, d'oh!--but a little dilution and I'm back in the sweet spot. mmmm.

And it's still nice at the 4th infusion.

[pepson]

Yunnan Pine Needle
This sweet liquor have never dissappointed me.

[debunix]

Now I'm wondering: is it a common thing for black tea to be called after pine needles, like the 'Pine Needle Wazuoka black tea from Obubu? Does it denote a style of black tea?

[pepson]

Now I'm wondering: is it a common thing for black tea to be called after pine needles, like the 'Pine Needle Wazuoka black tea from Obubu? Does it denote a style of black tea?

I would say because of shape of dry leaves ?
It looks like pine tree needles.

[debunix]

it certainly is very distinctive from the more curly leaf black teas… Makes sense.

[GaoShan]

I just had a lovely charcoal-roasted Ruby Eighteen from Song Tea. It had notes of wintergreen, cherry, and honey, very restrained tannins, and great longevity. I didn't really notice the roast, though there were some tobacco notes that could be attributed to it. This tea was more balanced than most other Ruby Eighteens I've had, which tend to emphasize malt and tannins. This was a swap sample and I wish I had more!

[DigitalSparks]

Organic Wakoucha

[Ethan Kurland]

Nice-looking teaware! Never came across a Japanese black that had enough flavor for me. It looks tasty in that pretty cup though.

[DigitalSparks]

Nice-looking teaware! Never came across a Japanese black that had enough flavor for me. It looks tasty in that pretty cup though.

Thanks! I have had a few that were quite interesting, The Japanese kind of have their unique spin on Black tea and even Oolongs. I think one of the most unique and delicious Japanese black teas I have had was Rosecha from Sazen, it's the one that is fermented with black koji mold. This one from Sugimoto is nice also. I think another that was nice was Yame Kocha also from Sazen.

I have a friend who is really into Japanese black teas and they get theirs from a very old tea garden in Japan (I forget the name of it now) But they seem to really enjoy it I see them drinking all sorts of Japanese black teas. I'm gonna see if I can get the name of that place, I cant seem to find it in my notes at the moment.

[debunix]

Qihong Songzhen from Likou, Qimun, Anhui, via Daxue Jiadao. so lovely.

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I had only tried Keemun along time ago when I was exploring Teas for the first time because I could no longer get my usual SeaDyke Ti Kuan Yin, at the time I had no idea about things like burying temperature and time and quantity of tea to get what I liked, especially with teas that are prone to bitterness. so my first encounters with it or a disaster, and it ended up going to the worm bin for compost.

Even though I learned better, and I've had some wonderful experiences with things like Ruby black, and Jin Jun Mei, I was a little wary when Ki Won shared this during a gathering of LA tea lovers last spring. I needn't have worried, because it was a remarkably fine tea.

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This weekend I opened up my first order from Daxue Jiadao, and I've enjoyed a couple of sessions with this Qimen already. I am naturally infusing it my way, which means low leaf and lots of water, and the result is lovely amber liquor that is delicate fruity, floral, a little malty, and delicious.

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you can see clearly how tiny and delicate the leaves are... visually appealing as well as very tasty.

mmmmm.

[Victoria]

Sounds and looks delicious. Now I want to swing by and try some too. Thanks for sharing @debunix .

[GaoShan]

I've had some nice Japanese black teas from a swap with a tea buddy from Thés du Japon. A couple were too tannic for me, but some had nice floral and stonefruit notes and minimal bitterness. TDJ also has great and accurate tasting notes.

I have a sample of Kihong Songzhen from Daxue Jiadao that's been sitting in my cupboard for an unconscionably long time. I'm too worried about messing up the brewing to actually try it, as it's my first Keemun.

[botlofchaz]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the qimen, @debunix. I've also been enjoying sessions with the Qihong huangye from my last Daxue Jiadao order. Really lovely tea. I've been doing pretty high leaf to water ratio with shorter steeping times. A bit peaty and malty in the beginning with nice underlying fruit which quickly fades into lovely, more delicate fruit undertones. Was interested in getting this tea in my latest order from them because I enjoyed their Anhui greens, and this qihong is from the same teamaker. I am finding that there is some similarities between sensation, bodyfeel and energy between the huangye version of this qimen and some of their wild greens, which has been fun to explore and think about.