I have quite a few more samples from Teavivre to post on here, so keep on the lookout!
This is a Keemun from Qimen, a province in Anhui. It was processed in June, 2011.
Ignore the word “premium.” It really doesn’t have a meaning besides that the leaves may have been a better looking batch. Its all about taste!
The dry leaf had a typical Keemun smell.
Plum, raisin, and sweet bread, almost like pan dulce!
An evergreen smell wafted from the leaves as well. This component of the aroma balanced the sweet, fruity smells.
The tea was quite tasty!
A savory/sweet fruit taste dominated the entrance and filled my mouth and nose.
The aftertaste was comprised of light smoke and wood. The two different tastes made for a unique experience.
The tea is definitely not as smooth as it should be (in my opinion). There is a slight bite on the back of the throat when the tea is swallowed.
As I come to the end of the bowl, cinnamon and anise tastes come forward. I would have liked to see those tastes a bit more on the entrance.
All in all, not a bad tea, but not my favorite sample.
~billy
Sounds like I better drink my sample of this tea. Your description has me curious about what my experience may be.
It isn’t bad, like I said! But it could be better!
Hope you enjoy your sample =]
You always manage to surprise me when reviewing your teas/samples for their completeness yet honesty (“Ignore the word “premium.” It really doesn’t have a meaning besides that the leaves may have been a better looking batch. Its all about taste!”).
Well, I try my best to review a tea for what it is in its most raw form.
I convey the information about the tea (name, place, grade) but if these things really have no impact on the tea, I want to let the consumer know.
Thank you!
I value your straight up review too Billy. “Quite tasty” to me means “not really tasty” – I had a Keemun the other day from my (only) local tea shop and it was a big disappointment. It tasted a bit rough (so, as you said actually “not as smooth as it should be.” It was also flat, and I only used up the whole package because I didn’t think I should throw it away.
If the tea was good I would have said so!
Quite tasty is my way of saying, I can drink it without disappointment! It is enjoyable for an everyday black, but nothing that blows me away!
Yeah a great keemun is hard to come by once you start tasting many of them. One of the keemuns that I found extremely enjoyable was this one:
http://sirwilliamoftheleaf.blogspot.com/2010/12/supreme-gong-fu-black.html