Brewed with a gongfu glass tea pot. 5-second rinse. Steeping parameters: 60, 75, 90, 120.
My first Bi Luo Chun. I have to say that the aspects I took most pleasure out of were the physical appearance of the leaves and the tactile sensation of handling the leaves by hand.
Short, thin, minty green, curly little things. The leaves are so light, they could weigh practically nothing on the Moon. While I waited for the water to heat, I stuck my hand in the tea pot and gently tossed and turned them over. I think I’d enjoy rolling them in the pan to dry them out, if I ever get the chance tour the creation process.
The dry leaf aroma smells sweetly of freshly cut lawn. The wet leaf, in contrast, offers heavier aroma of cooked asparagus and cream of spinach.
The color of the liquor is greenish, which looks bright against the white of my porcelain cup. To my surprise, the liquor is not clear but very cloudy. Lots of unexpected fuzzies, especially in this first infusion. I didn’t see the hairs on the dry leaf. Guess I should have taken a closer look at the picture on the website….I notice that the darker green leaves have few hairs. My sample contains practically all lightly colored leaves. The liquor becomes more pellucid as the session goes on.
The first infusion has a creamy texture and broth-like consistency. There are notes of savory, green vegetable flavors – beans, spinach, and okra. Hmmmm. I dislike okra, but since I get none of the sliminess: huzzah! The second infusion has a thinner texture, and is much sweeter, veggie-wise, with a pea note. Back to thick and soupy with the third infusion. It is also tangy and somewhat fruity sweet, with a lychee taste that appears if I let the liquor rest in my mouth before swallowing.
Three is all I get, forget the fourth. Bi Luo Chun – or at least this one – is more complex than I’d thought. It’s a little on the heavy side for me as a green tea. Still, generally enjoyable!
