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Clouded liquor with a dark red colour. Smell of the wet leaf is mostly peat-like.

The taste is not very complex, savoury notes of mushrooms dominate, but there is also considerable herbal bitterness. There is a long aftertaste, in which some sweetness apears as well.

I quite like the cha qi, which is fairly mild. I reckon due to the relatively mild fermentation the tea can change over time to develop more sweetness, which right now is very subdued.

[Autumn 2017 harvest]

The tea has a mild and delicate yet exciting taste. There is a lot going on, even thought malt definitely is the most present in the taste. Chocolate, citrus and spicy notes are very noticeable too though. Generally it is a very sweet affair. In later infusions, the sweetness is more reminiscent of pastries and sweet potatoes.

The aftertaste is protracted and oscillating between sweet and spicy, very enjoyable.

I love the mouthfeel, it is very thick for a black tea. Given that it’s pure bud tea, it also lasts a surprisingly large number of infusions.

This is my first sheng pu’er, so I can’t really compare it with others, but I like it a lot.

It has a very rustic feel, in the wet leaf I can smell leather, hay, sage and some other plants like Breckland thyme. It reminds me of some meadows without being particularly grassy or floral.

The initial taste is also reminiscent of herbal teas a bit, but with much more depth. In later infusions, there are camphor notes present too. There is a decent amount of bitterness (especially when I use as much leaf as today), but it is somewhat tamed and very pleasant. In the aftertaste, there is some honey sweetness followed by a bit of sourness developing later.

The tea is also quite mouth-watering and although not very thick, the texture is nice.

The dry leaf aroma is almost non-existent, but once you start steeping… wow. It hits you with this very expansive fruity and floral mix that’s unlike anything I have ever smelled. I just can’t get enough of the wet leaf smell.

I would actually recommend to drink the first infusion already and skip the wash. It is lighter and more viscous, but delicious from the get go.

Progressively, the infusions become thicker and more “nectar” like with silky texture, great fruitiness and some sweetness. The taste is very balanced though, with pleasant sourness and very mild astringency that’s almost unnoticeable.

If you like fruity teas, then you really shouldn’t pass on this one, it’s a treat.

Drinking this again, I noticed the wet leaf smell is very reminiscent of these big gum balls.

Oh dear, now I cannot stop thinking of those when I drink it and the thought of gum balls penetrated the taste as well.

Full-bodied tea with oily texture and beautiful golden colour with an orange tinge. The liquor is fairly clear and coats the mouth very well. It is also slightly mouth-watering.

The smell is not the strongest, but nice nonetheless. Overall it is a mix of floral and roasty smell not unlike with pour-ever coffee, but I also got reminded of apple pie.

The roast level here is mild, as a result of which the tea has a very good balance of sweetness and floral notes with the heavier roasted flavours. The aftertaste on the other hand is mostly a mix of sweet and sour.

I feel the best things about this tea are its texture and the perfect roast that gives it such a balanced taste. Oh, and it lasts for a while as well, one can easily get 10 nice infusions when brewing gong fu style.

I can imagine coffee lovers enjoying this tea. It shares some characteristics with coffee especially in the smell. There are roasty notes and some very nice bitterness, unlike other hojichas I have tried.

Another thing that sets this apart from standard hojicha is that I feel it is more reminiscent of dry wood fire rather than smoke that you get from burning damp wood or charcoal. I also get some lovely late autumn forest sensations from this tea.

I strongly recommend not to dispose of the leaves after you are done with the 3-4 steeps. Simmer them for 10 minutes instead. This gives you a final infusion, which might be even my favourite. In terms of colour it is almost shou like and the taste profile is also more on the sweeter side. There is a bit less bitterness, but strangely enough the coffee notes seem even stronger. I also notice a little bit of astringency, which is very unusual for hojicha.

I really enjoy this tea and look forward to future sessions. It will serve well as an evening tea to calm down.

Even though the tea is lightly oxidized, the liquor remains very light green and medium bodied.

The green grassy notes are also present in the taste, but overall it’s a more floral affair than what is the case with most green teas. There is also a noticeable sweetness reminiscent of cantaloupe and edamame.

The aftertaste is mostly sweet with a hint of spiciness and induces a drying sensation. For the price, this is an awesome deal!

Cold brew review:

This tisane is really suited for a cold brew. It is very easy to drink and possesses a great balance of honey sweetness, roasted nuttiness and a hint of sour notes. Although not very complex, it is enjoyable and refreshing. I like the mouthfeel too, it is neither drying nor mouth-watering, but coats the mouth very well.

For the price it is a great deal!

Medium bodied with beautiful fruity smell (passion fruit). It really makes you feel like you are in a fruit orchard and evokes the feeling of sunny days.

There are strong grassy and mineral notes in the first few brews. Generally I found it to be very mineral. The sweetness is mostly present in the smell, not so much in the flavour. The taste is a little bit more more on the savoury side, but fairly complex. It does have some subtle egg yolk sweetness though.

There is a noticeable cooling effect and the tea gives a buzz that builds up slowly but peaks fairly strong.