Charles Thomas Draper Send Message

I’m enjoying this beautiful tea in my Gaiwan for the first time tonight. I steeped it for 2 minutes and the result is a subtle yet very complex green tea. The aroma is the tell-tale sign of an incredible tea. The aroma in the empty cup is utterly amazing. I steeped cup #2 for 3 minutes and it’s even more complex and far from subtle. The citrus notes are powerful. I am getting a strong flavor of grapefruit. Am I getting Kiwi?? I have decided after seeing cup #3 that this tea has staying power. I am now getting a sweet lemon-lime flavor. Cup #4 is showing no signs of weakening. This is a wonderful green….

I had to have this today. A top-flight black to stimulate the senses. First and foremost is the aroma. I have said before that I taste more with my nose than with my mouth. The aroma sets the pace for a truly unique and delicious tea experience. The cocoa and buckwheat honey notes take my tastebuds on a journey through tea heaven. I brewed this strong as a black tea should. I am reaping the benefits….

I gave this one a bit more time in the Yixing with extra leaf today. The result is a more flavorful cup. It is also going to my head quickly. That floaty feeling is for real. These Tuocha are relatively inexpensive. I think this one is a great bargain. My liquor is a burnt orange-red with a slight numbing. I will admit I am getting quite warm from this one as opposed to the chills I got from last nights tasting. I recommend this young Sheng for now and for further aging….

The dry leaf is beautiful and fresh. After maybe 2 minutes in the Gaiwan I have an irresistable aroma of a very fine green tea. I am definitely getting a slight banana aroma. This is as good as it’s spring ancestor although I feel it is a bit lighter. I am getting the bananas foster after I have swallowed the tea and not while it’s lingering in my mouth. Tea can do some pretty cool things at times. This is my second tasting. Last night I wasn’t bashful with the amount of leaf and it was very flavorful. Not that it’s not as flavorful now. It’s just showing me another complexity altogether. I’m steeping cup #2 much longer. I am far from a traditionalist in terms of preparation. I like to tweak until I find what I feel is the best. I do try to follow the guidelines that have been followed for thousands of years but sometimes one must stray to find their own tea voice. Cup #2 has a honey sweetness. I’m getting a slight chill when I drink it. I consider this a plus. My mouth is watering. This truly a very fine tea. Cup #3 is soft and subtle. Whenever a tea gives me the chills and has a fine flavor and aroma I have to recommend it highly. But for some reason my phone never allows me to rate it numerically. 96….

It’s amazing how tea can influence your mood. Along with some good music or book or film or even silence. Today this tea with some Blaze Foley " Live at the Austin Outhouse " has provided a mellow, beautiful morning/afternoon. The dark, rich, redwood flavor is absolutely intoxicating. And to misquote Geoffrey: How many 1000’s of songs will flow through me this morning? And tomorrow I will be able to repeat every word…. Ye Gods I love Tea…. And I have to share this: What is Life?
Life is the flash of a firefly at night.
It is the breath of a buffalo in wintertime;
It is the little shadow,
which runs across the grass
and loses itself in the sunset

The last words of Crowfoot
Blackfoot Hunter

This lovely Pu’er was an incredible source of energy today. I was feeling tired and I brewed a pot. It gave me a sense of purpose. Contentment. It was nourishing. Truly a great way to start your day. To me, it’s a fortifying cup. A nice dark brown liquor with hints of corn and mint. This is a great morning tea….

The dry leaf resting patiently in my Gaiwan is now doused with water. I will await with anticipation for what I am about to indulge in. I am cloaked in a Big Red Robe this evening. The wonderful tea of Wuyi. The first cup is soft and fruity with the distinctive Wuyi flavor. The second cup is alive. It’s bursting with flavors. Judging by the leaves it will get even better. Does anyone else like to smell the empty cup? I have noticed some incredible nuances from doing this. The vapors linger in the cup leave an indelible mark. Cup #3 has that copper electric sensation that is beyond unique. The tea is still fruity and luscious. I can see how this tea cured whatever ailment the emperors wife had. Cup #4 seems to have the mineral flavor. The mountains. The metal has faded to rock. It also seems to be the most eye opening of the four. I am enjoying this while watching the premier on Chinese TV about " The Flowers of War ". I love how tea enhances everything….

I’m enjoying this precious nectar after a salad of bitter gourd tossed with long green hots with a vinegar soy dressing. After last nights Orchid Oolong I had to revisit this spring beauty. This is a nice way to digest the spicy hot bitter salad. It’s a soft loving caress in comparison. The Chinese believe in having something bitter, sour, salty, pungent, sweet and I know I’m missing something. There should be a heaven taste. That’s what this is….

This is one of my teas that I forgot when I bought it. So upon brewing I thought I could be in for some magic. It has a lovely, light floral aroma. I was generous with the leaf in the Gaiwan. The flavor in the first steep is light. I must add that the aroma has me intoxicated. If I could taste the aroma I would be in heaven. Maybe in the second steep. The second is darker. The aroma is more subdued. There is that electrical sensation in my mouth and into my body. I am getting the chills with each sip. Not to the extent that I get when I drink the 1998 Xingyang Golden Leaf. Not as extreme but they are there just the same. I would have to guess that this has been at the back of my tea drawer for at least 10 years. I am loving the way it has made me feel. This is quite a tea buzz to say the least….

This is my second tasting of this magnificent tea. I used the Gaiwan again with generous leaf. My steep was approximately 2 minutes. The result is a glorious golden nectar. This flavor is lingering in my mouth. This tea is awesome. So much better this time. And, as we know, it going to get better with the following steepings. I gave the second maybe a little over a minute. This tea is like having dessert. Without hesitation I recommend it. I have to up the score. I cannot believe the taste that’s In my mouth. Sublime…