SpecialTeas

Love the Keemun, good first cup of the day.

Just got this in an order from SpecialTeas and I’m really enjoying it. I taste a little chocolate, some maltiness and very slight smokiness. Great for my first cup of the day.

Good 2 infusions for the last cups of the day.

Brewed it the same way as last time, came out very good on both steeps. A bit nutty and I do taste a little spinach/asparagus, definitely in a good way.

Actually drank this one yesterday afternoon. Steeped it twice, both at around 180-185; the first for 2 minutes, the second for 3 minutes. Used about 4 level tsp in a 14 oz pot. Very good China green, I’ve been unimpressed by the last few I’ve had. This one’s very slightly vegetal and actually reminds me of a white tea (kind of like Drum Mountain White Cloud).

Water heated to 180 F and steeped continuously, just topping up the water when needed. Mild pleasing green flavor with some sweetness, not all that remarkable. The continuous steeping is an unusual convenience and the tea just visually pleasing (and odd).

Mildly grassy with a large dose of caramel. Steeped 4 min in water around 180, second steep 5 min.

So good. This might even be my favorite tea. Good for a few infusions, usually around 3 for 1:30, 2:00, 2:30 at 180 degrees. Only takes a few pearls (about 10) for my 7-8oz cup.

Watched French Open and had a cup of Earl Grey. Nice!

De-cupboarding this one – yay! A confession: this tea? Two years old. Eep! But honestly, it’s mellowed out in that time to be a much smoother smoky tea. There’s an obvious sweetness that is like light honey. It’s honestly not a bad tea at all – I’d buy it again if I had no Keemuns and there was a world Keemun shortage with this as the only one available (whereas with Rishi Keemun I’ve had, I’d rather go without). It’s not the best but it certainly isn’t the worst. Especially after two years mellowing in my pantry.
(PS – Am I the only one that has a fear of typos when typing the word “pantry”? I’m always afraid I’ll end up talking about the tea’s place in my panty.)
(And speaking of typos, I initially submitted this log with the above line reading “tea’s play in my panty.” Oy.)

Haven’t had this tea in forever since the husband isn’t a fan of it. But I had a sniff of it the other day and the smokiness appealed to me so I’ve been waiting to have some. Smelling this, it’s probably not a big surprise that I like lapsang souchong because this Keemun is smoky and a little meaty smelling. Taste-wise, however, it is a lot milder and pretty meat-free. I don’t know if I’d say it has an orchid-like flavor to it though. It is sweet but I see it more as a honeyed or nectar-like sweetness. And while it smells smoky and a little bit meaty, it doesn’t taste it.

I think this might have actually benefited from being ignored in my pantry for a while – it seems to have gotten smoother. The husband agrees on the increased smoothness, too, and he no longer hates it – so YAY! I’d have to say I like this one better than Rishi’s now which seems to fight a sometimes overwhelming pine bitterness/rawness. Maybe the Rishi’s just needs to be ignored for a while, too.

I stole some of this out of Dale’s desk to compare with the Keemun Special Grade I drank a few days ago. Tastes very similar to me, I guess I just don’t have the refined palette that Dale does. Or maybe he’s full of crap.

I like this Keemun a lot. Very chocolaty, especially when drunk with a banana.

2 level tsp in a 14 oz. Yixing pot. Brewed at boiling for 3 minutes. Very good black, tastes a lot like chocolate at times.

This was the last of the small bag I had. I may have brewed it a little weak, but it still tastes good.

My in-between Darjeeling is almost gone, this is about the last of it. Tastes very good this morning.

Nice Darjeeling, light orange/amber in color and floral tasting.

Good stuff, my last cup of the day here at the office.

Definitely reminds me more of a first flush, though maybe a bit darker in color. I’ve really been digging the Darjeelings of late, and this one’s good.

The last of this. Tried it in a gaiwan just because I could and it really brings out the sweet honey scent, also a hint of smoky. Tastes light (not in flavor but in type of flavor) and very nice.

Very much like a Darjeeling. The more I have this, the more I like it but I doubt it will be something I must always have on hand.

Steeped 2 level tsp in 14oz Yixing pot, 3 minutes.

A bit like a first flush Darjeeling – tippy, medium body, very floral, sweet grape aroma with a slight astringency. Disappointed this is the last of it (and SpecialTeas no longer sells it).