Finished up my bag of this. I found that it does do well in a gaiwan but I prefer the Gold Needles brewed western using Brenden’s parameters of 1/2T (~2g?), 8oz, 212F, 3/5m.
Dry leaf smells like clean forest air with additional notes of citrus, pepper and malt. After the first steep, the aroma coming from the wet leaf has malt, cocoa, rose, honey and soft orange. The steam wafting from the cup is similar to the dry leaf, not quite as deep as the wet leaf.
The tea is very clean and light-bodied with very little astringency and no bitterness. Tastes of citrus, malt, mineral, fresh mushroom, cocoa, light honey and hints of black pepper and nutmeg swirl around the mouth as a smooth, well rounded brew with a clean finish. Tasty with a piece of bittersweet chocolate.
Flavors: Black Pepper, Citrus, Cocoa, Honey, Malt, Mineral, Mushrooms, Nutmeg, Orange, Rose
