We've so many Autumn 2023 black teas but we cannot help it, they are all so good! This is no different, a lush black tea which smells like a perfume we so wish to have. One of the very interesting parts about this tea is that, when brewed gong fu style, the first brew is like a fine Assam black tea and the second like a fine Darjeeling first flush. Like the Arunachal Candy Black Tea, this too is harvested at an altitude of 4000 feet and made from S3A3 and P126A cultivars.
The dry leaf smells like malt and cream and when you place it on the heated ware, you get notes of cocoa powder with a floral background like sharp rose perfume. On the first sip, you get notes of cream, milk chocolate and hint of citrus blossoms. As you sip further, the perfumy part starts getting to the front and the aftertaste is of peaches and oranges, which also lasts for a very long time. The floral part is delightfully complex, with notes of lilac and roses on the front and hint of lavender and yellow lantana on the finish. Yellow lantana is one of the more citrus heavy versions of the flower and is found in a lot of Arunachal and Sikkim teas, we love the note and we love the flower! There's a faint spice note to be enjoyed as well, resembling nutmeg. We love drinking this tea in the evenings and it makes us feel refreshed no matter how tired we are, packs a punch and yet has all the finesse a great tea needs!
Appearance : Red
Taste : Creamy, cocoa powder, milk chocolate, rose, citrus blossoms, peach, orange, yellow lantana, lavender, lilac
Steeping Time : 3 minutes western style, 30 seconds gongfu style adding 5 seconds every subsequent steep
Leaf to water ratio : 0.75 gram per 100ml for western style, 3 grams per 100ml for gongfu styleRecommended Steeping Temperature : 82°C
Harvest Season : Autumn 2023
Recommended Steeping Method : Works great both ways
