Country of Origin: Taiwan
Leaf Appearance: dark and twisted, some stems
Steep time: 40 seconds
Water Temperature: 203 degrees
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Liquor: reddish-amber
Eco-Cha is one of my go-to companies for Taiwanese oolongs but I was super excited when they sent me some of this tea. I have tried many teas made with Si Ji Chun over the years but none of them have ever been black tea. This cultivar, also known as Four Seasons, got its name because it grows prolifically. This allows it to be harvested year-round. I also love that its producer is committed to organic farming practices.
Leaf
The dry leaf was dark and twisted, with some stems mixed throughout. They had a pleasantly earthy and sweet aroma. I noticed that the leaves were not consistent in size and shape. That makes sense since Eco-Cha explained that the farmer processes his black tea himself in an inherited factory built by his grandfather. This is old-school Taiwanese black tea!
For the purpose of this review, I opted to brew this tea gongfu style in my porcelain gaiwan. My water was just off the boil at 203 degrees with infusions starting at 50 seconds. Eco-Cha’s recommendations worked well but I also found this tea to be very versatile. It was just as enjoyable when prepared in a more western fashion.
Liquor
Four Seasons Spring Black Tea brewed up a reddish shade of amber with nice clarity. Although it had a rougher appearance, this tea packed a crazy amount of complexity. It was sweet with notes of pomegranate and fresh-baked bread. My gaiwan lid had woodsy and minty aromas that did not come through in the cup.
The finish was slightly dry but enjoyable. It never became bitter or unpleasant. Overall this tea was very well balanced. If I really concentrated, the floral notes I would expect from Si Ji Chun snuck in. Later infusions turned into raisins with hints of spice.
I would definitely recommend this tea, especially for those that are looking for a black tea on gentler side. There is so much flavor here you won’t even me tempted to add anything to it.
Have you ever tried Four Seasons Spring Black Tea? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Eco-Farmed Four Seasons Spring Black Tea sample provided for review by Eco-Cha.