Shan Valley Kokang Green Tea 2014

Country of Origin: Myanmar
Leaf Appearance: jade green, lots of buds
Ingredients: green tea
Steep time: 3 minutes
Water Temperature: 185 degrees
Preparation Method: Teavana Perfect Steeper
Liquor: deep gold

+Shanvalley is a family owned business that directly imports tea grown in Myanmar, also known as Burma. I’ve reviewed several of their teas and found them all very drinkable and economical. This one piqued my interest because it is one of their higher-end selections. The leaves were mostly whole and I was even able to spot a few silvery buds. It was vegetal and sweet with notes of asparagus and honey. There was also a mild roasted quality that stayed in the background. There was no bitterness or astringency at all, making this a very smooth cup of tea. My steep time of three minutes was on the conservative side so I’d suggest going closer to five minutes if you prefer your tea to be a bit stronger. SororiTea Sisters described this tea as brothy in their review and I can definitely agree with that. Of course, the brewing method used can have a big effect on the final taste. Amanda at My Thoughts are Like Butterflies prepared this tea using a gaiwan in her review and she got some really interesting notes from it.

Kokang Green Tea sample provided by Shan Valley.