Country of Origin: China
Leaf Appearance: small, dark and twisted with lots of golden tips
Ingredients: black tea
Steep time: 40 seconds
Water Temperature: 185 degrees
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Liquor: amber
I love “gongfu” style black tea because it exactly the opposite of what we normally think of black tea as being. This version was no exception. It was malty with notes of chocolate and caramel. The finish was smooth and there was very little astringency. Despite its mild nature, this tea had major staying power. I did four consecutive infusions and it grew bolder each time. Even if you don’t like black tea, I definitely recommend giving this tea a try. There are two things that set Teavivre’s website apart. They profile the farmers from whom they source their tea and you are able to view the quality safety analysis report for each of their teas. As I always say, it’s important for a conscientious tea drink to know where their tea comes from.
I love this tea; it seems to have more endurance in the face of multiple steepings! I can always get three cups out of it, sometimes more.
I also think this is a very easy tea to appreciate: rich and full-bodied, aromatic, yet mellow and smooth.