We continue to be captivated by the character of Batch 67 of the Eco-Cha Tea Club. From the appearance of these dried leaves above to the color of the brewed tea, and of course, most prominently — its flavor profile, it's a unique tea. This is what we most appreciate about the Club — finding something that we are truly excited to share. The flavor of this tea is not something we can say we have had before. It really has a lot going on!

Brewing Gong Fu style is generally the best way to explore the parameters of any tea. In this session, the first brew was strikingly different from the subsequent brews — which held steady from the second to the fifth steeping. And on the fifth brew, we let it steep for several minutes, and it was not too strong at all. It held its own!

Whenever possible, we like to collect the remainder of each brew in a Gong Fu tea session in a mug — to enjoy afterwards, after it has cooled down to room temperature. This allows us to really get to know the full character of the tea. A lot of flavor gets revealed when the tea has cooled to room temperature. In fact, it's a bit of a litmus test of quality for us. We really have come to rely on this method to determine how we feel about a particular batch of tea. And this batch really shines in this respect. We just can't get enough of it ! We have also found that making iced tea with it works really well. It is almost as if the flavor notes get to "spread out" enough to taste them more distinctly!

Honestly, we still have not had a chance to try it cold brewed, but we are willing to bet that it would shine equally as well. In a word, EXPLORE this tea! Really experiment with brewing methods. And if there is one word of advice that we have to offer, it is to try it when it has COOLED. It really seems to reveal its potential when it has been brewed hot, and then cooled down to room temp, or poured over ice.

We still feel inept at properly conveying the flavor notes that we experience, because each brew seems to offer something slightly (or even distinctly) different! Here are some of the things that come to mind: smoky plum, umami, rhubarb, berry, pipe tobacco, port wine, molasses, mineral. OK, there it is — in a nutshell! But don't let our words influence your perception. Start fresh, and really be open to varying the brewing methods on this one. It will offer a lot, we feel confident in saying that much!

Watch the tasting video below to find out more about this tea!

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