Sunday, January 22, 2006

Michael Plant on Tongyu Mountain Green, from silkroadteas.com

[from an email to corax. posted by permission.]

Lot: G-TMG-5

Parameters:
+/- 165 degrees, 5 grams of dry tea, 10 ounces of water. Steep around a minute, second steep less. (Brewed in a gaiwan.)

Description:
A refreshing tea with just a touch of Gyokuro butter, astringency and sweetness, and a hint of bitterness behind it; aroma, a wee vegetal and meadowy. It’s clean and fresh and consistent throughout, but admits of two steeps maximum, the first the better. Astringency comes up as the cup cools. I like astringent, you might not. In any event, it’s gentle.

Minor Issues, and Recommendations:
Leaves are variable in size and form, and small throughout. Liquor color is yellow-green, with emphasis on the yellow. Try a third steep if generic green is OK with you, as it usually is with me. This tea is inexpensive, and gives more than its money’s worth.

General Impressions:
I’m on board with Tongyu Mountain Green. It’s my everyday green of choice. It reveals a sophistication beyond its price.

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