Shizuoka Red
Posted: Sep 24th, '10, 21:00
[ I included this over in TeaDay, but it really belongs here. ]
I received a sample of Shizuokan Red from Tea Gallery. They aren't offering it on their web site, but presumably they will offer it soon.
The dry leaf smelled like damp earth with a touch of hay and hint of radish, and when I placed the leaf into a pre-warmed pot the scent of steamed yellow squash poured out.
I brewed 3 grams of leaf with 4oz of water at 205F in a porcelain pot for 30 seconds. I initially got more steamed squash in the palate, but this grew into full-flavored zucchini or perhaps okra. This tea has good breadth on the palate yet is light on the tongue with most of its flavors along the sides of the tongue rather than in the middle of the palate.
2nd infusion was for 45 seconds. The scent and taste was more like a Yunnan black, fuller body with a loose earthiness, but it still had undertones of yellow squash!
3rd infusion at 60 seconds started to lose is vegetal character and overall flavor started to diminish, but it retained general qualities of black tea.
My overall impression is of a very pleasant black (red) tea with a good measure of caffeine -- its tannins won't make you pucker but it will keep your eyes open, which could make it a good morning tea.
I received a sample of Shizuokan Red from Tea Gallery. They aren't offering it on their web site, but presumably they will offer it soon.
The dry leaf smelled like damp earth with a touch of hay and hint of radish, and when I placed the leaf into a pre-warmed pot the scent of steamed yellow squash poured out.
I brewed 3 grams of leaf with 4oz of water at 205F in a porcelain pot for 30 seconds. I initially got more steamed squash in the palate, but this grew into full-flavored zucchini or perhaps okra. This tea has good breadth on the palate yet is light on the tongue with most of its flavors along the sides of the tongue rather than in the middle of the palate.
2nd infusion was for 45 seconds. The scent and taste was more like a Yunnan black, fuller body with a loose earthiness, but it still had undertones of yellow squash!
3rd infusion at 60 seconds started to lose is vegetal character and overall flavor started to diminish, but it retained general qualities of black tea.
My overall impression is of a very pleasant black (red) tea with a good measure of caffeine -- its tannins won't make you pucker but it will keep your eyes open, which could make it a good morning tea.