I've been drinking whole leaf for a few years now though I still consider myself something of a luddite on the finer details.
adagio's yunnan jig has been a favorite for a long time smooth peppery a touch of "honey-ness" and cheap enough I don't have to cringe every time I order a pound.
My most recent order of the good old jig was different, smells different in the bag(darker, earthier), taste different(the "pepper" flavor is much stronger and I find myself steeping for shorter periods), It caught me off guard, it's still a fine tea I'm enjoying daily but the difference to what I usually receive made me wonder.
Without rambling on any farther my question is this. Am I mistaken and maybe suffering from a changing palette or might there reason this bag is so different.
Re: New bag of yunnan jig, surprisingly different.
Teas can vary in taste because of weather conditions during the growing season. I would guess this is what you are experiencing. Either that, or your new bag is much fresher and the flavors are more intense.
Re: New bag of yunnan jig, surprisingly different.
Thanks for the reply that would make sense, I've been buying adagio's Jig for a couple years off and on and it's typically a consistent tea I can identify by aroma alone.