Type: Tian Jian Anhua Heicha 天尖安化黑茶 Fermentation Level: Medium Harvest: Spring 2018 Press Date: Autumn 2018 Press Size: 500g Region: Jiulongchi Terroir Region, Anhua County. Producer: Seven Bowls Tea House Tasting Notes: Pine Smoke, Cured Meat, Kitchen Smoke, Pepper, Taffy
Steamed and packed into bamboo woven baskets, this is a Tianjian grade tea from Old Bushes on a 'wild mountain'. The compression is light, and the leaves are easy to pry out of the basket with relatively few broken bits. The leaves themselves are very dark with a lot of large stems, supposedly adding sweetness to the aging tea. Breaking up some of this tea, we saw little to no 'golden flowers' as is common in the more famous fuzhuan bricks and Qianliang tubes.
When brewed, the first few infusions are a thick cloudy amber almost opaque when held to the light. The smell off the warmed leaves is one of pine smoke and kitchen spices. When brewed the smoke gives way to camphor and the herbal fragrances of sage and marjoram intensify.
On the tongue this tea is thick and meaty with a very bold body. It cuts its way though any lingering flavors in the mouth and leaves behind a tingling sensation on the tongue. When drunk in quick succession, this powerful tea can deliver a fast and long-lasting huigan with very little bitterness on the tongue.
Did not know what to expect, but the chocolatey, earthy, roasty taste is exceptional. Very mellow, smooth, and relaxing-feeling. A wonderful first dive into yellow tea for me.
This is absolutely one of my favorites. I’m about to order another batch so that I never run out. I’m very impressed with the depth of the flavor notes and the gentle hug from smokiness of it.
