Keemun Traditional Supreme, old style black tea, 70 g

This certainly is a supreme representation of Keemun Mao Feng, and a mighty fine black tea in general as well! I enjoy the complex nature of this tea. It has bright, crisp aromatics coming out of the leaves, reminiscent of fresh-cut citrus blossoms with overt notes of freshly-melted dark chocolate and steamed oat milk. It’s very soothing and comforting – the perfect choice for cozy Fall/Winter-time vibes. The delivery mechanism is lovely – the way the flavors roll over the palate is awesome. There’s a lot of clarity between each of the nuanced flavors; and despite feeling like certain ones should overpower others, the whole experience remains properly layered and nothing gets lost, whether you brew this up gong-fu or Western-style. The body of the tea is slippery and greasy, it’s amazing how the oily compounds contained within the broth both disperse immediately on the palate, and stubbornly cling to it at the same time. The flavors coat the whole mouth & throat with an oil slick that continues oozing out tons of flavor well into the aftertaste. There’s no sharpness or astringency, even as the leaves approach exhaustion. The flavors they put out remain smooth and round, with some sweet notes of sun-dried fruits and neutral softwoods gradually becoming stronger and more persistent in the aftertaste. I’m reminded of mildly sweet, clean, neutral woods like linden/basswood or hemlock.