How do you taste tea? I’ve realized that I need my “tasting environment” to be conducive and, most importantly, I need to be concentrated, especially when taking tasting notes. There are days when I have no clue how to describe flavor and aroma notes and days when it’s the easiest it’s ever been. I’m very sensitive to sound and a quiet environment is essential for me. I can’t play music in the background. Also, a minimalistic and de-cluttered environment can help me focus on the task at hand. It’s nothing esoteric, it’s rather practical, actually. You want all your senses to be alert and not distracted by what’s around you. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’d like to taste tea blindfolded once. Subtracting one of the senses might make the others more receptive. Sometimes it helps if I’m tasting tea with someone who is as into tea as I am, because I can share and compare tasting notes. What do you think? What’s your experience?

Today I’m sharing with you my tasting notes of this Tung Ting Mi Xiang by Red Blossom Tea Co. Tung Ting means “Frozen Summit" or "Icy Peak”, whereas Mi Xiang means “honey fragrance” or “honey aroma”. This particular tea was bug bitten, similarly to what happens to Oriental Beauty oolong. 

Tea Name: Tung Ting, Mi Xiang
Origin: Nantou County, Taiwan
Ingredients: oolong tea
Harvest: 2016
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Leaves/Water Ratio: 5 gr to 5 oz / 150 ml filtered water
Water Temperature: 200 F / 93 C
Steep Time: 1 minute 30 seconds, multiple steeps (5-6)

EYE
dry leaves: small and medium tightly rolled pellets, some round, some oblong, with stem sticking out. Dark green with lighter hues, especially the stems are lighter in color, some pellets display some white, silver patches, I think it’s the white down of the buds peeking through
wet leaves: moss green, they unfurl into large leaves, one bud with two or three leaves
Liquor: amber

NOSE
dry leaves: slightly aromatic, sweet, sweet hay
wet leaves: buttered toast
liquor: vegetal notes and subtle floral notes of orange blossoms

PALATE
Liquor: sweet, vegetal but not grassy, nutty

MOUTHFEEL: thick and syrupy, aromatic floral aftertaste lingers and leaves behind a pleasant mouth coating feeling

FOOD PAIRING: buffalo milk Camembert from Italy. The tea softens its slight acidity and the cheese brings out the nutty notes from the tea

OVERALL IMPRESSION: it's a very elegant tea

Disclaimer: I purchased this product with my own money and I was not asked to review it. This is my honest opinion. I am not affiliated with the manufacturer of this product.