Review topics: ["taste","energy","tea","steeps","notes","peatiness","liquor","smokiness","structure"].
Reviews
Perfect Autumn Tea
"The light fermentation lends a woody/tangy profile, like a pile of fallen leaves or a fragrant bundle of twigs. The pine roasting gives the tea an evocative but not overwhelming smokiness. Nice soft liquor, with a subtle clove-like numbing effect."
— Nicholas R. (4/5)
very nice 2018 basket aged shou
"this tea has a very smokey flavor that i do not mind as it also carries with it excellent energy. makes me feel my being is encompassed by sparkly orbs."
— Crystal T. (5/5)
It really is like scotch...
"It's smoky, but less like an actual fire and more like an Islay scotch, Ardbeg 10-year or something. The first few steeps were almost overwhelmingly bitter and smelled, not unpleasantly, of hay. On the third steep it became absolutely delicious, with a lingering smoky aftertaste. I love extremely smoky whisky, and this hits the spot in just the same way."
— Avery F. (5/5)
Beautiful and dignified
"It tastes like those marshmallows you had stashed in your grandpa's cigar box. No idea who would do that, but the idea came to my mind while drinking this great tea. Very nice structure full of smoky sweetness, and while the whisky descriptions are on point this tea is nowhere as harsh and nowhere as medicinal as Laphroaig. Later steeps are more piney and there are some nice high sour notes that bring it all together. The energy is not super strong but it creeps up on you and you'll be in a happy mellow place by the 6th steep. Not much more to add, but you can't have enough 5-star reviews and this tea deserves every single one!"
— Jandro (5/5)
Best tea
"Это действительно великолепный чай. На мой вкус лучший из всех хей ча. Сравнивать с виски трудно, но по запаху похож на чивас 21-25 лет. Никому не рекомендую, а то все скупят и мне ничего не останется))))))))"
— Andrey S. (5/5)
The real gunpowder tea!
"Scott mentioned in his video on this tea that it could be the Laphroaig of teas and I definitely agree with that statement! I'd claim that this is the real gunpowder tea, because it has the flavour of gunpowder, in a good way. The smokiness is pervasive in both the dry and wet leaf, but not unpleasant. Early steeps provide an aromatic sour peatiness with sweetness and a dominant smoke flavour. The smokiness resembles the smell of a fireworks show. The tea reminded me of New Year's Eve when I was a kid, standing outside admiring the fireworks. It's always nice when a tea triggers some kind of memory like that. In later steeps the peatiness and smokiness become less dominant, but present and the sweetness comes more to the foreground. I lost track, but I think I got 10 steeps out of it, and the later steeps were lighter but still satisfying (I often quit earlier when the brews get thin; life's too short to not try yet anotehr YS tea :D). This tea is a powerhouse and I cannot imagine it being a daily drinker, maybe only when you're Scottish. But for once in a while, I'm looking forward to go back to this tea, especially during wet autumns and cold winters."
— Hans K. (5/5)
an incredible slitly smokey parfume
"this tea is incredible. it has a very earthy flavor whit a smokey undertone. it's almost like a good Scottish whisky. I was planning on keeping this for a couple of years to age however I'm not certain that I will be able to resist..."
— Lukas D. (5/5)
Knock your socks off!
"Oh, dear. And I just told my husband I had enough tea for now. This sample is really knocking my socks off. The initial impression was that this was in the nature of teas served in the best Chinese restaurants, but, no, it's too good, too strong, and would detract from the food. It's rich, with tobacco and leather notes, with a hint of the molasses which Scott mentioned. And then it hit the back of my mouth and throat with a smokey buzz. And a feeling of, "Oh, what was that?" I remember that flavour from peat storms in the San Joaquin Valley. The hui gan is pronounced, and there's a lovely mouth cooling, as that buzziness moves forward to the tip of my tongue. Oh, man, this is good! What will I tell my husband when this shows up on the doorstep?"
— 49 M. (5/5)
Great Tea
"I gave 4 stars only because I’m new to hei cha and wanted to leave room for other teas that might be even better, but this is delicious tea. Ditto what others have said, but I was expecting something more pungent with heavy smoke, maybe even dank, like the wash and early infusions of an aged puer. I was happily surprised by how balanced it is: smooth, soft, buttery, and sweet, despite the obvious smoke forward. Recommend."
— Whityn (4/5)
Delicious Tea. Smoky
"Very delicious tea. Kind of smoky flavor. Definitively agree with this description: "smoky, peaty, molasses type" Awesome quality for the price! i ordered 50g Sample. That's 7€. Definitely worth it!! COnsidering buying a 500g package to always have some 'in-store'. I love it. Didn't expect this at all!"
— Damian N. (5/5)
