I am excited to try teas from Africa. I liked the Malawian black tea I reviewed earlier in this challenge. I cannot say the same about this shou mei.
The leaves were very colourful, and although I saw some shou meis which such a rich colour profile, they were mostly aged ones. I am not sure if the leaves got oxidised throughout the processing. This might have explained some of the colours.
Both the dry and infused leaves did not smell like anything in particular, or anything pleasant. The taste was also dull, with some sweetness, but that’s about it.
Obviously, this tea cannot represent the Malawian teas, and I’m sure there are some fantastic teas out there. I am looking forward to trying them.
Tea Profile:
Type: White
Origin: Malawi
Harvest time: 2019
Leaf colour: Tones of green, brown and red
Liquor colour: Dark yellow
Tea aroma: Faint woody
Tea taste: Faintly sweet and woody
Steeping/brewing: Add 5 g of tea in a gaiwan or teapot. Rinse with 95°C water. To the first steeping, add 100 ml water and wait for 20 sec. To each consecutive steeping, add 10 sec.
Shelf life: Can be aged (although I do not think this particular tea is worth ageing)