Tea Therapy

As you can tell, my posting frequency has been lacking. This is due to a few factors; business endeavors, school, competition practice (for a business program) and the fact of my camera being used for filming purposes.

All of these factors, including the lack of a good tea session at least once every two days, have contributed to an increased amount of stress in my life. I have not been as productive as I should be as I can see through the quality of the work I have been putting out.

I will be stress free come this Monday, but until then today was my last day to bask in the serenity of an uninterrupted session with a beautiful tea.

Compliments of Gingko, a Wuyi Bai Rui Xiang was my accompaniment for the day.
(I will be reviewing all of the teas sent by you, @Gingko, after Monday when my schedule frees up!)

When I review a tea, I spend quality time and devote my focus on that tea. The tea experience must be made from all dimensions of one's perception. As I have not had adequate time for this, I have been brewing lower quality tea on the go (thank goodness for Tea Travelers from Tea's Etc..).

Today I decided to spend a different kind of time with the yancha that was before me.

I drank, and drank, and drank, and drank, and drank, and drank and drank....

I pushed this tea quite hard...I almost feel bad for the poor leaves...
To put it lightly, I was quite happy by the end of this teas existence. I suppose that when one ingests almost intolerable quantities of this magic elixir, it starts to have an impact on hormones (or something related to the endorphins that your body produces).

I do feel quite accomplished (and a bit loopy), and will continue on the day in brighter spirits!



~billy

Another Essay on Fairtrade

View the essay Here.

Greenfield Ceylon

From Vietnam, to India, and now to Sri Lanka...This has been an exciting journey of black tea discovery.

This tea is an organic and Fairtrade certified tea from the selection at Arbor Teas.

The Greenfield estate is in the Uva district, which means that this is a high grown Ceylon tea. I would much rather drink a high grown than a mid or low grown. The characteristics that high grown teas display are enjoyable to my specific palate. The lows and mids can be a bit harsh and overbearing.

The dry leaf has quite the array of scents!

Delicate accents of cherry and grape are noticeable, along with a light malty, wheat type aroma.

After all that, fine floral fumes float to my face.

The aroma is evident right as heated water embraces the dry leaves. The sweet smell of honey and the bold aroma of malt and barley mingle together as they rise from the steaming pot.

I enjoy these smells as I watch the leaves dance amongst themselves and release their potent flavor.

The taste is ever so simple;

Malt, cherry and honey, all pulled together by a mild astringency.

This is a tea to be enjoyed, not pondered upon.

This tea seemed like its purpose was to be a part of a blend. It would provide a wonderful base to a black tea blend, or a flavored blend.

But tasting the traits of a specific estate is a wonderful experience that should be savored.

It is akin to meeting a person for the first time, and there are memorable things about him or her that stand out. When one meets them again, they will remember those traits and characteristics and recognize who that person is.

Tea equates to many aspects of our lives.

~billy