Week of Jin Xuan - Day 1: Guangdong Jin Xuan Mao Feng Black & Jin Xuan Pearl Black

So, while I am brewing gongfu style, I'm just going to do a short paragraph on what I think for both teas (instead of doing tasting notes for every brew). Today's is mostly just going to be a practice session of what's to come. Also, I'm relaxing while doing this after that filming session (more info in a later post), so I'm not really focused on this too much. Here's a new thing too: I'll be listening to a different album during each tasting session, and today's is ADHD by Kuba Oms- it's free on their Bandcamp, so feel free to pick it up!

Guangdong Jin Xuan Mao Feng Black - What-Cha
Type: Black - very long, thin rolled leaves
Recommended Brew Time, Temp., Amount: 95°C, 1-2 tsps, 3-4 min
Rating: B+ | 89/100

Notes:
At the beginning, this tea had sweet, honey notes along with an apricot flavor. It is very smooth and light, leaving little dryness in the mouth. The liquid was a light, golden-orange/amber color, with a fruity, almost red wine-like smell. It reached about 6 brews, but I think it could go for a few more. Throughout the drinking session, the flavor eventually became a bit more citrusy, with a flavor like lemon peel. The honey notes continued, and the creaminess characteristic of Jin Xuan came out as an aftertaste. By the end it was also becoming a bit more astringent, and felt more viscous in the mouth.


Jin Xuan Pearl Black - What-Cha
Type: Black - small, balled leaves
Recommended Brew Time, Temp., Amount: 90°C, 1 tsp, 3-4 min.
Rating: B | 86/100

Notes:
As for this tea at the beginning, it was a dark gold color with a light smoky, brown sugar aroma. The flavor was mostly smooth and sweet, with earthy caramel notes. However, it was a bit tannic, leaving the throat dry after drinking. Like the other tea, I was able to brew this 6 times. I'd say you can brew it a bit more, but at this point, the flavor was becoming very weak; the liquid still had color, however. Surprisingly, it became very chocolatey while retaining its honey notes. It never reached that creamy flavor, but it did have a slightly sweet flavor in the aftertaste/during inhaling.


Final Notes
Personally, I liked the Guangdong Jin Xuan Mao Feng Black more. I prefer the fruity sweet flavor that was present in the first few brews to the strong, darker flavor of the Jin Xuan Pearl Black. However, the Jin Xuan Pearl Black did seem a bit more available for longer brews, and I actually liked the chocolate flavor that appeared near the end of the tastings. Both are good teas, but depending on your taste preferences you may like one over the other (like I said, I enjoyed the Guangdong Jin Xuan Mao Feng Black a tiny bit more).