Hong Mu Dan

Tea: Hong Mu Dan - 4703
Vendor: Lupicia USA
Source: Anhui, China

Leaf: This tea is a flowering black tea. It is tied in the center like a star. It is not like the more commonly found bud shaped teas where there is a flower released from the center.

1st Infusion Parameters: 1 Flower, 200mL, 208F, 3 min

1st Infusion: Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a good picture of the infused flower. When infused a white particulate matter was settling on the bottom of the cup. I haven't seen this before and wonder if it is something from the actual leaf/flower itself. The tea was a light clear brown color. The aroma was thick and malty. The flavor was a light black flavor, and it reminds me of a Yunnan tea in flavor. It is medium bodied and has a mild smooth flavor. There is a nice clean bitterness and a light sense of astringency.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 208F, 3 min

2nd Infusion: This infusion was also clear and brown in color. The flavor was weaker but smoother in flavor. There is no astringency or bitterness, and the flavor reminds me of a light Yunnan flavor yet again.

3rd Infusion Parameters: 208F, 5 min

3rd Infusion: This infusion had a rich flavor to it. It was still good, but the flavor was quite light at this point. There wasn't that much left to it.

Rating: 6/10

Conclusion: I've never been a big fan of flowering teas. They are rather interesting looking, but tend to be more expensive for the amount of tea they make. That said, this probably made the best cup of tea that a flowering tea has ever made for me. It is also much more delicate than any other flowering tea I've had. Unfortunately I'm unable to find much more information about this tea as it is not listed on Lupicia's website.