The nice thing about having a tea blog is being able to write in first person. On Tea Examiner I must be an impersonal, neutral journalist. When I blog, I can put some emotion into what I write about.
My experience with Keemun is not vast. I have only tasted a few of them, less than a dozen, I am sure. Therefore I researched Keemun for a week or two before even tasting the tea. I wanted to know what I should be looking for in the flavor and fragrance.
Since I am not STI trained, I find this helpful in defining the flavors and scents in the tea. I know what I taste, I just do not know the terminology for it. I am, however, learning every time I write a review. It would be nice to have the time and the money to take the STI classes, but that is not within my capabilities at present.
Anyway, I really enjoyed the Keemun. I steeped it too strong the first time, but for subsequent steepings, it was truly lovely. It was one of the darkest teas I have ever drunk. It looked a lot like a stain one would paint on unfinished wood to make it dark. The highlights are so pretty the cup of tea might be a jewel.
Keemun Royal Reserve was the darkest and strongest Chinese tea I have ever tasted. It made me realize just how little Chinese black tea I consume. When I think of Chinese tea, I mostly think of oolong or green tea, sometimes white, but when it want black tea, I usually turn to a Ceylon or Darjeeling. The Keemun had a completely different flavor that I will now add to my list of flavors to enjoy.
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