Setelah sekian lama hanya minum teh hitam yang decaffeinated dan sekarang perlahan-lahan mencoba beralih kembali ke teh hitam biasa, pagi ini saya dan suami mencoba Keemun, teh hitam dari Cina di Peets Coffee & Tea. Seperti biasa teh disajikan dalam teko keramik yang sudah diseduh oleh baristanya. Kurang lebih satu menit kemudian, seluruh isi teko dituang ke cangkir besar untuk menghindari daun teh di dalam teko mengalami penyeduhan yang berlebihan. Air seduhan berwarna coklat kemerah2an dan warna kuning keemasan pada bagian luar seperti cincin tipis di sekililing air teh. Aromanya sangat khas tidak seperti teh hitam dari Assam atau Ceylon. Agak sulit buat saya mendeskripsikan aromanya secara rinci dikarenakan belum canggihnya indera penciuman saya dalam mentrace aroma teh. Walaupun terasa sedikit strong, tidak ada rasa pahit yang menganggu.
Karena saya agak sensitif dengan caffeine dan sudah cukup banyak teh bercaffeine saya nikmati dari kemarin, Keemun pun berpindah tangan ke suami yang menikmatinya dengan sedikit gula dan susu. Setelah saya coba ternyata rasanya memang lebih nikmat. Senikmat teh yang saya minum hampir setiap sore dengan teman-teman seflat di Bournemouth awal tahun 90an. Setelah Keemun berpindah tangan, saya berkonsentrasi ke teh putih yang oleh Peets diberi label Snow Leopard.
What peets.com says:"smooth, sweet taste characteristic of the finest Keemun teas. Hints of pine and incense. Keemun teas are grown in an area with dense forests and many mountain springs, on hills that form the northern tip of the Huang Shan mountain range. Lion Mountain Keemun is a rigorously graded tea, with only the smallest orange pekoe grade leaves selected for this type. The result is a highly uniform leaf, deep green to almost black, with little visible tip. The tea has a complex aroma, containing perfume-like orchid and smoky incense notes, while the cup is rich and concentrated with sweet, flinty, plum-like flavors. Keemuns are the best keeping of all black teas, mellowing with age but keeping their sweet and aromatic character."
Snow Leopard
Teh putih yang betul-betul smooth, light dan mempunyai clean taste ini berasal dari Fujian, Cina. Daun teh Snow Leopard aka Snowbud ditutupi semacam debu halus berwarna putih. Rasanya sangat mellow dan relaxing. Saking enaknya, tidak terasa tiga cangkir teh Peets yang cukup besar dihabiskan dengan mudah.
What peets.com says: "Snow Leopard is the finest quality white tea of the style known in China as Pai Mu Tan, and is made from specially selected varietals of the tea bush. White teas go through minimal processing, but are highly dependent on environmental conditions for their quality. Plucking must occur in spring when the “flush” is at the correct size, and there is no rain or dew on the leaves. The fresh-plucked leaves are first briefly withered in direct sunshine, and then brought into open-air sheds for full withering/drying for a couple of days, where the wind moving over the tea is regulated by shutters on the shed walls. The final removal of moisture is done by very low baking. The resulting leaf style is open and irregularly shaped, composed of whole wilted leaves with whitish tips. Snow Leopard is smooth, with a fragrance reminiscent of herbs, fresh grass, and flowers, finishing with a white grape sweetness."
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