2008 Jookro Ujeon Hwagae Valley Green Tea

This tea was hand pick and processed on Jiri Mountain and it came from one of the first companies to start selling wild tea in Korea. The experience with this tea is as follows...

As one cuts open this pack of tea, the smell of the small spring dry leaves fill the air. Sweet roasted honey, mild spiciness, the smell of the wind in the pines. The aroma is deep and so that is the way ones takes it in.

As one mindfully pours warm water into the cooling bowl then from cooling bowl onto the dry leaves resting in the shallow of the tea pot, the sound of water softly streaming into the pot breaks the morning silence. Soft, natural, and calming the sound of water dripping on the leaves in the hallow of a tea pot imitates the water of a fresh mountain spring rushing over clay, rock, and earth. The sound is deep and so that is the way one takes it in.

As one lifts the tea cup towards one's lips and spills tea gently into ones mouth, the taste of this tea fills one's taste buds. It's roasted sweetness could easily be confused for a pre-qingmin long jin, yet it's more spicy, woody, and creamy than a Chinese tea. These characteristics truly define a good Jiri Mountain green tea. The taste of these flavours is deep and so that is the way one takes it in.

As one sips and swallows this tea, the feel of this tea in the mouth lightly coats one's tongue. As the tea session stretches along the mouthfeel mimics the taste of the tea. The tongue feels creamy completing this sensation. The tongue feels astringent completing the sensation of spicy. The tongue feels dry completing the sensation of woody. The feel of these sensations is deep and so that is the way one takes it in.

As the wet leaves are dumped out, the session over, the look of the wet leaves makes one smile. These leaves are bright, vibrant. Some still unraveled, the youngest stalks of spring. The sight of such young healthful leaves is deep and so that is the way one takes it in.

Peace