During last year’s Christmas sale at Mei Leaf, I bought several teas and their Little Tong Mu was one of those teas. I have already done a lot of sessions, but I finally sat down and wrote about my experiences with this tea. I timed it perfectly because this was my final session with this tea. No more Little Tong Mu for a while…
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Little Tong Mu
Little Tong Mu is a Lapsang Souchong from Tong Mu village in China’s Fujian Province. The batch I’m writing about is from 2019 (so not the one from 2020 they are currently selling). It was grown at an altitude of around 1300m and the cultivar is the Xiao Zhong.
The twisted leaves have a black colour and it’s mostly medium-sized and small leaves. The aroma is fruity with some floral hints as well. There is also a light sourness going on.
The wet leaves really smell like summer! Strong notes of flowers and a light maltiness. Medium-sized and smaller leaves have turned brown and opened up.
Tea Tasting
- Water 90°C
- 5.5g for a 175ml Zisha teapot
- 1 rinse
- 6 Infusions
Infusion 1 (10 sec): this one starts with a floral touch and you can also feel a light maltiness beneath the surface. The flavours aren’t subtle, but the liquor feels soft and silky. It feels really smooth.
Infusion 2 (15 sec): the flowery notes are not as prominent, but it’s a bit deeper. I’m also picking up a fruity touch. The undertone of the aftertaste is floral with a hint of maltiness. A pleasant combination that is even a bit sweet.
Infusion 3 (20 sec): the floral notes have almost disappeared and it’s fruitier now. The maltiness has also diminished so it’s a fruity brew with a very sweet touch. I wouldn’t say it’s lychee, but it comes close to that typical taste.
Infusion 4 (25 sec): the main flavours are fruity, but not as sweet as the previous infusion. It’s a light fruitiness with a malty undertone that ends with a light astringency. The finish has a sweetness to it that lingers for a while before really changing into the aftertaste.
Infusion 5 (30 sec): the flavours are starting to fade now. There are still some traces of something fruity, but it’s definitely not at the surface.
Infusion 6 (40 sec): the flavours have faded a bit more. Very light fruitiness, but that’s about it. Not much is going on during this one.
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Conclusion
I bought this tea during their Christmas sale and I’m so happy I did! Drinking this tea makes you feel as if it’s summer and that is a pleasant feeling, especially during the final months of winter. Even now, it still offers this pleasant experience. The session started out with strong floral notes and a light maltiness and slowly changed into a sweet fruitiness that is similar to lychee. In general, this is a floral, fruity, but truly delicious tea! Whenever I place another order at Mei Leaf, this one will definitely be on my list.
If you want to buy their 2020 Little Tong Mu, click here.
