Savoring some new Yezi Tea teas

I still have a few more tea samples from Yezi Tea to try, so this week I sampled the Dong Ding Winter Peak Taiwan Tea and Dragon Well Master Grade Long Jing.

The Dong Ding Winter Peak Taiwan Tea has the form of little balls of tea. When I opened the packet, I inhaled that crisp, fresh scent of wood shavings that I like so much. Steeped, the tea still had a bit of that woodsy fragrance. The taste was much richer and heartier than I normally find in an oolong tea, and it was the perfect brew to greet a cool fall morning!

I love the large, flat leaves of the Dragon Well Master Grade Long Jing. Dry, the green tea leaves had a fruity, almost grape-like fragrance. Steeped, the tea had a vegetal scent and taste that was quite satisfying. One thing these two teas had in common is that the tea leaves themselves had such a lovely, distinctive appearance. You know that old saying, "We eat with our eyes first"? Well, I sometimes think "we sip with our eyes first" as well, because the aesthetic pleasure of brewing and sipping loose leaf teas is one of the top reasons I enjoy tea so much. How 'bout you? Do you enjoy savoring the appearance of your tea leaves as well?