Book & tea pairing: Royal Keemun Mao Feng with Michael Winkler’s Grimmish
Today’s pairing is a bold, robust black tea to fortify you at any time of day. With smoky, tobacco notes this blend evokes the early 1900s boxing halls and back room bars of Grimmish, a story about a legendary boxer able to withstand the pain dealt to him by champions the world over.
Despite its strong flavour, Keemun Mao Feng has a lingering smoothness on the palate, much like Winkler’s book. It might be about boxing and pain, but it is also about legends passed through oral storytelling and masculinity viewed through the lens of ‘civilised’ blood sport. There’s more here than the first strong flavour. The experimental form leaves a lingering impression on readers much as this tea lingers with a light mouth feel.
This is a high grade black tea from China worthy of the tale of Joe Grim, and the questions of endurance, legend, historical narrative and truth raised by author Michael Winkler.
