My last new Yunnan to try from H&S. I was a little intimidated to try this one, and I’m blaming boychik! ;) I believe she used the word “gross”… Eep. The dry leaves are kind of short and slightly curved, and they’re mostly black with some scattered golden tips. The smell is similar to the Yunnan Golden Tips I tried yesterday morning – very malty with scents of honey and stonefruits. This one also has a sort of musty hay note to it. I did a 3 minute steep because it seemed to be what most people suggested after trying this one.
Well, this Yunnan is definitely very different from the other couple that I’ve tried so far. It almost seems like a completely different type of tea – the only note that really ties them together is malt. While others I’ve tried have been bready, this tea is very earthy and has a fair amount of smoke taste to it. There’s a light honey flavor that I augmented with a small amount of sugar. The sweetness also helped to cut the earth and smoke flavors slightly. I also get an aftertaste that definitely reminds me of leather, but in a mild way. Boychik had warned me that this made her mouth very fuzzy, and I definitely do get a dry mouthfeel from it (that’s what astringency means, right?), but I didn’t have to brush my teeth after. :P
Overall, I realize this is a lower grade tea than the others but I feel it has a similar level of complexity but with largely different flavors. I quite enjoyed it. :)
Flavors: Earth, Honey, Leather, Malt, Smoke
Preparation
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Is is possible that I got wrong tea in a right labeled sample haha
I run it thru finest strainer and it was full of tiny blackish fuzz. Not astringent. Anyway i may or may not try another time, western only.
I can send you some of mine to compare if you want! :P
I didn’t see any particles in mine at all. I brewed it in my Finium basket.
Maybe we can swap in Sept, I’m in Poconos till Labor Day;)
Definitely. Although I’m going to predict that we will have forgotten by then! ;)
Not necessarily. I got lots of good samples and I want them in good hands. I like your reviews and I like that you are not afraid of experimenting ;-)
Aw, thanks! :D You’ve been such a great help since I started on here a month ago.
I have also found that if you can drink dairy, and you have a Yunnan that is on the edge of good but not great that you didn’t pay a lot for… about a tablespoon or less of cream in a 12 ounce mug improves it a lot for me. Evens out any bitterness or dry astringency or harshness.
Is is possible that I got wrong tea in a right labeled sample haha
I run it thru finest strainer and it was full of tiny blackish fuzz. Not astringent. Anyway i may or may not try another time, western only.
I can send you some of mine to compare if you want! :P
I didn’t see any particles in mine at all. I brewed it in my Finium basket.
Maybe we can swap in Sept, I’m in Poconos till Labor Day;)
Definitely. Although I’m going to predict that we will have forgotten by then! ;)
Not necessarily. I got lots of good samples and I want them in good hands. I like your reviews and I like that you are not afraid of experimenting ;-)
Aw, thanks! :D You’ve been such a great help since I started on here a month ago.
I have also found that if you can drink dairy, and you have a Yunnan that is on the edge of good but not great that you didn’t pay a lot for… about a tablespoon or less of cream in a 12 ounce mug improves it a lot for me. Evens out any bitterness or dry astringency or harshness.