Home – 10:00 AM
Happy Sunday, everyone!
So this is the second of three black teas I ordered from Yunnan Sourcing. I was too intrigued by the description to pass it up. Apparently at some point in its processing, this tea is fried in muscovado sugar water. Too interesting to not buy! ;)
The leaves are quite small and slender, and they have a dark cool brown color. They have an unusual amount of sheen that isn’t portrayed in the photograph.
Yummy, this is definitely a very satisfying tea! At the forefront are the lovely malt and sweet potato notes that are quintessentially Yunnan. They have more strength or heft here than in the golden needle variety. I would almost call it a bit of a “chew” – in the most pleasant and satisfying way, like eating warm freshly-made wheat bread.
There is a bit of dark caramel or brown sugar here as well – though not necessarily the sweetness as much as the rich flavor. I’m also finding a bit of a savory note, perhaps reminiscent of lightly smoked meat. That sounds weird, but it’s not, I promise! XD
Overall, it’s a satisfying balance of malty, sweet, and a touch of savory. Definitely a great tea for getting going in the morning, but also complex enough to savor in the afternoon.
P.S. – I would love to hear recommendations for your favorite hong cha from Yunnan Sourcing!
Flavors: Bread, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Honey, Malt, Rye, Smoked, Sweet, Sweet Potatoes, Wheat
