95

The update is awesome!

I was a little worried about whether I was rating correctly. I like the slider since now I can show just how much I like something, rather than whether I did or not. It is going to take me a while to get over the numbers, though. Since I’m a student, I keep thinking “75 is a C! I said I LIKED it!”. Having the smileys there is a really clever solution. They help me let go of that mentality of needing a 60 to even be passable.

I’ve been hearing a lot about Yunnan teas and have been meaning to try some. Whenever I heard about the expected flavor profiles it sounded like something I would really enjoy. I feel like I already have too much black tea, but I wanted to try out different types of white tea anyway…I ordered some yunnan gold along with the other stuff…you know, just to get the free shipping.

The dry leaves smell earthy and sweet. It reminds me of molasses. My first steep was for 2 minutes at just below boiling. Gaaah I was so excited! Finally, I’d been waiting for this moment! I thought that after spending the next 10 minutes more or less snorting the wet leaves (they smelled like sweet potato!) that the tea would be cool enough to drink. Nope, I burned my tongue. cry. But that gave me a chance to take in the aroma of the tea. It reminded me of brown sugar or something caramelized.

So when I finally get around to tasting it, it was still a little too hot for me, but I was impatient. At first it wasn’t nearly as sweet as I had imagined, but it did get sweeter as it cooled. I think I know what malty is now, but I don’t know how to explain it. It was kind of like being sweet, like something baked, but not quite. There was something about it that made me think “starchy”. It was really really smooth. I had to go hunting for astringency. I found some, but it was only enough to give the sweet aftertaste a clean finish.

I actually got a total of 5 infusions from this tea! I increased the time with good results. My favorite was probably the second or third one, actually.
2nd steep, 2minutes45seconds- Similar to the first cup, but with more subdued flavors. I wouldn’t say it was weaker, just that the flavors blend together more and don’t come out as much. As I neared the end of the cup I noticed that it smelled really deliciously caramel-y.
3rd steep, 3minutes30seconds- Sweet like something caramelized or brown sugar. So tasty. It was sweet as if I’d added sugar or honey. Any astringency is gone by now.
4th steep, 4minutes30seconds-Still really good. Pretty much the same as the third one, but slightly lighter in color and weaker. It had enough flavor that I had hope for a fifth. There was none of that unpleasant “I give up” flavor that tea leaves give when you won’t get anything else from them. The wet leaves still smelled of tasty.
5th steep, 6minutes- Pleasant, but weak. Still quite sweet, but tasted more like sweetened water than tea. The wet leaves smell like what they are, wet leaves. I think they’ve given me everything. No bitterness anywhere, just smoothness.

I really enjoyed this. It’s actually been the only tea I drank all day, since I could get so many infusions out of it. I’m pleasantly surprised. I thought I wouldn’t be able to justify the cost if I could only get one infusion out of it, but there was nothing to worry about. I thoroughly enjoyed it and want to try every kind of yunnan out there if they even vaguely resemble this one.

I’m happy.

ETA- I wish I’d made the first infusion longer or with hotter water. I feel like I didn’t get as much out of it as I could have. Now that I know there’s really no danger of it getting too bitter I can be more confident.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec
teafiend

Oh the student mind set, how it makes real life confusing.
This tea sounds absolutely delish and once I have money (hahahaha I’m in college, I’ll never have money), I will most certainly pick some up.

Auggy

Great review! And I haven’t been a student for years but I still have that same issue of thinking I’m giving a tea I liked a bad grade if I only give it a 65 or something. So yay for the faces!

Hyrulehippie

@teafiend- ya I hear ya on being broke. >__<. I’m not sure if I was actually blown away by this specific tea or if I just really like the Yunnan flavor profile. I hesitate to give it such a high score since I’ve never had anything like it. I decided to just go ahead with what I felt at the moment, and if I realize that it’s a terrible example of the variety I can always change it.

@Auggy- haha I feel like it’s going to get yelled at by its parents.

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teafiend

Oh the student mind set, how it makes real life confusing.
This tea sounds absolutely delish and once I have money (hahahaha I’m in college, I’ll never have money), I will most certainly pick some up.

Auggy

Great review! And I haven’t been a student for years but I still have that same issue of thinking I’m giving a tea I liked a bad grade if I only give it a 65 or something. So yay for the faces!

Hyrulehippie

@teafiend- ya I hear ya on being broke. >__<. I’m not sure if I was actually blown away by this specific tea or if I just really like the Yunnan flavor profile. I hesitate to give it such a high score since I’ve never had anything like it. I decided to just go ahead with what I felt at the moment, and if I realize that it’s a terrible example of the variety I can always change it.

@Auggy- haha I feel like it’s going to get yelled at by its parents.

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I’m pretty terrible at bios so I don’t think I’ll even try to make it interesting. I’m a college senior majoring in Japanese and minoring in women’s and gender studies. I’ve been a vegetarian for about 8 years or so. I craft and game whenever possible and have been known to give up large amounts of sleep for either.

いつも日本語の練習の時間ですよ!一緒に練習したかったら私に連絡してください。よろしくね。 ^0^ 

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