Venturing into the world of tea and searching for that “Golden Fleece” can turn up quite a confusing adventure where nearly every sip and smell and taste could be the proverbial “Golden Fleece” ! Suffice to say I am writing to you all while drinking Golden Fleece, courtesy of wild tea trees of Xishuangbanna. True to its testament as the embodiment of Yunnan teas, Golden Fleece has all the attributes of Yunnan teas being velvety, a tad bit spicy, smooth, sweet and medium bodied with just a hint of minerals.
Successive brewing from five seconds to 15 gave off aromas of boiling sugarcane juice with subtle morel notes that adds a minerally vegetal note. Brewing from 15 seconds to 35 seconds raises the level of sweetness, becomes far more velvety that hugs the palate and coats the throat, a bit of molasses comes out to brings a bit of boldness in the aroma. Past the minute mark in brewing from successive brews flattens out to a linen, lightly sweet and coarse sensation, not that its actually coarse. Throughout most of the sessions not once the tea became too bitter, too faint, too astringent that prevents most of the uniqueness to shine.
This my friends is what tea is! The very height of crafts of a culture and abilities of one plant no matter how mundane it looks nor how ordinary its product bestows to thirsty mouths. The quest for the real “Golden Fleece” however maybe a fool’s errand, yet almost certainly the most simplest pleasure in life is one with kindred spirits and a beverage as historical as the world over! Do drink on steepsterites!
Cheers, Tony!
Comments
why thank you Terri! Its quite a tea have, Yunnan will have something in store for all of us! That first sip of a Yunnan tea a couple of years ago was something special, an awakening on how much nature can bestows us with a great bounty and reach a zenith in the most ordinary of drinks. Tea. Certainly, to me and the Chinese tea is life, find meaning and messages that resounds through its essence, find time to appreciate its awe in simplicity with a healthful respect for nature and its wonderful capabilities. There are no “golden fleeces” to be found yet but the ones a heart aches for, for its tea. Do drink on Terri!
Beautifully said, Anthony!
why thank you Terri! Its quite a tea have, Yunnan will have something in store for all of us! That first sip of a Yunnan tea a couple of years ago was something special, an awakening on how much nature can bestows us with a great bounty and reach a zenith in the most ordinary of drinks. Tea. Certainly, to me and the Chinese tea is life, find meaning and messages that resounds through its essence, find time to appreciate its awe in simplicity with a healthful respect for nature and its wonderful capabilities. There are no “golden fleeces” to be found yet but the ones a heart aches for, for its tea. Do drink on Terri!