Ben Youngbaer Send Message

On this brutally humid day, I am revisiting an old favorite. The more I drink this tea, the more I pick up flavors reminiscent of Belgian beer. A whole mouthfeel with a crisp finish that lingers pleasantly. As this tea ages, the roast is becoming sweeter.

This highly floral but creamy and a lingering sweet oolong is an emerald cup of fresh gold to be sipping on in this part of the world.

I’ve never had tea this fresh before. It was harvested on March 15th and I tasted it for the first time on April 4th! This freshness is indescribable. The aroma is almost overwhelming while the liquor is almost clear. The flavor is like fresh baby spinach with a cashew undertone. I don’t have many words, this is just wonderful and I’m going to enjoy what little I have until I can get more.

My second encounter with this tea was far more successful. I think it really stands out when compared with other Taiwanese oolongs. for me this tea is far more hearty, nutty, and buttery than any other Taiwanese tea. the typical floral notes or only slight and just in the aroma and the first taste on the tongue. the rest of the flavors surround my tongue like a warm towel of delight.

I just had the fresh batch of this and it’s wondrous. it’s flavor is so crisp and complex. the first taste is like a spring mountain stream coming through the ice followed by a sweet, almost melon kind of flavor, followed by a hint of buttered toast that warms the tongue for the finish.

A delicate but full bodied flavor with more buttery overtones than the usual taiwanese florality. Not quite as good as the Li Shan but still a spectacular tea that I’m hoping to drink more often

A dense stick of puer that hold a surprisingly sweet flavor. the light purple infusion is only a little woody followed by a pear/mango sweetness. I want more

My first sip of this came on the 5th or 6th infusion do it may not have been the best brew example. my second taste however was much more pleasant. while the first flavor that hits your tung(ha) is that crisp taiwanese florality, i expected a sweetness similar to the other rolled oolongs. such was not the case. instead i was treated to a warming vegetable quality that made me describe this tea as squash blossoms. quite buttery and even a little nutty.

Aged teas are something special. certainly not for everyone. I love them. You can taste all the years they’ve lived through. Each sip like a journey back in the history books. so smooth but rich. the liquor is a crimson chocolate and the sent of morning fir trees. not quite piney but in the conifer family. I shall savor this goodness til the next time I can get to montreal