Yunnan Beauty

Getting really sick again, but I wanted to have this again. I did a really quick two steep session: 30sec for the first and a minute for the second.

Yummy honey notes mixed with subtle delicious vegetal-ish notes. I also got some slight hay notes, as well. Held up wonderfully for the two steeps I did, and could have easily gone to six or so.

I would’ve liked to be able to do a complete session in my gaiwan for this one, but I’m drugged up to the gills with cold medicine right now and probably would’ve fallen asleep. It’s hard enough trying to concentrate writing this quick note!

See previous tasting notes for a more detailed (and coherent) taste profile.

Sipdown, 192. My trial with the oriental beauty was so successful that I decided to go ahead and brew up this Yunnan Beauty that Azzrian also sent me. Thanks!

Same method as before; quick rinse, just about a 1 minute steep (this time it might have been closer to 45 seconds). This tea also smells very fruity, but in a slightly darker, more concentrated way. In that, it smells more like dried apricots and prunes than fresh apricots and plums. Including the corresponding extra hit of sweetness that dried fruits have over fresh. This tea is also very delicious and challenging my expectations of dark oolongs. Fruity, sweet and very smooth. I don’t detect any minerally notes in this one, and it almost has a creaminess to it that is quite lovely. I like the darker notes of this in comparison to the traditional oriental beauty I tried earlier. This is a variety of tea that I could see exploring further. Thanks so much for the introduction, Azzrian!

Backlog:

Thank you for sending me some of this tea, Azzrian!

I like! This is a very forgiving tea. I accidentally brewed it at too high a temperature (boiling!) because I mistook it for a black tea rather than an Oolong.

But even with the higher temp … the flavor is remarkable. Sweet, rich, and with a lovely earthy, woodsy tone to it. Toasty notes, with a nutty sweetness.

This is a remarkably complex tea (most Oolong is complex, of course!) and I also noted some muscatel notes with a sweet, dry fruity tone. Hints of molasses. A silky-smooth mouthfeel. This is one of those teas that you just want to keep sipping and sipping … so brew a big pot of it and enjoy it all day long!

Full review on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 24th but for now here are the snippits:

The sweet aroma is present both in dry leaf and when steeped. There is a wonderful sweetness in the taste of this tea not quite honey but not quite molasses, more like sourgum. This lends to the tea being somewhat wine like in flavor, but not muscatel. If memory serves this tea is similar to a barley wine, but it has been years since I have sipped barely wine.

At 6.00 per ounce, discounted to 21.60 if you purchase 4 ounces this tea is a steal for a high quality and totally unique oolong.

The flavor of this tea really coats your mouth leaving behind a long lasting delicious flavor and aroma that sticks in your nostrils. As you breath you can taste the tea even more.

I’m so bad at writing notes lately. I had real intentions of reviewing soon after drinking but then there was this to do and that to do and then I forgot all about it until a couple days later. :(

From what I recall, there was a dark oolong-y roasted flavor and a sweet honey fragrance like in typical Oriental Beauty teas. I think I prefer the traditional Oriental Beauty because this version’s strong earthiness muddles up the honey and floral aromas and flavors.
It’s definitely not a bad tea though and I love the creativity. :)

I made a pot of this earlier today to share with one of my students.
The wet leaf smells phenomenal!! It is this crazy fruity sweet aroma that defies description. The tea itself was ok, but I think there was an element of user error in play, meaning I don’t think I used enough leaf. Luckily I have enough of this to try it several more times!

The liquor has a juicy scent and deep auburn jewel color.
This is a very lovely Oolong. I really LOVE this and am sort of left with the word indescribable. It is close to sweetened rhubarb but not tangy. So it is like stewed rhubarb with cream and sugar.
It is like the sweet version of umami,,,I really cannot place the lovely euphoric flavor because it is changing and bringing back memories. Flavor trip that I don’t want to come home from.
Smelling the empty cup, it has a dark raw honey scent.
This tea is VERY GOOD!!!!!!! I tried a few samples today and this is the one I will be drinking all day and tried to purchase but it is sold out. I definitely see why it is sold out :(

Thank u to Terri Harplady for this life-changing sample. I have obviously only begun to touch the world of tea and this is a new direction in my favorites!!!!!!

Second and Third steepings : This tea is fun. I must emphasize that if you go longer than 30 seconds you will ruin the mesmerizing effect and lose it. In fact, once the leaves open up, you need less than 30 seconds to get that sweet spot again. It’s more like 25 seconds for the second and third steepings. Yummm, I’m loving this tea.

This was my tea of the morning…and into the afternoon a little. Sipping it while dropping the kiddo off to school…sipping while working…sipping while baking…I got a lot done today (thanks oolong) :)

I think I liked it best hot….the dark roasted caramel and brown sugar almost?? It’s a good one… I have started to notice that I enjoy a dark or roasted oolong more than the green ones…I made it through at least 2 steepings and it held up great….
I will have to admit tho that I didn’t get to properly sit and really enjoy it enough to give it a fair rating…so I will just say that I will be drinking this again )

I’ve had this oolong for a while and figured it would be time to revisit it.

The dry leaf smells lovely. Fruity and just a hint roasty.

Very smooth, with a honeylike sweetness. There’s a hint of fruit lingering in the background as well. I seem to be in the mood for lighter teas over the past few days— normally I prefer strong teas that pretty much yell “HI THERE” at my tastebuds with its roastiness/earthiness/smokiness/leatheriness/‘heavier’ flavours (looking at you, Special Dark and Jade Dew). Anyway, this really hits the spot for me this evening.

This is really a great roasted oolong! The tea has good warmth with notes of honey, distant smokiness, and a rich base of… well… deliciousness! My wife loves this one, I could not keep her out of it! My first 50g I got probably only got 4-5 cups worth as I rotated this with other teas. Well, she just went straight for it every time until it was gone! I’ve reordered this one several times and have even kept a pack hidden from my wife to see what flavors it will develop after a couple years. Certainly this is one of the better oolongs I’ve tried.