High Mountain Red Ai Lao Mountain Black Tea - Spring 2016

Tea type
Black Tea
Ingredients
Not available
Flavors
Caramel, Honey, Sweet Potatoes, Winter Honey, Grain, Nectar, Red Fruits, Malt, Pleasantly Sour, Grapefruit
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Loose Leaf
Caffeine
Not available
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Cameron B.
Average preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 1 min, 45 sec 5 g 4 oz / 122 ml

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5 Tasting Notes View all

  • “Thank you to Mackie for this sample. I think it was 2016 (could have been 2015 harvest?) This is a really nice everyday drinker. Smooth, very flavourful, no hint of bitterness. There are no...” Read full tasting note
    95
  • “I’ve yet to sample any Yancha or Taiwanese black teas, so I can’t honestly say I taste their influence, even if there are similarities in production between these styles and the tea presently under...” Read full tasting note
    80
  • “Lovely tea, as I expected from these Chinese blacks. The dry leaf smells like grapes and cranberries, and at this point I’m hoping I’ll finally be able to taste the fruitiness of a black tea that...” Read full tasting note
    94
  • “This tea is very pleasant. Super smooth, with sweetness that reminds of nectar or fruit. But also with a satisfying richness . . . I would buy this tea again, it is unique and delightful!” Read full tasting note
    93

From Yunnan Sourcing

“High Mountain Red” Ai Lao Mountain Black Tea

High mountain tea grow at 2000 meters on Ai Lao Shan in Zhenyuan area of Simao. Picked and processed only from the first flush of spring this black tea is lightly oxidized and processed similiar to Taiwanese black tea or Wu Yi Rock tea. There is a still a greenish tinge left to the leaves! The brewed tea is rich and thick with hints of dried Longan fruit with a protracted mouth feeling!

The tea is grown at almost 2000 meters making it one of the highest black teas we offer. Mr. Guo was born and raised in central Taiwan and his father had a black tea factory there. Mr Guo, traveled to Thailand and eventually decided on Yunnan. He was always a big Pu-erh tea fan and decided to spend time learning about Ai Lao area pu-erh since it’s one of the remotest and untouched places in all Yunnan. He met many local pu-erh growers and worked with one in particular (Mr. Feng) to introduce a Taiwanese style processing which marries black tea and oolong in a sweet and fruity style!

March 2016 harvest!

About Yunnan Sourcing View company

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5 Tasting Notes

95
2972 tasting notes

Thank you to Mackie for this sample. I think it was 2016 (could have been 2015 harvest?)

This is a really nice everyday drinker. Smooth, very flavourful, no hint of bitterness. There are no extremes in the flavour (nothing really stands out) but it tastes like a high quality Chinese black. I tried to pick out some tasting notes and couldn’t find anything. Extremely tasty and I will be buying some with my next order. Thank you for the chance to try this! I really like that is doesn’t overstep and its perfect as the morning’s first cup.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 7 min, 15 sec
Mackie

Def was the 2016 :) I liked this one a lot too

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80
77 tasting notes

I’ve yet to sample any Yancha or Taiwanese black teas, so I can’t honestly say I taste their influence, even if there are similarities in production between these styles and the tea presently under consideration.

Steeped 8 times without a wash, starting from 10 seconds, increasing the steep time by 10 seconds as needed to preserve the character/color.

There is a distinctive aroma to the dried leaves, floral with hints of honey and something akin to leather or wood – difficult to place.

Gamboge liquor, with the same distinctive floral aroma as the dried leaf, joined now by some delicate but bright stone-fruit notes (nectarine), and a somewhat earthy finish with hints of nettle. Not quite sweet, though rounded and mellow throughout. Fairly rich mouth-feel, though I wouldn’t say “thick.” Very low astringency, this would probably work if prepared western-style as well.

Caffeine sneaks up on you – a fairly speedy cup.

Unique, well crafted, reasonably priced, though I doubt I would re-buy.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 30 sec 3 tsp 3 OZ / 100 ML

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94
239 tasting notes

Lovely tea, as I expected from these Chinese blacks. The dry leaf smells like grapes and cranberries, and at this point I’m hoping I’ll finally be able to taste the fruitiness of a black tea that people keep talking about.

No such luck.

It’s still a lovely tea though. It’s sugary sweet, like honey. There is a slight hint of mineral and astringency I could do without. At this point, I’m starting to wonder if it isn’t just my extremely hard water that’s giving my tea that mineral taste.

The dominant flavor is an earthy sweet potato flavor with an underlying medium caramel. Soooo tasty.

Flavors: Caramel, Honey, Sweet Potatoes, Winter Honey

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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93
11 tasting notes

This tea is very pleasant. Super smooth, with sweetness that reminds of nectar or fruit. But also with a satisfying richness . . . I would buy this tea again, it is unique and delightful!

Flavors: Grain, Nectar, Red Fruits

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 30 sec 5 g 2 OZ / 60 ML

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45 tasting notes

Opening the bag, the scent took me by surprise. I couldn’t place the recognizable fragrance at first, but then it hit me… extra virgin olive oil. Might sound weird but its very inviting. Hitting the leaves with 90C water released a huge bloom of floral honey fragrance mixed with ripe fruit and hints of malt… really incredible. The flavor of the tea is delicate, sweet, fruity and smooth. Really enjoying this fresh.

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