Took me a moment to find this here on steepster because my sample package says “Golden Needle Red Tea” not Golden Needle King – but the description is the same so I will log it here:
Well I steeped this completely wrong – forgot to let water cool one minute as package says to do. Got into a convo with hubby and just absent mindedly poured the boiling water over the leaves. Uggg I expected problems in the flavor from this.
In a panic I added a little extra cool water – I guess thinking to bring the temp down slightly. Then I realized what I had done and was just like Ugggggggg whatever – it was my only sample I had to drink it. To waste a precious tea from Shang would be a sin…a SIN I tell you!
So anyway guess what – quality tea can take a beating! This was still fabulous!
The smell was malty and of cocoa. The taste was of molasses, malt, chocolate, and hay.
The hay and molasses combination reminded me of sorghum I think. It brought back memories of when I trained hoses and had a couple of my own. That sticky sweet grain we fed the horses in fall and winter. I have not been reminded of that aroma for years and years. It brought back nice memories and made me miss those days. How I love the smell of hay and sweet grain, and horses. Okay before I turn everyone off to this tea the main flavors and aromas are that of malt, chocolate, and molasses, not horses, or hay, but there is something about this tea that makes me want to go to the country and jump on a horse!
This tea also provided a slight albeit very slight cinnamon sparkling sensation on the tongue.
I found this tea quite filling – almost like a dietary supplement may fill your tummy up except this was far more filling and far more enjoyable than those things!
Second and third steeps were also quite excellent but it was getting late and I laid the leaves out for morning – ended up not re-steeping well the next day (today) but I probably ruined a forth steep by over heating the water the first time around.
Shang has THE best teas in my opinion among maybe 5 other tea companies. Love this stuff!
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I love horses. I used to train them with my grandpa so that is a tea that would bring back many happy memories especially if it smelled like them!
You have to stop logging such amazing teas or I am going to have to expand that list I gave you and I DON’T WANT TO DO THAT! Lol Kidding, of course, but I can add more to my shopping list.
LOL Violet – well unfortunately these are mostly only samples :( Wish I had more of this goodness!
Missy you should get a sampling of it – it really totally reminded me of the sweet grain!
yum seems delicious now i want it….. you’re evil:)
Just another tea from Shang I must order. :))
LOL dark_light – don’t blame me – its all Shang Teas fault! I am sad I only got a sampler!
the Chinese use Red tea to refer to what the English call “black”…red referred to the color of the tea liquor, as black does the dry leaf…though some types of processing have made the exactness of the references less accurate more recently.
Thanks Kasumi :) Yeah I was a bit of a newbie 8 months ago – I have since learned the error of my ways :) Still thank you for replying to this! You never know I could have still been in the dark :)
I did not know this tea fact until a few years ago, and have been drinking tea my whole life. (cultural specifics were focused on the Japanese info, we drank Chinese when out as a family)
I also posted for anyone coming across this post. :) If you were new to tea 8 months ago, you have come a LONG Way, congrats.
Awweee thanks so much!:)
I love horses. I used to train them with my grandpa so that is a tea that would bring back many happy memories especially if it smelled like them!
You have to stop logging such amazing teas or I am going to have to expand that list I gave you and I DON’T WANT TO DO THAT! Lol Kidding, of course, but I can add more to my shopping list.
LOL Violet – well unfortunately these are mostly only samples :( Wish I had more of this goodness!
Missy you should get a sampling of it – it really totally reminded me of the sweet grain!
yum seems delicious now i want it….. you’re evil:)
Just another tea from Shang I must order. :))
LOL dark_light – don’t blame me – its all Shang Teas fault! I am sad I only got a sampler!
the Chinese use Red tea to refer to what the English call “black”…red referred to the color of the tea liquor, as black does the dry leaf…though some types of processing have made the exactness of the references less accurate more recently.
Thanks Kasumi :) Yeah I was a bit of a newbie 8 months ago – I have since learned the error of my ways :) Still thank you for replying to this! You never know I could have still been in the dark :)
I did not know this tea fact until a few years ago, and have been drinking tea my whole life. (cultural specifics were focused on the Japanese info, we drank Chinese when out as a family)
I also posted for anyone coming across this post. :) If you were new to tea 8 months ago, you have come a LONG Way, congrats.
Awweee thanks so much!:)