I didn’t expect to buy tea during the holiday weekend and certainly not at Dean & Deluca’s. We just dropped in to impress visiting family members with the classy establishments residing in our neck of the woods. As I browsed around the store, it was a dream come true when I spotted the several high-end tea selections on the 50% off rack! Of course, I couldn’t resist and bought four different teas to try.
This first tea has Dean & Deluca’s own label on it. They might be phasing this one out, though, as I wasn’t able to find any information about it on Dean & Deluca’s website.
When I opened the round silver tin, the aroma of the black and gold-tipped leaves had the familiar rich and leathery Yunnan smell. I steeped the leaves for five minutes at 212 degrees as recommended on the label.
The brewed aroma was very mild. The color was a deep rusty gold.
My first few sips didn’t pick up robust flavor. As I belted down more and more from my cup, the signature leathery Yunnan taste with malty and slightly peppery accents began to flow through my taste buds.
This is an amiable tea. The flavor is a bit more benign than the teas I am accustomed to from the Yunnan Province, but there is nothing disagreeable or unpleasant about this selection. It is smooth and the aftertaste is mild and gentle. If you can find this tea at YOUR local Dean & Deluca store, it is definitely worth a try, particularly at the current very low price.
Flavors: Leather, Malt
