1000th tasting note! It only took me six years to get here. :-)
I wanted to steep something really special for this occasion. I thought about one of the various wonderful French teas in my cupboard, but decided I had had enough flavored black for one day. I’ve been on a Yunnan kick for a few days now, so I thought I’d look for a highly rated Yunnan I have but hadn’t yet tried.
I have tin no. 23 of this limited edition of 150. Inside the tin, long forest green leaves predominate with some lighter blonde colored tips adding visual interest. The dry leaves smell a bit chocolate-y, a deep, dark, rich fragrance.
I decided to steep at the average preparation parameters rather than the five minutes at boiling recommended on the tin.
I got a clear, dark maple colored liquor with a warm sweet aroma — a bit less sweet than the other yunnans I’ve tried recently but still reminiscent of molasses with some chocolate notes around the edges.
The flavor is quite smooth. No back of the throat grab with this one. Medium bodied, and a bit lighter than I’d expected (might try boiling and longer steep next time). The flavor isn’t overly sweet or sugary in the sip, but has some sweetness in the finish and aftertaste. The funny thing is, I can’t really identify a flavor note in this. I can mostly define what I don’t taste. Unlike some yunnans, I’m not getting a peppery flavor, nor am I getting something I’d call malty. There is something bready about it, maybe a rye note, and while the cocoa note in the aroma gets stronger as the tea cools I only taste it a tiny bit. I’m not getting tobacco or cannabis or any of the other things folks have mentioned.
Some of the other yunnans I’ve tasted recently have had more depth and complexity, but part of that could be preparation, and a lot of it could also be that my expectations of this one were exceptionally high. I’m going to withhold final judgment until I’ve played with it more, but right now, I’m thinking this is quite good but not as spectacular as I was hoping. Ah, well.
Flavors: Bread, Chocolate, Cocoa, Molasses, Rye
Preparation
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Congrats! 1000 is quite a milestone.
Congrats!
Congratulations!
Big number!
Thanks all!
Congrats on the milestone!
Congratulations on 1000! :)
Good job!
We are honored! Seriously, thanks for choosing us! It tickles us to no end. Get that steeping time up there — the leaves are very forgiving with long brews.
I’m honored that you’re honored. Wait, this could go on for a while. ;-) I’ll definitely go hotter and longer next time and see what happens. Thanks for the excellent tea!
Congrats! 1000 is quite a milestone.
Congrats!
Congratulations!
Big number!
Thanks all!
Congrats on the milestone!
Congratulations on 1000! :)
Good job!
We are honored! Seriously, thanks for choosing us! It tickles us to no end. Get that steeping time up there — the leaves are very forgiving with long brews.
I’m honored that you’re honored. Wait, this could go on for a while. ;-) I’ll definitely go hotter and longer next time and see what happens. Thanks for the excellent tea!