Yunnan Black Gold Bi Luo Chun 2014

Is there any other tea as attractive as Bi Luo Chun? As the name implies, the rolled leaves are black and gold with aromas of chocolate and cocoa. Liquor is a beautiful rich mahogany.
This follows through in the steeped aroma which is malty. It’s smoky as well, but not overpowering…altogether like a s’more. Nutmeg and more high frequency cocoa notes.

Taste is rich and creamy. rather sweet with some bitter astringency, which just makes me think more of cocoa.

Another sample from Nicole – thanks! :)
The dry leaves are cute little black and gold snails – love it. I was in the mood for a rich, malty black tea to brew western-style, and this is pretty much hitting the spot. It’s smooth and malty, maybe a little bit smoky, but I’m not finding it overwhelming. I’m actually not getting a lot of other flavours here, and I think it could have gone for a bit of a longer first steep. Tasty, but not one I feel compelled to immediately go out and buy more of (thank goodness!).

Thanks again, Nicole! I thought this one was very similar looking to Mandala’s Morning Sun, possibly even the same harvest so I wanted to try this one soon after the other to compare. I think it is the same tea. This one did a little lighter than the Mandala BUT that could be a matter of using slightly less leaves this time (or some other parameter being off.) But this one results in three solid steeps that never get that oversteeped oaky leaf flavor. It’s such a complex deep tea though! I do get the barbeque notes at the top of the first steep that someone else mentioned, because at first it’s a little smoky and spicy/peppery. Malty, honey deep amber liquid follow for the remainders of that cup and the other steeps. I wish I had a tea like this in stock! I really wish I didn’t like quite so many varieties of tea.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 tsps. // 10 min after boiling // 2 min
Steep #2 // 6 min a.b. // 2 min
Steep #3 // just boiled // 5 min steep

Got a sample of this from Nicole in our swap a couple months ago!
Holy Shanghai. Not at all what I expected!
It’s super smokey! Tastes like a campfire. Feels like I’m the only one who gets smokey notes. Totally threw me off. 0_0 Not a fan at all!
Glad I got to try though, I might have tried buying this one before!
Thanks for the sample, Nicole!

Here I am, checking in from Cape Girardeau, MO. I played a gig here last night, in a beautiful garden that was lit up with orbs, twinkly little lights, etc. The temperature was perfect, about 77, not too many allergens in the air (or maybe just the ones my body is used to now), and there was waterfall, a babbling brook, & night birds calling. Although I mostly played a mix of jazz, new age, & classic rock (it was a cocktail party), as the crowd thinned I lapsed into some classical music, including ‘Clare de Lune’, which was perfect in that already ambient scene. Written for piano, but it is perfect on Harp.

So now it’s the Morning After, and I’m enjoying tea in my hotel room before the 2 hour drive back to St. Louis. I really have enjoyed this Black Gold Bi luo, but then again, I enjoy pretty much everything I get from Yunnan Sourcing, so no surprise there! I’m still not ordering any new teas, probably not until Fall, at least. But I am working on a favorites/re-order list, and this one will probably make the cut!

Sipdown (109)!

Bring on the Black Friday crazies. At last Calendar Club’s sale today isn’t crazy; just “tax fee” for everything, so we shouldn’t be stupid busy.

Follow up to Brisk tasting note; I have a date with Lee on Saturday, after work. I’m gonna be crazy stupid tired, but what’s the worst that could happen? And, we spent most of last night texting. He’s so sweet and nervous and flustered and I feel so flattered, no one has ever been flustered over the idea of going on a date with me before (at least not visibly). He even came to work early today so he could come talk to me at my Kiosk before he started. Blushblushblush.

Anyway tea; I finished this one off at a latte last night: I’ve never had a straight black tea as a latte before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I mean, how much of the natural tea flavour can you really expect to come through? Turns out just enough! Visually this looked golden and beautiful and taste wise it had just the right amount of malt and cinnamon notes coming from the tea to make this different from just hot milk. Really simple, really tastey!

Also I have to confess; every time I do a tea latte my favourite part of eat the milk film/skin that collects on the surface. That might be kinda weird, but I just love it!

Sipdown!! (171)

Wow. This one is really, really good. My first sip I was blown away by the smooth malt and caramel flavor but as I continue to drink, I am detecting a creaminess that is really amazing in this cup. There is even notes of orange and chocolate to round everything out and make this complex and delicious. Thank you so much Roswell Strange for sharing this awesome tea!

5/13/14
Tried a bit of this today gong fu style,,,it is brand new,,I will let the rest age a bit to develop more goodness :)
You open the package on this and it is OH Yeah,,,malty, creamy, sweet- smelling yumminess. The snails are perfectly rolled golden and brown cuties.
1. Rinse 30" creamy, malt scents and liquor is a reddish gold color.
2. 30" Leaves starting to really puff up,,,layered flavors, a citrus note is playing with the cream and malt.
3. 30" Leaves really open and big. They are a brown terra cotta mud color and they are all perfectly the same size and you can’t believe they were the little snail shapes :)
4. 30" Still full bodied, rich, citrus, malt, and cream.
5. 30" Starting to lose creamy notes now,,still malt and citrus.
6. 30" Leaves are saying farewell to me now.

Yummm great quality tea from Yunnan Sourcing :)
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6/29/14
Tried this Western style today,,,190F , 1 tsp per 8 oz H20, brewed in a classic oval teapot 2 cups at a time. Steeped 3 minutes.
Also, coming off of a little travel cold so I can smell the deliciousness of this tea but my taste buds probably need one more day so keeping that in mind,,,,,the dry leaf is smelling so malty and good.
Brewed, the liquor is deep amber with scents of a sweet molasses. Oh yumm smelling!
Wet leaves are sooooo cute. They were cute tightly rolled little snails as dry leaves and when they unfurl, they turn into lazy chocolate colored snails. Still curly, but hang in’ out curly.
Flavor is creamy, hint of orange, and malt. I wish my taste buds were back to full capacity because this tea is good stuff. I am getting all the notes that I got last time so Western style brewing is cool as long as you don’t overleaf. I’m getting to where I just use 1 tsp per 8oz water and that’s usually what you need for a good cup. This is definitely good tea!!!
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7/14/14
Had some more Gaiwan style today. Do not overleaf this one,,,it will become way to strong and develop a smokey paste flavor. Had put too many leaves into my gaiwan and had to start over bc of overleafing lol.
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7/24/14
Finally found a way to bring out the best in this tea. I got a few cup size Western glass teapots with super large “same size as the pot” infusers. I brewed this 1 tsp per cup of water at 190F for 3 minutes. I watched the snails unfurl properly and the flavor does not have any bitterness or zest quality that stands out. I am really liking this brew the very best out of all the ones I have tried. (I am loving these “cup-size” teapots) There is still a pasty mouthfeel or flavor to this tea that is different for sure. There is almost a nutmeg flavor as well. The flavors are pasty, nutmeg, a bit of orange but very subtle.
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7/29/14
Had a cup Western style this morning and put it up against a cup of Jin Die from Camellia Sinensis. The Jin Die snails are smaller than these snails so I wanted to see which I liked best.
This tea is brisk and full of flavor. I brewed it at 190F for 3 minutes. I think these Bi Luo teas are better suited to Gong Fu but Western is good too, it is definitely a stronger brew Western style. The flavors are smoky malt, orange zest, a touch of cream in the back of the tongue and throat. I am looking for my nutmeg note today and not catching it as much but it is a spicy hint so nutmeg is very subtle today this way.
In comparison to CS Jin Die, this one is deeper and more smoky malt, where the Jin Die is brighter and more citrus.
I found that the two size snails have completely different flavors which of course they would. It is cool to see how the different size in leaves and rolling can bring out such different flavors!
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8/6/14
Still waiting on my Gong Fu tray but did this one Gong Fu style today. 190F immediate rinse then 30-30-30-30-30. It really is a beautiful amber orange color and has cream, malt, spice-nutmeg, and a touch of orange. The snails all open up to be double buds that are fairly large. Always a great red tea.