Updated on 10-22-11 after doing a second brewing session with it
Experience buying from Jing Tea Shop: http://steepster.com/places/2780-jing-tea-shop-on-line—
Age of leaf: harvested spring 2009; received and brewed summer (and fall) 2011
Dry Leaf: Appearance just as shown on website: beautiful light and dark brown leaves. Aromatic, typical of other Yunnan red teas: malty.
Brewing guidelines: brewed a full six cups in standard ceramic teapot using 2” mesh cup strainer; three steepings, 1st a little of the boil and 2 minutes steep time, 2nd at boiling, 3 minutes, 3rd at boiling 4 minutes (brewed the next day, after keeping in fridge). Used a little Stevia to bring out the flavor. My second go around with this tea yielded three good steepings, and a decent forth.
Aroma: a mild malty aroma.
Color of liquor: Coppery.
Wet leaf: This leaf is amazing. There are very few broken pieces (probably from transport and handling) and it’s composed almost entirely of buds, with very few leaves, and a few stems. They are brown in color, where some have a light brown cast to them. The buds look very healthy (not withered looking as I have seen in some tea leaves/buds).
Flavor: Great! Sweet, similar to other Chinese red teas I have had, with the characteristic Yunnan malty flavor.
Value: Considering the quality of the leaf, and the flavor therein, the value is incredible! $5.99/100grams (currently sold out).
Overall: This is my second go around with this Yunnan red tea, and I was as impressed as I was the first time I tried it. Since the first time I tried it I have had a few other moderately priced Chinese red teas, and this one easily stands up to them. I iced some of it and it tasted wonderful! I warmed up some of it the next day, and it was still yummy. This is a beautiful looking, very reasonably priced and flavorful Yunnan.
“Lovely, lovely aromatic golden indulgence!’ These are the comments that sell tea!