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I’ve only tried two other Bi Luo Chuns so far, but this is a bit light for my taste. Instead of the earthy-sweet I was expecting, this is more fruity-sweet. It does have a pleasant light astringency though.

There are many different fruits in here, but the outcome for me is a tea that tastes like dried strawberries. Not the crispy ones with the citric acid taste, but the soft, chewy ones, as if you dried them in a dehydrator yourself, with the slight dark syrupy note under the fruity lightness. As a bonus, this feels like a total indulgence. Dessert, but not sugary.

This is every bit as delicious as the Verdant version I just discovered. Such a great tea. The only difference I can see is that where the Verdant one makes me think of buttered toast with apricot jam, this one makes me think I blended in some of my American Tea Room Immortal Green, which is a peachy green with brown sugar notes.

I’m drinking the winter harvest version. You know how your life seems to progress from a love of simple, bold flavors (Hi-C?) to, say, fine Burgundies (yeah, I’m old) that you never would have remotely liked as a kid? I think I’m somehow enjoying this relatively more delicate but creamy, sweet, thick Jin Shuan at least as much as I ever enjoyed the bolder, crazier versions I’ve tried. I think it’s satisfying, thick body makes up for the relatively delicate (but delicious) flavor.

Tasting this makes me think the first oolong I ever had many years ago must have been a tieguanyin. I brings back everything I love about it with its floral, mineral, mushroom notes. Finally a candidate worthy of filling the spot opened up by the out-of-stock Verdant Handpicked Autumn Tieguanyin. If they were both available, I think I’d have to flip a coin. This version has less-pronounced (but still present) hyacinth flavors in favor of a warmer profile.

This is my new go-to green Earl Grey. There is nothing subtle here, just a strong, brisk, clean bergamot. I’m in the camp that sees no point in delicate bergamot and really wants to be knocked out by it, so this is a winner. But it’s not only strong, but a nice rounded, balanced flavor.

When tea drinkers live dangerously. That’s actually kind of true here. Apparently you’re really not supposed to drink this stuff if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, and it has a ‘slightly stupefying’ relaxing effect. So it’s basically beer. In flavor it reminds me of….gin? Definitely a bit medicinal but not bad. It’s just a little piney. I’m definitely relaxed, but then, I’m spending an evening drinking tea, reading a cookbook, and playing with my dog. Really hard to pin down the culprit here. Still, I really think I need to keep this around.

This has to be the most beautiful tea I’ve ever seen. You could throw it at weddings. Don’t try to brew it with a little spoon infuser though – even in my basket infuser, I barely stuffed 3.5 grams in there. Next time I might just use a strainer after brewing completely loose. I chose this one because it promises to help with seasonal allergies that seem to be popping up tonight. The flavor is sort of a cousin of chamomile, very comforting, a little less floral perhaps. I think I like it a bit better than chamomile. I’m halfway through the cup, and my allergies have subsided quite a bit, which I of course have to attribute to just being inside for long enough to make tea. Still, maybe it didn’t hurt? UPDATE: Oh it definitely worked. 30 minutes later, after being back outside, I was completely cleared up. My claritin doesn’t work that well. That’s crazy.