Just beautiful – Glad I chose to go with Yunnan Sourcing for my latest tea order! This is everything I want in a black tea – Strong, assertive taste without bitterness, orchid florals, nice peachy notes (like a good dark formosa oolong), honey-like sweetness, and some nice chocolate-y notes (without going too far in that direction). And all that without breaking the bank. The dry tea leaves are beautifully formed, clearly reflecting the one leaf/one bud picking. And I can’t believe they offer a higher “imperial” version of this one – That is definitely going on my list next time I make an order. This tea is magical.
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Forgot to mention – I am commenting on the Spring 2023 harvest of this tea.
I haven’t had a Golden Monkey in a while. Once my buying ban is lifted I need to try this one!
Well, I have limited experience with “golden monkey” teas. But this one definitely has my approval. Usually I have to drink a tea quite a few times before I decide how I feel about it and maybe write a review. This one, though, I knew it right from the first cup that I had a winner here.
To clarify – This is everything I am looking for in a breakfasty-type black tea. There are other classes of black tea which are quite a bit different, for example a Darjeeling 1st flush, from which I would desire some different characteristics. But for a nice black breakfast tea, this is the tea for me!
It sounds worth trying, for sure! Is it sweet potato-y? I find some Golden Monkeys have that note.
Ashmanra, I’ll have to try it again tomorrow and let you know! I find sometimes the “sweet potato” element in black teas is similar to the “chocolatey” element. When it is less intense, it might feel more sweet potato-ish to me, but when it is stronger it moves into the chocolate spectrum.
Ashmanra, I’m drinking another cup of this tea right now, and I think it is firmly on the side of chocolate. More of a milk chocolate or a lighter dark chocolate, and not nearly as chocolatey as some teas I have tasted. On the other hand, I do still get a few sweet potato notes, but they aren’t so noticeable and definitely on the lighter side as far as that goes. I have a Yunnan “pure bud” bi luo chun black tea which has a much more pronounced sweet potato flavor by comparison.
Good to know! Thank you for the update!
Forgot to mention – I am commenting on the Spring 2023 harvest of this tea.
I haven’t had a Golden Monkey in a while. Once my buying ban is lifted I need to try this one!
Well, I have limited experience with “golden monkey” teas. But this one definitely has my approval. Usually I have to drink a tea quite a few times before I decide how I feel about it and maybe write a review. This one, though, I knew it right from the first cup that I had a winner here.
To clarify – This is everything I am looking for in a breakfasty-type black tea. There are other classes of black tea which are quite a bit different, for example a Darjeeling 1st flush, from which I would desire some different characteristics. But for a nice black breakfast tea, this is the tea for me!
It sounds worth trying, for sure! Is it sweet potato-y? I find some Golden Monkeys have that note.
Ashmanra, I’ll have to try it again tomorrow and let you know! I find sometimes the “sweet potato” element in black teas is similar to the “chocolatey” element. When it is less intense, it might feel more sweet potato-ish to me, but when it is stronger it moves into the chocolate spectrum.
Ashmanra, I’m drinking another cup of this tea right now, and I think it is firmly on the side of chocolate. More of a milk chocolate or a lighter dark chocolate, and not nearly as chocolatey as some teas I have tasted. On the other hand, I do still get a few sweet potato notes, but they aren’t so noticeable and definitely on the lighter side as far as that goes. I have a Yunnan “pure bud” bi luo chun black tea which has a much more pronounced sweet potato flavor by comparison.
Good to know! Thank you for the update!