I should preface my review by saying that I have a nostalgia and a soft spot for Golden Snails (Bi Luo). A hero of mine introduced me to the tea and sourced a particularly delicious batch. I drank it all summer during my first year of becoming a teacher.
That being said Whispering Pines’ offering here is delicious. The batch is aromatic and flavorful and stacks up well against other Yunnan Blacks of similar varieties and production. It’s hearty and well balanced without being too strong. I was quite comfortable with the price, knowing the freshness and quality that I could expect from WP and Brenden. I’ve paid $.50 more an ounce for comparable Yunnans that were not as fresh or whose taste was less dramatic.