The dry tea for this one comes in little fuzzy golden coils. The name is very accurate! The dry aroma is earthy, with pumpkin or squash notes, like a lighter version of Verdant Tea’s Golden Fleece, which is the only other experience I have with a “golden” Yunnan black tea.
During brewing, the little snails unfurl fully, and the liquor becomes a golden orange color. The taste is rich, again having some mellow pumpkin in the profile, which becomes quite harmonious with delicate sweetness, a hint of something cocoa-like, and an identifiable, crisp and clean black tea fragrance. The finish is very smooth.
Being curious, I brewed Golden Snail and Golden Fleece side by side. The biggest difference might be color—Golden Snail leaned warmer while the Golden Fleece liquor was more green-tinged. In terms of taste, they are very similar, with Golden Snail having less of that lingering buttery finish. But the best qualities of both teas are very close to each other. After trying to compare, I poured the remainders of the two cups together, and that was somehow even better. In order for them to balance each other, there had to be a difference, I just haven’t put my finger on it yet.
I may cold brew this one later to see if I can bring out the full extent of its attributes, and any subtle differences. (After all, cold brewing got Golden Fleece its 100 point rating so it’s only fair!)
