Yunnan is a tea I've tried before, but it seemed different this time. And quite enjoyable!
Category: Chinese Black Tea
Purveyor: Harney and Sons
Dry leaf appearance: Shavings of pine bark with a few lighter colored bits throughout.
Wet leaf appearance: Chippy, wet-bark-looking bits of tea leaf.
Steeping temperature and time: 1 teaspoon of tea, 205 degrees, 4-1/2 minutes.
Scent: Perhaps I am just paranoid because I know the evil Lapsang Souchong tea tasting awaits me next week, but ... I thought this tea's scent was just a bit too reminiscent of that tea's woodsy/smoky scent. (But I needn't have worried!)
Color: A deep, rich brown.
Flavor: Although this Yunnan is quite a bit stronger than the one I've tried before (I don't remember the vendor), I enjoyed it very much, and the taste was nothing like L.S., I am pleased to say! I drank the first cup completely black, but since it was getting a bit astringent there at the end, I decided to have the next cup with a bit of milk. Delicious! I could drink this tea all morning long just fine, I think, with a little milk on hand.
Additional notes: Michael Harney says that Yunnan "offers a delicious combination of full body and sweetish flavors, with a certain earthiness and even a mild pepperiness, balanced by the sugars from lots of tip." Guess that explains those tips in this tea, and I do believe the earlier one I tried was called Tippy Yunnan.
Next week's tea: Lapsang Souchong, much to my dismay
Thanks for the review. I have a tin of Lapsang Souchong in my pantry that I bought a few years ago. But I've been afraid to try it. Maybe I'll try it with you this week.
ReplyDeletePersonally, give me Yunnan Black and hold the Lapsang Souchong. That's because I'm a lover of Pu-erh so I'm partial to anything else that comes out of the Yunnan region. Of course the LS is some pretty good tea too (what's actually a bad tea? I don't know of any.) --Teaternity
ReplyDeleteOh I have to say I cannot abide Lapsang Souchong. Yuk at its yukkiest!! Angela, I have tried to email you several times and they always bounce back. I would like to join the ATeaC swap. Perhaps you could email me at gina.deen@btinternet.com? Many thanks, Gina aka BT.
ReplyDeleteAngela, try pairing your Yunnan with pumpkin pie. It's a match made in tea heaven!
ReplyDelete