93
drank Jin Jun Mei by teasenz
3986 tasting notes

This tea was provided for free in exchange for review, thanks teasenz! You can find it here: http://www.teasenz.com/golden-yunnan-tea-jinjunmei#.U-lC6PldXX8

Wow, the picture on their website does not do this tea justice! I actually said “wow” out loud when I opened the packet. It consists of the most beautiful little golden-orange fuzzy tips, and they’re very light and fluffy. It almost reminds me of yarn, but with a slight metallic element. Here’s a picture, I couldn’t resist! (http://i.imgur.com/vi6lJGv.jpg) The dry scent is light malt with sweet honey and cocoa notes. I did my usual 3 minute steep without looking up any instructions (such arrogance!).

Brewed, it smells sweet and malty with a definite cocoa note. I also get rich molasses and dried fruit, and a slight herby presence. Yummmmmm! Lol, I sound like a Furby… I wouldn’t call this tea super complex, but the quality of flavor is divine. It’s quite malty and bready, and slightly sweet in the raw honey sense. There’s a little bit of peppery interest, and an herbaceousness that is almost definitely reminiscent of dill. I find a tiny bit of dried fruit if I specifically look for it, but it’s not very prominent overall. Lovely smooth and mellow tea with a clean finish and no bitterness or astringency whatsoever! This one is absolutely going into my permanent cupboard, right this second.

Wow, I am very impressed with teasenz so far, and I am so glad that I sent that email requesting samples! And this tea is only $9.95 for 70 grams, what? Definitely an amazing value as well as just a great tea. :D

Flavors: Bread, Dill, Dried Fruit, Honey, Malt, Pepper

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Tealizzy

It really does look like yarn!

Cameron B.

Hah, that’s the first thing I thought of when I looked at it. It’s actually much thinner than most yarn, but too bad! :P

Cameron B.

Marzipan, the only things I remember my Furby saying are yummmmmmm and doo-ay!

Oh, and it got scared if you covered its eyes. Such weird little fuzzballs.

Lariel of Lórien

It’s great. I went through mine in a couple weeks.

Arshness

That sounds delightful.

boychik

Pretty!

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Comments

Tealizzy

It really does look like yarn!

Cameron B.

Hah, that’s the first thing I thought of when I looked at it. It’s actually much thinner than most yarn, but too bad! :P

Cameron B.

Marzipan, the only things I remember my Furby saying are yummmmmmm and doo-ay!

Oh, and it got scared if you covered its eyes. Such weird little fuzzballs.

Lariel of Lórien

It’s great. I went through mine in a couple weeks.

Arshness

That sounds delightful.

boychik

Pretty!

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Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron! I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, KBeauty, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- January Sipdowns: 6
- Total 2024 Sipdowns: 6

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season. Occasionally I’ll brew Gongfu style when I’m in the mood. I’ll also often use a kyusu for Japanese teas.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however. I also enjoy maté, rooibos, and honeybush. I love matcha and drink it often! Fruit tisanes are not a favorite, but I’m always willing to try them.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia.

Fruit: All of them! My ‘go-to’s tend to be in the red fruits, stonefruit, or citrus spectra. I also really love apple, banana, berry, fig, lychee, melon, pear, and rhubarb flavors. Tropical fruits aren’t among my favorites, but I still enjoy them once in a while – especially passionfruit, mango, and pineapple. I am not generally a fan of coconut in tea, though there are some exceptions.

Dessert: I love creamy vanilla and marshmallow flavors, along with anything in the caramel family such as butterscotch, toffee, or maple. Chocolate is also a favorite, though I’m often disappointed by it in tea. And don’t forget anything buttery, cakey, or cookie-y!

Floral: I’m a little bit more particular in this category. I very much enjoy jasmine, even strong jasmine, along with sakura, chamomile, and elderflower. Osmanthus is also a favorite of mine. But I’m not crazy about rose or lavender flavors, and I prefer hibiscus in moderation only.

Spices: I don’t generally find myself drawn to masala chai, but I do enjoy spices combined with other flavors. My favorite spices are the warm ones, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, and cardamom. A bit of heat from black pepper or chili is okay too, as long as it’s not overwhelming! Ginger can be a lovely accent, but I find it difficult to drink as a starring flavor.

Aromatics: I’m obsessed with Earl Grey! I also love cooling flavors such as mint (especially spearmint), pine, juniper, and eucalyptus. I am not a fan of strong rosemary or sage in tea.

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

https://www.instagram.com/tea...

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