1 gently rounded TB to 450mL water, bare.
I love Yunnan teas. The more I drink them, the more I go deeply mad for them. I used to avoid China black teas, but then I found good Keemun and good Yunnan. They share the good depth and body of the richer India teas like Assam, and the brightness of Darjeeling, but none of the astringency. Some Golden Monkeys get a bit malty, but the malty notes are often balanced with dark fruit notes.
I usually drink Black Needles and Golden Monkey from Stash. I had tried DavidsTea’s Black Needles but found them a bit flat. Their Wild Yunnan is quite a different story.
Hey, who can resist tea from ancient trees?
The ad copy is accurate on the tasting notes. I would add that the tea is a slight bit earthy — but a clean earthy, none of those dubious tastes you get in some pu-ehrs. A strong mineral undertone adds to the perceptions of “clean.” Lots of Yunnan pepperiness, too. Some honey notes, and something else relaxing — another reviewer calls it “hoppy.” I can agree with that. Very smooth.
An excellent tea. Highly recommend. Yay, Yunnans!
