I love Yunnan teas.
That’s not to say that I don’t love other teas, because really, I love them all. But Yunnans seem to resonate with me the most.
I have enjoyed this tea a couple of times now. I’ve used the cup & brewed western style, & I’ve used the Gaiwan.
The dry leaf has a wild & rustic look, which is always appealing to me! The dry aroma smells lightly salty & reminds me of potato chips cooked in olive oil.
The wet leaf has a fruity astringent aroma.
This is not a chocolaty tea. This is not a malty tea.
This is not Laoshan Black or it’s contemporaries.
There is an interesting grape-like sensation down the center of my tongue, a nice creamy texture, mild mouth watering salty sensations, linen mouth-feel, olive oil cooked potato chips, tingling tongue, sweet aftertaste, & here, on my 3rd steeping, a most wonderful sensation of chaqi, flowing in & around me.
Perhaps this is not my favorite black tea. It is not so glamorous as some of the others. But I’m picturing Master Han & his apprentices, climbing trees, picking tea, savoring each moment out in nature, & I suspect that a tea such as this is much more like the traditional teas people have drank forever. A nice peaceful hippy-like vibe now :)
