Another pleasant surprise from the Adagio Black Savant sampler. I really liked the Golden Spring, and Yunnan Gold is really nice as well. It has big, bold, golden leaves that smell slightly chocolatey in the sample tin. It’s a deep, rich, slightly sweet smell. Different from other Yunnans in that I’m not getting a strong malty note, but smells extremely inviting even so.
The aroma does have a tad of maltiness to it, but it’s a very dark, ale-like malt rather than a sweet, chocolate ball malt. Though there is some chocolateness even in the aroma of the steeped tea. It lends an expectation of chewiness to the tea.
The flavor is very much like the smell. Not sweet, really, but smooth and rich. And I get the pepper reference. It’s that pepper flavor without the spicy kick thing that I have tasted in other teas.
Between this and the Golden Spring, I may have to place an Adagio order when all is said and done. I guess I’d throw the Apricot, Blueberry and maybe the Passion Fruit in to this fictitious order, too, if/when I get out of lock down.
