Unimpressed. Not a terribly distinctive darjeeling; somewhat flat. OK, but certainly not what I was hoping for.
64 Tasting Notes
Kind of old, but well-stored and still relatively fresh. The unique flowery nature brought on by the storage with lotus blossoms is significantly different than jasmine-scented teas. It tastes like Vietnam, if that makes any sense…
No notes yet.
No notes yet.
Very fine tea that will make it through just about any mesh strainer. Not a whole leaf to be found.
Not terribly subtle in flavor, but then again, when I drink this, I’m looking for the strength.
Delicious Taiwanese oolong with a very full mouthfeel. Similar to another “milk oolong” I had a while back.
Interestingly, my 2 1/2-year-old daughter absolutely loved this tea.
I have no business continuing to drink this tea. I’ve had it for 8+ years. Seriously. I’m not kidding about that.
But the tin it’s in is sealed really tightly and believe it or not, the flavor and scent are still in tact. Not bad for a cheap-o black tea I bought a pound of for a mere $5.
I have fond memories of this tea, originally drinking it in college, when I was just starting my tea exploration. Sometimes it just does the trick.
(Here’s a pointer to my story of rediscovering this tea on my shelf: http://www.laze.net/fait/archive/2006/02/16/lichee_tea.php )
New style white tea with bergamot and basil — and it works!
Only the second yellow tea I’ve tried (hey, Steepster, where’s the option for yellow teas?).
Teas like this are the type that make me wish I had a better tea vocabulary. After all, how many times can you describe a green or white (or, indeed, yellow) as “subdued” or “mellow.” Jun Shan Yin Zhen is fuller than a classic style white tea like a Bao Hao Yin Zhen (interestingly, this tea is also referred to as “Silver Needle”) and there’s an ever-so-slight smokiness that really adds some amazing depth.
I should also note that the uniformity in the size of the leaves is fascinating. It’s clear that there’s a lot of work that goes into the production of this rare tea.
I believe this was mislabeled on my bag as “Golden Mountain Needle,” which is a green tea. I think it was actually the King of Golden Needles that Porto Rico sells.
A very nice, light liquor not at all a far cry from a good Silver Needle.
As I venture into more and more Japanese greens, I’m really starting to enjoy the vegetal taste of senchas like this one. I bought this at the Ito En store in New York (aka Tea Nerd Heaven) because it was a relatively low-cost sencha at $3/oz. It’s light and very refreshing and brews to a gorgeous green color.
I honestly didn’t like this one when I first tried it. It is indeed bold and, as a result, I find where it really shines is during its second infusion. Tastes even better when it’s cooled down a bit.
OK, but not a favorite. I’m not a huge fan of blends and this tin is a bit past expiration, so that could also be a contributing factor.
In Pursuit of Tea wasn’t lying when they said “be sure to use enough” (they suggest two tablespoons per 6 oz.). This is a very, very light tea whose correct brewing can bring out some nice subtleties.
Had this one yesterday. The jury’s still out…
Nice and mellow. A lighter hint of melon than previous times I’ve tried this blend.
