Ying Ming Yunnan Tea

Ok there’s a bit of tea in the package but this is a sipdown anyway, the rest of it can go to the garden and make my plants happy.

And hey this is my 1100th note! I haven’t been drinking a lot of tea lately because I just feel like MEH. But the rest of this week nothing is going on so I’ll probably just sit and drink tea. Except during hockey. Tea has turned to booze during those hours. It’s the only way to survive.

So this is from TeaEqualsBliss a bit back, it looks to be an older tea so I don’t mind only getting one cup out of it. Unlike other stuff in the box this has been in, it is a pretty sturdy bag.

It’s nothing special. It’s pretty sweet, bit of honey flavor to it, but there’s not much else there. It doesn’t have the qualities I really love about Yunnan teas but I think this might be a product of age. Still, not bad, but it’s just slightly flat.

This is a really pleasant Yunnan. A good one for those who might find other Yunnan teas to be a tad too smoky or peppery, this one is more of a mellow, easy-going kind of Yunnan. It does have smoky and peppery notes, but, they aren’t as pronounced with this cup.

I like this. It is a more seamless kind of Yunnan, with the qualities I’ve come to expect from Yunnan but delivered in a smoother way. Nice.

Experience buying from Culinary Teas http://steepster.com/places/2981-culinary-teas-online-milford-indiana

I bought a one OZ sample of this in late November, 2011, having brewed it twice.

Appearance and Aroma of dry leaf: All standard, all good.

Brewing guidelines: four TSP, four cups H2O; four-cup ceramic teapot, with ceramic basket; stevia added; my standard Chinese red tea steeping times and temperatures; three steepings; two separate sessions.

Flavor of tea liquor (based on today’s session):
1st: ….Good
2nd: ….Good
3rd: …. < Later >

Value: I judge that most Culinary are generally very reasonably priced; this is currently $7.80 / 4 OZ, which puts it at a little under $2 / OZ (less with any discounts and/or if you buy it in larger quantities). Not a bad price, but I think Teavivre’s least expensive Yunnan edges this one out.

Overall: I bought a bunch of samples of teas at the end of last year; although I bought most for my wife, I got this one for me (although, now it turns out she likes Yunnans, woo, hoo!). I’m going to keep this short. This is a good Yunnan, and, yeah, although I’d prefer to buy from Teavivre, I’d buy this one if I am in need of an inexpensive Yunnan and we order from Culinary Teas.

A tasty black – more on the softer and smoother side as far as black go but still good! There are undernotes of earthy goodness trying to hide. A little surprise.

Wow my husband must have really loved this tea! I like Yunnans. I don’t know if I’ve reviewed this tea, but this was a nice warm and toasty tea. I haven’t had it in a very long time since I’m preggo and am trying to avoid caffeine as much as possible. I was looking fondly through my tea when I noticed this empty tin!

Sort of a run of the mill black, I’ve never been super impressed by Yunnan blacks. Pu-erhs, now that’s another story.