Golden Snail

Oh Golden Snail!
You make me wail!
For you are gone!
I waited too long!!!!
because you are sold out!
I pout and I pout!
Oh Misters Harney!
Don’t give me no blarney!
I’m in a state of shock!!!!
When will the Snail be in stock?!!?!!?!?!?!

I got an A in my class and am feeling happy and silly so I wrote a poem to my tea!

Golden Snail,
You leave a trail,
of chocolate delight.
It’s the very height,
of deliciousness.
I could give you a kiss!
But you are a tea,
And would spill on me.

Mmmmmmmmm! This is the kind of tea I adore at work. Roasty cocoa. Assertive but not too. Invigorating & makes me want to take care of business – with a smile! I am drinking my third steep, and it’s still super flavorful. Little Golden Snail, I love you! I hope you are still around when I come out of my self imposed tea buying ban and do my Fall ordering!!!

I had a friend over today who is a former coffee drinker turned tea lover, and specifically good black tea, like Queen Catherine, Vanilla Black, Emperor’s Red…you get the idea. I was really eager for her to try this one. Indeed, it was a hit! It is easy to forget just how assertive this tea is, with its rich cocoa notes and smooth body. It has been sold out for a while – here’s hoping they find a new batch just as tasty for us to buy! Speaking of which, have you seen the new tea listing,on Harney’s website? Wild Wuyi Black! I can hardly wait! Fujian teas, especially Wuyi mountains ones, are my favorites!

After being on the road all day taking eldest daughter to the airport in Raleigh, NC and then shopping, shopping, shopping (not buying, looking and getting ideas at antique shops for an upcoming project and getting new running shoes for hubby) and drinking Coke, I was fantasizing about tea by the time we were on the way home eleven hours after we left home. (On a related note, did you know that if you buy the glass bottle Cokes at Sam’s that are 12 ounce instead of eight and they say Hecho en Mexico, they have sugar instead of HFCS? I know, I know, just sayin’)

I wanted real tea, tea that would grab me and make me know I was alive! Tea that could hold up to cheese toast with mustard without wilting, yet not require additions. This is what I decided on while hubby was driving, having no idea of the raging tea lust going on right beside him.

I opened the tin and gasped. SERIOUSLY? Am I really drinking that much Golden Snail? (Answer: yes.). But the rich chocolate aroma hit and I swooned. It was just like holding a dark chocolate candy bar in my hand. Oh joy! Lots of nummy noises later, youngest and I are on our second pot, cheese toast devoured, doing same to a bowl of Kerrygold Dubliner cheese cubes.

It is so good to be home.

Today was a day for roasty toasty teas! This was the first, enjoyed with youngest daughter who really e joys this one and chose today’s tea. Golden Snail reminds me of Emperor’s Red from Premium Steep, but is perhaps a little more roasty! Delicious plain, though youngest took it with mik and sugar. I hope they restock this one. It has been a favorite of a lot of people.

Golden Snail was, as I predicted it would be, the winner today at tea party! In fact, that is what my guest said as soon as she took a sip before trying anything else – this one is a winner. So true. I am loving this tea! You know, I think I like it even better than Keemun Mao Feng!

This was a delicious treat on this beautiful day! The flavor is so roasty, toasty, malty, bread-y, dark, and rich. But it is sweet! Nary an addition necessary to make it an amazing cup. Paired it with Lindt’s Dark Chocolate with a Touch of Sea Salt bar. Not the whole bar, of course! Just some squares…. :)

A friend and I shared a pot of this today. It was her first time tasting it, and she really liked it. She said that as a former coffee drinker, she likes the depth of flavor this kind of tea has. Although it was advertised as a replacement for Mao Feng when it sells out each year, it has more of the character of Hao Ya A to me, but at less cost. This is a staple for us now! So smooth, so flavorful, no milk or sugar needed!

This was my guest’s favorite tea today! She really loved the roasty, toasty flavor of Golden Snail. Her eyes grew wide when she sipped it. I have been trying to think of a little gift for her, so now I know exactly what to get! An extra tin of this little beauty will be going on my next Harney order.

Tea of the morning…..

I was lucky enough to have had two tins of this while it was available from Harney & Sons. I am definitely into the second tin…the one that I purchased on a surprise trip to the SoHo Store last year. Since it has history, it makes me happy as a tea, and brings back happy memories. Bliss.

Dark and malty, rich and cocoa- noted. I so hope that Harney finds some close to this to offer in the future. It is very much a treat, and I will savor the rest of it. Totally notable…these leaves brew up so huge, my infuser basket is almost overflowing. That is pretty remarkable for a black tea. Most only fill it about halfway when I make a whole 24 oz. pot of tea.

Usual teapot method.

Tea of the morning…..

I have at least two tins of Harney teas that need to be on my ‘Drink now’ list. (I sound like my wine friend who was building a cellar!) This and my Keemun Mao Feng have been in my stash since at least May 2011. That means they are coming up on 2 years soon, and that is about my limit for keeping black teas. I am guessing they would still be good for a while, but I did not purchase these for them to sit in my cupboard and lose their flavor. Actually, I am kind of excited about all the great tea I am going to get to drink in the next few months as I try to finish these tins. I have about half of this left, and a whole tin of KMF.

I brewed this up today in my normal fashion. I had forgotten how much the leaves expand. The taste really reminds me of the black dragon pearls from TeaVivre. I do hope one day that Harney will stock this again. Until then, I plan to enjoy every drop. (And I am rebrewing the pot as I type this!)

My tea of the afternoon…..

Today my kids went back to school. I needed this to focus on my “Mom Homework” of all the forms to sign, and this really did the trick. Luckily, they both survived the day. I think I am still in shock that my baby is in Junior High…..

I did notice my tin is remarkably low…..I am so thankful I have another since it is out of stock at the moment. For once my innate urge to have a back up of the things I love really paid off, rather than me just having too much of something.

My tea of the morning….. Can I just say how happy I am that there is more than one tea in my life? Yes, I still go weak in the knees for a good China black tea, and this one definitely delivers. It is staple-worthy, and almost worth committing to as a one and only. Almost.

For my usual price comparison: This one comes out to be $2.50 an ounce which is mid range in my scale of cost, plus it is packaged very nicely. I have heard that it now comes in a golden tin, but mine was the standard black with a gold lable. It was also packaged with an inner pouch to keep the tea at peak freshness until you open it (or at least mine was). It resteaps great, and is so complex. The coiled leaves open up into a rather large volume…I am always amazed at the volume difference from measuring out of the tin to post steap. It is a must try if you are fond of China black tea.

My morning tea….

This one is so complex. It is kind of smokey and coffee like, with a very full mouth feel. It does have notes of dark chocolate, but still a sweet finish. Definiely a favorite.

Second steap is as good as the first.

Craving a dark, rich tea so here I am drinking some Golden Snail. This tea is rich, slightly malty and has a good kick of cocoa goodness. I’m really loving this today – I wonder why I haven’t drank this tea in so many months?

Oh yea, I’m having this tea again tonight! It went delightfully with my snack of smoked gouda and a few slices of deli turkey. This is a tea, much like Emperor’s Red, that is growing on me. I tried a few other teas today, but this tea is the one I decided to have a second pot of. Really, this tea is very honeyed, but not overly sweet. I like the cocoa finish that isn’t bitter or astringent. The more I drink it, the more I like it.

Oh, this is just what I needed this evening! I haven’t had this tea in a very long time, but I think that this is a case of absence making my heart grow fonder! Such a perfectly smooth, roasty, toasty, tangy cocoa tea with a bit of heft. It is almost like a meal in a mug it is so rich and thick. Delicious!

I’m finishing up the last of this tea tonight. I have enjoyed having this tea in my cupboard, but I don’t think I would repurchase – there are too many other teas to try! This tea is a bit more astringent than I remember – probably due to being a bit tea dusty at the bottom of the tin. It is still pretty good though and doesn’t need any additions to be a comforting cup of tea.

Perfectly roasty, tangy, and full of dark chocolate notes. I think I actually prefer the second infusion better than the first. Definitely a tea to try at least once!!

This is perfectly rich cocoa tasting this morning. Definitely making it easier to wait on my Harney order that I just placed of Elyse’s Blend and Valentine’s Blend.