Backlogging from yesterday. This tea when dry looks like monster white buds from outer-space, the buds are so large and impressive. Most definitely a tea to brew in a glass gaiwan or teapot. The dry leaves smell like plain white rice, a very soothing smell (for me). The tea brew is practically colorless, and once again smells like rice. It tastes like sweet white rice with a slight roasted tinge to it that is very pleasant. The tea is silky and light bodied with no astringency. Its tastes are so delicate that it won’t hold well to adding milk or sugar – but then again I don’t believe it needs them. Yummy!
Ya Bao - 2012 Early Spring Yunnan Wild White Tea
This batch is from an early harvest of Ya Bao from the early Spring, 2012 season. The buds are small compared to later harvests, and the flavor is unbelievably fresh and clean.
This Ya Bao is from Dehong in the far western portion of Yunnan province (Lincang, Baoshan, and Dehong all have areas which produce Ya Bao). In early Spring, young new growth buds from these trees are harvested and simply dried in the sun to produce this Ya Bao. The leaves and buds which grow on these trees later in the spring harvest season are used to produce various “Ye Sheng” Pu Erh teas in the factories of the region.
The steeped liquor of this Ya Bao is really light and clear with just a touch of yellow green. In my opinion, the flavor is a bit fruity with a hint of evergreen and/or fresh young vegetable (think squash blossoms) type freshness to it, but the taste is light, crisp, and super fresh. It bears some similarity in taste to a traditional white tea, but is far more complex (to me, at least). It is difficult to describe because it is so unique, but it is a welcome treat to celebrate springtime!
