Golden Snail Yunnan Black Tea from Whispering Pines Tea Company

Golden Snail Yunnan Black Tea

Tea type
Black Tea
Ingredients
Chinese Black Tea
Flavors
Beer, Burlap, Cactus, Cantaloupe, Cocoa, Earthy, Eggplant, Ginger, Grain, Leather, Malt, Malty, Orange Zest, Pine, Roasted Barley, Rye, Savory, Sweet, Sweet Potatoes, Tannin, Tobacco, Vanilla, Wheat, White Grapes, Wood, Chocolate, Red Fruits, Honey, Sugar, Bread, Pastries, Raisins, Stonefruit, Toast, Apricot, Butter, Earth, Maple Syrup, Mineral, Molasses, Plum, Smoke, Chestnut, Creamy, Smooth, Caramel, Dark Chocolate, Oats, Salt, Floral, Nutty, Roasted, Cacao, Broth, Gardenias, Maple, Winter Honey, Peanut, Roasted Nuts, Pepper, Bitter, Dark Bittersweet, Dried Fruit, Brown Sugar, Oak, Wet Earth
Sold in
Loose Leaf
Caffeine
High
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by OMGsrsly
Average preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 2 min, 45 sec 5 g 13 oz / 391 ml

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128 Tasting Notes View all

From Whispering Pines Tea Company

ABOUT THE TEA
This Yunnan black tea was harvested in early spring (2014) and carries a robust and delicious flavor profile! The first thing you taste is a the thick honey flavor giving way to creamy cocoa with a touch of malt. A heavy molasses-like sweetness lingers on your tongue while juicy morel plays with a hint of gardenia in the aftertaste. This tea is delicious hot as well as iced and holds up very well to three or more infusions!

NOTES
Milk Chocolate, Molasses, Malt, Morel, Cream, Gardenias

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Our preferred style for this tea is gongfu.

Western Style:
Steep 1 teaspoon (1.8g) of leaves in 8 ounces of 205ºF water for 3 minutes.
2nd infusion: 5 minutes.
3rd infusion: 8 minutes.

Gongfu Style:
Use 1.5g of leaf per 30ml (1 fl. oz.) of 205ºF water
Infusion times: 20s, 15s, 30s, 45s, 1m15s, 2m, 3m

About Whispering Pines Tea Company View company

Whispering Pines Tea Company is dedicated to bringing you the most original, pure, beautiful tea blends. We use only the highest quality ingredients available to create additive-free teas teas inspired by the pristine wilderness of Northern Michigan. Our main focus is on customer satisfaction and quality.

128 Tasting Notes

93
Recommended
3986 tasting notes

Hooray, more Whispering Pines! This sample came from the giant Yunnapalooza pack sent to me by the lovely and generous Nicole. I was pretty excited to try this for a couple reasons: 1 – it’s super cute!, and 2 – I ordered an ounce of this in the 4th of July sale this past weekend. The leaves are so cute and beautiful, and just looking at them makes me think of “wee snaily yums” and that makes me think of those adorable snail fairy land pictures provided by mj! Squee! When I opened the paper packet, I immediately smelled Fruit Loops. Huh? The scent is very honeyed and there’s a definite stonefruit note, which I am starting to find common in Yunnans, especially very tippy ones. I brewed this according to the package directions.

Mmm the aroma! Lovely yeasty bread and mild sweet potato! Tart stonefruit with honey and molasses! Exclamation point! Needless to say, waiting for it to cool was agony… #firstworldproblems. The taste is surprisingly light for a black tea! But it is definitely full of flavor, just without a lot of heaviness. My first impression is of lovely light, crispy toast with honey slathered over the top. There in the middle is that sweet potato, very creamy and smooth in texture. And in the back there’s molasses, adding a lovely richness and depth to the overall taste. And is that a little hint of floral near the end? According to the website description, it’s gardenia, and since I have no concept of that I will have to take their word for it! I was missing the stonefruit from the aroma, but then I got a nice pop of apricot in the aftertaste, which was unexpected but wonderful!

This is my favorite Yunnan yet, and I am very glad that I ordered an ounce! Can’t wait to try the Imperial Gold Bud, too! :)

Flavors: Apricot, Bread, Floral, Honey, Malt, Molasses, Sweet Potatoes

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
6 comments
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Marzipan
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HAH at wee snaily yums!

Cameron B.
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This tea will forever be unofficially known as wee snaily yums. Thanks MzPriss! :P

yyz
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Yum!

Nicole
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Glad you liked it! :)

Cameron B.
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I didn’t like it, I loved it! :D

MzPriss
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It’s awesome tea – I adore it and yes, WSYs!!!! I like that Brenden changed the name to reflect its Golden Snailness

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94
Recommended
268 tasting notes

This tea is so pretttttyyyyy! Is this the one that MzPriss called “wee snaily yums”? If not, I think this could also merit that term :-). To me, the smell is very bready and it greatly increased my anticipation of the first sip. My nose did not lead my astray; the taste is also very bready, with a big dose of honey dolloped on top. So good! The finish is really clear and fresh tasting- a characteristic I’m noticing with Whispering Pines teas and that I really appreciate. It looks like this one will be a repurchase as well. Brenden, we are all just putty in your hands.

Flavors: Bread, Honey

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
14 comments
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gmathis
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Love bready teas! And snaily, too; it’s just such a friendly little shape.

MzPriss
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This is indeed the wee snaily yums – see why?

MzPriss
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I call adding a little bit of maple “Terri-style” :)

mj
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I do see why! This tea is absolutely adorable in a snaily kind of way. Like these snails here: http://www.lifebuzz.com/snails/#!89xnh So cute!!

MzPriss
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OMG! Who knew snails could be so cute?

TheTeaFairy
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Awwwww!!!! So adorable!!! Who could possibly want to eat them now?
And yes, MzPriss’s way of calling this tea is the cutest thing ever :-)

Terri HarpLady
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I feel special :)

MzPriss
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@Terri – only because you are

Terri HarpLady
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You get a big hug!
LOL, auto correct changed hug to hog, but I saw it & changed it back.
Then I thought about the big mandala puer sale discussion group from a few days ago… :)

MzPriss
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Laughs! Well yeah, there were hoggish tendencies on display during that time….

MzPriss
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And you get a big hug back. I tried a Terri breakfast this morning which was an epic fail – but I maintain it was Mark Bittman’s fault.

Terri HarpLady
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What did you fix?

MzPriss
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Cornmeal pancakes – see my note on Fujian Black from this morning :(

Terri HarpLady
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ughghghg…
I hate when things like that happen.

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88
Recommended
184 tasting notes

This tea made it hard to drink and think. Some teas are very easy to drink and review….the flavors are like sitting ducks, just out there waiting to be identified….like a little string of decoys on a lake at gloaming. Some teas….the most INTERESTING teas deny such easy identification to the tongue and make you work for it. This Bi Luo Chun is that kind of tea.
The first thing I noticed was the creamy smoothness of this tea. Well, that’s not a flavor per se, but it was my first impression. Then, as I tried to deconstruct this tea and identify what I was tasting, my brain kept interrupting with “mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm”….ok, there’s some sweet potato note but no skin on the sweet mmmmmmmmmmmmmm potato. I’m getting some light earth mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm notes and they’re really well layered with a mmmmmmmmmmmm grain note and some….some…mmmmmmmmmmolasses……..

This tea is beautifully balanced. The flavors layer with amazing intricacy, like a tapestry from days gone by. Try drinking it with your eyes closed. Bliss.

Flavors: Grain, Molasses, Sweet Potatoes, Wet Earth

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
12 comments
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Cameron B.
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This is one that I really want to try! I’m sure it will make my brain go “mmmmm” too. :P

mj
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LOL I love this note

Bonnie
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Good review, drew me in…could taste the tea.if you have Netflix watch Somm. You will crack up at how people training for Master Sommeliers sound like those of us who review tea.

SimpliciTEA
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Great review!

TheTeaFairy
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Haha! Mmmmm, is the definitely the best descriptor for this one :-)

MzPriss
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I love this tea so much. I call it “wee snaily yum” and I’m hoping thre is some in my mailbox tomorrow or so…

mj
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LMAO “wee snaily yum”? What does that even mean?

Cameron B.
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mj, clearly it’s small and snail-shaped and yummy! Duh! :P

MzPriss
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Exactly! The dry leaves looks like weensy golden snails and it tastes just so very fine. I LOVE this tea.

mj
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That is the cutest thing I’ve heard all day

MzPriss
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I’m a goof :)

Whispering Pines Tea Company
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I approve of this entire page. :)

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89
72 tasting notes

This is brilliant. Light notes of honey and sweet chocolate. I’ll definitely be ordering more when I’m out.
Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 15 sec 1 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
0 comments
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3294 tasting notes

OK, I admit it. I loveblack teas from Yunnan.
I also love pretty much every black bi luo I’ve ever had, & this one is no exception.
Deliciously honey malted, with an almost creamy mouth, it’s naturally sweet, pastry, yumminess.
Thanks to TeaFairy for my first sample from whispering pines.
17 comments
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MzPriss
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I like this one a lot too and I am sad it’s out of stock :(

MzPriss
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Yay! :)

MzPriss
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Brenden – Can you put me back some(more) GO to go with a July 1 order that will include the Bi Luo so I don’t have to do two? Pretty please?

Whispering Pines Tea Company
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You mean blend it now and set it aside for you? I’m sure I’ll have plenty of GO left on the 1st :)

MzPriss
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Oh OK – I just didn’t want you to run out before I did my order – because that would make sad.

Whispering Pines Tea Company
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Ahh, no worries :) I’m all loaded up on the stuff! :D

MzPriss
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That makes me happy. I want some to put back for later because I love the way it changes over time. Happy Solstice Brenden

Whispering Pines Tea Company
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Happy Solstice to you, too! And also Terri! Golden Orchid has hijacked your post. Oops :P

TheTeaFairy
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Black Yunnans rock, So glad you liked it Terri!

How bout Ailaoshan black, will you have plenty as well, or should I consider hoarding some more?

TheTeaFairy
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That makes me happy (might still hoard just a little on july first though, I’m insecure)

MzPriss
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Laughs! You remind me of me

TheTeaFairy
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Haha! And you of me :-) lol, now that we have TONS of tins, why not hoard right?

MzPriss
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We’re prepared anyway. Although I have things to go in pretty much most of the ones that are coming

Terri HarpLady
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I haven’t tried the Golden Orchid, but tomorrow I’ll probably sample the ailaoshan black :)

TheTeaFairy
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Hope you like it Terri!

I’m having the rest of Yi Mei Ren from YS that you sent me. When I reviewed it a few days ago, I wrote that it reminded me of Oriental Beauty, it’s even more the case tonight, so sweet and honey like, I’m loving it!!

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90
Recommended
278 tasting notes

Oh my. This is a good one! The dry tea leaves smell like malty cookies with a hint of jasmine. Malty Jasmine cookies! I want to bake some to go with this tea.

The brewed tea smells less floral and more sweetly malty. And the flavor… it’s very sweet on its own, without any additives. I love that. It tastes malty with a honey flavor.

This is a really impressive tea. I was confused to see a Bi Luo Chun as a black tea, since I thought that style was only green. Really, though, this tea is excellent. I don’t care what you call it!
Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
5 comments
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TheTeaFairy
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I reordered some right after I had my first cup of this. So good!

SarsyPie
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As soon as I started to drink this cup, I thought about placing another order. But it’s out of stock! :(

I already have so many teas that my BF says I need to go to Teahab, but I get a little sad that I’ll run out of this someday soon.

mj
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LOL…Teahab

mrmopar
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Teahab? You could always let him peek at my cupboard… just sayin..

SarsyPie
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I keep looking for new places to hide tea LOL. He’s getting wise to my tricks, though.

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100
790 tasting notes

Thick, honey, malty, smooth, cocoa-ey, molasses-y… good for 2.5 steeps of long length. I seriously regret not buying a larger amount.

This. Is. Freakin. Good. Tea.
Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
19 comments
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Sil
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mmmmm

ohfancythat
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This review singlehandedly made me add this tea to my wish list. Lol

Virginia
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What whatshesaid…said. Well that was awkward lol

Sil
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That’s what sometimes I call her whatsherface giggling

Sil
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Er…why not what

ohfancythat
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I’m ready to change my name but fear no one would know who I was, haha

boychik
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dont change, its fun
im not happy with mine, what the hell i was thinking…

Sil
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as long as you keep the picture the same for a while, name changes are doable. i think

boychik
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Sil you’ve changed pic several times. When notifications come its by name. And I like her name;).

Nicole
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I think it still keeps people following you. I know I’ve had “new” people show up in my dashboard and had no idea who they were until I figured out that they had changed their name. :) But I like everyone’s names. :)

Sil
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haha yes, i change pics instead of names :)

Terri HarpLady
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boychik, I love your name!

boychik
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Terri, that’s how my late grandpa called my son. I dunno why I picked it. I just miss him a lot

boychik
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Lets just keep it the way it is, I think I’ll start freaking out;)

TheTeaFairy
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I think boychik is adorable, and that explanation is so worth keeping it :-)

Angrboda
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You can always change the display name but keep the url name the same. Like how Sil’s or Nicole’s display names are different from their urls. :)

ohfancythat
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Never noticed that before!

Sil
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shhhhhh angrboda!
i agree…boychik cannot change names! :)

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95
155 tasting notes

I steeped two teaspoons of these cute little curlicues in about 15 ounces of boiling water for four minutes. And then…..Hello great big fat HONEYMOUTH! So sweet and thick tasting. There is a roasty grain bit. There is chocolate and there is malt. All pleasure-buttons for me. There is a little floral waft at the end it’s a sweet floral, like sweet peas. And honey, it is silkysmooth. Like Al Green. How is it possible I only ordered one ounce of this?

More on my blog: http://mizzprissy.wordpress.com/

Flavors: Chocolate, Honey, Malt, Roasted Barley

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 15 OZ / 443 ML
8 comments
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ohfancythat
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What’s your fave so far of the WP teas you’ve ordered?

TheTeaFairy
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We seem to have pretty much the same impressions on this tea :-)
I placed my second order earlier today and got another ounce of this among other things, oops. I’m way over budget this month, summer will have to be all about sipping and nothing about spending :-(

MzPriss
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@whatshesaid – I still have a couple I haven’t tried yet. But so far, I would have to say the Golden Orchid, this one and the Ailaoshan. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna have to suck it up and spend the $ on the Port too.

@TheTeaFairy – I’m so ridiculously far over budget. I was a miserable failure at the Hiatus thread. I need help.

TheTeaFairy
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I did it, I ordered the Port actually. Triple oops. I reordered 4oz of Ailaoshan, and could not resist the description of Huang Zhi Xiang Phoenix oolong. Golden orchid was sold out, sigh. I will have to be content with the one ounce I got for now.

MzPriss
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I’m probably gonna order the Port. Then I really need to quit. Except for some pu-erh.

TheTeaFairy
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Lol, We obviously both need help. Any advice whatshesaid, or are you as hopeless as we are?

mrmopar
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We are all hopeless… ;) !

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96
Recommended
359 tasting notes

Ok. It’s 2:30am.

Do I want more tea? Pfff, of course I do.

I want Bi Luo Chun Yunnan Black. I can have it if I want to. I still have a little bit left and I’m expecting more soon.

Cause ya know…I’m kind of addicted to a certain tea co. that makes delicious tea.

(That’s his fault, the Tea Whiz of the Woods).

So it all started the day I bought WP BLCYB. I like this type of tea, I have supplies from other brands.

So now, BLC from WP, why should I make YOU my BLC of choice, the one and only, the absolute best I’m now going to keep in stock and make me say farewell to the others?

I’m already addicted to several other little friends of yours. Ailaoshan Black, Golden Orchid, Port, and now Elderwood… You should know that technicaly , I don’t really need you…

…But, but… I WANT you!!! You taste so good, damn it!

I see myself writing the following, and I quote «This is like having candy».

Uh??? But, I don’t like candies all that much…so what does it mean?

It means that this tea is MUCH better than candy…that’s all.

There. That was my review.

If you really want to know how it tastes like, see previous notes ;-)
18 comments
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MzPriss
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3:40 am here. I was hoarding my last little bit of this. But I have more coming, so I"m having this as middle of the night tea as well in solidarity. It’s sooo good

Sil
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I haven’t yet placed an order with or tried many of Brendan’s teas….I really need to not order tea after the house things we need to replace… You are making it had to resist!

Terri HarpLady
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Are you sure you girls aren’t musicians?? Hahaha
Hard to believe, but I actually went to bed before midnight for once!

Terri HarpLady
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Sil, I was thinking of ordering samples, & sharing them with you :)
I gotta have something to put in your next box!

MzPriss
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Not musciains (well I’M not anyway) we just don’t sleep much. @Sil – WP is pretty excellent and once you get started – it’s a slippery slippery slope…

Sil
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Terri – I’m pretty sure you have about 300 teas that you could put in the box LOL We overspent by picking up the couch and chair this month so i’ve got to be good and try to save money until we get back. I was thinking of trying to not buy any tea in July…which in a way is the suck because it’s my birthday month lol

TheTeaFairy
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MzPriss, your 3:40 was already 4:40 here, I was getting my beauty rest, at last…otherwise, I would have been your tea-body of the night (or early morning?)

Sil…ORDER!!!!!! JUST DO IT, DO IT, DO IT!!! :-)

I’m a musician wannabe, I know it’s in my genes, but it’s been hiding for a loooong time…doest that count Terri?

I agree MzPriss….SLIPPERY!!! I keep falling :-)
MzPriss
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We’re falling together. It’s hard to mind it though when we get to drink such great tea

Whispering Pines Tea Company
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I swear, I don’t pay these two! :-P

TheTeaFairy
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MzPriss, you’re right, I was never this happy to spend my money :-) plus it’s making me decide on stuff in my stash I realize I just don’t want anymore…why have that if I can have this???

TheTeaFairy
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Haha! That last comment of mine does sound like an infomercial…sorry about that!

AND NO, WE DON’T GET PAID TO HAVE THIS AWESOME TEA EVERYDAY AND TRY TO TELL THE WORLD ABOUT IT !!!!

Sil
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haha Brendon – the few that i’ve had from you via swaps have been nice. Now i just have to wait for a sale or something so that i can take money from my “clothes fund” to place an order lol

ohfancythat
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Brenden – maybe you should start paying them commission, hehehe
They’ve sold me on several teas so far!!!

Terri HarpLady
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Sil, if you can’t order in July I’ll just send you an extra awesome birthday present box. You’ll be drooling over it, looking around suspiciously, & whispering, “My precious…”

Tommy Toadman
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You should pay them! lol
Awesome good tea, i want some now :)

MzPriss
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WHAT THETEAFAIRY SAID!

@Sil – I would send a birthday box to Canada…

MzPriss
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And also, like TTF – I find myself getting rid of tea that I don’t LOVE as much as the things I LOVE

Whispering Pines Tea Company
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A sale? Hmm…well, Sil, you might find it useful to know that I offer the 15% off coupon code “sip-inspiration” to all first-time customers :)

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