I have had this tea lying around for a little while so it may not have been at it’s peak. Having said that, I loved it. The first infusion was quite subtle but it was the following infusions where this tea came into it’s own The second and third infusion displayed hints of spice and a pronounced fruitiness. The absolute standout was the body of this tea (although thickness seems more appropriate). By the fifth infusion it was a little spent. Most surprising is that it was a big hit with my eleven and thirteen year old boys too!
Yunnan Wild Arbor Oriental Beauty
Oriental Beauty is originally a tea from Taiwan, but the many Taiwanese growers and tea masters have settled in Yunnan creating their own re-interpretations of Taiwanese teas using both Yunnan local varietals and high-altitude growing conditions. This tea was made in the style of a Taiwanese “Oriental Beauty” (aka 东方美人), but using large-leaf varietal wild arbor tea leaves from Wu Liang mountain. It is largely dark and coarse leaves with just enough silver tips to bring fruitiness to the darker sweet and thick taste. Being a Yunnan varietal this tea can be infused many many times. It will also keep for 2 or 3 years like Yunnan Black tea (云南红茶), developing subtle nuances with time.
