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Up to now, this is my benchmark Yunnan. I compare all other Yunnans to this, and they all fall short, at least an iota. I’m sure that will change as I learn from this community! This is an amazing tea. Can be steeped a long time without getting bitter. Smooth malty, molasses flavor. Holds up to 3 infusions. The second is similar in flavoring to the first; the third is lighter and fruitier. When Peet’s offered it, it was an amazing value. I’m sure I’ll be paying 4x that much to get anything comparable. This has been my favorite tea for years. I travel a lot for work, and when I get home, coming back to my morning cup of this tea has been a warm homecoming. I prepare it as I do all teas, in a Japanese side handle pot that holds about 10 oz. of water. I use a Japanese electric hot water pot that boils the water and then holds it at 208 °F. I put 3 loose teaspoons (perhaps 4 actual if I measured them) in the pot, add water, steep several (~5) minutes (increasing for the later infusions).

Given that the item is supposedly not available, maybe the order I just received is old and wasn’t stored properly. Maybe that’s why the tea is bitter, without any of the thick malty smoothness I expect in a Yunnan. It’s like the LIpton bagged tea I grew up with. I tried a second infusion, and it was less bitter, but hardly more flavorful.