Black Snail tea.
So I do realize that black snail tea would for the most part be considered a “premium” type tea. Often it appears to be available in limited amounts with a high demand.
So here is my question:
What is a good price. Harney right now is selling a 2014 tea, 2oz for $30 or 1 lbs for $200.
Anyone with any experience in purchasing this type of tea? What would be considered a ‘normal’ price?
I’ve only bought it through Aliexpress and a local store. The prices I’ve seen are dependent on the grade of tea, and how tippy it is. The one from the local store is not tippy at all and is kind of a malty black. For that store it was a cheap tea. I think I got 50g for $6 or less. The tippy one I buy through Ali. has a list price of 27.99 for 125g but I normally buy it at the sale price of around 14.20. Here’s a general search from Aliexpress. http://www.aliexpress.com/premium/black-biluochun-tea.html?ltype=wholesale&d=y&origin=y&SearchText=black+biluochun+tea&initiative_id=AS_20141018151039&isViewCP=y&catId=0
Yunnan sourcing’s is 6.50/50g
Thank yyz. That makes sense there would be different grades – I wasn’t even thinking about that. :)
Looking more at Harney’s offering it looks like its a zheijiang tea made in the style of an aromatic snail type Keemun. The Keemun I bought in this style would have cost me 18$/100 .https://www.capitaltea.com/shop/product.php?productid=251&cat=6&page=1. I’ve also bout one on Ali which cost @ 9$/50g at regular price ( I got it for cheaper). They had a higher grade which I think was 12$.
I’ve had the first one yyz posted and it is absolutely wonderful.
Additionally, YS has a few inexpensive ones http://yunnansourcing.com/en/yunnan-black-teas/3092-pure-bud-bi-luo-chun-yunnan-black-tea-autumn-2014.html and http://yunnansourcing.com/en/yunnan-black-teas/2884-yunnan-black-gold-bi-luo-chun-spring-2014-black-tea.html
And I’ve had Tealux’s which isn’t very tippy http://www.tealux.com/yunnan_golded_bi_luo_chun
While I’ve yet to try it, I’ve heard wonderful things about Whispering Pine’s http://whisperingpinestea.com/puretea/black/golden-snail-yunnan-black-tea.html
yyz sent me a sample of this one. http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Direct-Yunnan-Dianhong-2014-Top-Gold-Biluo-two-bags-Free-shipping-Buy-more-get-more-Black/2012082219.html (at least I think it’s that one). http://steepster.com/teas/han-xiang-ecological-tea/47036-red-biluo-single-bud
It’s really good. I also like the version I have from Yunnan Sourcing, Whispering Pines is also really good but expensive. Mandala also sells it as Morning Sun.
I think you just have to find one that you like at a price point that makes you comfortable.
I don’t have a lot of different ones here, but would be more than happy to send you a sample of YS and WP….
i loved YS and Whispering Pines version a lot. I’d say that Mandala’s Morning Sun rather unique, a little different. It has some pretty strong spicy notes and if you are not fan of spice, i dunno. Personally i love Morning Sun. That spice cuts nicely thru sweetness.
Yunnan Sourcing is great in quality and price. Whispering Pines version is very smooth and sweet and delicious. I have all three and they are rather different.
Looking at Harney’s description and pictures it looks like a very different tea than most black/gold snail tea. Most of the ones I’ve seen and most of these suggested are from Yunnan and may be similar but won’t be quite the same.
$15 an ounce is a steep price though, so it may be worthwhile to try some of these others. Yunnan black teas tend to carry a lower price than comparable teas from other regions of China, though if you can find a Keemun snail tea it may be closer to the taste of the H&S black snail
I bought a black snail sample from Upton Tea awhile back. Looks like right now it’s not on the site. I’d check back there another time to see – from what I remember (and as with Upton) the price wasn’t that bad. I haven’t tried the sample yet, so I couldn’t tell you if it’s good.
what is black snail tea? what makes it different than other black teas?
also what does tippy mean?
thanks for helping a (relatively) newbie (teabie?) :)
Here is my basic understanding. Anyone else can chime in if I am not correct.
Black snail just refers to what the tea leaves look like. They are small black leaves that are really curly (like a snails shell), also the tip of the leaf is a different colour (giving it a bi-colour look).
Tippy is a tea definition literally referring to the tip of the tea leaf.
Hope that helps.
As Lala said the snail refers to how the leaves are shaped during processing. Teas labelled snail can be any thing from tight spirals to loose curls. There are several names of teas that you might be familiar with that have this reference such as bi luo chun and Xiang luo keemun. Luó has many meanings but in this context it is usually translated as snail, spiral, and conch. chin is spring. Xiang is usually translated as aromatic or fragrant.
When I think of tippy I think of teas with downy, golden or silver trichomes that are either at the tips of an opening leaf or cover the entire bud. I find that tippy leaved teas often have a thicker texture and a sweeter taste. As well teas that have been curled during processing often have a creamier sweeter taste to me as well.
You flatter me, I hadn’t heard of those but am excited to learn more. I have one from Whispering Pines called “Imperial Gold Bud Dian Hong” that reminds me of what you are saying – it is kind of golden and the leaves are curly – is that quite different? http://whisperingpinestea.com/puretea/black/imperial-gold-bud-dian-hong.html
That makes much more sense now – I could see myself liking teas that are ‘tippy’ because there is a sweetness. Thank you for the excellent explanations!
This is his snaily tea. http://whisperingpinestea.com/puretea/black/golden-snail-yunnan-black-tea.html
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