1000 Year Old Yunnan Black

Thank you to Dexter for sharing this unusual tea with me.

I can’t remember if this was a sample gift or a purchase… it’s been a while. :D But it is unusual, I mean, 1000 year old trees? And as a black tea? Ok. I’ll try.

It smells a little smoky. A little like an Assam. A little like chocolate-dirt. The tea is really a very pretty amber colour.

Oh, this is quite sweet. I rinsed, and my first steep is about 10-15 seconds. It has a hint of carbs to it, but nothing like the honey black I just tried. It’s also almost floral-grapey like a Darjeeling, although it doesn’t have the perfumey notes of a very fresh/green leafed Darjeeling. And there’s some smoke in the background, but it’s more like tobacco leaves that have been warmed, than true smoke.

It’s also quite thin. Maybe that’s because of the shorter steep, but it’s somewhat unexpected.

I’ll have to drink more of this tea tomorrow, it’s not really what I was looking for tonight. But it’s really interesting.

Thanks so much for sharing, Dexter!

TBH, I think it’s this tea: http://store.thechineseteashop.com/Yunnan_Gu_Shu_Old_Tree_Black_Tea_p/rt-gs-001.htm
Just “Old Tree”, not specifically 1000 year old tree.

I really don’t know much about this other than the owner gave it to us and said it was special.
Not sure about special, but it is unusual. Sweet, earthy, peachy (apricot?), brassy. A little puerh ish, a little Indian blach, and some stone fruit. Would never have thought China Black if blind tasting this. Unusual, not bad, not my style…..