Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Imperial Tea Garden
Company Description:
Forget the ceremonious monkey business, and prepare yourself for the luxurious offerings of this rare golden black tea from the Hunan Province of China. Grown at an altitude of 4000 to 6000 feet above sea level in what the Chinese refer to as the “tea country in the South,” Monkey Picked Golden Hunan is one of the finest examples of hand crafted golden tips in the world. A distinctive mellow flavor that has the power captivate your attention.
Taster’s Review:
The aroma of the dry leaf is interesting. It smells like the forest! It has a deep, woodsy/musky/earthy scent to it with hints of a “leafy” quality- it smells like the air of a forest just after a rain. There are also vague notes of smokiness to it. It’s a very intriguing bouquet.
Once brewed, the tea smells more smoky and less woodsy, but there is still a deep earthy note to it. This aroma translates into the flavor: smoky – but not too much – and earthy with a deep oaken kind of taste to it. There are also hints of spice. Yes, there is a very pleasant complexity to this tea.
I am not getting any bitterness from this tea, but there is a light astringency to it. It has a very smooth character, it’s quite lovely.
I recommend consuming this tea hot, as it does lose some of it’s complex nature with the chill. It is still good cold, but not as good. It has a light sweetness to it, but I found that it was more palatable with just a tiny drizzle of honey. I don’t recommend milk with this one though – it seemed to overwhelm it.
A very pleasant tea – it is bold and brisk enough to enjoy first thing in the morning, and it has a very invigorating character about it – it would be great for a mid-afternoon tea – it would perk you right up! Cheers!
