Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
This is the finest, most nuanced and intriguing Dian Hong we have ever encountered. Wang Yanxin, our sourcing agent who has devoted her life to Yunnan, has been searching for a Dian Hong like this for years. Every time she sends us pu’er, she includes 30-40 Dian Hong teas, and Jin Jun Mei teas. This time, she only sent us one, and wrote on the bag “this is the one. Best Dian Hong. Taste slowly.” She was so very right.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I can see why they chose to call this tea “Golden Fleece.” The leaves are indeed golden, every single one of them, and they are covered in fluffy, fuzzy down. They feel a bit like a high-quality silver needle tea; they are soft and fluffy like that. The dry leaf is very aromatic with a rich, sweet, earthy scent, with notes of cocoa in the distance. It is a bit rustic, with its earthy fragrance, and there are even notes of leather in there.
I don’t usually follow the tea company’s brewing parameters when I brew tea, usually, with a black tea, I use my Breville One-Touch and steep it the way I’d normally steep a black tea – setting the temperature at boiling, adding three teaspoons of leaf to the steeping basket, add 500 ml of freshly filtered, cool water to the pot, and set the steep time to 2 1/2 minutes.
There are a few exceptions, but usually, that is how I brew a black tea. It works for me. However, with this Golden Fleece from Verdant Tea, I actually decided to follow the purveyor’s suggested parameters, but with a slight twist. I still used my Breville, and I added 4 teaspoons of tea to the basket (figuring that 500 ml makes two 8-ounce cups), and set the temperature to boiling, and the time to 1 minute. I added 30 seconds to each subsequent infusion, and I managed four amazing infusions from one measurement of leaves!
Even after 1 minute, the first infusion brews to a dark, coppery color. And as I said before, the flavor is amazing, and I’m astonished that this much flavor was achieved after infusing for just 1 minute! The first cup was sweet with notes of caramel and chocolate and vanilla. Smooth as if I were sipping on liquid velvet. It is rich, not so much what I’d call bold but instead, more of a freshly baked bread meets chocolate kind of rich.
The second infusion is a little lighter on the velvet-y kind of smoothness, which while it was quite delightful, seemed to keep some of the other flavors of this tea hidden. Now some newly discovered flavors are able to emerge. This cup has a little more earthiness to it, with notes of wood and leather. It is still rich with bread-y notes and notes of cocoa and caramel. The caramel seems to be offering a raw cane sugar kind of note, complete with hints of molasses.
I am noticing more of a gentle, warm spice note here: hints of cinnamon, a slight peppery note in the background, and even freshly ground clove. It isn’t spicy. These flavors do not dominate, instead, think of it as a light seasoning … as if the tea were lightly sprinkled with these spices.
The third infusion brings the earthy notes of this tea into focus. I taste the mushroom-like notes that are suggested in the tasting notes on Verdant Tea’s website. This infusion is warm, bright, and robust. While much of the fluff of the first cup is gone now, I now have a more focused, crisper tea before me. Still sweet with notes of raw sugar, this is more sugar and less caramel. The cocoa notes are more distant here, and are becoming a bit more like a raw chocolate kind of flavor.
The fourth and final infusion resembles more of what I expect from a “typical” black tea. By that, I mean, we have now pulled back soft fluff of the earlier infusions to expose the heart of the tea. It is earthy and mellow, and while I don’t drink a whole lot of anything except for tea so I’m not speaking from experience here, this is what I would think that a well-aged spirit might be like. What kind of spirit, I don’t know. You know those movies where someone says something like “I have a ten-year scotch that I saved for this very momentous occasion” – that’s what I’m thinking this must be like. Getting here, to this point with this tea, is something extraordinary.
I realize this may be one of my longest reviews, but, this tea has so many facets to it that it would be difficult to edit it down to a shorter, more concise review. If I were to shorten my review, here is what I might say:
The first infusion of this tea is like a warm, fluffy blanket. Experience the soft, silky fleece of the blanket, and wrap yourself in its comfort. The second infusion explores that warmth a little further, something beyond the blanket of velvet-y softness, allowing you to experience the gentle nuances of the comfort itself with the gentle spice tones. With the third infusion, you are now comfortable and warm, so let us explore the earth and see what we uncover as we pull back the warm, fleecy blanket. The fourth infusion, this last infusion, is much more like what I’ve come to expect from a black tea: earthy and rich; not so fluffy anymore. There is so many flavors to uncover here: starting with a fluffy, luxurious taste, and ending with a earthy, rustic flavor, this tea delivers on so many levels.
This isn’t the kind of tea that you’d reach for in the morning when you’re looking for that invigorating boost. Really, I don’t think you’d want this tea for that anyway. Instead, this is the kind of tea that you want to spend the day savoring. You want to save this for one of those days when you have the time to sit back and really enjoy your cup of tea. This tea is really too good and too special for anything less than that, and certainly doesn’t deserve to be gulped down before running out the door.
I don’t know how much of this tea Verdant Tea has left, but what I do know is that they have mentioned that their quantities are extremely limited with this tea. So, if you’ve not yet added this Dian Hong tea to your tea cupboard, I strongly recommend that you do so now, before the supply runs out. This is NOT a tea you want to miss!
Golden Monkey Superior Organic from Teas Etc.
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teas Etc.
Tea Description:
The unique character and lingering finish is intoxicating. An exquisite USDA Certified Organic golden, black tea from southern China’s Fujian province, the beautiful, gold twisted leaves are almost as lovely to look at as to taste. Don’t mistake this for lower grade teas of this type. This is a premium grade golden monkey that is not to be missed!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
After last month’s less than exciting box of teas from Steepster Select, I was actually contemplating canceling my subscription. I am glad I didn’t! This month’s box, appropriately themed “Best Buds,” more than makes up for the disappointing selections of last month’s box.
This box not only included this astounding Golden Monkey – quite possibly the best I’ve tasted of this type of tea – but also a yellow tea selection (my favorite type of tea!) and a silver needle! Wow! Bravo, Steepster!
Unlike what I’d call a “tippy” golden tea – which tends to be mostly dark leaves with tips of gold – every single leaf of this tea is beautifully golden in color, with striations tan and brown. Gorgeous!
But even more beautiful than the color of the dry leaf is the flavor of the brewed tea. This is amazingly good. The flavor is rich and exceptionally smooth. There are notes of malt which meld deliciously with the sweet honey caramel-y undertone. Slightly earthy, with a juicy peach note that emerges as I continue to sip. This is so pleasantly sweet, without a note of bitterness to be found, and only a slight astringency which cleanses the palate slightly, allowing it to enjoy an aftertaste that is quite honey-esque.
Easily one of the best black teas I’ve yet to taste. I highly recommend it to anyone … even those who aren’t fond of tea. I think this one could change their mind.
Yun Nan Dian Hong Black Tea – Golden Tip from Teavivre
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
Dian Hong black tea, also known as Yunnan black tea, is one of China’s most famous black teas. This is the highest grade Dian Hong generally available in China – called Golden Tip Dian Hong. It has lots of orange pekoe in the dried tea, and brews into an absolutely great tasting, golden coloured tea, with very rich taste and aroma.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I know that for some of you who might read me regularly, it may be kind of boring to read just how excited I get over tea … cup after cup after cup! But, really, I love tea so much, and when I find a good cup (and I do find them quite often!) I want to share that joy! And yes, I really do get this excited over tea!
And it’s easy to get excited over tea when it tastes as good as this tea does.
The dry leaf is absolutely beautiful. The colors of the leaves ranges from bright, golden yellow to a rich brown, and the leaves are curled and twisted. But even more magnificent than their color is the flavor of the tea that they produce!
It is sweet with caramel-y undertones, and there is a hint of smoke to this tea as well. The smoke melds with the caramel in such a way to give it a distinct flavor that is both savory and sweet. I love the contrast! The mouthfeel is very smooth and even has a certain thickness to it (almost velvety!) that enhances the caramel experience even further.
If I were to categorize this tea into a season of the year, the season for this tea would be Autumn. The flavors remind me of autumn, not just the warm, smoky caramel, but, I also notice a warm spice to this tea. Almost like a mild nutmeg with a dash of pepper, just enough to tantalize the taste buds.
And then there is the sweet-potato/yam-like flavor, another flavor of fall! All of these flavors accent each other quite nicely – a delicious autumnal medley of tastes in one teacup. Truly a memorable cup of tea!
Emperor’s Gold from The Tao of Tea
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Tao of Tea
Tea Description:
Only certain tea plant varietals can produce the golden colored tipped leaves. The golden color emerges during processing and after accurate withering (moisture drying) of the leaves. Few areas in Yunnan contain these type of plants. Other areas known to have golden tipped varietals Hunan and Fujian in China and Assam in India.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Ahhh-maa-zing!
This tea is absolutely incredible. Sure, I probably say that about a lot of teas; trust me when I say I mean it about every tea about which I say it. And trust me when I say that this one might even need to be considered even better than absolutely incredible! Because this is one of the best teas I’ve encountered in a long time … and I’ve encountered a lot of delicious tea!
When I opened the tin, I could smell the notes of cocoa and caramel. YUM! The brewed tea has those same cocoa and caramel-y notes. As does the flavor!
This tea has well-defined chocolate-y notes, with a delectable caramel sweetness. It is remarkably smooth, there is no bitterness and no astringency. There are some deep earthy tones that meld with the chocolate-y notes very well, giving it a rich, luxurious flavor.
I can see why they chose to call this tea “Emperor’s Gold” … because I feel like royalty to have this opportunity to be drinking it. This is one that you want to have in your tea cupboard for those times when you want a little something special … this one is VERY special!
Golden Wheat Head from Red Leaf Tea
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Golden Wheat Head Handcrafted Tea is woven into the shape of stalks or grains of wheat, a truly universal symbol of prosperity. This might seem odd for a nation famous for subsisting on rice, but the Chinese have longed enjoyed the making and consumption of bread, just like every other culture on the planet. The “grains” are little braided strands of green tea leaves! You’ll be delighted by the look and feel of these tiny threads as they fill your cup with a beautiful golden brew of green tea. Our Handcrafted Teas have a deep and delicate flavor, remarkably sweeter than most green teas, and the feel of the “wheat” flowing through your fingers is unforgettable!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
These little hand-shaped tea leaves are really cool! They look like little braided leaves that have been shaped into grains of wheat. The leaves look more like white tea than green tea to me, as they are very pale in color, almost silvery. But the taste is almost like a combination of the two … then again, it’s quite unlike any tea that I’ve encountered.
The tea brews to a very light golden color. The flavor offers notes of hay and a sweet, wheat-like flavor. There is very little grassy taste to this. Well, I guess, technically, wheat is a grass (isn’t it?) so I guess I should say there is very little green-grassy taste to this. There is even a trace note of malt to this!
What this green tea doesn’t have is a strong vegetable-like taste or a kelp-y, seaweed-ish taste. So, if you often find these notes to be ones you don’t favor in green tea, this is definitely a green tea you should try. And, if you do happen to like those strong vegetable notes (I’ve come to acquire a taste for them!) … it’s nice to taste a green tea like this with something different to offer the palate.
I steeped this in my gaiwan and managed four very flavorful infusions. Up until the third infusion, the braids remained intertwined; after the third infusion, I noticed the leaves finally beginning to open up. I noticed also that the flavor changes slightly from my first cup (infusions 1 & 2) and my second (infusions 3 & 4). With the first cup, it was exactly as I described above. The second cup was a little more “green” tasting, but not a grassy taste, but more of a slight steamed vegetable taste that melded beautifully with the wheat tones.
A very unique tea, indeed – and a very enjoyable one at that.