Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: In Nature
Product Description:
The words Bi Lo Chun translate literally to mean ‘spring snail shell’. The leaves are picked in the spring. Then, when you see this tea, you will notice that the leaves are rolled into small balls which resemble snail shells.
When brewed, this green tea produces a yellow-green colour, the fragrance is described as floral and it has a clean and smooth flavour with a sweet after taste.
Taster’s Review:
There is no doubt that this is a “Spring” tea – springtime is in the aroma and in the taste. The fragrance is lightly floral and grassy, evoking images of springtime when you can smell the scent of flowers in bloom and the fresh, green grass wafting through the air.
The flavor is also lightly floral. It has a “green” taste to it that falls somewhere between grassy and vegetable-like. It is very pleasantly sweet with a savory taste that hits just after mid-sip, just enough bitter taste to cut through the sweet and give the cup balance. There is some drying astringency at the tail, and the aftertaste is sweet.
Overall, I find this to be a very agreeable Bi Luo Chun (or Snail Shell tea as it is sometimes called) with an uplifting, crisp taste. I like it particularly in the afternoon or early evening when I am in need of invigorating; it seems to gently energize the body while it replenishes the soul and soothes the spirit.
This is the perfect way to de-stress!
Frosty Spring Yunnan Roast Green from Life In Teacup
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Life In Teacup
Company Description:
Production Year: 2010
Production Season: Pre-Spring, January 1, 2010
Production Region: Yunan Province, Xi Shuang Ban Na
Style: Hong Qing (roasted)
Taster’s Review:
This is an amazing cup of tea!
Prior to and during infusion, the tea smells very strongly of vegetables. The brewed liquor is a softer smell, but still smells like vegetables mingling with a light, roasted nut aroma. It’s very intriguing.
The flavor is intense! It has a lovely roasted flavor that resembles buttery chestnuts and roasted vegetables. In the finish, there is a tart/tangy note that seems to waft over the palate. There is more astringency than I am typically accustomed to with a green tea, but, it isn’t hindering me from enjoying the tea.
There is also a beautiful sweetness to this cup… a light, flowery sweetness. It’s really quite enchanting!
I brewed this tea in my gaiwan and I would suggest brewing it no other way! I obtained a vibrant, delicious and fragrant cup of tea with a short brew time of 1 minute. The leaves expand quite a bit so I don’t recommend brewing this using an infuser – there just won’t be enough room for the leaves to completely unfurl, and you’ll risk losing some delightfully impressive flavor.
The leaves submit several infusions. After brewing in my gaiwan, I combine 2 infusions in my teacup, and I managed 3 very flavorful cups (that’s a total of 6 infusions) of this lovely tea! At just $4.50 per ounce, that makes this tea an INCREDIBLE value! I love it when tea is not only tasty but affordable!