Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea Licious LLC
Tea Description:
Malty and sweet tasting black tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a pleasant, somewhat mild Yunnan. But don’t let the word “mild” turn you away, this tea still delivers a full-flavored, deliciously malty cup, just in a somewhat mellower way than you might expect from a typical Yunnan.
It has an earthy taste to it that melds beautifully with a wine-like fruit flavor. The sweetness of the cup comes not only from those fruity tones, but also the delicious malty tones that give it an almost caramel-y kind of taste. Nice!
And this does have a peppery taste to it too, but, it is more of an undertone of spice than a foreground flavor. Like a mere hint of spice, teasing the palate as it weaves in and out of the sip. The spice develops a bit as the tea cools, but it never becomes a strong, well-defined flavor.
There is a hint of bitter to this tea too – but not a foul-tasting kind of bitter – this is more like a mild savory note that helps to balance the sweeter flavors of the cup. The astringency here is also quite mild.
So, yes, mild is the word of the day when it comes to this Yunnan, but don’t let that word fool you into thinking it lacks anything, because it does not. It is still such a lovely Yunnan and certainly worth a try. I think this tea would appeal especially to those who often find Yunnan teas to be a bit too bold and aggressive, this one has a smoother, mellower approach that is quite nice.