Nov 23
Lynn’s Teaview Snapshot
 | "The flavor was mildly bitter, definitely astringent, with only a hint of the malty sweetness I expect from a Yunnan. "
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Yunnans are far and away my favorite of teas and I approached this offering from Norbu Tea with great anticipation. While not on the level of a Yunnan Golden Tips, it was hand harvested in the fall of 2008 in Lincang Prefecture, Yunnan, and, according to the listing, the whole leaf and bud clusters were hand processed and rolled into the needle-shaped finished product. The dry tea is a mix of dark and golden leaves in what appears to be about a 3:1 ratio and has the characteristic malty leather-and-tobacco aroma, though it is much lighter than some I’ve smelled. According to the website, it can stand up to multiple steepings.I began with five and a half grams (approx. one and a half teaspoons) of tea in a cup of boiling water for five minutes. The resulting liquor was a clear, medium ochre with a flat, rather unimpressive aroma. The flavor was mildly bitter, definitely astringent, with only a hint of the malty sweetness I expect from a Yunnan. I added my customary splash of half and half. Unfortunately, it did little to mellow or pull up the taste and the main impressions remained bitterness and astringency.
I brewed my second pot at a slightly lower temperature (208F) for five minutes. The infusion was slightly lighter in color and much thinner in taste, with similar notes to the first cup.
Wondering if I’d pushed the first infusion too hard, I began again. This time I infused three grams of tea in a cup of 208F water for three minutes. The liquor was, not surprisingly, a bit lighter, though still a respectable reddish brown. It was a bit less bitter this time around, but no sweeter, and with none of the malt/leather/tobacco richness of a good Yunnan. Altogether, it was rather flat and left me wanting. Hand-crafted or not, I can’t really recommend this one.
— To purchase Norbu Tea Imperial Dian Hong, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.
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