Dec 13
Troy’s Teaview Snapshot
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There are teas which are profound, deep and meaningful. Teas which drive you past the meager land of the living into the jade court, and are more an experience than a beverage. There are Teas which almost literally change your life and whip your soul into a profound frenzy. Norbu Tea's Yunnan Black Gold is not one of those teas. I suppose it was kinda jerky to set you up like that.I am a Fan of the Yunnan region, I'd say everyone who appreciates Chinese teas of any style or variety is a fan. Yunnan is home to many renowned mountains that produce the worlds finest Oolongs, Puerhs, and a uniquely primitive leafy variety of green Tea. I don't know if there have been any actual studies of Tea Tree Strains in Yunnan, but there do seem to be rather alot of them, each one producing a separate, and heartily renowned tea, and their black teas are no exception. This is a good tea.
I said good not great though. The leaves were certainly pretty enough, the scent sweet, the texture firm, the shape spindly, the color rich. I brewed it a number of ways, and did enjoy it well enough, but no sparks, if it were a date we'd decide to be 'just friends'. It has many good qualities, a sweetness, thats not quite as sweet as Ceylon, or other Yunnan red teas, a tannin depth, though not quite as deep as Darjeeling, a savoriness, but not quite as savory as Assam. In short, this tea is a dedicated generalist that, like an American SUV, tries to do many things, but doesn't quite do any of them perfectly. Its definitely worth purchasing and having on hand, and I'd love to try another seasons harvest as there seems to be a missing greatness that may just mean this was a particularly flat year, but don't expect this to be much more than a pleasing cup to follow a meal.
— To purchase Norbu Tea Black Gold Spring Harvest 09, 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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December 13th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
I love the way you write!