The Mark T. Wendell website says this tea is grown on the West Bank of the Yang Tze River in China, which explains the name. The leaves are beautiful: Downy and curled, coloured green and silver. Without tea-specific directions from the website, I steep with 180°s for two minutes, usually a safe bet for a fuzzy-leafed green.

The pale liquor smells mostly creamy with a hint of berry. The cup has a slight smokiness which becomes more pronounced the hotter or longer I steep. It seems misplaced, but otherwise the cup is well balanced, and the smokiness is easily controlled. Otherwise, it is a vegetal, buttery cup with a slightly bitter aftertaste. The second steep is simpler and, I'd vote, more excellent. The smokiness is toned down, making the second cup smoother. I tried several combinations with the remainder of my sample, but I couldn't quite manage to get three quality steeps, so I recommend sticking with two.

I found this richer and bolder than some curled-leaf Chinese greens, but it still hits all the right notes. It's smooth and easy to drink, but it's not boring. It's reasonably priced and comes from a company I like. I really can't ask for too much more in an everyday tea. A solid leaf all around.

Visit Mark T. Wendell Teas for more information on this tea and many more from their extensive product catalogue.

Katie Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Katie's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Katie.

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