How do I love thee, let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my [taste] can reach. My apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, whose sonnet I just borrowed. I am referring to my all time, always beloved Yunnan. I love it in all its forms, but the height, as far as I am concerned in Yunnan Gold, which is almost exclusively the buds, sometimes with a few first leaves.
This particular Gold is from Adagio, part of my summer/fall buying spree. It is pure gold, too, with a dry scent of a newly filled haymow. This is a wonderful scent to me, taking me back to my childhood when I would sneak into the hay barn in the evenings and just smell that wondrous odor of newly dry hay. It was the smell of sunshine and blue skies.
The brewing tea continues that with what I can only describe as a good fresh Golden Yunnan smell. As it is the buds, there is much less wood or spice to it, it is on the delicate side. The liquor is a lovely golden green amber, as opposed to a ruddy amber and the scent has shifted to include honey and fruit. The taste is that of timothy – a kind of hay, which has a long stem that one can chew as one walks through the fields. Along with it is a lingering spiciness with just the tiniest touch of what I call “green milk”, the milk from cows newly turned out to Spring grasses. Having said that, I have to say it is not the very best Yunnan I have had, but it is very good and I am glad I got lots. The taste lingers, filling my mouth, teasing my tongue. How very nice.
Clearly this description may seem very foreign to many of you. But we can only relate taste and scent to the things we have tasted or smelled. My background is primarily rural or garden oriented, so these are my reference points.
This particular Gold is from Adagio, part of my summer/fall buying spree. It is pure gold, too, with a dry scent of a newly filled haymow. This is a wonderful scent to me, taking me back to my childhood when I would sneak into the hay barn in the evenings and just smell that wondrous odor of newly dry hay. It was the smell of sunshine and blue skies.
The brewing tea continues that with what I can only describe as a good fresh Golden Yunnan smell. As it is the buds, there is much less wood or spice to it, it is on the delicate side. The liquor is a lovely golden green amber, as opposed to a ruddy amber and the scent has shifted to include honey and fruit. The taste is that of timothy – a kind of hay, which has a long stem that one can chew as one walks through the fields. Along with it is a lingering spiciness with just the tiniest touch of what I call “green milk”, the milk from cows newly turned out to Spring grasses. Having said that, I have to say it is not the very best Yunnan I have had, but it is very good and I am glad I got lots. The taste lingers, filling my mouth, teasing my tongue. How very nice.
Clearly this description may seem very foreign to many of you. But we can only relate taste and scent to the things we have tasted or smelled. My background is primarily rural or garden oriented, so these are my reference points.
2 comments:
I also like Yunnan tea. My hubby usually orders me something from Adagio for Christmas. I'll have to put this one on my wish list. Thanks for the review.
Good for you. I enjoy your blog.
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