Style: Black Origin: Simao County, Yunnan Province, China Description: This is a beautiful Yunnan black tea (Dian Hong – also known as Red Tea). It is grown organically on the southern slopes of the Ma Wei Mountain in the county of Simao in Yunnan Province. Yunnan is home to the oldest tea cultivation history in the world. Mountainous elevations and mild temperatures offer ideal growing conditions for the native Camellia sinensis var. sinensis plants. This terroir, with its unique soil profile, adds to the popular, rich, and mildly toasty flavour of Yunnan’s local teas. The tea leaves for Golden Snail are carefully picked, processed and rolled into pellets, reminiscent of small snails. The tea has benefited from short-term aging developing a slightly malted sweetness along with a lovely rich aroma. A steep of Golden Snail invokes the feeling of the golden hour…that brief window of time just before the sun sets in late summer. During golden hour, when our surroundings are bathed in gold light, everything slows down to a snail’s pace and we are encouraged to arrive in the moment. Tasting Notes: Showcasing the nature of tea harvest in Yunnan, this tea provides a grounding steep with subtle toasted sweetness. It is comprised of tippy gold buds, lending to the vibrant amber-orange liquor and easy-going appeal of the cup. The steam offers hints of a fresh caramel fragrance. This tea is rich yet smooth and full of flavour, balancing strength and softness. There is an enigmatic linger to this tea that combines a delicate malt, notes of cocoa and tea flowers. If you listen carefully, the Golden 'Snails' may “talk”…a cheerful chatter arises from the steep as the tightly rolled dark leaves and bright buds unfurl below the surface of the hot water. Brewing Instructions: 2-3g per cup. 90-95ºC water. Steep 2-3 minutes. Drain all tea from the leaf. Explore re-steeps. Optional addition of a quick rinse with 100ºC water and letting the leaves steam covered before the initial steeping will bring out even greater complexity of the leaves. Certified Organic.
