I really like pouchong / bao zhong tea, which is an extremely green oolong, sometimes described as a green tea. A while back, I had requested that Upton Tea Imports add a lower-priced Pouchong to their catalogue, and I was pleased to see that they added this tea. Upon trying it, I am really impressed: it is one of the best Pouchongs I've sampled. It is still pricey, but less so than the other two Pouchongs Upton carried up until this point, neither of which I have sampled.

The loose leaf looks very well-formed, twisted, whole leaves of a darkish color with a distinct bluish-green tint. This is a slight notch up in price from Ten Ren's second grade pouchong, but I find I liked this tea much better, although I'm comparing it to a memory and not tasting them side-by-side.

Aroma suggests honey, flowers. Upton says it has hint of melon, and I can see this. I love this style, but someone who does not might describe the aroma as also being a bit soapy. Quite unusual for a pouchong, I also detect nuances of cinnamon. Flavor is smooth, and quite sweet, but there is a hint of pleasant bitterness. Very little astringency.

Upton recommends brewing with 190 degree water; I beg to differ: I prefer boiling for this one! It is bland otherwise. With boiling, it acquires no unpleasant flavors. Upton recommends a 4 minute infusion using 2 teaspoons of leaf. Brewing this way it comes out strong, and yet the leaf holds much flavor and you can brew a rich second infusion. However, I think you can stretch this tea both by using less leaf and/or briefer infusion times. This tea is pleasingly strong.

Very pleasing overall! Slightly pricier than what I would normally buy, but the price is backed up with quality. I'm glad Upton added this one and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a top-quality Pouchong at a slightly more affordable price point than Upton's other two offerings.

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