ZG52: Huo Shan Yellow Buds

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Brand:	Upton Tea Imports
Style:	Huangya
Caffeine:	Caffeinated
Region:	Anhui, China
Loose/teabag:	Loose
Product page:	ZG52: Huo Shan Yellow Buds

Commercial Description:

The attractive leaves consist of tender buds and fine leaf sets. The cup is full-flavored, with a delightfully refreshing character. The aroma has a light, peppery note, which translates to a wonderful mouth feel. This was the best yellow tea we cupped this season, and it is highly recommended.

Brewing Instructions: (from Upton Tea Imports)

Leaf Quantity: 2¼ g.cup
Water Temp: 180°
Steep Time: 3 min.

Ratings & Reviews:

Total: 63/100 : Aroma: 8/10, Flavor: 2/5, Value: 2/5, Overall: 7/10

This is the first yellow tea I've sampled and in many respects it resembles a green tea.

The aroma is fairly rich; there are some of the grassy tones that characterize many green teas, but these are weak and in the background. A bit peppery like Upton describes, and also a bit perfumey. Subtle, but with a lot of different things going on. There are some unpleasant tones in the aroma...reminiscent to the aroma resulting if you brew pan-fired green teas with water that is too hot...but I used 180 degree water to brew this. Oddly, some of the more complex aspects of the aroma sink to the bottom of the cup...including hints of olive and wine. Perhaps this tea would be best consumed in very small teacups!

The flavor is crisp, with some bitterness and some sourness. Remarkably full-bodied, given the lightness of the aroma.

This was an interesting tea but it was a little bit disappointing.

I only had enough in the sample to brew two batches. The first I brewed once as recommended and also made a second longer infusion. Both cups were too weak for my taste. The second I brewed once for a little over 5 minutes, and I found more enjoyable although it also became unpleasantly acidic. If I brewed this tea again I'd try using water below 180 degrees to see if that would diminish the acidity.

The verdict? I think the jury is still out on this one. After drinking a few cups of it, I just don't know what to think. But it's pricey enough and doesn't stand out among Upton's other offerings (many of which are simply outstanding), and I think it's doubtful I'd order it again.

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