Tea: Chun Mee Dao Ming
A Chun Mee from Upton Tea Imports - Organic
This tea has been retired/discontinued.
Brand: | Upton Tea Imports |
Style: | Chun Mee |
Region: | China |
Caffeine: | Caffeinated |
Loose? | Loose |
# Ratings: | 1 View All |
Reviewer: Alex Zorach
✓ 1453 teas reviewed
✓ 8 of Chun Mee
✓ 10 of Young Hyson
✓ 173 of Upton Tea Imports
✓ 382 from China
Review of Chun Mee Dao Ming
September 21st, 2009
Aroma | Flavor | Value | Total |
9 of 10 | 4 of 5 | 5 of 5 | 88 of 100 |
Superb | Good | Outstanding |
I was really sad to see this one go; it was my favorite example of a chun mee. Although Upton's Chun Mee moon palace was close, I preferred this one.
This is an outstanding green tea at a very reasonable price, and it's organic to boot! It is unusually strong, bitter, and complex for a chun mee tea, and my favorite tea of this style.
The tea is a rich golden color. The aroma is complex, both strong and subtle, and has some grassy tones, nutty tones, a tiny hint of smokiness, some of the floral qualities I normally only encounter in high-end black teas, and some other aspects that defy words. The tea is quite bitter, but in a pleasant way. At the same time there are some mellow qualities that balance the bitterness.
This is one tea I can drink every day without getting tired of. It holds up well to being brewed at different strengths. Using fewer leaves results in less bitterness but there is still a lot of subtlety and it is never bland. Using more leaves, it's more bitter but never overpowering.
Make sure to brew it at a lower temperature though: Upton recommends 180 degrees. This tea scalds easily if the water is too hot, and the result is sour and astringent and absolutely undrinkable. Lastly, I want to note that these leaves hold up very well to multiple infusions.
This is a must-buy for any green-tea enthusiast looking for something different and reasonably-priced.