Tea: Ancient Baked Heart Tea
A Green Tea from Wild Tea Qi
Brand: | Wild Tea Qi |
Style: | Green Tea |
Region: | Dali, Yunnan, China |
Caffeine: | Caffeinated |
Loose? | Loose |
# Ratings: | 3 View All |
Product page: | Ancient Baked Heart Tea |
Reviewer: Alex Zorach
✓ 1452 teas reviewed
✓ 219 of Green Tea
✓ 953 of Pure Tea (Camellia sinensis)
✓ 6 of Wild Tea Qi
✓ 1 from Dali, Yunnan, China
✓ 80 from Yunnan, China
Review of Ancient Baked Heart Tea
March 21st, 2013
Aroma | Flavor | Value | Total |
8 of 10 | 5 of 5 | 5 of 5 | 91 of 100 |
Excellent | Excellent | Outstanding |
I'm not hugely experienced with Yunnan green teas, but I tend to find them very interesting, and this one was no exception. This tea really amazed me with its ability to deliver infusion after infusion...the leaves seem to hold so much flavor!
Dry leaf is a mix of dark golden green and pale whitish leaves, and has a warm, toasted aroma.
Upon brewing, produces a mellow cup with an aroma that is both toasty and vegetal. Like some Yunnan green teas, this was reminiscent of some Himalayan teas, including greens and oolongs from Darjeeling and nearby regions. Wild Tea Qi says that this is a high-grown (6000-7200 feet) tea, and I wonder if what I'm noticing is a similarity due to the effect of elevation. Slightly suggestive of asparagus or stewed spinach, especially in the first cup.
Very smooth, but there's a slight lingering astringency at the bottom of the cup; later cups have a little more.
Impressively, the second cup is just as good as the first, if not better. There are some grassy tones that were completely absent in the first cup, as well as some orchid-like floral qualities. The second cup is more tangy, and has a suggestion of celery in the finish.
Brewing with longer steepings, I was able to brew three very flavorful cups, and there was still some flavor left after that.
This isn't exactly what I'd consider an everday tea, but it was priced very reasonably. I thought it offered exceptional value because of how much flavor I was able to stretch from the leaves by brewing them over and over. It's a bit peculiar, but always interesting.