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Trying a different Harney sample for my first tea today! I was pretty excited after loving the golden monkey I had yesterday. It actually smells pretty similar in the bag – very malty. But this one has more honey and I can smell a touch of stonefruit and alfalfa. The leaves are about a 50/50 mix of black and golden twisty leaves. I love the look of the gold leaves, they’re so fuzzy and shimmery. I really want to try one of those pure tip Yunnan teas that are all gold and beautiful! :)

This tea has a lovely aroma! Malty, but I love the honey and stonefruit scents. Wow, the taste is powerful! This is definitely the epitome of malt to me, it’s extremely strong but delicious. I also taste a lot of honey, which is fantastic! There’s a woody note and a hint of baked bread. I can see the similarity between this and the golden monkey – they have the same notes but in very different proportions. I found this even more amazing with just the tiniest amount of sugar added. I was a bit sad that I didn’t really taste that wonderful stonefruit that I was smelling. The most I got was a hint by the time it had cooled all the way to room temperature.

I have to say, I feel really bad for this tea on Steepster. It really doesn’t deserve the low rating it has, but it only has 4 ratings and one of them is a 34 (what…?). Makes me sad. :(

Flavors: Baked Bread, Honey, Malt, Stonefruits, Wood

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
TeaBrat

I love a good yunnan. :)

Cameron B.

I definitely love them so far, although I certainly don’t know which ones are considered good yet. :P

Nicole

I thought surely I’d tried this one but I guess not. Good ones are ones you like. :) PM me if you’d like to try a Yunnan sampler. I have tons that I’m happy to share.

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Comments

TeaBrat

I love a good yunnan. :)

Cameron B.

I definitely love them so far, although I certainly don’t know which ones are considered good yet. :P

Nicole

I thought surely I’d tried this one but I guess not. Good ones are ones you like. :) PM me if you’d like to try a Yunnan sampler. I have tons that I’m happy to share.

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Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron! I’m a 30-year-old software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, bento, baking, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is collecting hobby related-things… ;)

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I will often sweeten iced tea. I brew Western style, and fluctuate between using mugs or teapots with small cups depending on the season. Occasionally I’ll brew Gongfu style when I’m in the mood. I also use a kyusu for Japanese teas.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Current Subscriptions:
52teas
Bird & Blend
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Sips By

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, and oolong varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

Fruit: All of them! My ‘go-to’s tend to be in the red fruits, stonefruit, or citrus spectra. I also really love apple, banana, berry, fig, lychee, melon, pear, and rhubarb flavors. Tropical fruits aren’t among my favorites, but I still enjoy them once in a while – especially mango and pineapple. I am not generally a fan of coconut in tea, though there are some exceptions.

Dessert: I love creamy vanilla and marshmallow flavors, along with anything in the caramel family such as butterscotch, toffee, or maple. Chocolate is also a favorite, though I’m often disappointed by it in tea. And don’t forget anything buttery, cakey, or cookie-y!

Floral: I’m a little bit more particular in this category. I very much enjoy jasmine, even strong jasmine, along with sakura and chamomile. But I’m not crazy about rose or lavender flavors, and I prefer hibiscus in moderation only.

Spices: I don’t generally find myself drawn to masala chai, but I do enjoy spices combined with other flavors. My favorite spices are the warm ones, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, and cardamom. A bit of heat from black pepper or chili is okay too, as long as it’s not overwhelming! Ginger can be a lovely accent, but I find it difficult to drink as a starring flavor.

Aromatics: I’m obsessed with Earl Grey! I also love cooling flavors such as mint (especially spearmint), pine, juniper, and eucalyptus. I am not a fan of strong rosemary or sage in tea.

Favorite Purveyors:
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Kusmi
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre
Yunnan Sourcing

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age.

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

https://www.instagram.com/cam...

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