Upton Tea Imports

Resteep 212F water 5 min, covered infuser. Drank this plain, just as the first steep. ‘Plain’ does not apply, though, to the liquor color, aroma and flavor, which are still quite good. And a resteep certainly wasn’t necessary in order to place this extraordinary Yunnan gold at the top of my list of self-drinking blacks.

Big bold dry tea, well twisted whole leaf, brown and gold, spicy sweet aroma. 2 tsp in 10 oz 212F water 5 min, covered infuser. Liquor is slightly hazy amber-brown. Smooth, rich nutty flavor, slight tannin dryness, full-bodied self-drinking. I’ve been seeking black teas with outstanding flavor but still mellow enough that I can enjoy them unsullied by milk or sugar. Happily, this Golden Tip Yunnan fits the description.

A fresh cup of bitter frustration. Out of respect for the complexities of white and oolong teas, I’m willing to check temps with the thermometer. But as demonstrated with this cup, it is guesstimates for the greens, which arguably are less forgiving of poor technique. As I ponder, this oyster of irony emits pearls of wisdom. So far though, I evade them, sensing they do not apply solely to tea.

Resteep with cooler water gave a less flavorful, but smoother, brew. Light yellow liquor, faint sweet aroma, thin mouthfeel. Greens are challenging for me, despite wanting to find some I really enjoy. This one seems barely worth drinking. If that is the most I can say, perhaps this sample will be the last of it.

This Ceylon Green is small curls, not as tight as gunpowder. 10 oz 180F (guesstimated) 3 min as recommended turned out brisker than I wanted. Serious existential question: “Will a green tea ever inspire me to get out the thermometer?”

3rd steep continues some wood & moss, 4th too faded to be satisfying. This tea’s simpler flavor profile (compared to some I’ve had) may be related to the fact that the wet, unfurled leaf lacks reddish edges or spots, being an even dark, glossy green. Good tea but not thrilling.

2nd steep, 4 min with a few leaves still balled up afterwards! Aroma a little less woody and more green, hinting of roasted chestnut. Flavors are smoother and better integrated than in 1st brewing. Fresh, medium bodied liquor carries a subtle sweetness. I’m definitely forming a positive impression.

Dry tea fragrance is very sweet but not floral. This China oolong wasn’t rinsed first, so the initial steep was 5 min, 190F and didn’t fully unfurl the leaves. Liquor is light gold with hint of green and aroma of wood rather than nut. Flavor is wood and moss, not astringent, with a lingering sweet finish.

4th or 5th steep on these leaves. Went off and forgot steeping, but no problem. Light but still complex flavor, somewhat lacking floral notes of first cups. Were I to presume to judge this tea, based on my limited experience with light oolongs, it would get 4 out of 5 stars.

Dry leaf: green tips with whitish fuzz over many, and accumulated in the package, much like white tips.
Aroma: vegetal, slightly sweet, mild.
Liquor: medium-light golden, like a moderate white tea.
Body: medium-full
Flavor: sweet, smooth. Faint vegetal undertones, but very satisfying. Not astringent.

Conclusion: why is this labeled “China Green Tea” when it basically seems like white tips? Distinguished, if anything, by creamy/fuller body.

7g/pot, 3 mins @ 175°F.
Dry leaves: long, dark green-grey withered leaves. Not closely inspected, but didn’t notice fuzzy down noted by some.
Liquor: Pale golden, slightly cloudy.
Aroma: Sweet, moderately vegetal.
Body: Light, but slightly astringent/dry.
Flavor: Slightly sweet, solidly vegetal (roasted?) through the middle. More complex floral finish that mixes with the astringent feel to leave something like a jasmine or osmanthus tea.

A crisp white tea with a gentle taste. Very refreshing.

7.5g @180F. 45 sec pre-rinse. 20oz pot brewed as 2x 10oz infusions of 3 mins each.

Aroma: somewhat vegetal, slightly grassy, sweet undertones
Liquor: golden, slightly cloudy
Body: medium; warm and present mouthfeel, no dryness/astringency
Flavor: smooth, floral

6g/pot for 3 minutes at 175°F.
Aromas: sweet, semi-light honeysuckle.
Liquor: golden, slight pale pinkish cast.
Body: medium. Surprisingly rich for the liquor’s appearance and light aroma. (Much more aroma in the wet leaves.)
Flavor: much less dramatic honeysuckle sweetness than in the aroma. Like white tea. Impressive body and endurance with mild sweetness create a creamy experience. Surprising contrast with the mild/pale-looking liquor.
Dry leaves: darkish brown-green with spots of light khaki down (otherwise smooth and hard).

12g/pot. 4.5 mins at 195°F. Smooth, rich, subtle. Only modestly astringent (possibly less so at lower temperature and a shorter brew). Unfortunately pricey for everyday consumption.

Infused in a small amount of water for 45 secs, discarded, then re-brewed for 3.5 minutes at 180°F. Rich body, floral aroma. Smooth, sweet and floral flavor with virtually no astringency. Not quite as good as previous batches I’ve had of the same (TT86)—the supplier and/or the season clearly changed—but still quite wonderful for the price.

Very nice, sweet, non-astringent white.

6g (~4T)/pot. 170°, 2.5 mins. Deliciously smooth, sweet take on Jasmine.

Total comfort – vanilla soymilk and sweetener. I don’t drink this often, but when I do I love it.

I am a big fan of all green teas, including Japanese green teas, which I am always told taste like grass and are not very good. While there certainly is a very distinct spinachy, grassy taste to most japanese greens, I think the flavor is so much more complex than others give credit. This tea is very good and tasty.

Very easy tea to drink — smooth and flavorful, and very high quality sencha.

Lovely, strong, full-bodied.