Gongfu!
Though I have tried many different kinds of yabao, I believe this is my first time brewing any from Vietnam. If you’re familiar with this style of “tea” (and I say “tea” in quotations because even that is debatable in its own way), then you know it’s incredibly hard to classify. Sometimes called a white tea, and sometimes a pu’erh. Regardless of what you choose to think of it as, I find this one to be incredibly delicate and smooth with a more full, round feeling mouthfeel that almost seems at odds with the more nuanced and fragile profile. A little bit floral, especially in the top notes and aroma, with notes of almost citrusy tulips and magnolia but with a slightly more woody and herbaceous finish that makes me think of cedar and rosemary. This one also has a bit of a milky and whipped honey undertone and the softest and most delicate lemon notes. It is so fresh and sippable; certainly, a tea to be enjoyed during quite moments and lazy Sundays such as this one.
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DK7f48bJfSk/?img_index=1
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEsKgbYs9Mc&ab_channel=Vulf
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Ya bao! It’s a fascinating beast. I’ve tried 2 very distinctive ones so far and it’s crazy how different they can taste!!
Sounds intriguing! Did you follow O5’s direction of using only 5 leaves in 200 ml water? Seems very weak to me!
To be honest I very rarely follow any company’s steeping instructions. Though they can be great guidelines, at this point I trust my own tastes and experiences enough to navigate my brewing. Of course, if it’s an unpleasant taste experience then I have to consider that I might just have myself to blame for it – but that’s a risk I am totally okay taking.
Gosh, Kelly, I wasn’t meaning to challenge your skill, I was just flabbergasted that anyone could get so much flavor out of five leaves in a cup of water! But I knew you are highly skilled, and was trying to figure if maybe I should increase my leafing beyond 2.5 – 3 grams per cup, or just learn to live with a less sensitive palate! At the recent Chicago Tea Festival, the first booth I stopped at gave me a sample that was maybe five times stronger than I am accustomed to, and it polluted my mouth for near an hour! I left wondering to myself if maybe that is how folks are able to get so many flavors from a cup of tea!
Oh, sorry – I definitely didn’t take it as challenging, and apologies if my reply came off as combative!
Ya bao! It’s a fascinating beast. I’ve tried 2 very distinctive ones so far and it’s crazy how different they can taste!!
Sounds intriguing! Did you follow O5’s direction of using only 5 leaves in 200 ml water? Seems very weak to me!
To be honest I very rarely follow any company’s steeping instructions. Though they can be great guidelines, at this point I trust my own tastes and experiences enough to navigate my brewing. Of course, if it’s an unpleasant taste experience then I have to consider that I might just have myself to blame for it – but that’s a risk I am totally okay taking.
Gosh, Kelly, I wasn’t meaning to challenge your skill, I was just flabbergasted that anyone could get so much flavor out of five leaves in a cup of water! But I knew you are highly skilled, and was trying to figure if maybe I should increase my leafing beyond 2.5 – 3 grams per cup, or just learn to live with a less sensitive palate! At the recent Chicago Tea Festival, the first booth I stopped at gave me a sample that was maybe five times stronger than I am accustomed to, and it polluted my mouth for near an hour! I left wondering to myself if maybe that is how folks are able to get so many flavors from a cup of tea!
Oh, sorry – I definitely didn’t take it as challenging, and apologies if my reply came off as combative!