China Congou Panyang

Tea type
Black Tea
Ingredients
Chinese Black Tea
Flavors
Brisk, Cocoa, Floral, Honey, Leather, Malt, Rose, Smoke, Smooth, Umami
Sold in
Loose Leaf
Caffeine
High
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Mastress Alita
Average preparation
Boiling 3 min, 45 sec 3 g 12 oz / 350 ml

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20 Tasting Notes View all

  • “I like this one has a tobacco-like sweetness with caramel and maltyness and a little astringency, it’s very good it just makes think of tobacco. This is a better review on my blog...” Read full tasting note
    94
  • “Tea of noon….. I have not had this one by itself for quite some time. I generally blend it in with my Franken-Breakfast Blend. It has such a prominent chocolate note with just a touch of...” Read full tasting note
    88
  • “Aww, I jinxed it. Steepster’s back to running slower than ever for me. :P This is yet another sample from SimplyJenW. I am so grateful for this package because now I can try a lot of these Chinese...” Read full tasting note
    78
  • “I’ve just discovered another excellent quality of this tea: Thanks to its natural sweetness, it tastes perfectly delicious “naked,” without any added sweetener or milk. That makes it ideal for the...” Read full tasting note
    89

From Upton Tea Imports

From Fujian province, this Panyang selection is noted for its lustrous, dark brown leaves laced with golden tips. The copper-red infusion is fragrant with a toasty essence and chocolate hints. Rich cocoa notes are pronounced in the medium-bodied cup, which finishes with a syrupy sweet flourish.

Steeping Suggestions
Leaf Quantity: 2.25 g/6oz cup
Steep Time: 4-5 min.
Water Temperature: 212 degrees (boiling)

About Upton Tea Imports View company

Company description not available.

20 Tasting Notes

94
557 tasting notes

I like this one has a tobacco-like sweetness with caramel and maltyness and a little astringency, it’s very good it just makes think of tobacco.
This is a better review on my blog :)
http://toadsteablog.blogspot.com/2012/11/china-panyoang-congou-by-upton-tea.html

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C
ScottTeaMan

I had this tea yrs ago from Stash—very good tea for the $$$.

Tommy Toadman

I like it a lot, did yours have tobacco-like notes? or reminiscent of tobacco?

ScottTeaMan

It’s been so long…….I really don’t remember tobacco notes.

Wonks

For anyone that likes this tea, I highly recommend Copenhagen’s loose leaf tea.

Tommy Toadman

Wgere can I find that? can I buy it online?

Wonks

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen_(tobacco)

Disclaimer: For anyone stumbling upon this, don’t take my first suggestion seriously…. I’d feel guilty if any kids tried it.

Tommy Toadman

See and I thought there was a Copenhagen Tea co or something, Thanks Wonks.

Wonks

lol, well if a company pops up called copenhagen tea….. I hope it doesn’t have a surgeons general warning.

Tommy Toadman

LOL, lets hope not ;)

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88
985 tasting notes

Tea of noon…..

I have not had this one by itself for quite some time. I generally blend it in with my Franken-Breakfast Blend. It has such a prominent chocolate note with just a touch of maltiness and smoke. It is not quite to the level of a Keemun in smokiness, but it is close. It is not quite as complex as the more expensive Tan Yangs, but it is well worth the price at under $5 for 125 grams.

Usual mug method.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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78
2201 tasting notes

Aww, I jinxed it. Steepster’s back to running slower than ever for me. :P

This is yet another sample from SimplyJenW. I am so grateful for this package because now I can try a lot of these Chinese blacks I am interested in without falling down the rabbit hole of tea orders. I’m glad this one was in the package because I’d like to try a basic Panyang Congou that isn’t supposed to be special grade or select and see how it goes.

The dry leaf on this one also reminds me of my past life as a horsewoman, but it reminds me of the scent of rich alfalfa hay instead of molasses grain (like the Tan Yang Te Ji from Teaspring did). When steeped, however, the scent has more notes of cocoa popping out, with a bit of that dark molasses in the background. It smells really tasty! I like the notes of molasses, malt, grains and unsweetened cocoa that I am getting from this cup, but it also has a bit of harshness, almost bitterness to it as well. I am very sensative to these things, after all. I’m wondering if a slightly cooler steep time would take it away, or whether it’s just a kind of boldness that is inherant to the tea (very possible). It’s probably just my expensive tastes telling me that I want to be drinking a high-grade version… :P

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec
TeaBrat

Have you tried the panyang congou from Harney? I like it!

Dinosara

I haven’t actually, though it’s now on my list!

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89
45 tasting notes

I’ve just discovered another excellent quality of this tea: Thanks to its natural sweetness, it tastes perfectly delicious “naked,” without any added sweetener or milk. That makes it ideal for the office, where I’m trying to keep my tea drinking as simple and non-time-consuming as possible without sacrificing quality.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 0 sec

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67
429 tasting notes

This tea tasted better this time for me. I let it cool a little and the earthy smell and taste came through. The tea has fruity notes and is mellow and smooth. No bitterness or astringency in my cup. Nice tea

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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87
10 tasting notes

When I first drank this congou I was shocked by its mustiness. There’s a certain funkiness to it that will definitely scare off the Earl Grey crowd. Yet it’s grown on me in the seven months that I’ve been steeping it, and I hope that Upton will get new stock before my (wonderfully affordable) 125g bag goes empty. The dry leaf smells sweetly of plum and wood, and steeps up a deep chocolate (in a white mug) or amber (in a glass) liquor.

The liquor has a velvety texture, and gives off a slight sweetness that’s countered by a nice tartness, creating an overall fruity impression, though it’s still fairly dry. The aromatics I can identify: pickled plum, pleasant mulch/forest wetness, and some sort of brown root-based Korean traditional medicine whose name escapes me.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 15 sec

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83
4169 tasting notes

This was from Meowster a while ago — thanks! I have almost finished with the leaves but have not yet written a note. The leaves are smallish and most remind me of keemun — the flavor is like keemun too. All those keemun qualities. It’s a rich, satisfying cup. Overall, a Good Black Tea. It might even be a better tea that I have tried from Upton? But I have only had a handful of Upton teas. Always meant to order from them, but other orders are usually happening instead.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 24 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3-4 minute steep

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90
1216 tasting notes

I believe this is the last of the tea I received from Meowster’s cupboard de-stash back in 2018 (the tea itself is likely much older than that). For the sipdown prompt, “a Chinese tea.”

The smell of my warm cuppa is delightful. I get a cocoa-esqe backdrop with a sweet floral rose note, underneath a much stronger brisk smokiness. All my favorite things in a Chinese tea, and I’m surprised it still has such a distinct aroma for such an old tea.

The brew is rich with an umami quality I often taste in Chinese blacks but can’t describe well… something about the brassy malt, deep smokiness, and slight honeyed tones read as a sort of “barbecue sauce” or “steak marinade” flavor. The cocoa and rose mostly appear late in the sip or as an aftertaste that lingers on my tongue.

Super satisfying. I wasn’t expecting such good results from such an old tea. It will make for an easy sipdown!

Flavors: Brisk, Cocoa, Floral, Honey, Leather, Malt, Rose, Smoke, Smooth, Umami

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 g 12 OZ / 350 ML
Cameron B.

I’m always pleasant surprised by how well straight black teas hold up!

Michelle

Upton’s griffins wharf has some congou in it, and it always tastes sweet and smoky to me.

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525 tasting notes

I wasn’t expecting much from this tea as I had given up on super high quality from this vendor. And while this is nothing special, it’s also not bad.
It’s light with a light smokiness. Barely there smokey. I get a bit of tobacco and sweet prunes. Astringency is there waiting for a moment of forgetfulness to ruin your cup. It’s not really my style, but it’s not offensive either. I’m quite liking the sweetness actually.

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81
2 tasting notes

I noticed flavors of, sequentially: honey, preserved plum, tobacco, and slight smokiness. It’s sweet even for a Chinese black. I’m betting it would blend beautifully with a Yunnan. Great value, too—it will probably become a staple of my teachest.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec

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