#goldenneedle

[katelovessewing]

Paula Vaughan; Delicate Beauties- Cross Stitch, Hand Fan and Flowers - Etsy

[moshintheteagaiwan]

Tasting: Golden Needle “Year of the Tiger” Ripe Puerh

This is the final of 5 cakes I got in my recent Yunnan Sourcing order. This little 100g cake made with golden needle grade leaves, was pressed in 2021 for the coming year of the tiger. The cake comes from the same maker as one of my favorite cakes, the 2018 Mengku Pure Aroma ripe. And it’s for that reason that my high hopes for this cake came with serious disappointment.

At first glance the cake is very attractive with lots of golden tips. It broke very easily and the leaves separated very nicely in preparation for the session. However, right from the first sniff of the dry leaf, I noticed a great lack aroma. The scent from the dry leave was extremely faint, and a smell I could really only make out as a generally earthy ripe puerh aroma.

Thinking the tea would open up my after the wash, I was surprised to find just the opposite. In fact, even the wet leaf was extremely faint. I still detected an earthy aromas as well as a sweet aroma similar to a semi sweet chocolate cake fresh out of the oven. What little magic I found this tea to have came through in the brew.

On a positive, the brew is very smooth and clean. It has a velvety and creamy mouthfeel very close to that of heavy cream or whipped cream. A hint of bitterness but otherwise unnoticeable. However, even the brew lacked in flavor. It has a faint note of vanilla which when mixed with the creamy mouthfeel, truly did remind me of the taste of heavy cream. Several more infusions later, while the tea held it’s creaminess, it failed to open up and show anymore flavor profiles.

Honestly, with the amount of puerh I’ve tasted in the last year, and how flavorful and aromatic even the worst I tasted was, I couldn’t help thinking my nose and taste buds were broken. I may go back and retry it again in a few weeks just to see if that was the case, because I can’t imagine such a nice looking cake having so little to offer. For now I’m giving it a 2 out of 5 stars. I wanna give it a 1 star but I did rather enjoy the creamy mouthfeel and flavor.

[morimatea]

Beauty is seen. In the sunlight. . . . #sunshine #sunday #teapot #tearoom #beautiful #flowers #book #teacuppuppies #teaart #morning #warm #dianhong #goldenneedle #sweet #lovetea #blacktea #yunnan #jingdezhen #chinaceramics #gongfucha #faircup #exquotes #exquisite #nice #joyful #wonderful #chineseculture #tealoversunite #tee #morimatea https://www.instagram.com/p/CJR_DD2gV2p/?igshid=2vpk4wywgxxd

[morimatea]

I think that's the charm of Art. . . . #glasskettle #teapots #ceramics #teatray #brewing #stove #gourd #copper #art #gongfucha #goldenbud #goldenneedle #dianhong #blacktea #mind #morning #saturday #enjoy #life #te #tea #chai #teaaddict #tealicious #sweet #fresh #tearoom #teablogger #teaceremony #morimatea https://www.instagram.com/p/B2psfy-AE9m/?igshid=2s2xk16kz4lp

[morimatea]

That's the little thing to enjoy on weekend！ . . . #sunday #weekendmood #teacaddy #teacup #outdoors #chaxi #landscapepainting #teatablecover #teapot #yixing #zishahu #ironcans #dianhong #goldbuds #goldenneedle #blacktea #yunnan #menghai #teabag #storagebag #buggybags #blove #blue #travelbag #teawarebag #teaset #grass #green #fresh #morimatea https://www.instagram.com/p/B4qZSS3g7vf/?igshid=2ude2t4n08ni

[morimatea]

Infuse a cup of tea, to see the tea buds slowly spread out vitality, delight the same with the clear water. . . . #gaiwan #teatray #chaze #teaspoon #sunshine #stove #claypot #pottery #faircup #handpainted #dianhong #goldenneedle #teacup #buds #teaaddict #gongfucha #kungfutea #newtea #springtea #sweet #fresh #style #art #tea #chai #tee #thé #чай #tè #morimatea https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwk-z31nPY8/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=lgoj54kxd9cv

[katelovessewing]

Paula Vaughan; Delicate Beauties- Cross Stitch, Hand Fan and Flowers - Etsy

[katelovessewing]

Paula Vaughan; Delicate Beauties- Cross Stitch, Hand Fan and Flowers - Etsy