Golden Heaven Yunnan

Golden Heaven is one of most stylish teas that is commercially available. Stylish means very visually appealing typified by tippy, neat, wiry and well made leaves. This tea is characterized by its fine shape (black luster and distinctive golden yellow buds), varnished color, fragrant aroma, malty taste and top quality. It is a distinctive specialty tea, so much so that when it was first exported to London it commanded a title as a ‘special species of tea’. When steeped, the essential elements of the leaf infuse giving bright reddish liquor with a brisk and lingering fragrant aroma with toasty lovely notes.

Yunnan is in an ideal location to grow tea. This is characterized by:
a) Annual average temperature of 15 degrees C
b) Annual accumulated precipitation of 45 inches
c) Relative humidity of 75% during the tea growing period
d) An average soil pH value of 4.5 - 6.5
e) Mean altitude of 4000 - 6500 feet above sea level

This tea is one of the top qualities available from Yunnan Province. It is only made during the last two weeks of March and the first two weeks of April, when the new season growth flushes in a particular manner that gives a high percentage of golden tip. Drink this tea and you treat yourself to one of the world’s great teas.

Hot tea brewing method : Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 teaspoon of tea for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 3-7 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea). Even though milk and a dash of sugar help capture the malty character of this tea, it is perfectly acceptable to consume this tea ‘straight-up’

Iced tea brewing method : (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea, steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water]. Please note that this tea may tend to go cloudy or ‘milky’ when poured over ice; a perfectly normal characteristic of some high quality black teas and nothing to worry about!