golden monkey jin hou
We love this tea. Have been drinking as a stand in for out of stock rare black fragrance.
A cultivar grown in the mountains of the FuAn area has long been known to produce a aromatic & fine tasting Golden Monkey. This year's lot certainly meets this descriptor. The terroir of Fujian's mountainous coastline - its soils, rain, elevation, & temperature - has proven ideal for cultivation of a sweet, fruity "Congou" black tea. Once plucked, the farm oxidizes these golden leaves to create one of the finest of the world's black teas. Our monkey offers refreshing and enlivening flavors!
Lot Notes. Our lot was harvested early April 2024. The result is plentiful golden buds with just a hint of red and rich black leaves. The leaves are long and thin, full of spring flavors. Leaves are consistent in shape and size. Steeped it offers a brilliant red color liquor. Lot #24.
Tea Facts. Golden Monkey is a specialty black grown only in Fujian Province. GM is made from the Dao Hao cultivar. Farm standard is fine pluck. Tea was grown at eight hundred meters.
Taste Profile. Wicker basket firing emphasizes the cultivar's sweet flavor side. This lot offers a complex and multi-layered, fruity aroma. In tasting, we are reminded of fresh Longan fruit and, of course, malt!
Brewing suggestions. Use a rounded teaspoon or 3 grams per 6-8 ounces of water at 195-205 F, right up to boiling. Steep for 2-2.5 minutes and taste. More body, steep for 3 minutes. The leaves will yield 3 steeps.