Guangxi Province Black Snail from Upton Tea Black Tea Review

Look! It's little black tea snaileys from the Guangxi Province!! I was fortunate to order a sample of this tea to try out, and I think I will be ordering more immediately! It has a very attractive look, as well as aroma floating from the opened bag. One person in my office asked "What is that?" It is the smell of truly fine black tea from China, via my favorite tea company, Upton Tea.

The appearance is intriguing. It looks almost as if the tea was tied in little knots, or maybe rolled around a tiny twig. Here is a closeup of the tea on the table.

The first time I brewed this tea, I brewed it too thin, and was a little disappointed. So this time I used two full teaspoons it my teapot, and this tea came alive. The complex aroma dispersed throughout the break room, and there was a healthy amount of foam in my teapot. I added a small amount of milk and demerara to my hot cup, and headed back to my desk.

This is more of the type of tea I choose as my morning cup. The flavors are perfectly between a Yunnan and a Keemun, smoky, a bit of cocoa, with a smooth, honey like depth that increases with each sip. It has a very clean aroma. It lacks a little of the prominent flavors I enjoy in my usual cup of Keemun First Grade, but instead carries a subtle, smooth depth much like tippy Yunnan teas have. There is a cocoa presence, and it pairs beautifully with the light sweet-caramel scent that probably comes from it's Yunnan influence. It took my milk and demerara perfectly, and was a delicious match for the array of breakfast snackeries that I had in front of me; a free glazed donut brought by another kind worker, and a bacon-egg-cheese english muffin from the local Braum's. Barring too many financial blockades, this will become my morning tea. It does cost a little more than the Keemun, but I like it much better and it's price is not out of range. Highly recommended!