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Yunnan Rare GradeChina, Black Tea

Smallish leaf with a few large twigs in the sample. Lots of silky yellow tips but not as pretty as Yunnan Golden Tips Imperial. Dry leaf has a scent of cocoa powder with some bitterness. There is an immediate aroma from the steam and it brews dark right away. Again a whiff of warm dark cocoa with soft velvety bitterness. Faintly minty, a hint of incense, slight tartness, not astringent but not sweet either. The liquid is quite cloudy with leaf-fuzz sediment and rich color. Full strength pour after pour, even as the water cools. No astringency if slighly oversteeped. Inexhaustible!
Tea: Upton Tea, ZY84 (discontinued)
Gaiwan: Red Blossom Tea, Jingdezhen Spring

Upton Tea description: "Bold, well-formed leaves with a very high concentration of golden tips yield a cup with complex flavor and pronounced sweetness. Hints of cocoa and a silky smooth finish round out the profile. Recommended for any time of day. This is a new lot with a bolder leaf."

Tasting notes and photography by @gaiwanstyle.