This elegant black tea was the Number One hit from last year’s Cyber Promotion. Luckily this year there was more available, although it is still a small manufacture. Black Spirals come to us from gardens located in Hunan Province, an historically-important province for both organic fruit & vegetables and world-class tea production. However, it is still a location that many tea enthusiasts are not particularly familiar with. Tea Trekker has had many fantastic teas from Hunan Province over the years; and this is the latest addition to that stellar group.
Gold-Tipped Black Spirals tea has a bright and complex taste, showing a flavorful deliciousness, and is a very complete tea with a focused flavor profile. Layered on top of its full-body, there is a soft dryness that is simultaneously palate-refreshing and reassuringly creamy. Drinking this tea will treat your palate to a wonderful tea-drinking experience.
Starting with the initial pleasant creaminess that teases the front of the mouth, and then following that with a rich body that saturates the entirety of one’s mouth, we have found that there is much to appreciate in the complexity of this tea. There is a very slight hazelnut dryness, a little of the ‘tree-bark’ earthiness of some Yunnan dian hongs, a slight ‘raisiny’ or dried fruit snap, and a full, lingering after-taste. The description that was most-often cited by recipients of last year’s promotion was its ‘honeyed’ character, which is spot on.
The aroma is intriguing, with elements of dried fruit, fully ripe drupes (stone fruit), and a hint of almond/hazelnut. Gold-Tipped Black Spirals tea is the perfect tea to sip with Lebkuchen or ChristStollen on a snowy day at Christmastime, or with well-made toast or waffles year-round.
Like many well-made premium Chinese black teas, GTBS is made from whole leaf tea of a moderate size, and shows complexity on the palate. One can add milk or not, but to enjoy it as the Chinese would, it is best drunk plain. It is so creamy that it is hard to imagine adding dairy or another thickener/softener to it.