China black teas are not an area that I have explored much in the past, but here are a few that I have sampled recently from Upton.
Bohea Classic Organic
Upton claims that this was the tea of the Boston Tea Party. If so, it’s a real shame about all that good tea going in the drink. This is very good. It reminds me of one of my guilty pleasures: Twinings Prince of Wales tea. I know tea snobs aren’t supposed to drink Twinings, but that particular blend is a favorite of mine. This tea is similar, but better, and considerably more expensive (pricier, in fact, than my favorite Darjeelings). It has an amazing rich, smoky flavor but not enough to make it taste like Lapsang Souchong. (I’m funny about smoky flavors in tea. I really like them up to a point, but when the smoke gets overpowering I find it kind of disgusting.)
Yunnan Golden Tips Imperial
Upton’s description implies that teas from Yunnan have not been quite what they ought to be of late. They also, of course, assert that this tea is an exception. I’m not so sure about that. I got very excited by the look of the dry leaf, which is composed entirely of beautiful golden tips, but the taste is not living up to my expectations. There’s really none of the peppery quality that I associate with good Yunnan tea. In fact, the truth is it just doesn’t taste like much. I’m glad I only ordered a sample.
Keemung Mao Feng Superior
This is an excellent tea. Maybe not as spectacular as the Bohea (nor as expensive), but an excellent sort of everyday tea. It’s sweet, smoky, and just all around perfect. It’s not a bad looking tea either, with tiny little chocolate-colored leaves uncurling as it brews. I’ll probably be ordering this again.