Gold Tribute Black

Golden Tribute Black with its plentiful tender buds and bud sets yields an aromatic cup of black tea with a long, caramel finish. At first an aspirational tea whose prices made news, Gold Tribute Black (aka Jin Jun Mei) might be seen as the apex of valuable cargo loaded onto clipper ships that raced to Europe centuries ago. Very fine, wiry, and uniform, the dry leaves provide plenty of evidence for the “gold” in the name. An opulent brew for a tea that consists mostly of tips. From northwestern Fujian; it’s a single plucking each year.

Recommendation:

If serving this tea iced, consider using an extra 1 1/2 teaspoon of tea for every 6 – 8 ounces of water to provide more flavor. Melting ice will dilute the blend. You can also cold steep to maximize the flavor by filling a pitcher with the appropriate tepid water. Add the suggested amount of tea leaves either in a tea bag or an infuser and put the pitcher into the refrigerator for approximately 1 1/2 hours. Taste the tea and if it’s to your liking, remove the tea leaves and serve.