This famous Chinese black tea is considered to be one of,—if not the—finest black teas in China. Grown in the mountainous regions of Fujian Province in China, Golden Monkey is often referred to as the King of Panyong Congou (king of black teas) because of its exceptional quality.
Golden Monkey is a flavorful, full bodied tea with an exotic sweet, spicy character and unique spicy aftertaste. The finished tea is made from a local variety of tea bush that is noted for its rich aroma, sweet taste, golden color and well-twisted tippy leaf. After a painstakingly labor intensive production process, this tea is hand sorted to ensure a beautiful leaf appearance. The leaves are curly, wiry and well twisted with a high percentage of tips evident. ‘Tip’ is the tip of the new shoots and during the manufacturing process these tips turn a golden brown. ‘Tippy tea’ is a leading indicator of exceptional quality, highly selective grading and usually only available in the first few weeks of the new season (New season teas have the most flavor, are the rarest and most eagerly sought by tea connoisseurs.)
Ingredients: Artisan Black Tea
Origin: Fujian Province, China
In earlier times Golden Monkey was the tea of Taipans and local overlords. They claimed that the secret for this tea was that it had to be plucked by the golden monkey which centuries ago inhabited the forests of Fujian Province. This special tea was very rare and the Taipans demanded every ounce of tea because they claimed that it gave them ‘the agility and sexual prowess of the patriarch of a golden monkey troop’. {Obviously stiff competition from the monkey} Today the plucking process has changed somewhat but it is fascinating to know the tradition behind this marvelous tea.
Brewing Instructions
Water Temperature: Just off the boil (195--205 degrees)
Water Quality: Best with Spring Water
Amount of Leaf (per 6 fl oz water): 2 scant tsp or 1 heaping (2.5 grams)
Steep Time: 2--4 minutes
Number of Infusions: 2
We highly recommend brewing your tea in a teapot or mug with a removable infuser so that you can remove the leaves at the end of the steeping time. Whole leaf tea of this quality need room to unfurl and expand in the water in order to perform their "magic." However, leaving the tea leaves in the water will result in an over-infused, bitter tea. If you want a stronger cup of tea increase the amount of leaf rather than the steeping time. If you don't have a removable infuser, you can brew the loose leaves directly in the pot. At the end of the steeping time, pour all of the tea into a warm serving pitcher or pot.
