“Spring Snail” Bi Luo Chun Green Tea - Yunnan Sourcing
Notes of artichoke, squash, and split pea.
“Spring Snail” Bi Luo Chun dry tea leaf
Name: Yunnan Green Spring Snail Bi Luo Chun Green Tea
Source: Yunnan Sourcing
Price: $6 / 50g
Harvest: Spring 2021
Origin: Grown on Wangzi Mountain in Ning'Er County of Simao (Yunnan)
Varietal: Yunkang #10, 1 leaf to 1 bud pick
Tea Quantity: 4g
Brew Temperature: 80ºC
Water Quantity: 100 mL
Brew Time: 30s,
Wash: Yes
Visual Notes
I love the look of the rolled dry tea leaves. I assume that the tea name, “Green Spring Snail”, gets its name from the look, and how the tea leaves look like a green snail shell. The first infusion has a very light pale off white color. After the first infusion, the rolled tea leaves are starting to loosen up, but are still knotted together.
Scent Notes
The scent has a slightly vegetal, strongly nutty scent. Getting notes of butternut squash and split pea, and perhaps a bit of olive oil.
Tasting Notes
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The first sips are light, and not a boom bang pow like a Japanese green tea. There is an initial bitter vegetal note that I think most green teas, but it quickly sweetens into a greener nutty note. Texture is neural, taste is like a mix between a meaty squash like vegetable or a meaty green leafy vegetable. The flavor that this reminds me most of is steamed artichoke. Not that strong of a finish as this first infusion is rather light.
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On the second infusion, the tea leaves are mostly unrolled, but some are still knotted, and most still have a skinny rolled leaf form. The color is a more darker saturated yellow. The scent has developed too. I think it is a mix between nutty and vegetal. Not at all like cut grass, but maybe like an autumn or winter vegetable. Some very feint cream notes on the scent. Texture is neural. The taste is noticeably more bitter. Some green vegetable notes, moving more towards broccoli. Slightly nutty, and faintly earthy. You can taste that nuttiness in the back of the tongue. The finish is slightly bitter and mildly astringent, building from the first. The scent in the empty tea cup leaves a sweet, spicy, floral spice note. A rich sweetness like a sauce reduction or a Demi glacé.
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The tea leaves are fully open for the most part. They all have a light pale green, like an unsaturated lime color. The scent is a tame sweet, nutty, vegetal. Perhaps it smells like the water after steaming a batch of artichokes. Less in your face bitterness on this first sip. The flavor quickly slips to the back of the tongue, where you detect the warm nutty vegetal notes. More nutty now as the infusions go on. Perhaps squash like. Feint artichoke notes, but no where as obvious as the first infusion. Increasing astringency on the finish, but still rather mild.
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The scent is much more minerally now. It has a familiar scent but I can’t place it. Maybe like alcohol wipes, but I know that is not correct. I think the taste has also devolved from its original roots. More minerally, much more astringent even before the finish. The warm nutty vegetal notes are masked by the bitter astringency.
Rating: 4.5/5
This tea is the featured green tea included in the Yunnan Sourcing “First Steps” sampler pack.
There are multiple things that I like about this tea. First, visually, it is a lovely tea. They look like little rolled snail shells. If someone told me that this is not actually where the snail name came from, I would be surprised. The tea, at my settings, brews quite light, but maintains a complex flavor profile. The first time that I tasted this tea a couple of weeks ago, I recognized the tasting note of artichoke. And my friend who was also trying the tea agreed with me. After trying this tea again a few more times, I do agree that it does have a detectable artichoke flavor, but it is really only clear and present on the first infusion. All of the other infusions are more of a nutty or squash like note. I rate this tea highly because it is a pleasant green tea that offers a good complexity of identifiable flavors, has notes of high quality, such as the visual aspect of the tea, and the lingering scent of the tea glass and leaves. However, I rate this tea lower due to its inability to be infused for a long time. I find that at about the fourth infusion, at my settings, it very quickly devolves in to an unfavorable tea. It gets very bitter and astringent very fast, and it is no longer enjoyable.
Yunnan Sourcing does offer an Imperial grade bi luo chun, which I ordered and will be comparing against this tea. I am hoping the higher grade can provide more pronounced flavor, while still maintaining this complexity, while also offering the ability for further infusions.
Tea Seller’s Description
Spring comes early in Yunnan! A mild sunny winter, quickly gives way to spring which allows for this fresh and nutty green tea. It is composed entirely of buds and leaves picked in early March. The tea is expertly processed in small batches to ensure a nutty thick fresh green tea taste!
If not over-steeped or scalded (use 85C-90C water) it can be infused up to 8 times!
Classic Yunnan Green tea with 1 leaf and 1 bud picked and rolled together!
Early March Harvest!
Grown on Wangzi Mountain in Ning'Er County of Simao (Yunnan)
Varietal: Yunkang #10
Pick Style: 1 leaf to 1 bud
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