Golden Monkey

I brewed this at 200°F for about three minutes and got a smooth, honeyed cup with almost no bitterness. The hand-plucked buds really show in how the leaves unfurl — you can tell it's a step above the grocery store stuff.

The whole-leaf buds give this a malty depth I wasn't expecting from a Chinese black. Steeped it four minutes and it stayed smooth without any bitterness. You can tell it's hand-picked, the leaves are intact and golden-tipped.

Each cup has that plush, almost honeyed mouthfeel you only get from a proper bud-and-leaf pluck, and it brews a deep amber without turning bitter even when I forget about it for a few extra minutes. This is my new go-to for slow afternoons when I want something smooth but with real backbone.