Jin Mudan

One of those teas that rightly deserves its given name, this Jin Mudan does indeed exude the odor of fresh peony and white flowers. The cultivar, a cross between Tieguanyin and Huang Jin Gui, is often used for yancha and—increasingly—black tea; the rolled version, mildly oxidized, presents a completely different face to the palate: fruity, floral, and green. Most invitingly, a distinctly buttery note takes the viscous liquor toward the likes of a milky oolong, contrasted by the soft acidity of papaya, diluted pinapple, or sour pear. Though Jin Mudan is often a pleasure, this one is truly golden.