golden monkey
(2 reviews)Grown near the Tai Mu mountains of Fujian province, China, Golden Monkey tea is also known as “Panyong Wang,” the king of high grade black teas. The tea term “Monkey” in China refers to the fuzzy golden down on the leaves. The golden down provides texture and smoothness to the brew.
Only certain tea plant varietals can produce golden colored tip leaves. The golden color emerges during processing after an accurate withering (moisture drying of the leaves). Few areas in Fujian contain this type of tea plants. Other areas known to have golden tipped varietals are Yunnan and Hunan provinces in China, and Assam in India.
Golden Monkey is in season during the spring (April-May). Since it is a heavily oxidized (dark) tea, it maintains its flavor well over the months.