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Cameron B. drank Jin Si Dian Hong by Nannuoshan

4330 tasting notes

This sample came from my holiday package from cookies. I love Dian Hongs, and I’ve definitely tried my share between Yunnan Sourcing and AliExpress. Yunnan teas were really the first straight black teas I got into when I joined Steepster a few months ago, and I still really love them, especially now that I’ve discovered that a lot of other black teas have astringency. Anyway! This appears to be a pure bud tea, though the buds are smaller and less puffy than other similar teas I’ve tried. Dry scent is slightly earthy with apricot notes.

This is pretty good. It doesn’t quite compare to the pure bud Yunnan teas I’ve had from Yunnan Sourcing, but I think the overall taste here is somewhere between pure bud and regular leaf, so it’s not necessarily comparable. There’s a nice earthy base, on top of which are malt and slightly savory notes. I can also taste some of that Yunnan-y stonefruit flavor, especially near the end. It does have a rather strong mineral taste, which is not my favorite here.

Flavors: Earth, Malt, Mineral, Smooth, Stonefruit, Thick

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2025 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- February sipdowns: 5
- Total 2025 sipdowns: 39

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia (or monkfruit, etc.).

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing