Review of Chicago Tea Garden's Golden Bi Luo black tea

Type: Black tea

Form: Loose leaf

Review: I’ve made no secret on this blog of my love of Yunnan golds. I’ve even got a Yixing teapot dedicated to them. So I was pleased when tea-friend Tony Gebley, co-owner of The Chicago Tea Garden, offered me some of his Golden Bi Luo. I only recently became aware of this variation consisting of two leaves and a bud rolled into a snail-like shape. (Much like the better-known Bi Luo Chun, a green tea.)

Tony’s Golden Bi Luo is sourced from well-known tea personality, David Lee Hoffman. When still dry, the little swirls of gold and chocolate brown don’t have a very strong scent, though one can pick up a bit of sweet vanilla.The liquor infuses to a beautiful, rich orange/amber, with a stronger vanilla/spice nose.

While the tea can be a challenge to brew (see my preparation tips below), when done correctly, it produces a lovely, fresh, creamy liquor. The vanilla notes are there, with a faint floral note in the finish. The tea also has a slight edge (again, check my preparation tips below) which can veer off into bitter territory. I like this, as it gives the tea some structure.

Chicago Tea Garden recommends this as a good “starter tea” for someone who wants to get into quality, loose leaf tea without adulterants (aka milk and sugar). I agree: Its creaminess and sweet vanilla flavor makes it quite palatable for those trying to kick the additive habit, while its more robust qualities might appeal to a slowly-reforming coffee drinker. My only caution is that the tea can be slightly tricky to prepare, which is why I’m including prep tips in this review.

Preparation Tips:

This tea can be a bit of a fusspot to brew: I’d advise using a fair amount of leaf but keeping the steep times short. Not too short, though, because these little snails need time to unfurl. A minute seems to work well. For some reason, “Bi Luo” teas can get a bit bitter, so pay close attention to timing. Also, the vanilla notes become more obvious as the tea cools down a bit. You don’t have to let the tea get cold, but letting it cool for a few minutes really gets the vanilla to stand out.

Also, be sure to check out The Little Yellow Teapot’s review of this tea for more preparation ideas.

Sample Provided by Retailer?: Yes

Affiliate Links in this Post?: Yes
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