Hunan Gold Customer Reviews

Upon opening my communiTEA packet this morning, I noticed white colored tea leaves mixed with dark green ones, I don’t know what all this meant, but I was willing to find out!

I had exactly three grams of tea, enough for a 12 ounce steep. I steeped at 175°F because my kettle doesn’t have a 180 button. I pulled the first steep at two and a half minutes, and the second steep at one minute; when color depth was not getting any darker.

When hot, a light yellow color was noted in my mug. Mild green vegetal flavors were noted. A mild astringent mouthfeel was present.

When warm, mild green pepper flavors and tongue zings were noted. Moderate bitter and astringent tastes were noted.

At the end, green pepper tastes disappeared. A second steep at one minute was milder in astringency and bitterness, but with mild green pepper tastes and tongue zings noted at the end. Basically, this tea was just a little too astringent and bitter for my tastes. (1st steep: 2 mins 30 secs, 2nd steep: 1 min @ 175ºF, no additions)

33 helpful votes

Haiku Review One:
Thought I brewed it wrong; A light shade of true yellow; taste is bright and green!
OR
Haiku Review Two:
Glittering dew drops; harvested from leaves and grass; were brewed in my glass!

47 helpful votes

I was a little worried to try this tea. So many people warned me you can’t use boiling water, and I don’t have a way to moderate temperature. I was sure I wouldn’t do it justice. I have no idea how hot my water was, but I pulled the kettle just before it started boiling. Followed the other directions. IT WAS DELIGHTFUL. So light and refreshing with just a hint towards sweetness (I added a pinch of stevia). I’m so happy with this morning sip!

20 helpful votes

The twisted leaves brew up into a light yellow cup with a slightly fruity aroma. Didn't get any floral notes. It is quite smooth tasting without any grassiness of a typical green tea. There is a distinct fruity, white grape flavor that finishes quite dry with a pleasant astringency. Very refreshing.

18 helpful votes

This was much better than I was expecting. I made it iced, and it had a really nice fruity flavor. It makes a great iced tea!

5 helpful votes

Hunan Gold is one of those fancy teas..the kind with a description similar to 'tastes like twigs from a tree that only grows on this one street in Kyoto, Japan and fruit from a stand in the super rich part of Paris, France with a dry aftertaste of moon dust. Grown on Pluto and harvested once a millienium on a single day before midnight, after which the tea bush turns into a unicorn and disappears' It is intimidating. I was nervous I was going to brew it wrong. I was worried I'd like it but couldnt afford it. I was sure I would drink it from a mug that wasn't compatable with the tea's fanciness and something bad would happen.

Initially, you dont notice much about this tea. Dry, it smells like a floral green tea. Brewing, it smells like a floral green tea. Nothing really special stood out until I took a sip. The flavor is light peary, grapey, slightly peachy, green teay. It does remind me of a very mild version of a darjeeling. Kinda like sipping on a watered down version of a white wine. Good stuff.

Hunan Gold is quite nice for a change of pace (if you're looking for a respite from heavier blends.) But overall, this tea doesnt stand out as anything extraordinary different or special. What was I so afraid of? I think I'll stick with my less-sophisticated but oh so tasty mango green tea.

37 helpful votes

Absolutely loved this green tea. A well-rounded cup of green, not too bright, not bitter. It has those medium mellow notes I really love.

15 helpful votes

A very nice green tea. 3 mins @ 180° Buttery smooth and delicious with no need to add sweeteners. I really enjoyed this tea.

16 helpful votes

The packet ingredient said “green tea” and I thought oh boy here we go as I don’t like most plain green teas. After brewing for two minutes, it yielded a very pale yellow color. I was still not hopeful at this point. I added some sugar and dove right in. Wow was I surprised. It was very light and not grassy at all. It would be delicious with a meal as a palette cleanser as well as an every day tea. Very calming. And I feel good knowing that I finally found a plain green tea I love.

8 helpful votes

I always have to remind myself that this a green tea, not a black, because it taste more like a mild black tea to me. Not a bad tea by any means, perfectly serviceable, but probably the most forgettable tea I've sampled from Adagio.

I am new to Hunan Gold but a total convert. I like the smoothness and subtle tones.

3 helpful votes

When I first bought this tea years ago, I had never heard of 'yellow' tea. I proceeded to brew in boiling tap water for 5 mins, and thought it was awful. Years later, with spring water at exactly 82 C for 3 minutes, I m transported to a whole new world. The brew is very light with minimal discernable odor. I taste this tea most at the top of my palate. It s sweet and floral with a smooth mouthfeel, a dry white-grape finish, and a lovely honeydew melon aftertaste. Flavors intensify as tea cools, making this a very refreshing iced tea. A Rebrew does not disappoint - tasting nearly identical to the first brew, but by the third brew taste is quite a bit reduced. I m not sure about this tasting like a tippy Darjeeling - with no discernable astringency I find the comparison a stretch. To me it s more between the Formosa Pochoung and the Red Oolong, a bit softer without any vegetal component. It is crisp, dry, and mellow, with a lingering floral note - exactly as promised. Just treat it with care, this tea is not for the uninitiated or those with insensitive palates. It s a swirl-around-in-your-mouth and contemplate-the-complexities-of-life type of tea. But what an affordable, wonderfully pleasant yellow tea. Nicely done, Adagio!

3 min steep · 180°F · 13 helpful votes

A warming, good from the earth green tea. Light, slightly grassy with welcoming floral overtones. You need no additives for it has a lovely sweetness to itself. No bitterness or after tastes. One to really sit back and enjoy!

3 helpful votes

Very very good green tea. For me if I brew it a minute too long it becomes very bitter, but when done right it’s very buttery!

3 min steep · 180°F · 2 helpful votes

This is for people liking stronger flavor of green tea.
Presently tasting.

This variety is super mild and lovely. Not quite as grassy as many greens.

3 min steep · 180°F · 2 helpful votes

Very light but delicious. I let it steep longer to bring out more flavor. It’s a perfect afternoon tea.

10 min steep · 180°F

This was a very good green tea with a very mellow flavor. It was a very lightly flavor, not strong but flavorful.

I actually create a wonderful blend with this tea called Body, Mind and Spirit. The other two ingredients are jasmine pearl and silver needle. I mix equal parts of all three teas.

straightforward, high quality. can use tea bag twice

it's subtly sweet and light, I highly recommend it!

2 min steep · 180°F

This tea brewed up with a nice amber color. It has a warm, almost spicy flavor. I really enjoy it. I brew it at 175°F for 2 minutes and add a little honey.

2 min steep · 175°F · 1 helpful votes

Nice, with what seemed like a fairly green hint. I have to try brewing it differently.

Very smooth taste. No flavoring needed. A high quality tea.

3 min steep

Rich dark aroma, really enjoy this one with a bit of cream and sugar.

3 min steep · 195°F

I love the soft, mellow flavor of these leaves. It s gentle and buttery. This is like a yellow tea, but it looks to be the only yellow tea Adagio offers on this side?

3 min steep · 195°F · 1 helpful votes

Fantastic, a new favorite. A nice lighter tea, but also good to blend with other teas.

This is a great green tea. The flavors are light and crisp with some floral notes, but not at all overwhelming. If you want a stronger flavor, then consider steeping longer.

1 helpful votes

I love this tea first thing in the morning - it has a very mild taste which is nice when I'm just waking up. It's the perfect every day tea.

2 min steep · 180°F

Very nice green tea with ideal complexity and astringency. Perfect for when I'm doing task work at my computer. Nearly a daily drink for me.

3 min steep · 180°F · 1 helpful votes

This was the only green tea in my first round of samplers because they are, for me, generally hit or miss. And this one was a hit! As an iced tea, it's really nice. I'm going to play around with it as part of an iced tea blend, but I'm actually excited to try some of the other green teas on offer. But as for this tea, it only has hints of the classic green tea flavors I've come to expect. This is likely in part to the fact that I absolutely over-steeped it. I forgot about it, sadly so it's almost like this test didn't truly count. It's a lovely amber color at this point, and much stronger than I'd make green tea on purpose. And due to my mishandling, I think, a touch bitter. But it's still got such a nice, light flavor that it's absolutely a long-term contender for me. I love a tea that can stand up to poor handling.

1 helpful votes

A smooth, delicious green tea. I got 3 good infusions out of it, and love the kind of grassy taste to it. It lingers for a bit after drinking.

2 min steep · 180°F · 10 helpful votes

I bought a sample of this as part of a large sample order. I enjoyed the smooth, almost buttery feel of it, and the floral notes were quite pleasant. Recommended steep was 180F but my kettle only has a 175F setting so I used that instead. There is a floral aftertaste that lingers a bit which I liked. Overall, it's subtle and not overpowering, and I enjoyed that.

3 min steep · 175°F · 1 helpful votes

This was the closest I have come (so far) to find a tea that was similar to the 'Golden Dragon' from Teavana. It has a creamy quality to it, but not a buttery aftertaste (like the Golden Dragon); However, it is very similar. I quite enjoyed it!

2 min steep · 180°F

Fantastic green tea. Excellent taste, mouthfeel and aroma. Don’t boil too hot or you will destroy the delicate oils.

3 min steep · 185°F

This tea was the first tea I tasted from Adagio Teas after a friend introduced me to them. I love the Hunan Gold for a caffeinated start to my workday. It is a yellow tea - a type of green tea I didn t even know existed before. I like that it is a bit more cheery than a green tea. I followed the steeping instructions on the bag. It helped my start off on the right note.

1 helpful votes

I'm a green tea fan and this may be my favorite green tea of all.

Delicious! One of my new favorite teas. Less of the oxidized flavor than an oolong, but stronger than a green, without the grassy flavor. Light and floral, though bolder than a green tea.

1 helpful votes

Amazing! Slightly dry at the end but the fruity notes were surpising. Perfect green tea for anytime!

3 min steep · 180°F · 1 helpful votes

One of the better green teas I've had. Smooth, and fruity

3 min steep · 212°F · 1 helpful votes

On my black tea days, Hunan Gold is my afternoon cup. It is mellow, with a soft finish. It gets me where I want to be, for the rest of the day.

This is a great tea alone or mixed with another tea.

It's OK, but not my favorite. I feel like it has a more 'burnt' flavor than I was hoping for.

This is a nice green tea. It's a good example of what green tea should taste like, but it didn't really distinguish itself to me. Still, it was very delicious.

That was a lovely green tea! I was pleasantly by how smooth and tasty it was! Definitely a new fave~

I was impressed by this tea. I had written off yellow teas since the ones I’ve had before were mild to tasteless. Hunan Gold has changed my mind. It’s light, but flavorful. A beautiful light golden color, true to its name. It has a vegetal aroma and taste, like steamed spinach or broccoli. Very gently astringent with a floral, almost jasmine, lingering finish. Great both hot and cold. I brewed mine at 170°F for 2 minutes.

16 helpful votes

Decent tea. I added honey and it made it more enjoyable for sure

One of my favorite regular teas by far. The body is quite smooth and neither too thin nor too robust, with a delightful light golden hue almost reminiscent of a white tea. The aroma is largely floral, but with a uniquely mellow quality: it is much like the scent of wilted plum blossoms, recently fallen. The cup is similar, with perhaps a somewhat more fruitish quality, like little plums that have slightly browned and become soft. Though one would not typically find such a plum altogether pleasant to consume, this tea does not have the same unpleasantness at all; indeed, it is quite enjoyable and soothing to imbibe, leaving a faint, airy floralness on the tongue.

3 min steep · 180°F · 1 helpful votes

Light tea, not good for more than 2 infusions. That said, it is a light easily drinkable fruity green tea.

A nice, strong green tea. I was happy to get this one for today's CommuniTEA since I was in the mood for a green tea! Initially i thought it was too strong, but I ended up adding some honey and it was good!