Tasting One of the Most Expensive Teas in the World

[@jonmakkai2541]

Excellent analysis. I had similar experience with Jin Jun Mei. A few years ago I was gifted a significant quantity of it; let's just say it was meant for an entire company but it fell into my hands because nobody appreciated the gift. Because I got it for free, I started drinking it like it was a regular every day tea. I totally pigged out on it and it wasn't until I got halfway through the lot that I truly came to understand just how exquisite that tea was. Later I regretted having gorged on it, like that, and went looking for something comparable. I have never been able to find anything that came close, like you with your first experience, and I became disillusioned and gave up on the idea of ever tasting it again. It's like I got to taste heaven and will spend the rest of my years atoning for the sin of being a tea pig with the Jin Jun Mei. It's exciting you found it again. So: I'm pretty sure this Jin Jun Mei was the most expensive tea I've ever had and yet I got it for free so I'll never know just how much it cost.

[@MeiLeaf]

Pigging out on Jin Jun Mei is quite a story! It is frustrating to search for a tea and everything that you are sold is different but keep searching because it is out there!

[@jonmakkai2541]

chinalife Tea House BTW, your analysis of the leaf characteristics matches my experience both with the real thing and the imitations I encountered in my search. The imitations usually look nicer that the real thing, with a lot of golden tips, but it never tastes right. The imitations often taste more like Dian Hong than Jin Jun Mei.

[@MeiLeaf]

Callum Makkai Exactly! We have seen so many Dian Hong tasting teas being marketed as Jin Jun Mei and it is totally a different flavour.

[@hallo84]

Well its great you got to experience good quality jin jun mei. Good quality jin jun mei cost about 1500-2000 Yuan per ounce. Something like 300 USD/ounce. Good high altitude grown Wulong can cost the same.

[@Stunseed]

am i watching a tea video? or is someone trying to sell me some amazing weed.

[@MeiLeaf]

😂

[@tanmingsung9228]

Some people smoke some tea with their weed.

[@jannujokunen2701]

These videos have the same thumbs up & playlist speak as customgrow420..

[@TeaSci]

smoke tea ?

[@SilverWiskeyStones]

Yes

[@moonshinevessel]

The way you guys describe tea is so intoxicating hahaha

[@yingzhou7317]

Ivana G c

[@1000bouddhas]

Here's a little thought for people who think high quality tea is expensive: I once calculated how much was worth a cup (250 ml, about 8oz) of the most expensive Gyokuro we have at the tea house I work at. Keeping in mind that this tea is almost entirely by hand and grown (shaded) following the traditional methods, I think it's quite affordable at a little under 4$ CAD. Think about that when you spend more than that for your next Starbucks "coffee"! 😉

[@TheArtofBlues]

I think the amazing thing is he found a girl who likes tea this much to listen to him. Thats rare.

[@onuq3r4y478]

19:28 (ish) the face Celine makes when Don talks about drinking this tea with his father. My heart melted.

The most expensive tea I have was a fairly recent purchase. It's a 2008 vintage Bai Liang Cha from Jin Hua. Untill I saw this tea I wasn't aware of this genre of hei cha, seeing the delicate golden-flower mold was a grand surprise. I immediately decided to try this one. It starts like a pu'erh in it's twenties: rich, earthy, musty, complex. Yet with every infusion it behaves more like a younger tea. It's a sublime treat. Now I'm just doomed to try the suppliers 2002 vintage. ;) Thanks for the great video.

[@MeiLeaf]

Sounds like a truly fascinating tea! Keep us updated if you get the 2002 one.

[@keepers7768]

Your anticipation and enthusiasm was infectious. Happy it did not disappoint.

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks, it certainly is a fabulous tea.

[@urpoche]

My most expensive tea is a 1955 Menghai 300 years old tree sheng pu'er. It was given to me by an old Taiwanese man who was a little sad that the younger generation wasn't too much into tea culture. The man has a 2500 pu'er cakes collection. He told me that he was impressed that a laowai was so passionate about tea that he wanted to reward me. When he told me the price, I told him I couldn't accept, he said that he insisted and that he had 6 more of them. I only drink this exquisite tea with true tea connoisseurs that I know will enjoy it.

[@MeiLeaf]

:O WOW!

[@MeiLeaf]

We want to taste it so badly!

[@urpoche]

chinalife Tea House If you come by Montreal, Canada, give me a shout and we can share a cup !

[@MeiLeaf]

For sure, thanks for the invite!

[@kingrichardiii6280]

I am probably gonna be this old man. Every time I order from meileaf I get some everyday tea, dragon well or some olong, and a cake of the ageable stuff. At 27 I already I got a decent collection. So probably when i am 80 I will be giving my future granddaughter or grandson some aged 50 year plus shimmer bliss roady or Jade star.

[@kgrindle5568]

The most I've paid for tea was $25 for 2oz of gyokuro at an independent tea shop in St. Petersburg, FL. I know that in the world of tea, this is not expensive, but it was a splurge for me. I thought is was a beautiful. I spent most of my life drinking bagged tea. I made the switch 2 years ago to loose. I have learned a lot from watching your videos. Thank you for making the world of tea accessible to regular people.

[@MeiLeaf]

It is a pleasure thank you for watching!

[@vinyleyezz]

Most expensive tea I've tried so far is an Organic Silver Needle White Tea from Mountain Rose Herbs, it runs about 80 bucks for 8 ounces. It's buttery smooth though, I love it!

[@MeiLeaf]

A high quality one is worth every cent or penny.

[@ps.6023]

thats not that expensive. Unless it was by grams

[@markevans4798]

You guys always make teas look so enticing! Notice that Celine's glass is always a little fuller and she gets away with it! Haha. My most expensive tea was a few grams of pu-erh from the late 70s that was originally part of a wedding gift.

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes we noticed this too when editing!

[@serenabean8661]

My most expensive tea was a Emerald Matcha Blend at my local tea house. A small cup was about seven dollars and it was a toasted rice and matcha tea. It was worth every cent and tasted like a golden brown marshmallow with very heavy woodsy and nutty notes. It was absolutely amazing, and I would definitely buy it again.

[@bjmsharp]

Most expensive tea I've tried was an aged wuyi oolong, early 90's I believe. It was really nice stuff, very strong mineral flavours that had been smoothed out with age alongside some lovely clean woody flavours. This stuff sounds great, I really enjoyed sharing the moment of you reliving the memory with your father. Amazing how teas or foods can bring out such nostalgic feelings like that. Thanks for the video :)

[@MeiLeaf]

Cheers Ben, yes it was an emotional tasting for sure and thanks for sharing your expensive tea story - very hard to find properly aged Yancha but sounds delicious.

[@Miljaaarde]

I like the fact that you taste one of the very best teas in the world on camera, but in a really straightforward way: dirty old table, no special "chique" wares, not in the sun or in a special room. Only pure love for tea and no snobbery!

[@MeiLeaf]

Yeah the tea needs no embellishments!

[@andrewburless491]

One of the most expensive teas I have had was about $35 for two oz. It was a wonderful yunnan golden curl hand rolled black tea. It had wonderful notes of chocolate and savory undertones.

[@tinacarroll5481]

This was so interesting! I have a Jin Jun Mei, which I bought knowing that it wouldn't be the highest grade (only about $20 for 50g from a supplier in Australia), but just wanting a nice daily black tea, and it is a very nice black tea. It's from wild trees in Tong Mu, it looks right (tiny buds, not too many of the lighter coloured ones, clearly hand-rolled), and it tastes distinctly of chocolate and rose. It's really nice, but from the price it must be a much lower grade. I can't imagine how lovely your high grade one is! It must be incredible! Unfortunately, the most expensive tea I've bought was a duck shit oolong (which I only bought because yours was so popular it was out of stock), and sadly I really wasn't impressed. It didn't taste any better than a much lower grade one I purchased, which was just really weak, and didn't have any of that beautiful perfume that makes dancongs so unique.

[@MeiLeaf]

Sounds like you found a good tea but we can't imagine how it could be so inexpensive! Good find though! The world of Dancong is difficult to navigate and there are so many weak tasting Dancongs selling for silly money.

[@tinacarroll5481]

im sure if I had them side by side there would be a HUGE difference and the pricing would make sense. its a nice tea and has the rose and chocolate but its not mind blowing. Although Im not overly experienced with black teas as Ive always neglected them (until your videos convinced me to give them another try).

[@MeiLeaf]

We all seem to neglect black tea a little on our tea journey but when you rediscover them then it is a revelation.

[@denisemi]

Every time I watch one of your videos I run to the kitchen and make myself a cuppa. I'm so happy for having discovered this channel!

[@MeiLeaf]

We are happy that you are sipping tea along with us.

[@vannanheap4804]

great channel I ever watched! Don & Celine I want to say you are both very beautiful 😍. I just found your videos and feel love it so much. Actually I love tea and want to learn and research more about it and then bring the real quality tea to my country. 🧡✨

[@Tasman_Tea]

The most expensive tea I have ever bought was a Song Zhong Dancong Phoenix Oolong from very old tea trees (up to 800 years old) on Wudong Mountain. The aromas and flavours were amazing! Honey, exotic flowers, stone fruit (especially peach and apricot) and also wonderfully restrained maltiness and hints of caramel and chocolate (very subdued but there). The mouthfeel was extraordinary and the finish was long with a perfect sweet/astringent balance. Shame I could only afford 50 grams of it!

[@MeiLeaf]

Song Zhong's from really old trees are VERY expensive. It sounds like it was either an original Song Dynasty tree or 1st Generation. These usually sell for silly money. It sounds delightful though and that's what counts!

[@gerardabello]

It wasn't nearly as expensive as this one, but I think the most expensive one was the Ya Shi Dan Cong (duck sh*t). I will always remember it because it was the first oolong that I tried, an it tasted so good! It instantly placed oolong as my favorite type of tea, but I try to get cheaper ones. Thanks for the video and the competition!

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes Dan Cong's can be pricey but if you get a good one they are worth the money.

[@kouyasakurada5547]

Tea was so godly it threw him back in time like Anton Ego from Ratatouille.

[@voice-of-freedom]

A just came back from the Hunan province and visited the sixth largest tea company in china. They gave me a sample of a 25 year fermented Duc tea. I was sitting next to the Ambassador of an Eastern European country that is famous for wine and Cognac. For which he remarked that the tea reminded him of a well aged Cognac. It was nutty and chocolaty but smooth. I am not the best person to describe the taste but I like it. I brought some home in order to brew on the day my son has his first child. btw - it was your tea tasting video that was shot outside that inspired me to visit Hunan and Fujian to learn more about tea. (ok now I would really love that sample :))... Thanks for your videos and sharing your knowledge

[@MeiLeaf]

Wonderful Faruq, thank you for sharing your story. The tea sounds lovely, was it naturally aged or fermented by the factory. It is unusual for Hunan to make naturally aged teas but instead make excellent ripened tea.

[@Akumathemaster]

Brilliant work, you transmitted very well the soul of the tea; thank you! The most expensive tea I ever got was Anji Bai Cha and it was totally worth the price. I enjoyed it to the fullest ! Lovely work, keep going. Cheers.

[@MeiLeaf]

Cheers! Yep Anji Bai Cha is another expensive tea but when you get a good one it is delicious.

[@alexanderlindseth6691]

As a very spontanious treat, I bought an 50s Pu Tian Gong Qing Liu Bao from EoT, as a part of a session tasting 50-90s liu bao with friends. It was very special experience, and worthy the pounds! It is not always the price reflects the quality/ subjective preference ( e.g. I tasted west lake Long Jing for £300 for 5g, yet preffered 100 times less expensive version from same Master!), but on this occation, I must admit it is the best Liu Bao Ive ever had. Enjoyed getting more info on this tea, thank you!

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks - we know what you mean about the Long Jing. Very often the very expensive stuff is due to preconceived notions of quality markers instead of genuine taste.

[@Myzenan]

Most expensive tea I've tasted would be the Da Hong Pao. My family's from China and my father's a businessman so he often gets gifts of tea (he's a Chinese tea freak). 3 years ago, he got a 50g pack of Da Hong Pao as a gift (it's about 2000yuan or 300usd) and he brewed 10g for my family. Honestly, I my expectations were a lot higher but I still enjoyed it and can see why it is so expensive. There's a really strong nutmuggy/walnutty smell to it (香) and the taste was more of a peachy flavour. Is it worth the money? Barely. If it was a bit cheaper, I would get more of it.

[@roksraka9241]

I was on a trip in Shanghai when I bought an unnamed green tea in some fancy store in the most expensive part of the city....I didn't know much about teas back then (almost 3 years ago) and ended up paying almost 30 euros for 25g of tea. It was quite delicious though...

[@MeiLeaf]

As long as it was a delicious tea then thumbs up!

[@sahajamatya]

Drinking Game: take a sip of your tea everytime he says Jin Jun Mei

[@will_110]

haha loved this vid, Don you are a genuine dude! The most expensive tea I ever bought wasn't actually the most expensive, but relative to that time, I had little money so buying good leaf was a real adventure, it was a white silver needle which I brewed in a makeshift "gaiwan" after watching some youtube videos and now, money or no money, I always keep a good stock of bai hao yin zhen! Here's to us teaheads! CHEERS EVERYBODY! :D

[@MeiLeaf]

Always have to have your stash of Yinzhen eh? We understand completely! Cheers.

[@marcodiubaldo9751]

What a cool video you make! I really like see people enjoy so much tea! I can see this wonderful experience on your faces and I really love it. The most expensive tea I bought was a pu erh shu cha and I think it was a fairy price. A little bit high for a student but fairy 😅 thank you for the opportunity!

[@paulpavlenko480]

The most expensive tea I actually received (not bought) was a Mi Lan Xiang that was priced at $48/oz. I'm waiting for a special occasion to open it up since I only received around 20 g. I loved the videos that you posted about sourcing Dancong. That was quite special. Thank you Don!

[@MeiLeaf]

Yum yum, one of our favourite Oolongs.

[@helenxiong9422]

Hi! Just found your channel, and I must say, I'm in love. Thank you so much, I'm glad that there are some genuine tea lovers out there to share with. This is super long, so if you’re time sensitive, skip to the last paragraph. Unfortunately, all my expensive teas have been gifts, so I can't pin a price on them. I have some family members well respected in their professions, who have been gifted various teas. My mother and I are simple people with little to want when we go back to visit in China, but we will never, ever turn down tea, so I've been enthusiastically spoiled with a small collection of quality teas I am entirely unworthy of. Since I'm a low-maintenance kid paying my way through University, my teas are some of my most prized possessions. My mother and I argue about each other's tea taste's all the time: She likes her green teas like huangshan maofeng and taiping houkui, and I prefer the oolong tieguanyin which she hates. (Note, all of these are too expensive for us to purchase ourselves.) The most expensive teas I've been gifted are probably one of the following: A blooming jasmine ball tea gifted to my uncle, a banker in Beijing, that I feel like I need to save and enjoy for special occasions, preferably without finding out it's obscene price tag. The other is a kunlun xueju, a vividly blooming chrysanthemum with bright yellow-green petals and a blood red core. This one is exceptionally light bodied, crisp with almost no aftertaste, and evokes dewy meadows in springtime and a more complex cultured flavour underneath that I can't explain. One thing I can note is that my kulun xueju looks nothing like what google search is turning up. The ones on the internet come loose in plastic jars; burgundy flower centers with sunflower yellow petals, slightly mangled looking. The ones I have come in individually vacuum packed portions in a blue and gold tin, the colours are much richer, and each flower comes out a considerably more intact bloom. This tea was a gift to my great-uncle, a traditional medicine professor. I'm starting to suspect I will never get my hands on a batch of the quality I'm seeking ever again. (I’m gonna cry about that one.) The most expensive tea I know the price of is a jasmine my father bought me in Beijing, my only (very) selfish request for a souvenir. He went beyond the cheap tea I asked for and brought back 100g priced at ~70-80 RMB. I told him not to get me it anymore. Secretly, however, I know if I ever have the money, I’m making a beeline for it. My nose was assaulted with a most incredible jasmine aroma the second it came out of the suitcase. Despite it being paper wrapped twice and swaddled tight in a Ziploc bag, the entire room smelled of heaven. Or maybe sin would be a more accurate description. It has the most intense aroma I’ve ever smelled, but in a light and refreshing way, not at all cloying. The scent and taste of it linger for a long time after a single sip. Currently, I have it stored in a heavy-duty freezer bag in addition to all the original packaging (that’s 4 layers!) to preserve freshness, and I can still smell it through the bag. My entire snack/food/tea drawer smells of it. Was it worth it? Oh my GOD, YES! Obviously, not if I don’t have the money to spend, but if I do, yes, Yes, YES, a million times. It’s the kind of heady, drug-like concoction that makes me feel like I’m about to be punished with every draft. Totally worth it.

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks for watching and commenting on your tea experiences. A good jasmine is quite a heady experience! One correction though: noone is unworthy of good tea!

[@helenxiong9422]

chinalife Tea House Aww, that's sweet of you!

[@ericsuen2]

I purchased some Tie Guan Yin for about $200 per 500g... I thought it was delicious at the time, but eventually I realized I got ripped off. I've had better tasting tea for cheaper since then. I would love to see more of these tea comparison videos. They're awesome! Maybe do a Sheng puer one next? :) keep up the awesome videos.

[@MeiLeaf]

OK more comparisons are on our list of to do videos. Yes TGY can be expensive and sold way overpriced sometimes.

[@pimpumpam82]

My most expensive tea were actually two tins that I got in China. I was at the airport of Shanghai, on my way back after two weeks of travel but I had still have some Renminbi to spend... not too few. So I thought "I'm in China, I should get tea", I went to the duty free shop and I asked for random tea. The lady gave me 2 metal boxes: one Long Jing and one Oolong Tian Ying. She took all my money. End of the story: if I am now here after years to watch these videos and to searching on the web to know more about tea is thanks to this weird purchase of some years ago!

[@MeiLeaf]

So if the tea was overpriced or not it brought you here and that is priceless ;)

[@mailerichon]

Hi there! Just visited your tea house to refill my oolong stock. I bought a small JJM pack. What can I say... this is exactly what you described in your video. This tea is amazing! Had everything: dark chocolate, rose (quite light and overwhelmed by the deep chocolate frangrance). Nose smell on wet leaf is long yan exactly which is quite surprising after de 2 other notes. I was offed a full box of it but not even close to it. Thanks Meileaf for proposing such an unique (real) tea!

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks for coming in and I am happy that you tasted the JJM, we adore that tea.

[@miertjeonline]

It is clear that I am new to the world of good tea! I thought €10,- for 100 gram Milk Silk Oolong was expensive! But it is obvious that is a bargain when I hear you talk about Jin Jun Mei. It is a bit of a blessing and a curse to hear you both speak about all those wonderful kinds of tea. And especially this one where you speak so passionate about the smells and taste of dark chocolate and Turkish delight! Totally awesome you do give the describers of You Tube the opportunity to purchase this tea! And even more special that you give one of the viewers the change to taste it! I cheated a bit and told my friends to comment on this video as well! And if they get it I am invited to have a tea party with them :-P Fingers crossed and hoping that I know the lucky winner of this extraordinary tea haha! Keep up the good work!

[@MeiLeaf]

Hehe that's a sneaky way to improve your odds of winning but we like your dedication to tasting the tea.

[@martincain8450]

most expensive tea i've splurged on (as of yet) is a vintage bai mu dan from 2005, i sprung for it after watching your video on getting tea-drunk. You weren't kidding about the honey notes, it even carries into the mouthfeel. thick. a real catalyst for introspection or extroversion, depending on the mood! and delicious, too!

[@MeiLeaf]

Fabulous descriptions and I am happy that you have tasted the delights of an aged white!

[@farzadgolkar8413]

When you tipped the cup containing the leaves after the first brewing, the color of the few drops of tea at the bottom of the cup reminded me of the very best saffron. It looked beautiful.

[@pirap78]

When you enjoy a video, thinking of buying that tea. And figure out you just got it 3 days ago on a shopping spree. Now that's foresight :)

[@Miljaaarde]

My tea-provider is Chinese but changed her homeland. She is a real tea-artist and every year she goes to the mountains of China to select only the very best teas with the best price. When I go to other high-end teashops I'm always amazed by the high prices of the tea and it never tops the tea from my Chinese friend. My favorite tea this summer was not a very expensive one, it's a lovely green oolong which is insanely creamy. First it's floral, later brews are more fruity, but there's also some bitterness that makes the sweeter notes more intens. It always reminds me of a trip through the Netherlands: it tastes like windmills and daffodils, green grass, milk, sheep and young beautiful dutch girls. My friend only asked 30 euro for 100gr... I have a pu-erh cake which was double the money, but that's more a wintertea to me.

[@gymgirl1010910]

What is the tea called? What are some of the names of the tea shops if you don't mind?

[@timskza]

Can you please tell me how I can acquire tea from your provider?

[@Miljaaarde]

***** The texts on the package are all in Chinese, but it is organic high mountain oolong and rather green... I can ask my friend/provider for more info if you want. The shops I'm talking about are for example "Palais des Thés" and other so called 'high-end shops' which sell too expensive. I never tasted tea from Chinalife/Mei Leaf but it seems to have the same price/quality as my provider. lol tim She lives and sells tea in Ghent, a town in Belgium. She doesn't sell tea online I'm afraid.

[@gymgirl1010910]

igug vufu More information on the tea name would be awesome! How long have you been collecting tea for and doing it the Gong fu way? I used to drink a lot of low quality jasmine tea when I was a little tot, but it was the western way. Maybe you could message me here on YT and I could give you my email.

[@Miljaaarde]

If I see her I will ask. The plantation is next to a high lake called 'Dujuan Lake Reservoir' in Pu'er, if I remember it correctly... When I was younger (I'm still quite young) I was more a coffee-person. Now coffee is too aggressive for my stomage. Three years ago I started drinking tea in the Chinese way. It was my Chinese friend who made me interested in Chinese tea, the gongfu cha and Taoïsm. For me drinking tea is a way to help me finda ballance in life. The gongfu ceremony is like a 'tea meditation' or someting... I don't consider myself really a collector of tea, I just want some good teas :) Excuse me if I make a lot of mistakes, english is not my first language.

[@balob]

I drank a 2 year old white tea brick at my local tea shop. I swear it tasted like a 5+ year old white tea, very thick and smooth with a sweet taste throughout. I can't imagine how amazing it'll be in 3 years. The owner said it came from one of the white tea masters of Fuijan, who produces like 2kg of it a year, and he bought the last tong by extreme chance.

[@MeiLeaf]

As you know we are very much obsessed with aged whites and this sound gorgeous.

[@rainbowinbahrain1836]

Guys, my mouth has been watering since brewing! Greetings from Mx!

[@teawe1936]

My most expensive was the slumbering dragon from crimson lotus. Really impressive in flavor and a different taste to any other pu erhs i've tried before. But I imagine this jin jun could be an even more amazing experience :D!

[@ArpitMishra0891]

Ur like Sheldon cooper.... from big bang theory ....i love this channel .....i am also spreadin awareness to my family and frnds about tea .......Saw all of ur videos and liked all of it

[@drznx]

i'm quite new in a tea obsession :D But my most expensive tea i've tried so far was Feng Huong Dan Cong, in Latvia if you buy it in a tea store, it costs about 400 eur a kg, but the taste is so sweet and smooth, refreshing, puts an immediate smile on the face right after you try. :)

[@whistlestopwonders]

My most expensive tea purchase was a top grade gyokuro. This was the first tea that truly made me realise where the extra cost is going. Since that moment I only purchase top quality single estate teas so I can try each new variety at its absolute best!

[@MeiLeaf]

Great buying philosophy!

[@Nioteas]

would love to have your feedback on our teas :-) only single origin teas: nioteas.com

[@Salfally]

I found you guys about 6 weeks ago and you have ruined me 😂 No more teabags. I'm becoming a snob, a tea-head. I'm in the states so looked for an organic tea distributor. Found one in Oregon who mails to me in Colorado. It's very good, better than any tea I've ever had. But now I'm just so curious to try EVERYTHING from EVERYWHERE!! 😂

[@tobelli]

it's such a delight watching you enjoy quality tea. I'm taking my Jin Jun Mei out for a ride now.... cheers.

[@MeiLeaf]

Enjoy the ride, it is a fabulous tea.

[@teahorse1506]

The most expensive sample I've purchased: 2001 Dayi Jianyun 7542 at over $3/gram. Most expensive cake (per gram): White2Tea's 2016 The Treachery of Storytelling Pt.2. Most paid for a single cake: 1990's CNNP Blue Mark. All raw puer. Thanks for the video and the secret page.

[@MeiLeaf]

How much was the CNNP cake if you don't mind us asking?

[@teahorse1506]

$650...with no regrets. A classic Lan Yin.

[@CodyCannon11]

I know the giveaway was years ago, but still wanted to leave a comment about my most expensive tea. 5 days ago, my tea teacher took me and some of her students to a tea farm (in Qingdao, China) and she brewed for us some delicious Green Tea. I didnt know it was ultra expensive, but kept commenting how delicious it was, and she smiled and said that it cost 20,000 for 1 Jin of tea (about 500 kg). First time I had ever tried anything like it, and yes I am new to tea, but even my fresh palette could tell it was special. Definitely a nice experience.

[@wanderingteaapprentice]

Thi§ i$ a￦e$0me! It is great to see this and listen to you.

[@SherwinAng78]

I couldn't help but tear up a little bit when you were talking about your dad. Its amazing how tastes and smells can just trigger such powerful memories. thanks for sharing!

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks Sherwin - flavours/aromas are definitely so evocative and transport you to your memories.

[@tomasosorno266]

Hi Don, my most expensive tea was a black tea from Wuji mountains. I'm not sure whether it was a dark oolong or a black tea, because it was sold to me as "Bohea" black tea. I clearly remember it's intense dark chocolate aroma and the beauty of the dry leaves. Very good tea :). Totally worth the price, although I wish I knew what it really was. I would love to taste what you think is an excellent tea! Btw, thanks for making these videos, I've enjoyed them and also learned a lot.

[@MeiLeaf]

It sounds like a high quality Zhengshan Xiaozhong. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@liuchaquan]

I recently went to a tea tasting event and a local tea seller gave me a small sample of Jin Jun Mei. I did not realize, at the time, how nice a gift it was until I came across this video. The sample looks exactly the same as what you have shown here. I will be probably hold on to the rest of the sample until I can get some more!

[@MeiLeaf]

The best tea is GIFT tea!

[@timskza]

The most expensive tea I've had has been high grade, high elevation, Vietnamese Oolong. When my Dad and I went to Vietnam, we had the pleasure to try this. It was so beautiful, with a slightly sweet aftertaste. We ended up bringing some back to the States. Because of my occupation as a student, expensive tea is a treat to me. Honestly, if I don't win this giveaway, I can wait till I'm 50 years old, retired, living in the Wuyi Mountains, and sipping some good tea ;)

[@MeiLeaf]

Hopefully you don't have to be a 50 year old Wuyi trekker before you taste this tea.

[@timskza]

Same here :) Can't wait to just go to the Mountains of China. Retirement goals.

[@Mindful_TEA_Break]

Most expansive tea I've tried money-wise would be probably one of good quality Gyokuro but I think there are things in life that are priceless. Therefore I believe most expansive tea I've tasted as a child when my mother-country was in Communism and best tea you could get in shops was really poor quality black ones but... I was lucky to have a grandfather who was sailing all over the world so He could bring some tea from Sri Lanka, Japan, China... but since our country was poor they didn't had money to pay for things - in fact - mostly paid in body-cream. So I believe most expansive tea I ever drank was brought with love from a long sea trip by my grandfather and paid in boxes of cream :))

[@MeiLeaf]

THAT is valuable tea for sure, thanks for sharing!

[@7861279527412aN]

17:32

[@MeiLeaf]

Hahahha

[@gsssgfdgsdf6312]

don had multiple teagasm , completely ignores that woman

[@brydon10]

She's his wife!

[@rusty1991]

Hello! I'm enjoying your channel alot and I myself have become a serious teahead from working in Shanghai for 6 months in the architecture industry. I actually spent quite a lot on a yinzhunmei which is sort of the sister product of the jinjunmei. It was really great because I travelled to the Wuyi protected zones to meet with the producers there. I would love to reach out some time down the line as I have plans for potentially starting something in NYC. Would love to meet you guys in Camden when chance brings me there! Best of luck and tea on!

[@jukemaster2848]

Thanks for sharing this with us, Don and Seline (sorry if I misspelled your name). What a beautiful color. I just started drinking high quality tea and the first expensive tea that I had was a fifteen year old bai mu dan. I only just drank it yesterday and it was an amazing experience. It started off really floral and light, with hints of old, dusty nodes. As I moved through the session, it moved from the flowers to the woods. Really great first experience with aged tea, I can't wait to session it again today. It's definitely going to stay a treat for the end of the week. 🙏🏻

[@jukemaster2848]

Celine*

[@MeiLeaf]

Love love love aged white teas thanks for sharing.

[@pastelshoal]

I've never tried an expensive tea... Hoping to get a job so I can start to try them! (currently a student). This hobby wasn't made for people like me...

[@DijaVlogsGames]

If you really break it down, even more expensive teas are probably cheaper than coke or bottled water.

[@Ravaxr]

If James Norwood Pratt is anyone to go by, a world class 600 dollar/lb oolong will generate 600 8 oz cups with that one pound. A dollar a cup is a touch cheaper than a glass of coca cola in a restaurant.

[@TeaSci]

if you come to China, i can treat you some good tea.

[@TeaSci]

That is ture. Tea is water, water is not Tea.

[@curlyhairdudeify]

Search on ebay, order straight from China.

[@TheSandvichTrials]

A Jin Jun Mei bath... £1500 well spent. My most expensive tea actually hasn't reached me yet, a $7.90 25g sample of White2Tea's "Tyler" sheng pu'er. Perhaps not as glamorous as £45 for 10g, but I'm looking forward to it! I've put together two pretty big pu'er sample packs for myself from Yunnan Sourcing and White2Tea, so I can get to really exploring pu'er more.

[@MeiLeaf]

The temptation would be to drink the bathwater like Shen Nong! Great that you are exploring the world of PuErh more - we have some ridiculously good Gushu's about to be released so stay tuned for these.

[@la_scrittice_vita]

The most expensive tea I've had was a Keemun Imperial Black Snail. It was delicous, it was more complex than anything I'd had before--best description I could come up with was a peaty-piney scotch maybe eaten with a caramel candy. And 'worth it' - difficult to say. It was *better* of course, but similar to a simple strong smoke golden lapsang souchong that I love. Not sure it was *that much* better. I am crazy in love with lapsangs, including (especially) Tongmu Bohea, so will probably have to take the plunge with Jin Jun Mei at some point.

[@MeiLeaf]

Mmmm that Keemun sounds delicious caramel, peaty scotch is a winning combination! You have to try a proper JJM if you enjoy these flavours.

[@cutechajin]

Awesome video for an awesome tea! I want to "win" that sample ^___^... My most expensive tea? I was in Wu Dong Shan in Chaozhou and had to have an aged old bush Song Zhong (from 1960s). Needless to say, it was worth EVERY yuan I spent on this thing, but even at the source, it was very expensive. It was from a very old tree (not the 800 year old Song Zhong tree, but from one of its offspring). Beautifully crafted with great oxidation. The aging added a sweet, dark, tawny-port-like plumy note. I tasted it in a farmer's way station and went home with a handful of it. I can't wait to go back and empty my wallet to this guy again. Anyways... long story short... I wish I had some to share with you.

[@mackie9588]

I think the most expensive tea I've ever had was a 25 year old Muzha Wenshan baozhong at $20USD for an ounce, I'm not really sure if it was worth it, I mean I don't regret it, I'm glad I got to experience it, it tasted like nothing else I've ever tasted, but I'm still not really sure how I feel about the deep rainforesty flavours.

[@DJC_Photography]

As a grad student, I haven't had much experience with really expensive tea (hopefully in the future, I will!) The most expensive tea I've had was a sampler from YS of "Mu Shu Cha" Ancient Arbor Raw Pu-erh Tea (about 50cents/gram). It was honestly really tasty, I loved the few sessions I got from it. It'd be amazing to try this! I love all your videos, thanks for doing what you do!

[@MeiLeaf]

Yum, we have some gorgeous Gushu's coming into stock in about a week so stay tuned for a review.

[@kennyschubert2784]

The most expensive tea I've drunken was a really rare japanese Gyokuro. I guess it was about 100€ per 100g. That time completly fell in love with tea. Its fine flavour and the unbelievable powerfull green colour of its leafs was so impressive that I couldn't resist to it. I hope that I can win this to get a new unforgetable tea experience in my life. Thanks.

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes a fine Gyokuro is delicious and worth the money.

[@SveinOlavGlesaaenNyberg]

I saw this one five years too late .... But then again, I may not have been able to afford it, of course. Seemed an absolute delight anyway.

[@kinghazzah]

Apparently in the history of Holland, at one time since they had the ONLY high quality tulip bulbs in the world, their economy was based upon them. When the prices became so "ballooned" out of sight, the market fell and they had real problems getting their economy going again. I believe that was in the 19th century. Could be an unfortunate parallel if things continue with some of the teas we enjoy as history has a way of repeating itself.

[@kinghazzah]

I think that I've actually had some of your "commonly sold" Jin Ju Mei but not the real deal! Not knowing any better, I found it a decent tasting tea but now I know it wasn't what you would sell as the real thing. I liked the malty flavor of it but would like to possibly at sometime try the real thing if you should decide to try a reorder, let us know. THANKS Don as always for your careful attention to detail.

[@MeiLeaf]

Interesting, the tea world has already had a warning with the PuErh bubble in the 90's. We have ordered more Jin Jun Mei. Arriving in a couple of weeks.

[@AleriaCarventus]

Most expensive tea I've tried was a butterfly jasmine. Beautiful floral aroma. I wasn't far enough into my tea journey to fully appreciate it, but I still reminisce about it.

[@TwoSedonaBums]

A friend tipped us off on your channel. We binge-watched last night. This episode is our fav so far, we really connected, since this tea is a great example of the effort needed pursuing the real deal. I'm staring at three examples of Jin Jun Mei as I write. None were processed/named to deceive, two are excellent, and I thought one of the three actually from Tong Mu Guan was real. Now, not so sure. Close but no cigar?

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks for binge watching - send over pictures via our FB page (chinalife.uk) and we can give you our opinion!

[@CrimsonSun88]

I bought some Gyokuro a few years ago and I really enjoyed it. Looking back it was probably overpriced considering the store and I didn't know as much about tea back then. It actually got me to enjoy tea more because it got me tea drunk. A friend had given me a Yixing teapot and I decided to try both out; after several infusions I was quite fine. If anything it got me more interested in tea. Keep the videos coming, I'm learning a lot.

[@MeiLeaf]

Gyokuro is the ultra theanine booster to get you feeling goooooood and happy.

[@paulcasino9511]

I bought Anji bai cha from your website, and I absolutely loved it

[@MeiLeaf]

Fabulous thank you!

[@aurozz]

I've never really been able to treat myself to such expensive teas, but I enjoy watching you guys trying them. I hope that one day I'll be able to try it as well :)

[@MeiLeaf]

There are many delicious and more affordable teas out there so hopefully you can fill your pot with some good stuff without spending too much money.

[@Selderij]

A seriously expensive tea that I've had was a very premium Ujeon green tea from Korea. The aroma was green like springtime with a slight toastiness, and when I drank it, it had such a mellow, light, subtle, well-balanced taste, and the mouthfeel was extremely light and smooth, I mean it really felt like the tea was drinking itself by going through my mouth and into the throat without me doing anything about it. In my mind's eye, the tea was like an adorable girl clad in thin see-through clothes dancing gently on a lush dew-filled meadow. To date, it's the most perfect green tea I've had, and it was one of the earlier really special tea experiences I've had on my tea journey.

[@MeiLeaf]

WOWOWOWOWOW love the descriptions of this tea! The idea of a tea being so smooth that it drinks itself is fabulous, and as for that dancing girl in the meadows ;)

[@cindyd936]

This is for sure going on my wish list. You do ship to Untied States, right? I love your videos and have learned so much about teas. Thank you for your enthusiasm and willingness to share your passion, wisdom and knowledge with us. My dream, after retiring from teaching college, is to open a tea shop. I live in a college town with coffee shops on every corner, many of them sell tea, too; but there is not one designated tea shop. I think people would love it. Anyway, thank you and will continue to follow and order some of your tea.

[@MeiLeaf]

+Cindy D thanks and yes we do ship to the USA.

[@Bingogh]

"That's it man!" lol :-)

[@sophies9350]

Hi Don and Celine! I've just started my tea drinking journey this year and what a year it has been!! I've learned so much from your amazing videos, thank you so much :) I started all the way at the bottom from learning the difference between types of teas such as oolongs, blacks, etc and taste testing all of them. I never thought I'd ever drink Pu'erh until I found you guys' video on getting tea drunk ahahahah it seems like such a long time ago now because I don't think I could live life without Sheng Pu'erh but it was only a couple of months ago. Through Pu'erh I also started Gong Fu brewing and now I want to buy a Yixing teapot and a Gaiwan... My mom doesn't get it but one day in my own house I will have a shelf for all these accessories! ahahah The most expensive tea I have bought until now was just last week, it's a 2013 Jing Mai Sheng Pu'erh from a wild tree on the East side of the mountain (the tea shop owner said it may have been the West side too, because there were so many winding roads when he was going around there: he just wrote East and West to distinguish the good one from the other one). It was 18.5$ for 25g and for me that was expensive! I've only tasted it once and I really like it, it's pretty bright but it also tastes slightly of autumn and funny enough smells bitter in the teapot even if it doesn't taste that way. I can't say I know how to describe/appreciate tea that well but I am definitely learning a lot from you guys and my passion is strong :) It's not hard to be passionate when the experience of drinking tea is so amazing though... Keep up the videos and please send some Jin Jun Mei my way ^^ Sincerely, Sophie

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks Sophie, it is always really satisfying for us to feel that we have contributed to viewer's tea journey and passion. People who aren't teaheads will not understand the joy of a Yixing pot or Gaiwan but they are one cup away from beginning their tea journey - you have to find the right tea for you Mum to join you on the tea adventures. We love Jing Mai - this year was not so good but usually this is one of our favourites.

[@sophies9350]

Hi Don and Celine! Very Do you have any recommendations as to a tea that would entice a person to learn more about tea? I'd like to buy a tea that is so aromatic and sweet and creamy and floral that my mom and my friends will want to join in!

[@StefanoGasperini]

Loved this!! Such a great video. Thank you.

[@TheChibiZel]

*finds this five years later* Aw. Sad. I wish I could try some.

[@solovyay]

Excellent video - you really make me wish I could afford to splurge on that tea right now! The most expensive tea I've had was a gyrokuru jade dew, which was absolutely worth the cost (although it was nowhere near as expensive as this tea). It tasted so much MORE than other green teas I've had, and was a wonderful experience.

[@MeiLeaf]

Gyokuro is full on flavour!

[@chit5740]

Thank you for the wonderful video! It was so nice to live this moment with you and the story about your father made it all even more special. The most expensive tea I ever tried was a 1990 Wu Yi Oolong. A wonderful tea that I love brewing for friends.

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks for watching and we are interested in that 1990 Wuyi Oolong. Do you know which oolong variety?

[@chit5740]

It is a Shui Xian variety, which was charcoal roasted. It actually isn't that expensive, just the most expensive tea I've had. I've just started brewing Gong Fu style. I had always used Western style, but Gong Fu is clearly the best way to appreciate all the complexities of those expensive teas, so I'm looking forward to treating myself and my friends to some of these special treats!

[@MeiLeaf]

Yep Gong Fu all the way!

[@KouyaSakurada]

I just want to say you're both very beautiful and so charming.

[@MeiLeaf]

And you clearly have excellent taste in people 😁

[@gilgamesh3328]

I'm convinced they'll name their children after teas.

[@jennyobiliseen4301]

Amazing video Don as always! :)

[@MeiLeaf]

Thank you!

[@gymgirl1010910]

I've never tried an expensive tea. I'm just starting getting into gong fu tea and collection tea

[@maryrogers3674]

Da Hong Pao is the most expensive tea I've purchased and probably the best I've ever consumed. In 2008, my friend went to China to meet the family of his girlfriend. The parents served him a Da Hong Pao. He claimed the tea to be "near orgasmic good." The family gave him a large amount of it to bring home which he shared with me. While I didn't experience the same results as he claims, I did find it to be one of the best teas I had ever tried. So, I convinced him to sell me 20g. He didn't want to part with that much, until I offered $150 USD for it. Yes, I know that was insane, but the quality of that tea was worth it (one time) because I knew I wouldn't find that quality again. And I was right.

[@MeiLeaf]

:D wow you REALLY wanted that tea! Must have been delicious Mary because we know that you have good taste. Do you know if it was a blended DHP or a pure variety?

[@maryrogers3674]

Oh, I'm not an expert, or anywhere near it. I just go by taste. But to me It actually appeared to be pure, in that everything looked the exact same. Moderate charcoal and sweet, lingering, apricots (I still remember). I hope that helps. I did want the tea badly. I was like a junkie begging for a fix. I wouldn't pay that for it nowadays because my financial situation changed once retired. and unfortunately, my friend was a jerk, so the girlfriend left him. Now there is no way to determine the source or to obtain more. I told him he should have married her if for nothing but access to the tea. Heck, the tea was so good, I would have married her! LOL

[@MeiLeaf]

:D marriage for access to top shelf leaf sounds like a decent arrangement actually!

[@ajkiplerning7533]

The most expensive tea I've tried was white pekoe tea. I let my non-tea drinking wife try it. The liquor was clear and shimmery and to my surprise had a smooth floral taste that finished with a sweet note that hooked my wife into tea drinking. It's a great way we spend more time together.

[@MeiLeaf]

Do you mean a Bai Hao Oolong (white pekoe oolong)?

[@ajkiplerning7533]

Label says "Organic pekoe white tea" from Fujian. I usually drink Dragonwell. Your videos convinced me to try other types. So I looked at different teas in China Town and picked this tea. (using ur white tea video to help me decide). Thank you for your videos!!

[@narutoanime5012]

I am very tight on money and I still am at this point in time, but I remember once I bought this one high quality loose leaf red tea for the first time and it was expensive but I remember loving it!! So it was worth it, and still to this day when ever I think of that tea a smile appears on my face.

[@MeiLeaf]

Worth it for those tea memories!

[@jamesrubly9987]

Most expensive tea I have is Bosch from White2tea. It's something I only drink on special occasions, but it is a most excellent tea!

[@Nutella4win]

-yea realy on my wishlist, I'd love to try that bishbosch.

[@Metalbirne]

I wouldn't mind the "fake" jin jun mei as long as the price is lowered accordingly. I bet it's still great tea.

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes it is but to be honest getting a good Zhengshan Xiaozhong can be as good or better at a lower price.

[@lennutrajektoor]

I'm sold! MAYBE it's a bottle of wine. Will check my finances and pre-order. Also including wife factor :D So now I have to wait for fresh Gong Fu wares video :D :D :D At least I know something good is awaiting. By the way Jade Star is amazing tea!

[@lennutrajektoor]

Pre-ordered. Now just have to wait.

[@MeiLeaf]

We will order on 1st October so it will probably be in London about 10 days later - please be patient but YOU WILL NOT REGRET THIS PURCHASE!

[@lennutrajektoor]

I know what I'm doing (for that amount of money to get that amount of tea :D). I have all the time in the Universe! Good that you made the choice so easy :D

[@lennutrajektoor]

Got my package. Many thanks. Next year we with my wife will have 20th anniversary. Looking forward to rise my Gong Fu skills to level we could enjoy the tea. Many things going on right now. Not much time into buying the Guru set sadly. On my definitely to have list. Good things come to people who wait.

[@MeiLeaf]

lennutrajektoor sorry we missed this one but thanks for ordering and enjoy!

[@maxygg]

My dear hosts you have climbed the apex of tea, it has been a life long journey for you. Most people need to climb that ladder of mediocre loose teas to appreciate the journey. Cheers

[@kevincarr5648]

I've had real Jin Jun Mei and when they say price; they mean it! $700.00 an oz. oh, and as a tea lover, the flavor you were smelling at the end of your video I call toasted dark chocolate overtones. I would like to try Da Hong Pao but I doubt I could get a sample of that tea lol

[@NataliaBelikov]

OH MY FREAKING GOD!!! Thanks for this giveaway and the chance to win this out-of-this-world tea! My experience with delicious tea... I love all of my teas with a passion, but I have never purchased such an expensive one. However, I did once purchased a delightful Matcha for my personal tea ceremony that I made myself at home (I'm by no means an expert at all, I just wanted to imitate a bit the process). I paid 30 Canadian dollars for 15g XD (that's a lot my student pocket!) and it was really worth it. I made my own red bean sweets and mochi and made my tea with lots of care and love

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks for sharing - sounds like you gave the matcha the attention and love it deserved and we are sure you will taste many more delicious teas on your tea journey.

[@NataliaBelikov]

Thank you! and I hope to taste many more delicious teas in the future ^_^ Tea time forever!

[@lulum8054]

I'm so glad that I've discovered your channel. I'm inspired to travel and source tea myself this summer after graduating. do you have any more jin jun mei in stock if not when do you expect to have some available?

[@Ponsonby-pt3kf]

Love your videos! Your channel makes me learn so much about high, good quality tea! Thanks Don!

[@MeiLeaf]

Thank you Sonoko.

[@chrisliberto2664]

Have you encountered any Jin Jun Mei where the buds are just as small, fine, hand rolled and all but they leaves have a darker black and glossy sheen to them?

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes and this is usually high quality stuff.

[@Kaasperav]

Most expensive tea I've had is the silver needle I'm drinking right now. I spend my whole week looking forward to waking up on a Saturday and enjoying a cup of my prized silver needle. I would love to try a nice black tea.

[@MeiLeaf]

We love a high quality Yinzhen too.

[@JDUBBYDUB]

He was saying the fake looks beautiful and I laughed out loud. I was thinking at the same moment how ugly it looked.

[@SVHSslate5]

I think the most expensive tea I've tasted was a $15/g new Lao Ban Zhang in Shanghai (and it was, of course, amazing - insane cha qi, beautiful floral, peach, and dried apricot notes) (same tea I wrote about for your last giveaway video haha). The most expensive tea I've purchased for myself was a Lao Ban Zhang spring maocha, for just under $2/g. Unfortunately, the tea itself was underwhelming at best - very flat and weak flavor. To make matters worse, the retailer packed it in a cheap plastic bag that leached its scent into the tea. I have a regular Jin Jun Mei and it tastes exactly as you described (malty, woody, almost miso-like umami flavor). Would love to try the real deal :)

[@MeiLeaf]

That is some pricey tea for sure but it was a Ban Zhang and it was in Shanghai :) All that matters was that the money was worth the experience and it sounds like it really was a winning tea.

[@satan15107291]

I knew someone who spent some money on a cake of Pu Erh and we wanted to try it together. I knew more about the brewing and teas in general so I was trusted with the brewing. It was a younger Pu Erh but it smelled subtle and nice out of the package. I brewed it up and the only notes either of us could taste was barnyard. It was absolutely terrible. Ever since then I've been scared of committing to an expensive tea! I kept drinking infusions hoping the flavor profile would change, but it never did. All I could taste was hay and all I could smell was the inside of a barn. Not my best tea tasting experience. lol

[@MeiLeaf]

I am sure that many teaheads have had the same experience with PuErh - the prices can be a bit arbitrary and according to criteria that do not guarantee a great tea.

[@myteaflow1119]

🙆🤗...Jade Star‼️☺️✨