I'm starting to see a pattern with some Fujian red teas, and especially with those from Upton. That is: a tea seems weak with normal brewing, but add quite a bit more leaf, steep 50% longer, and the result is a big increase in flavor and mouth feel, but without the penalty of excessive astringency or bitterness. Is this an expected characteristic of a certain subgroup of Fujian red teas? Or, are these inherently weaker examples of their kind that salvage nicely with heavy brewing? I'm not sure, but my guess is the truth lies somewhere in between.
Anyway, this Golden Monkey fits the above profile. Brewed strongly, it's a nice tea. The dry leaf is comprised of fairly small leaf pieces with a modest amount of golden tips. The wet leaf shows mostly small pieces with an average oxidation. The aroma has a nice balance of classic Fujian red aromas, with a bit of deep cherry/apricot fruitiness, a bit of cocoa, and a toasty hint. In the mouth the tea is pleasantly soft, with some winy deep berry flavors, malt, and a little chew tobacco. Similar flavors follow in the reasonably persistent aftertaste.
At this price ($11.80 for 125 grams), you can't expect this to be one of the best Golden Monkeys, and it isn't. However, it is a good example of Fujian congou, bringing together typical regional flavors and aromas into a pleasant and soft brew. Expect to use extra leaf and time to get the most from this tea.
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