Calling Dian Hong fans...

[ABx]

I like Dian Hong but haven't had many different ones - just the ones from Hou De and Enjoying Teas. I understand that there is a pretty wide spectrum of Dian Hongs but it's relatively rare to find a good ones.

What I'm really wondering about is Dragon Tea House's Dian Hong Pagoda is any good. I'm thinking about getting this as an xmas gift for my father.

After that, is there anyone that's had several to compare that can recommend a good one? I've already seen the review on the Cha Dao blog, but that's a bit old now and there is nothing saying that those vendors have the best for this year.

[Victoria]

I've never tasted any of these "blooming" teas that were as good as the regular version. So if you are looking for the best tasting, I doubt this would be it. But it does make a nice presentation.

[hop_goblin]

Interesting.. Never seen hongcha in a blossom! I'd say give it ago.. what do you have to lose right?

[ABx]

I've never tasted any of these "blooming" teas that were as good as the regular version. So if you are looking for the best tasting, I doubt this would be it. But it does make a nice presentation.

This isn't exactly the same as a blooming tea, though. Those blooming teas tend to be lackluster because of the leaf that they use to make it look nice - very large torn leaf only, then it's carefully wrapped up with flowers and such as a piece of art. These, on the other hand, look like regular dian hong leaf tied together.

Tao of Tea actually has some similar black teas, but due to some bad experiences I will no longer buy from them (and besides, if I'm getting an xmas gift I would rather get something that the person wouldn't otherwise be able to find).

[Victoria]

Then I say go for it. Definitely unique, a very thoughtful gift. I just discovered ToT as of late, and have been surprisingly pleased. Was you bad experience tea or service related?

[ABx]

Service. I haven't been all that impressed with most of their teas, but that's probably because they specialize more on blacks.

They "lost" an order for three weeks, they almost never answer any emails (but it wasn't until I threatened a chargeback that they answered, but I had emailed for several other reasons as well), I ordered some of their small double-lid tins and received ones without the inner lid (and never got a response), it always takes them a week to fill an order, and I know there was one or two other things that I can't recall. The service was fine at first, but I guess that once I became a more regular customer they just stopped caring.

[Victoria]

Thanks for the clarification. I have been ordering mostly blacks from them, and everything is really good. Geek first shared some AliShan with me and that is how I started with them. I still think it's pretty good. Service has been fast to me,
maybe I'm just not a regular yet. Ha!

[geeber1]

I emailed them a few days ago and haven't received a response, either. Maybe they don't want me to BE a customer?

[ABx]

I'm surprised, it always took them a full week to ship an order for me.

Back to the original topic, I emailed Gordon at DTH and he says that the pagodas are quite good but the loose is just a bit better. He also said that he's getting some of the very high quality stuff in the next few days.

I'd say that the question is how good DTH's dian hong is, but I'm sure the top quality stuff is going to be very good. I might even get a bit for myself

[Salsero]

I'd say that the question is how good DTH's dian hong is, but I'm sure the top quality stuff is going to be very good.

I was very pleased with the higher quality Long Jing that I got from Gordon earlier this year. My impression is that he is beefing up the non-puerh offerings that he has, so if he says the Dian Hong is high quality, I suspect it really will be very good.

The pictures of the Premium that he has in stock now really do look delicious.

Now, having said that, my impression is that Dian Hong varies enormously in style perhaps even more than quality. While I am only a very occasional drinker of it, I see posts by people who want the XX taste or the YY taste they remember from some previous stash they had. Also, in my limited experience, I have found that I tend to favor the less tippy and less expensive Dian Hong.

Just saying that quality may not be the only deciding factor. That's why it would be nice to hear from more of our Yunnan Gold experts. Actually, you know, some of them may not know that it is also called Dian Hong.

[t4texas]

I have not had a lot of Dian Hong, but the Imperial Dian Hong I got from norbutea.com was very good.

[Bubba_tea]

Looking forward to your experience with the DTH... I've had so many dian hongs in the last year and it's been dismal. I was hoping 2008 would have been better since people were blaming that 2007 was a bad year. IMO - 2008 isn't any better, maybe worse. I bought all the dian hong offerings from YS, adagio, nothing but tea, tea cuppa, teance, and probably quite a few others. Nothing has been good for a long time though. You'll see some of us talk about a 'peppery' yunnan. It's really the Holy Grail at this point and been many years since it's been last seen

[Robertwolf1]

Has anyone tried aged YG?
http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Yunnan-Black-G ... m153.l1262