Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

[Victoria]

Giving ZEALONG New Zealand Oolong a second try this afternoon.

My review is here:
http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13589

But the bottom line is - it's just ok. Nice to try.

[TwoPynts]

Thanks for sharing that Victoria.

Man, this Jasmine #12 is the best Jas I've ever had. The scent and flavor mesh so well. It is like sitting in a flower filled garden.

[guitar9876]

2010 Spring Hand-Harvested NanTou Si-Ji from Hou de right now. Good value for a handpicked tea!

[britt]

2008 spring Da Hong Pao, 2009 summer Oriental Beauty, and 2010 spring Tsui Feng high mountain oolong, all from Hou De.

[guitar9876]

2008 spring Da Hong Pao, 2009 summer Oriental Beauty, and 2010 spring Tsui Feng high mountain oolong, all from Hou De.

Yes all very good choices!

[Victoria]

Tea From Taiwan DYL - just ok.

[britt]

2008 spring Da Hong Pao, 2009 summer Oriental Beauty, and 2010 spring Tsui Feng high mountain oolong, all from Hou De.

Yes all very good choices!

I honestly haven't had anything from Hou De that I didn't like. Today I'll open the premium Bao Zhong and try that. I was very impressed with last years, but this is my first order of the 2010 version.

[teaskeptic]

2008 spring Da Hong Pao, 2009 summer Oriental Beauty, and 2010 spring Tsui Feng high mountain oolong, all from Hou De.

Yes all very good choices!

I honestly haven't had anything from Hou De that I didn't like. Today I'll open the premium Bao Zhong and try that. I was very impressed with last years, but this is my first order of the 2010 version.

That's funny, I just finished drinking the 2010 premium Bao Zhong for the first time. This was actually the first tea I have tried from Hou De and I was very pleased. The tea is very well balanced and smooth. Classically bao zhong.

[guitar9876]

Yeah Hou De (or Howdy as I like to call it.. ) always has really good offerings!

[britt]

2008 spring Da Hong Pao, 2009 summer Oriental Beauty, and 2010 spring Tsui Feng high mountain oolong, all from Hou De.

Yes all very good choices!

I honestly haven't had anything from Hou De that I didn't like. Today I'll open the premium Bao Zhong and try that. I was very impressed with last years, but this is my first order of the 2010 version.

That's funny, I just finished drinking the 2010 premium Bao Zhong for the first time. This was actually the first tea I have tried from Hou De and I was very pleased. The tea is very well balanced and smooth. Classically bao zhong.

What are you brewing the Bao Zhong in? I brewed last years in medium-weight porcelain but I was thinking of trying this years in a 100ml modern zhuni Yixing. Do you have a preference as to brewing vessel for Bao Zhong?

[britt]

Yeah Hou De (or Howdy as like to call it.. ) always has really good offerings!

Back in 2007, about 6 months after beginning to drink Japanese green tea daily, I decided to look for a vendor of Taiwanese tea. After several online searches, I came across Hou De. I consider this a lucky find, because it was my first vendor of quality Taiwanese oolongs and I see no reason to go elsewhere. After seeing how careful Guang was when selecting Chinese tea to add to his site, I now feel confident in the safety of everything he sells, regardless of where it is sourced. However, Hou De doesn't offer mainland Chinese greens, so for those I use Jing Tea Shop in China.

Edit: I just ordered my second set of taiwanese oolong cups from Cloudwalker in Canada. With each order, I add enough tea to qualify for free shipping, as the total cost is about the same. Might as well get some tea for the same money. They also added an 8 gram sample of Da Yu Lin. Since the teas were smaller quantities, it wouldn't be fair to compare it directly to Hou de's, as I've been drinking theirs for almost three years. However, I would say the oolongs I received from Cloudwalker were better than any oolongs I had received, samples or otherwise, from any vendor except Hou de. Granted, I haven't tried many others because when I did they were always disappointing in comparison. So far, Cloudwalker looks like it might be a good alternate vendor should I ever need one.

[teaskeptic]

2008 spring Da Hong Pao, 2009 summer Oriental Beauty, and 2010 spring Tsui Feng high mountain oolong, all from Hou De.

Yes all very good choices!

I honestly haven't had anything from Hou De that I didn't like. Today I'll open the premium Bao Zhong and try that. I was very impressed with last years, but this is my first order of the 2010 version.

That's funny, I just finished drinking the 2010 premium Bao Zhong for the first time. This was actually the first tea I have tried from Hou De and I was very pleased. The tea is very well balanced and smooth. Classically bao zhong.

What are you brewing the Bao Zhong in? I brewed last years in medium-weight porcelain but I was thinking of trying this years in a 100ml modern zhuni Yixing. Do you have a preference as to brewing vessel for Bao Zhong?

I used a gaiwan for the Hou De bao zhong. Sometimes I will use a "modern zhuni" pot instead. I find the difference isn't really that big; you have to really be looking for it (high notes vs. rounder, respectively). How I brew bao zhongs (and most teas) usually depends on what teaware I feel like using at the moment, and less on how I want the tea to come out.

[britt]

2008 spring Da Hong Pao, 2009 summer Oriental Beauty, and 2010 spring Tsui Feng high mountain oolong, all from Hou De.

Yes all very good choices!

I honestly haven't had anything from Hou De that I didn't like. Today I'll open the premium Bao Zhong and try that. I was very impressed with last years, but this is my first order of the 2010 version.

That's funny, I just finished drinking the 2010 premium Bao Zhong for the first time. This was actually the first tea I have tried from Hou De and I was very pleased. The tea is very well balanced and smooth. Classically bao zhong.

What are you brewing the Bao Zhong in? I brewed last years in medium-weight porcelain but I was thinking of trying this years in a 100ml modern zhuni Yixing. Do you have a preference as to brewing vessel for Bao Zhong?

I used a gaiwan for the Hou De bao zhong. Sometimes I will use a "modern zhuni" pot instead. I find the difference isn't really that big; you have to really be looking for it (high notes vs. rounder, respectively). How I brew bao zhongs (and most teas) usually depends on what teaware I feel like using at the moment, and less on how I want the tea to come out.

Thanks! Since I haven't opened it yet, there's enough to try both.

[Victoria]

Gotta try that Hou De baozhong.

Right now Long Feng Xia from Tea From Taiwan.
A sample from TokyoB. Very tempted to buy this one,
It's different from my usual taste, I am really enjoying it.

[NOESIS]

From Hou De, 2010 Spring A-Li-Shan Zhang-Shu-Hu oolong.