Tuesday/Wednesday TeaDay 4/26-27/11 Perfect 10 teas?

[Chip]

Tuesday/Wednesday TeaDay 4/26-27/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by Chip » Apr 26th, '11, 00:47

Greetings everyone! It is going to be a good TeaDay for you all, we hope! Please stop in throughout the day and share your tea, your TeaDay with us!

We previously discussed the "blending" of spiders in our tea. You can still vote and discuss this topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. In 2011, what percentage of teas would you score a perfect 10? Of course, please share.

We are looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with ... everyone. Bottoms up.

[karmaplace]

Re: Tuesday TeaDay 4/26/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by karmaplace » Apr 26th, '11, 02:44

I'd say that this year so far... I've had some really great teas, a bunch of good teas, and some teas that absolutely disgusted me. I'm not one to hand out a "perfect 10" often, however, so even out of my great teas, I'd give most of them an 8 or a 9. So I said about 20% as a guess, though it may be even lower.

I started the day with osmanthus dancong from Dragon Tea House. I give this tea a good solid 8.

[Nenugal]

Re: Tuesday TeaDay 4/26/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by Nenugal » Apr 26th, '11, 05:36

... I'm not one to hand out a "perfect 10" often, however, so even out of my great teas, I'd give most of them an 8 or a 9. So I said about 20% as a guess, though it may be even lower...

+1
It is not often I give a perfect 10, or in my own broken and non-linear rating system, that would probably be equivalent to a 7, 7- or 6+ out of 7 (originally the scale went to 6 but had to be extended to accommodate the YMLE). However, this spring I've been quite lucky (or better at predicting what I will like) and have also re-bought some favourites (YMLE!), so I'll say between 10% and 20%.

YMLE also happens to be my morning tea today, before I'll go over to some heavier stuff (sheng).

[Chip]

Re: Tuesday TeaDay 4/26/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by Chip » Apr 26th, '11, 10:16

2010 was a tough harvest year for many teas. So it was tough to hand out many highest ratings, although there were many good to very good teas.

I would say about 5-10% were good enough to get highest ratings.

Began the TD with Yutaka Midori Diamond from Umami-Chaya with the Mrs.

[tortoise]

Re: Tuesday TeaDay 4/26/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by tortoise » Apr 26th, '11, 10:19

I like this topic. I have to be careful about the way I answer it though, because like those who've posted before me, I'm not in the place to evaluate perfect 10's as though I've drunk all tea there is to drink.

I can answer, though, based on my experience -- limited as that is. I would say that 10% or less of the teas I've had would be perfect 10's. It will be obvious to most of you how limited my experience is, so I won't belabor the point.

They are listed as follows:

2009 Select Grade TGY - Mandarin's Tea Room: This TGY made me forget about every other TGY, and most Gaoshan, I've ever had. This is a celebration tea. Like, getting married, the birth of a child, or graduating college, kind of deal. Superior. Exclusive. Magical.

Sencha Miyabi - O-Cha: I love the balance of sweet and grassy with this one.

Wuyi 3 Stamps Shui Xian - Mandarin's Tea Room: To me, this is perfect rock tea. It throws of it's liquor faster than you can pour it. Instant steeps yield very robust brews. I would drink this everyday during the winter if I could, and I will forever be searching for other teas with similar characteristics.

Maruyama Sencha - Maiko: So far, favorite asamushi, though I've only had 4 or 5 and none from the acclaimed Ippodo.

There you have it. A list subject to be updated on a weekly basis. And if you jerks buy out the stock, I shall be most irritated.

[brlarson]

Re: Tuesday TeaDay 4/26/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by brlarson » Apr 26th, '11, 12:53

I've had two this year, from
Red Circle's 2010 first flush Shi Feng
and
The Mandarin's 3 Stamp Shui Xian

The Shi Feng is exhorbitant but it is incredible.
The Mandarin's 3 Stamp SX is a guilty pleasure

Finished the last of my BeiDou No 1 from Hou de this morning.

[debunix]

Re: Tuesday TeaDay 4/26/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by debunix » Apr 26th, '11, 21:17

Interesting question. I just reviewed my tea log, and I haven't given out perfect '100' scores very often. This year, the only one I've so rated was a first brewing of Song Zhong #5 dan cong oolong from TeaHabitat. It's as good as it is pricey.

A couple of other brewings that were '10' worthy weren't logged because I've either brewed those teas many times before (An Ji 'white' tea), or I just haven't done it yet (Summer '09 High Mountain Beauty Alishan oolong from Norbu, wrote up a comparative tasting but haven't logged each tea, lazy me!).

Today have brewed up some Winter Alishan oolong from Norbu, not a perfect 10 session, because this tea has been open for a while and lost some of the perfect edge it has until the vacuum seal is broken.

[Crafty_Mom]

Re: Tuesday TeaDay 4/26/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by Crafty_Mom » Apr 26th, '11, 21:25

I usually drink the same circle of teas, but each time I order, I usually throw in one that is new to me. Lately, though, second brewings have tasted off if I don't do it within an hour or two. Even in a new pot. I use to be able to let it sit out for hours with no bad effect. I wonder if it was just a bad harvest or...? But that has kept me from scoring my teas this year a perfect 10.

[Skippyandjif]

Re: Tuesday TeaDay 4/26/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by Skippyandjif » Apr 26th, '11, 22:13

I'd say around 40% ? Most of them are high up there, like 7 and above, but notable '10's include puerh, hojicha, and gyokuro.

Hoji cha aaaaaaall day today in an attempt to fight off this cold.

[Chip]

Re: Tuesday TeaDay 4/26/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by Chip » Apr 27th, '11, 01:09

TD continued with Guricha from Xell and then Kame gyokuro from O-Cha.

A great TD!

Kame comes closest to a 10, I give it around a 9.5.

[Chip]

Re: Tuesday TeaDay 4/26/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by Chip » Apr 27th, '11, 01:12

OK, a quiet day on the forum in general yesterday, so this TeaDay continues into Wednesday!

Please continue to discuss this topic, perhaps you have had time to figure this out, or add more detail?

Also feel free to discuss anything else that comes to mind.

And of course share what is in your cup throughout this extended TD!

[Nenugal]

Re: Tuesday/Wednesday TeaDay 4/26-27/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by Nenugal » Apr 27th, '11, 03:23

New teaday, started with Yame Matcha Sansui from Zencha. This is the best matcha I've tasted so far, one of the few perfect 10s of 2011. It is great both for thick and thin matcha, but a difference compared to other more low-budget matchas I've tried, is that this one really requires sifting to avoid lumps. The aftertaste is still with me

[tortoise]

Re: Tuesday/Wednesday TeaDay 4/26-27/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by tortoise » Apr 27th, '11, 08:33

Wednesday teaday beginning with an overnight cold brewing of an aged Baozhong which takes like rock candy to me. Then, likely moving on to lishan, winter 2010.

[Xell]

Re: Tuesday/Wednesday TeaDay 4/26-27/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by Xell » Apr 27th, '11, 09:10

Probably i just didn't try enough teas, but it's about 1/3 i can give 9/10 or 10/10 score. My favorite is yame houjicha, it has some unique mix of many different aromas that i like and it gives me really smooth feeling, when drinking.

I'm out of sencha now, drinking yame konacha. Hope shincha won't be late and i can drink it in next 3-4 days

[Crafty_Mom]

Re: Tuesday/Wednesday TeaDay 4/26-27/11 Perfect 10 teas?

by Crafty_Mom » Apr 27th, '11, 09:35

Some English Breakfast this morning. I put a little bit of peppermint extract in for giggles. Quite good.