OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by **Chip** » Jul 6th, '12, 17:02

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by Chip » Jul 6th, '12, 17:02

So far, I have replied to everyone if I received your email. And everyone is still in with spots still available!!!

by **Remick** » Jul 6th, '12, 18:26

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by Remick » Jul 6th, '12, 18:26

Sent an e-mail hoping to put my name on the list... Now back to OTTI 14 tea tasting :mrgreen:

by **Chip** » Jul 6th, '12, 22:27

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by Chip » Jul 6th, '12, 22:27

Everyone is in so far ... you should have received a confirmation email along with the payment info request.

Getting tight ... if interested, I would encourage you to not hesitate, lest you lose your spot at the virtual TeaTable. :idea:

by **tea.and.peace** » Jul 7th, '12, 22:54

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by tea.and.peace » Jul 7th, '12, 22:54

Email sent.

Thanks for this grower/retailer introduction. Looks like a quality gig. I've been trying to find a new Taiwan Oolong vendor state side. Look forward to these samples if I'm added to the drinkers list....

by **Fabien** » Jul 9th, '12, 08:56

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by Fabien » Jul 9th, '12, 08:56

Hi Chip,

Just came back from some short holidays... and wasn't able to post before.
So, email sent, waiting to know if I'll be able to join that table

by **Chip** » Jul 9th, '12, 10:44

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by Chip » Jul 9th, '12, 10:44

Updates.

I have confirmed everyone so far. If you emailed me indicating interest in participating in OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong," but you did not receive a confirmation email, please resend right away.

I have also confirmed receipt of all payments I received. If you paid and did not receive payment confirmation, please let me know right away.

If you did not send payment yet, now woud be a very good time to do so. :wink:

Thanks!

by **Chip** » Jul 9th, '12, 21:19

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by Chip » Jul 9th, '12, 21:19

I received some info from Chicco of MountainTea.com regarding altitude and cultivars ...

Chicco wrote:[regarding altitude] The LiShan is grown at 2000m above sea level. All other teas will be at 1500-1600m.

[regarding cultivars] The LiShan, Imperial Pearl, and Dong Ding are a QingXin varietal.

The Jade is a Jade.

The TieGuanYin is a TieGuanYin.

The Oriental Beauty is an Oriental Beauty

by **Poohblah** » Jul 9th, '12, 23:20

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by Poohblah » Jul 9th, '12, 23:20

I am looking forward to the medium and dark roast teas. I've never really enjoyed green gao shan or tgy. The jade oolong in particular I am skeptical of, as so-called "jade oolong" in general appears to be a commercial variety of taiwan gaoshan oolong (also this jade oolong is a winter harvest according to the website). maybe this sample will change my mind. I suspect that I would have better luck with really high quality oolong, however. I should order some samples from MTR or something if I want to pursue that route.

by **Chip** » Jul 9th, '12, 23:59

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by Chip » Jul 9th, '12, 23:59

I like to encourage participants in any tastings (not just OTTI tastings) to approach the tasting with an open mind, positive attitude, and a happy palate ... and focus on the tasting at hand. :mrgreen:

Kind of a good karma way to proceed.

Remember, price is not always a good indicator of quality (all due respect to MTR whose teas are HQ).

This is an unusual of a tasting in that we have the opportunity to sample teas direct from the grower (MountainTea.com is the actual grower) and manufacturer (including roasting, etc.). Therefore price is especially not a good indicator since the teas are DFG, not passed through a myriad of hands before we are able to purchase ... thus the prices are quite reasonable.

So, in my mind, a big part of this round is the experience of sampling teas that have been hand picked by the grower for us to sample ... pretty cool. :idea:

by **Poohblah** » Jul 10th, '12, 00:06

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by Poohblah » Jul 10th, '12, 00:06

No way. That's pretty cool!

Yes. Open mind is a must. I wouldn't have participated if I didn't feel that I could taste with an open mind

But that doesn't mean that I don't suspect that certain offerings will be less enjoyable than others to me.

by **Chip** » Jul 10th, '12, 00:18

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by Chip » Jul 10th, '12, 00:18

Poohblah wrote:No way. That's pretty cool!

Yes. Open mind is a must. I wouldn't have participated if I didn't feel that I could taste with an open mind But that doesn't mean that I don't suspect that certain offerings will be less enjoyable than others to me.

Of course ... understood.

I went in to the prelim tastings hopeful for a revelation ... it turned out to be the Imperial Pearl. Please keep in mind, I approached this tasting somewhat hoping for all greener oolongs and the Imperial Pearl is the darkest and most roasted offering :mrgreen:

.

However, the Imperial Pearl was the first tea I cracked open and ... well without wanting to say much as I do not want to prejudice anyone before they even receive their samples ... it was fantastic. Though I do not consider myself a good judge in this realm, it is masterfully roasted.

Jade and Dong Ding are more indicative of style. But with the parameters I received from Chicco (he is Taiwanese despite the name) ... well, enough said. :wink:

by **Poohblah** » Jul 10th, '12, 00:22

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by Poohblah » Jul 10th, '12, 00:22

I am going to dutifully ignore the brewing suggestions on the website. These are all going straight into a gaiwan for me! Gongfu all the way. If I don't enjoy that, I'll try "grandpa" style, which is usually lazily enjoyable with just about any Chinese tea.

by **Chip** » Jul 10th, '12, 00:28

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by Chip » Jul 10th, '12, 00:28

Poohblah wrote:I am going to dutifully ignore the brewing suggestions on the website. These are all going straight into a gaiwan for me! Gongfu all the way. If I don't enjoy that, I'll try "grandpa" style, which is usually lazily enjoyable with just about any Chinese tea.

The directions on the site are intended for novices ... starting points.

I will be posting the brewing notes emailed to me from Chicco ... which are more to our likings I am sure.

by **sherubtse** » Jul 10th, '12, 06:07

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by sherubtse » Jul 10th, '12, 06:07

Any idea, Chip, when you will be sending out the goodies? :?:

Best wishes,
sherubtse

by **Chip** » Jul 10th, '12, 11:06

Re: OTTI 15 MountainTea, Range of Taiwan Oolong

by Chip » Jul 10th, '12, 11:06

I received an email from Chicco ...

Chicco wrote:Have been following the OTTI. Wanted to let you know the Imperial Pearl is not roasted

... and I stand corrected.

Little do I know of Gaoshan, I would have thought the lovely complexity of Imperial Pearl was due partly to roasting. However, in my mind this only makes this selection even more interesting!

sherubtse wrote:Any idea, Chip, when you will be sending out the goodies?

Best wishes,
sherubtse

Likely early next week. They are enroute to me as we speak. As soon as they arrive, the will be packaged and shipped!