Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

Owes its flavors to oxidation levels between green & black tea.


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Dec 12th, '13, 15:48
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by 茶藝-TeaArt08 » Dec 12th, '13, 15:48

The past three to four days I have been working with a new Winter harvest Alishan tea. A friend of ours had to return to Taiwan due to a sick family member. While she was there she purchased tea for us as a gift.

This Alishan tea is made up of rather large, blue-green, "stemmy," nuggets that have, in a few pieces, little areas of white hair, uncommon to most Alishan tea I've drank. The tea is subtle and curious. It performs more like many Lishan or higher elvevation gao shan teas in that it is not overly bright on the mouth flavor but goes straight to the throat and lingers and lingers. It's a subtle tea but very rewarding: all of its elements are in balance. I noticed this tea needs a flash rinse and time to open a bit due to the density and size of the rolled leaves. With initial temperatures around 93-95 deg. C the tea did not elicit more flavor but a light and poignant bitter would show up. I dropped my temp. down toward 88 and 90 deg. C and then gradually brought the heat up to around 93 deg. C, and some pours higher (up to 96 deg. C by the 7th or 8th round), experimenting with effect.

I brewed the tea in multiple vessels and it performs best in two very high fired Taiwan red clay teapots (one 120ml and the other 170ml), both from the same maker, that I inherited from my father-in-law's collection. In a 170ml Taiwan red clay pot I brewed 10.5 grams of leaf with filtered water, heated in a Bonavita, and poured from the teapot into medium-walled Novak, glazed cups. I've brewed the tea different ways but below is a general pour that has been provocative:

baked the leaves in rinsed/heated pot for 20 sec.
4 sec. flash rinse
30 sec. wait to allow leaves to open
1=20 sec.
2=40 sec.
3=1:10
4=1:50
etc...for 7 rounds

The 7th round was very tasty and flavorful "sweetwater." The earlier rounds, especially rounds 1-4 were really wonderful rounds, full flavor. In later rounds a tangy fruit started to show over a layer of mild herb/vegetal but still held a sweet throat. Recently, even if a tea will go further, I find myself stopping at the proverbial "seven cups," or, in my case, seven rounds. I've enjoyed this tea so much that I've poured the same tea for the past four days. It's curious, subtle and holds a bit of mystery, elusive, and yet responsive to little changes.

Blessings!

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Dec 13th, '13, 22:12
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by chrl42 » Dec 13th, '13, 22:12

Xiang Xing Cha Hang TLH..it's been 4 years since the first sip at my friend's house...this time revisiting as a 12-12 treat :D

HK-style firing...a famous vendor's tea yet friendly-priced :)


*followed by XXCH DHP. It's first time to try their DHP..taste it, it's very Qidan-like. Weaken taste with a hint of paper-like finish..they are ok teas.

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Dec 14th, '13, 11:37
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by puerhking » Dec 14th, '13, 11:37

2013 Rou Gui Yancha from Yunnan Sourcing -

Soft and round with just the right amount of roast on this snowy morning.

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Dec 18th, '13, 02:12
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by minor_glitch » Dec 18th, '13, 02:12

Enjoying some Traditional Pinglin Baozhong Mid-Fire 2010 from Origin in a lovely shyrabbit cup :D

Image

Dec 18th, '13, 15:44
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by ethan » Dec 18th, '13, 15:44

Such a lovely photograph! Thanks.

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Dec 19th, '13, 06:27
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by William » Dec 19th, '13, 06:27

This is the first time that I drink Bai Hao (Oriental Beauty Select Grade Oolong Tea, Lot 239), I am really impressed.
The leaves are pretty beautiful and the high degree of oxidation is quite obvious.
Through the various infusions, I noticed two things – first, the long-lasting aftertaste, second, my tea room is completely filled with an aroma that I would describe as “flowery garden”.
During the first few infusions, the tea has a strong sweet/flowery taste and an aroma that is hard to describe, partly resembling the Taiwanese blacks tea (that I really love), partly unique, at least as far as I could taste until today.
Continuing with the infusions, this tea resists quite well, with a rather high number of cups, leaving a lingering sweet taste, less floral, but equally good.

I will compare this lot with those of higher grade, in order to check if this tea can really be even better!

For those interested, these are my parameters.
Teapot: 120 ml Kobiwako clay.
Quantity: 8 grams
Infusions: quick rinse to warm up the leaves, flash brew, 5 seconds brew, 10 seconds brew and so on ..

[Review also posted on the TTC website.]

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Dec 19th, '13, 11:24
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by William » Dec 19th, '13, 11:24

Another tea session, another tea review :D !

(2005 Songboling Aged Oolong Tea, Lot 135).
The aroma of the dry leaves is quite strong, I would define it as a middle way between dry wood and wood charcoal.
Once placed in the preheated teapot, the woody note is clearly distinguishable.
After a quick rinse, returns the smoky note, which was quite present in the dry leaves.
During the first few infusions, is present in the flavor, a predominant note of roasting, accompanied by a less perceptible note of minerals and wood, all held together by a sugary note, which surrounds the palate from the very beginning.
The sweet note, as well as the roasted note, remains during the entire session, although becoming both lighter.
I consider this a good tea, perfect for those in search of an oolong with a medium/high roasting level.
A defect that could be attributed to this tea is a certain lack of aftertaste, that maybe will come out with a further aging of few years.

For those interested, these are my parameters.
Teapot: 120 ml Kobiwako clay.
Quantity: 8 grams
Infusions: quick rinse to warm up the leaves, flash brew, 5 seconds brew, 10 seconds brew and so on ..

[Review also posted on the TTC website.]

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Dec 22nd, '13, 21:59
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by 茶藝-TeaArt08 » Dec 22nd, '13, 21:59

Today: TTC Spring 2013 Baozhong tea. I've been saving this for the last many months and opened the bag to pour with a visiting friend whom recently returned from cycling around Iceland and Europe on a very rich personal journey. This tea, just as I remember it, is very enjoyable and goes and goes without diminishing across rounds. A very lovely tea poured in a 120ml Petr Novak glazed kyusu at 92-94 deg. C and sipped in glazed 70ml Petr Novak cups.

Blessings!

Edit: I also pour Taiwan Alishan high mt. tea. I'm really enjoying this specific Alishan tea right now and have been drinking it more or less every day. I pour the tea in a high fire, Taiwan red clay, 170ml teapot from my father-in-law's collection that has been doing wonderful things for all my greener wulong teas. The tea stretches many rounds and I feel I've found a sweet equilibrium with this tea wherein the tea and I sit and feel instantly acquainted. Luckily, I have many grams of future enjoyment with this tea for the Winter ahead.
Last edited by 茶藝-TeaArt08 on Dec 22nd, '13, 22:14, edited 1 time in total.

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Dec 22nd, '13, 22:08
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by 茶藝-TeaArt08 » Dec 22nd, '13, 22:08

minor_glitch wrote:Enjoying some Traditional Pinglin Baozhong Mid-Fire 2010 from Origin in a lovely shyrabbit cup :D

Image

Great photo...very nice cup! :)

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Dec 24th, '13, 05:55
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by bliss » Dec 24th, '13, 05:55

Math wrote:Bliss, you seem to have good taste when it comes to tea! I've tried that malaysia stored cake too although just a sample. We should meet and drink tea some time! :D
I've been thinking the same thing with your posts. Indeed, let's team up some day for tea! I would'nt be surprised if it turns out we are more or less neighbours. I'm in Malmö too :D

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Dec 24th, '13, 10:44
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by William » Dec 24th, '13, 10:44

(Baguashan Jade Oolong Tea, Lot 211).
The leaves appear small and fairly uniform in color, the aroma of the dry leaves is slightly floral.
After a quick rinse of the leaves, I am inebriated by an amazing aroma, pretty floral, which is very reminiscent of the scent of spring, and in which are clearly distinguishable notes of orchids and magnolias.
The flavor, in parallel to what happens with the aroma, is quite floral with a slightly sweet aftertaste, which unfortunately does not last long; during the infusions, it gradually becomes less sweet and more rosy.
There is a lack of complexity in this oolong, partially offset by an incredible strength during the various infusions, in which flavour and aroma gradually become lighter, without abandoning us abruptly.
A good choice as a tea to drink without too much attention during the day, a good way to have always with us a piece of Taiwan, but not a good choice if I want something more complex, able to amaze me .. for that there are many possibilities here!

For those interested, these are my parameters.
Gaiwan: 100 ml.
Quantity: 6,7 grams
Infusions: quick rinse to warm up the leaves, flash brew, 5 seconds brew, 10 seconds brew and so on ..

[Review also posted on the TTC website.]

Image

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Dec 27th, '13, 10:18
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by William » Dec 27th, '13, 10:18

Alishan Cing Xin High Mountain Winter Oolong Tea, Lot 258 (TTC).

This is the first time that I try it, then no review yet. :D

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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by AdamMY » Dec 30th, '13, 18:32

Gaiwan brewing some 2006 Charcoal Roasted hi-fi Anxi TGY from Origin tea. So nice and roasty! Really bringing warmth into this cold winter day.

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Jan 2nd, '14, 09:42
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by chrl42 » Jan 2nd, '14, 09:42

2013 Yan Shang tea research / Zheng Yan 'member only' Rou Gui.

Brewing vessel: Xu Fu-jun 80ml Zhuni SP

Water: Korean Samdasoo bottle, Nongfu bottle, filtered


Floral, owns a clear yanyun, durablity normal (5 times)
Tea came different from water used, I rate Samdasoo > Nongfu > filtered

Samdasoo is the most interesting, this water tends to heavy yet certainly makes it scenty..which is important for RG, Nongfu is also ok. Filtered water cuts the scent/aroma...big time.... :shock:

Jan 2nd, '14, 11:18
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Re: Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

by plastic351 » Jan 2nd, '14, 11:18

I am on 4 infusion of Formosa oolong. Really nice, mellow and sweet and a bit roasted. :)

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