Dayuling and the Gaoshan Game

[Tead Off]

Ordered two separate batches, one from TeaHome which I am familiar with their excellent Dong Dings, and the second from Tea Mountains. I bought a 98k 50g for $65 US. They told me they sell high quality oolongs. I take their word!

Here's a link:

http://www.teamountains.com/teas.php?cat=2

Wow, is that how much people have to pay for gaoshan outside of Taiwan!? Guess I better never leave this country...

Different levels of quality in DYL. But, 50g of 98K for $65 seems pretty high. Doesn't TeaHome grow some of their own stuff?

[ethan]

bagua7, Seems appropriate for you to report on this tea after you have tried it. I love good cheese but keep my eyes away from the over-$1-per-ounce area of cheese counters; > $1 per gram for tea is likewise a "no-fly" zone for many of us.

A ? for all: Is dayuling finished as name or type for the most part? In 2 weeks in Taiwan, I never heard "dayuling" mentioned & never saw a pack of tea labeled "dayuling". (I was not reading packs of tea or labels much though.)

[bagua7]

Different levels of quality in DYL. But, 50g of 98K for $65 seems pretty high. Doesn't TeaHome grow some of their own stuff?

Yes I did also buy DYL from Tea Home via eBay because I can't read Chinese as they also have their own site.

The Tea Mountains rep. told me they only stock top DYL.

I will certainly report when I get my hands on this tea. I really want to know if the tea is as good as they claim.

[jayinhk]

ethan 'Dayuling' is available at many, many stores in Taipei. Whether it's the real thing or any good depends on the store. It refers to a location and I've only ever seen green DYL as roasting it would drive off much of the character that it is famous for.

The price you paid for the DYL is very high by Taiwan standards, but how much DYL are you really likely to drink in a year? I myself only go through maybe 50g a year since I prefer high fire oolongs, pu erh and green teas.

[Tead Off]

ethan 'Dayuling' is available at many, many stores in Taipei. Whether it's the real thing or any good depends on the store. It refers to a location and I've only ever seen green DYL as roasting it would drive off much of the character that it is famous for.

The price you paid for the DYL is very high by Taiwan standards, but how much DYL are you really likely to drink in a year? I myself only go through maybe 50g a year since I prefer high fire oolongs, pu erh and green teas.

DYL is available as a roasted tea. TeaHome used to carry this on their site, but I haven't checked in a long time. Hojo also carries a deep fired version. IMO, it is very difficult to roast Gaoshan properly. But, why roast a DYL when the green is selling for a premium?

[jayinhk]

ethan 'Dayuling' is available at many, many stores in Taipei. Whether it's the real thing or any good depends on the store. It refers to a location and I've only ever seen green DYL as roasting it would drive off much of the character that it is famous for.

The price you paid for the DYL is very high by Taiwan standards, but how much DYL are you really likely to drink in a year? I myself only go through maybe 50g a year since I prefer high fire oolongs, pu erh and green teas.

DYL is available as a roasted tea. TeaHome used to carry this on their site, but I haven't checked in a long time. Hojo also carries a deep fired version. IMO, it is very difficult to roast Gaoshan properly. But, why roast a DYL when the green is selling for a premium?

I only roast teas at home when they've lost their oomph. With gaoshan, the green stuff is so intensely aromatic and flavorful that roasting it would be wasteful as many of those aromatics would be needlessly driven off. You'd smell it all around you as the tea was roasted. I'm fortunate to have an oven with digital control so I can control the process with more control. Looking forward to trying my medium roast SLX! I wonder if those vendors' suppliers are roasting fresh tea or older tea that needs the roast to be its best. The second is par for course in the tea industry and IMO the best way to make older tea saleable.

[kyarazen]

there's fushoushan roasted and dayuling roasted. lishan roasted as well. gently roasted, just one or two pass on charcoal or electric.

straight from FSS factory there is a roasted version of the tea of the current product, i.e. not roasting/reroasting old tea to sell.

[jayinhk]

there's fushoushan roasted and dayuling roasted. lishan roasted as well. gently roasted, just one or two pass on charcoal or electric.

straight from FSS factory there is a roasted version of the tea of the current product, i.e. not roasting/reroasting old tea to sell.

Very nice! I'd like to try some. I'll pop over to Taiwan again some time this year as package deals are only $150 for three days! I don't know how to say high roast in Mandarin, so I never asked for the stuff when over there! The only high roast stuff we encountered in Jan was Muzha TGY.

Decided to try some unknown gaoshan I picked up in transit in Taipei in 2013 or 2014 and reroasted a few months ago. I was on my way to Austria and didn't have enough time to leave the airport. This was the most aromatic of the gaoshan at the store at the time. Very smooth with a light aged taste now--really quite lovely!


https://www.instagram.com/p/BPCRS9eDQm5/

[ethan]

there's lishan roasted as well. gent

I don't know how to say high roast in Mandarin, so I never asked for the stuff when over there! The only high roast stuff we encountered in Jan was Muzha TGY.

/

I don't think there is a "no-roasting" rule for tea from some mountains. If there is a good reason to roast or oxidize, I think it will be done.

Jay, you should go to Dr Chen in Tainan where you would be respected & awarded for your palate. If you can fly into one city & fly out another, high-speed rail could bring you from one to another in 2 hours. (Snac, the oldest son, speaks English quite well.)

Staff at my hostel wrote Chinese for me for phrases I thought would help. Loose leaf pu-erh, light, medium, & dark roast, etc. It was helpful sometimes. I don't think every vendor thinks in strict categories. Sometimes I was told 40%, 50%, or 70% roasted in ways that led me to think a number or term was being thrown out just for me, rather than the terms were used often by the vendor. (Not mendaciously, but to get closer to talk finishing or getting more useful.)

[jayinhk]

there's lishan roasted as well. gent

I don't know how to say high roast in Mandarin, so I never asked for the stuff when over there! The only high roast stuff we encountered in Jan was Muzha TGY.

/

I don't think there is a "no-roasting" rule for tea from some mountains. If there is a good reason to roast or oxidize, I think it will be done.

Jay, you should go to Dr Chen in Tainan where you would be respected & awarded for your palate. If you can fly into one city & fly out another, high-speed rail could bring you from one to another in 2 hours. (Snac, the oldest son, speaks English quite well.)

Staff at my hostel wrote Chinese for me for phrases I thought would help. Loose leaf pu-erh, light, medium, & dark roast, etc. It was helpful sometimes. I don't think every vendor thinks in strict categories. Sometimes I was told 40%, 50%, or 70% roasted in ways that led me to think a number or term was being thrown out just for me, rather than the terms were used often by the vendor. (Not mendaciously, but to get closer to talk finishing or getting more useful.)

Ethan, I have to see this Dr Chen at some point to see what he's got. I can actually fly straight into Taichung from here, so that's a plus! Google Translate works on my phone there so that's always a good fallback option.

[kyarazen]

Very nice! I'd like to try some. I'll pop over to Taiwan again some time this year as package deals are only $150 for three days! I don't know how to say high roast in Mandarin, so I never asked for the stuff when over there! The only high roast stuff we encountered in Jan was Muzha TGY.

high roast is 重焙火 zhong4bei4huo3

most people have misconception on "roasting".. after all many very high mountain oolongs are "baked" to reduce water content at the final step before packaging.. even the super green ones.. if not the tea will spoil during storage. so its not that green oolongs have not had been subjected to baking heat at all..

this water reduction step is generally done all via electrical means, the more modern tofu machine style of manufacture has a conveyor belt in a system that takes the raw leaf from start to end in just a matter of hours

[jayinhk]

Very nice! I'd like to try some. I'll pop over to Taiwan again some time this year as package deals are only $150 for three days! I don't know how to say high roast in Mandarin, so I never asked for the stuff when over there! The only high roast stuff we encountered in Jan was Muzha TGY.

high roast is 重焙火 zhong4bei4huo3

most people have misconception on "roasting".. after all many very high mountain oolongs are "baked" to reduce water content at the final step before packaging.. even the super green ones.. if not the tea will spoil during storage. so its not that green oolongs have not had been subjected to baking heat at all..

this water reduction step is generally done all via electrical means, the more modern tofu machine style of manufacture has a conveyor belt in a system that takes the raw leaf from start to end in just a matter of hours

Thanks, very interesting stuff! I had no idea there was a conveyor-belt type system in use for gaoshan cha. Any idea how high they go in temperature for the high roast stuff?

[bagua7]

...but how much DYL are you really likely to drink in a year? I myself only go through maybe 50g a year

About the same.

Just received the order from Tea Mountains DYL 98k. And it's worth the bucks. Nice round flavour which lingers in the mouth afterwards for a while not just 5 min. Sweet, buttery, a hint of vanilla and very fresh. IMO, better than the one I purchased from Origin Tea which was exactly the same elevation; however I still remember Tony's particular Alishan which left me with an impressive and long lasting feeling.

Would you like some photos as well or are you guys just happy with this brief comment?

I also received the 105k from Tea Home but not going to open the package until I go through 3/4 of the 98k. I'd love to compare the two side by side but don't want to as I'm not to keen on having too much DYL at the same time.

Cheers!

[jayinhk]

...but how much DYL are you really likely to drink in a year? I myself only go through maybe 50g a year

About the same.

Just received the order from Tea Mountains DYL 98k. And it's worth the bucks. Nice round flavour which lingers in the mouth afterwards for a while not just 5 min. Sweet, buttery, a hint of vanilla and very fresh. IMO, better than the one I purchased from Origin Tea which was exactly the same elevation; however I still remember Tony's particular Alishan which left me with an impressive and long lasting feeling.

Would you like some photos as well or are you guys just happy with this brief comment?

I also received the 105k from Tea Home but not going to open the package until I go through 3/4 of the 98k. I'd love to compare the two side by side but don't want to as I'm not to keen on having too much DYL at the same time.

Cheers!

Maybe throw the 105k in the fridge for now? Glad you like the tea you bought!