I received 50gm of TieLuoHan (Iron Arhat or Iron Warrior Monk) from Andao teas yesterday. First, I'll say the turnaround from order to receipt was very speedy. Secondly, the price was excellent. Third, the quality for the price made the price even better.
When I order yan-cha from a new vendor I tend to order the TieLuoHan if they have it available. This was my first and currently my favorite WuYi varietal so to me its a good frame of reference and allows me to be critical of the quality of tea the vendor is offering. I ordered two different teas from Andao, the TieLuoHan, and the Jingmai Ancient Dragon which I'll talk about in another topic after I try it. Both teas are nicely packaged in heat sealed, zip-top, opaque plastic bags.
Upon opening the TieLuoHan bag the scent is instantly recognizable to me.
Test number one passed.
I filled my pot 2/3 full with leaf, I'm guessing about 5 gms of tea. I poured off boil water into the pot for a rinse. I dumped off the rinse into the sink and took a deep breath as I did so (I don't much enjoy drinking the rinse, but I do enjoy smelling it). The scent was strong and sweet with citrus overtones and an almost metallic quality.
Test number two a success.
I poured water into the pot once again and gave the tea a 5 second infuse period then poured off into my 5oz bodum pavina glass. The color was a rich orange and darkened to almost red as I poured.
Test number three, A+.
I put the glass up to my nose and took a deep sniff then took a sip. The liquor was smooth but not overly viscous. The tea was sweet at the front of my tongue. As the liquid traveled back into my mouth there was a tinge of bitterness at the back followed by the ever familiar citrus plus copper after taste. There was a dryness like red wine in the throat, but this is typical when I brew this strong. The second and third infusions were flash infusions and a bit stronger and more dry than the first but the same flavor qualities persisted. The fourth and fifth infusions were noticably weaker, more sweet, and less of the aftertaste which I appreciate so much with this varietal but no less enjoyable.
Test number four passed with flying colors.
The tea is still in the pot and I expect to get 3-4 more infusions out of it tonight after I get home.
All-in-all I'm very impressed with this tea. For the price compared to other vendors from which I've ordered this tea its hard for me to find a complaint. It has certainly given me reason to explore Andao's other Yan-cha offerings. Maybe I'll take some pictures the next time I brew.
Jun 9th, '09, 10:45
Posts: 1777
Joined: Jun 4th, '08, 19:41
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Stockport, England
Contact:
Herb_Master
Sweet, good review.
If you are making TLH as strong as me, I would suggest not drinking it out of one big cup, but a few tiny cups.
http://www.theteagallery.com/Gong_Fu_Te ... ta-gfc.htm
These are a personal favorite. The small cup with a rim gives you a great path to slurp some serious yancha and cover your entire palate at once. Sipping it is not really for me.
Give it a try once?
If you are making TLH as strong as me, I would suggest not drinking it out of one big cup, but a few tiny cups.
http://www.theteagallery.com/Gong_Fu_Te ... ta-gfc.htm
These are a personal favorite. The small cup with a rim gives you a great path to slurp some serious yancha and cover your entire palate at once. Sipping it is not really for me.
Give it a try once?
