Monday TeaDay 5/17/10 Really, is it new harvest?

[Chip]

oh yes! shincha is in the house.. currently 3 versions. The Maiko Kinari, And the Zencha Fuji and Takumi. I made myself run out of all Japanese greens way prior (actually in the winter) so I could grab me a bunch of new harvest. have a few more still to come in!

Yeah, deSencha-ed for at least 6 weeks before shincha arrival, but it did arrive and more is ordered and/or coming. This definitely heightened the shincha experience in a big way, realllly big way!

So, hope to top out over 20 Shincha again this year. Actually more than 20 have arrived or ordered already.

Began the TD with shincha Yutaka Midori Kaoru, the new YM from O-Cha. SweeTea was present for the tasting while Pyrit and Shincha stopped by the TeaTable.

[laura99]

This is my first spring since my introduction to loose leaf tea, so all the talk of the new harvest got me excited to join in.

Kagoshima Sencha Yutaka Midori from O-Cha arrived last week and it is a different green tea experience from anything I have had before.

[olivierco]

Kirameki and Warashina shincha should arrive very soon. I already have some Himalaya Gold and Himalaya Saphir (Mariage Frères) at home.

Himalaya gold this evening.

[Victoria]

I'm pondering like crazy. No purchase yet, though.

Just having c*ffee on this national holiday.

Happy Constitution Day!!! Yeah, I looked it up.

Starting the day with TKY from Adagio Masters Collection.

Have a nice day Everyone!
.

[Trey Winston]

I'm pondering like crazy. No purchase yet, though.

Just having c*ffee on this national holiday.

Happy Constitution Day!!! Yeah, I looked it up.

Thanks!!!

[Janine]

Today I have settled on a small bag out of my stash of numerous bags - great and small - from The Tea Gallery. I don't remember when I bought this tea - probably it's an '08 tea... Wuyi Bao-Chung. Simply delicious - the last in the bag. Wine-honey flavor, slightly rich apricot, perfect roast level for me. Yum. I don't know if they even sell this tea anymore, will have to look at the website. I love that I can save my stash and it grows more mellow with time.

[leiche2]

Since I mostly just drink blacks and roasted oolongs, I don't pay much attention to harvest dates. Taste over freshness, I guess?

I'm due for some Wuyi Ensemble right about now.

[LauraW]

Yunnan at work (was running late and didn't have time to pack up some snowbud). Just got home, and about to run off to an open house where I might pick up a volunteer position (or even better, paid a meager sum), so no more tea for now, maybe when I return this evening.

[Cinnamon Kitty]

Oddly enough, I had just opened a new harvest tea this evening and am very much enjoying it. I went with the First Flush tasting collection from Lochan Teas and now have samples of three First Flush Darjeelings, three First Flush Assams and four Chais.

Currently in my cup is the Margaret's Hope FTGFOP 1 CH SPL. I've never had a 1st flush Darjeeling that I liked before I tried this one so I'm incredibly excited about it. It tastes predominantly sweet and muscatel and finishes with a light astringency. It's very fresh and smooth and absolutely lovely.

I still have an overstock of sencha so I haven't ordered any of the 2010 shincha yet. I forbid myself to look at any of it until at least one or two more bags of Japanese greens are finished off.

[brad4419]

Whoops, forgot all about the 2010 silver needles I threw in with my oolongs, so I guess 2010 tea is in da house!

[Skippyandjif]

Currently drinking some chrysanthemum tea, which I absolutely loooove. Also, there was matcha with dinner tonight, which made up for the lack of matcha encountered on today's tea-shopping expedition. (It was weird, I couldn't find it anywhere. Oh well. I did finally get my hands on some keemun, which I'm trying either tomorrow or Thursday, and *fanfare* my first pu beeng!!! It's HUUUUUUGE. I got so excited when I saw it, I jumped up and down and squealed a little. The other people in the store were looking at me like I was crazy, hehehe. )

Oh, a heads-up for anyone living in or around NYC-- Kam Man Grocery in Chinatown has renovated, and their downstairs has a huge, amazing tea section, and the place is no longer dingey like it used to be. Sadly, I had spent all my money by the time I got there, argh...

[debunix]

I think everything is 2009 or older right now.

Fresh japanese greens next on the agenda.

Today, however, started with Silver Dragon white tea (Wing Hop Fung), on to some Anxi Mao Xie Oolong from JingTeaShop.com, then a bit of Honey Orchid Phoenix Oolong from Tea Habitat, and ended with a cup of Tulsi tea. Lots of sweet and spicy today. Supposed to get some rain tomorrow, suspect I'll be drinking earthier and toastier.