Curious about this one:
http://camelliasinensisblog.blogspot.co ... -shan.html
Re: Imperial Tea House He Kai Shan sheng bing cha ?
$65 is a bit pricey for an unknown tea. If you were in the area and saw it and tasted it, it would be easier to make a decision.
Re: Imperial Tea House He Kai Shan sheng bing cha ?
I shouldn't disparage as many folks love and swear by Roy's teas, but I've just never seen a single one where I thought the cost was justified. Just my 2 cents.
Re: Imperial Tea House He Kai Shan sheng bing cha ?
If it is the really good tea, then it is worth the money. 
Re: Imperial Tea House He Kai Shan sheng bing cha ?
What I think is interesting is that based on the description (and the photos), it seems like it might be oxidized more than some people might think is ideal (maybe intentionally, to make it more drinkable in the short term, maybe not). That's just based on the description (she uses the word "fruity" several times), the photos (fairly orange-yellow soup, some bits of red on the wet leaves). But I haven't seen the tea in person or tried the tea, so I can't say for sure. If that were the case, the tea would most likely taste better now than a lot of young sheng out there. And I think it's really anyone's bet whether tea that has a little extra oxidation will be inferior in 20-30 years.
Roy Fong is a businessperson, and his rent (and his markups) are high. So even if he's buying fairly high in the food chain in large quantities, you can hardly expect to compare it to a $60 product you are buying from some vendor who's selling direct from China. On the other hand, if you're in the Bay area, you can probably try the tea in person first to see if you like it. Also, you're paying some for the curatorial bit - he's putting his stamp of approval on this tea, and so if your taste agrees with his, you may end up more likely to get a good cake than if you bought 3 $20 cakes at random.
Roy Fong is a businessperson, and his rent (and his markups) are high. So even if he's buying fairly high in the food chain in large quantities, you can hardly expect to compare it to a $60 product you are buying from some vendor who's selling direct from China. On the other hand, if you're in the Bay area, you can probably try the tea in person first to see if you like it. Also, you're paying some for the curatorial bit - he's putting his stamp of approval on this tea, and so if your taste agrees with his, you may end up more likely to get a good cake than if you bought 3 $20 cakes at random.